The Pleasure of My Company is a first-person narrative whose central character, Daniel Pecan Cambridge, is a little ... idiosyncratic? Odd? Neurotic? The Pleasure of My Company is a first-person narrative whose central character, Daniel Pecan Cambridge, is a little ... idiosyncratic? Odd? Neurotic? Abnormal? All of the above? You be the judge: He can only cross streets at driveways symmetrically opposed to one another, the total output of light in his apartment must always equal 1,125 watts, and in attempts to find love, usually comes across more stalker-like than Casanova.
Throughout the short novel, Daniel fantasizes about wooing three different women -- and makes embarrassing attempts to actually do so; deals with passing the of time now that he's unemployed (acting as an extra in a crime show, for example); and is caught in a bizarre lie after entering the "Most Average American" essay contest, in which he submits one essay from himself, and another from a fictional person.
The story begins a little slowly and tediously, being almost too sharply written for its own good (in fact, I nearly put this back on the shelf after the first few chapters). Steve Martin clearly has a firm grasp of language and writing, and his cleverness for storytelling is quite evident. But once beyond the opening pages, a tender, heartfelt story takes shape, that is both humorous and touching, and well-worth finishing.
Whether you're a fan of Steve Martin's vast comedic work on screen and stage or not, I definitely recommend The Pleasure of My Company, as it will likely make you a fan of his writing....more
Huge fan of George Carlin's stand-up comedy; in fact, he's in my top three. But Brain Droppings was a letdown, of sorts. The ideas and witticisms presHuge fan of George Carlin's stand-up comedy; in fact, he's in my top three. But Brain Droppings was a letdown, of sorts. The ideas and witticisms presented by Carlin were too inconsistent, meaning there were far more "sighs" than laugh-out-loud moments. Having read the book more than a decade after its release may have played into this as well, considering many of the references are quite dated (pagers, fax machines, Dukakis, etc.)
If you're a die-hard Carlin fan and must consume everything he ever published, go ahead and read it. But for those who simply enjoyed what he accomplished as a comic, be content to let his polished barbarisms and command of the English language be relegated to a microphone and a stage....more
So, I'm not a teen, nor have I been for quite some time, but I found How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend to be engaging and rewarding -- for a So, I'm not a teen, nor have I been for quite some time, but I found How I Stole Johnny Depp's Alien Girlfriend to be engaging and rewarding -- for a book of its genre.
David Gershwin is a typically hormonal teen boy, with an undeveloped physique and somewhat poltroon nature, spending an unremarkable summer with his father, a renowned psychologist, in rural France. David's father takes on a new, very violent, patient, Zelda, in his ward, who recounts a remarkable story: she is from another planet, and has landed on Earth in order to find her "chosen one," who so happens to be Johnny Depp. David immediately becomes smitten with Zelda and, not surprisingly, is the only person who believes her story. David is so taken with Zelda, in fact, that he enlists to become her personal assistant, and embarks on an epic quest to help her find Mr. Depp. Zelda, however, is being kept prisoner in David's father's compound, so the first order of business: escape.
Once free, enemies from both Earth and Zelda's world, Vahalal, interfere, and are steadfast in thwarting Zelda's plans. But Zelda has a limited amount of time to find Johnny before her chances of returning home with him fade, so she cannot afford to be captured. Will she make it in time?? Will David, as the title suggests, steal Zelda away from Johnny?? [Cue dramatic music]
Readers young and old will find enjoyment in this pithy book, and Gary Ghislain should be proud of his debut effort. The story moves quickly, the characters are well-defined, and though there are some plot devices and cliches, you will find yourself immersed in this adventure, hoping good will prevail over evil. I look forward to seeing what Mr. Ghislain produces next, as it is evident he has a vast imagination and a wry sense of humor. ...more
The Graduate Student was my first introduction to writer James Polster, so I was uncertain of what to expect. What I discovered was a fun, fast-paced,The Graduate Student was my first introduction to writer James Polster, so I was uncertain of what to expect. What I discovered was a fun, fast-paced, enjoyable, albeit convoluted, story. The novel begins with anthropology student Blackwell James (can you tell Polster works in Hollywood?) returning from the Amazon jungle, where he briefly studied and lived with the tribes. Instead of returning to his New England school with copious field notes, James humps a crate containing a mysterious jungle vine, known to produce hallucinogenic effects when brewed. Knowing this snafu will likely cost him the ability to obtain his degree, James begrudgingly accepts a job in Los Angeles, arranged by his professor, to work on a secret project involving primates -- so long as he brings his precious jungle vines with him. Hmm.
Once in Los Angeles, however, things start to become a little ... weird. The naive anthropology student is derailed from his original work plans, and is suddenly swept up in the Hollywood scene, working for a studio producer, hobnobbing with celebs, all the while still trying to figure out exactly what he's supposed to do on the primate project, and why his jungle vines were needed. Blackwell eventually finds himself mixed up with some less-than-credible individuals, and is uncertain if he will even make it out of the L.A. jungle alive.
Is The Graduate Student likely to win any major literary praise or awards? Probably not. But Polster's writing is fun, even if the story reads like a Michael Bay film script. Polster's Hollywood experience is quite evident in the narrative structure, so expect short, snappy dialogue, quick-paced action sequences, stock characters, and an all-too-familiar story arc. Still, if you can suspend your disbelief long enough to follow the character's bizarre journey, you'll find an enjoyable, fast read, perfect for a long plane ride or trip to the beach. ...more
Another collection of essays from humorist David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice is not his best work. The stories, all dealing with the holiday season, are Another collection of essays from humorist David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice is not his best work. The stories, all dealing with the holiday season, are hit or miss, making for a very uneven book.
Far and away, the funniest, most irreverent essay included here is "SantaLand Diaries," wherein Sedaris recounts his days working as a Macy's elf -- at the age of 33. This story alone makes Holidays readable, but if you're looking to begin reading David Sedaris, pass on this book and pick up Me Talk Pretty One Day instead....more
If William Shakespeare's King Lear were loosely retold by the triumvirate of Tom Stoppard, Sarah Silverman and Quentin Tarantino, the resulting work mIf William Shakespeare's King Lear were loosely retold by the triumvirate of Tom Stoppard, Sarah Silverman and Quentin Tarantino, the resulting work might look something like Fool, by the incomparable Christopher Moore.
A comedic parody of the Bard's classic work, the story focuses on the diminutive jester, or "fool," under the employ of King Lear. With copious amounts of sex, violence, witches, war, treachery, and everything and anything bawdy and lewd, Moore paints an entirely new portrait of the dark and dramatic classic play.
Fun and easy-to-digest, this is a quick read that will leave you either laughing or revolted -- but no doubt unable to forget the phrase, "F@#% stockings!"...more
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