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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “My four-star rating is not based on books in general; rather, I'm basing my rating today on genre. I have a weakness for books by comedians, and this one is unique and funny. The essays are short, more like sketches than full-blown essays; as someone suggested, this is a great book to read in...” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “It was okay. I only read half of it by the time I thought...I am done with these short stories.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Utterly clever and hilarious!”
Sarah P wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I was looking for a book to make me laugh. This one hit the spot. A must recommend for Mean Jeanine. ”
Amy S wrote this review Wednesday, July 22 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Hilarious essays. Super-smart, super-funny.”
Brennan D wrote this review Monday, July 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“It was okay. I only read half of it by the time I thought...I am done with these short stories.”
PJ Martinez wrote this review Sunday, July 5 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is funny as hell”
Jacob Casey wrote this review Sunday, March 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“SUMMARY:
Kathy S wrote this review Thursday, February 19 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
A collection of humorous essays and short stories.
APPEAL:
Although this collection has a few misses, overall I laughed out loud quite often. The essays and short stories are often times silly, sometimes tend towards potty humor and very often are way over the top. BUT AGAIN I laughed very hard very much.
SIMILAR AUTHORS/WORKS:
Michael Ian Black owes something big to David Sedaris and Jonathan Ames. Perhaps a tip of the hat to David Rakoff and Sarah Vowell.
RECOMMENDED AUDIENCE:
If you like funny essays and don't mind fart jokes, go for it!”1 of 1 members found this review helpful“My four-star rating is not based on books in general; rather, I'm basing my rating today on genre. I have a weakness for books by comedians, and this one is unique and funny. The essays are short, more like sketches than full-blown essays; as someone suggested, this is a great book to read in small doses, as they aren't interrelated in any way.
Suze wrote this review Thursday, January 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
As for the actual book content, if you don't like swearing, occasional potty humor, and doses of heavy sarcasm, this book isn't for you. Some of the better essays, in my opinion, are "David Sedaris--Why Don't You Go Ahead and Suck It?", "What I Would Be Thinking If I Were Billy Joel Driving To a Holiday Party Where I Knew There Was Going To Be a Piano," "A Series of Letters to a Squirrel," and "Vampires--Good For the Economy?" His humor is smart but not exactly subtle or greatly mature; this is not a book for those who are offended easily.”
“My Custom Van is, if not one of the funniest, then THE funniest book I have ever read. Each of these fifty or so essays produced not a chuckle, not a polite laugh, but deep belly laughs, the kind that bring tears to your eyes.
missed wrote this review Friday, December 12 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I admit to being a complete and utter fan of Black's appearances on the VH1 "I Love the..." series of television specials. Black's humor is biting and well-timed, with zingers that will get you in the gut. Thankfully, he's an equally talented writer with a wonderful imagination. Who else but Michael Ian Black would: wonder what would happen if he colored his personal area with a magic marker? write letters to a squirrel, or to the first girl he ever intimately encountered while at sleepaway camp? Or even pen some of the most obnoxiously funny "erotica" ever to land on the page?
While I certainly got fifty kicks out of reading this book, I can definitely see how some readers might not be as amused. I think Black's humor might not be for everybody, but I'm not exactly sure what makes me think that. But if you're the kind who enjoys a quick romp through a tome written by a guy with a unique sense of humor and point of view, perhaps you should check this book out. You may actually find yourself with a yen for eating fudge in the back of Black's custom flokati and bamboo covered van.”
“Sample passage (p. 206): “A jug band without a washboard? That’s like a discotheque without any transvestites: it can still exist, yes, but what’s the point?”
Laura and Eric wrote this review Friday, August 1 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I’ve always enjoyed Mr. Black’s occasional quirky pieces on the McSweeney’s website (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/), and so I was happy to find this new collection, containing bits like “A Series of Letters to a Squirrel” and “Testing the Infinite Monkey Probability Theorem.”
My tip: don’t read this all in one sitting. If you speed-read one essay right after the other, you turn into the literate, sober equivalent of the illiterate, surly drunk who has spent a little too long at the back of the comedy club, snarling “Go ahead, funny man. Make me laugh again.” Goofy humor essays like these are best enjoyed in small doses.
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