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CS's Reviews > One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories
One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories
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by
My book club chose BJ Novak’s book, “One More Thing”. I wasn’t able to attend the meeting where the books were chosen, but my guess is it was chosen because Novak was an actor in the American “The Office”, a pretty funny show (at least the episodes I’ve caught).
However…
There was a big problem as I…as I was reading…listening…
ERM! I was listening to this on audiobook, as story after story went by. The Planetarium. The…The…The heaven story. The Calendar story. The…the…
SNORF! Well, what was I saying? Yeah, okay, the stories. They were being relayed, and well, I don’t recall all but a couple. The Tortoise and the Hare. The One where Everyone Hates Math. Another about a woman giving great advice, a guy who stands out with a red shirt and the two of them meeting up. And really…hmmmmm…really…
*YAWNS*
Anyway, the only things I could really think were: "Wow, Novak is a pretentious guy who thinks he is oh, so smart and clever and witty and intelligent with this smart-aleck humor" and "Maybe this is the proof I really am a robot". Oh, and I wonder how good of a pillow my keyboard would make.
Excuse me, I need a nap.
Discussion Question Answer:
No, I did not think the book was funny. The book was dry, boring, humorless, pretentious, and weird. The stories were mundane and simplistic, the writing was dull and insipid, and there were only two scenarios that made me even partially crack a smile.
Discussion Question for the Author:
What do you think adding discussion questions at the end of your “humorous” anecdotes says about you as an author and a “humorist”?
A) You are clever and witty, seeing something no one else could ever see because you are a super special snowflake. You know because your mother told you so.
B) You are pushing for a non-traditional (AKA totally mainstream now) type of comedy. That’s how you roll after all – being counter-cultural (AKA totally mainstream). Excuse you for trying to buck the mold – that’s why you wear only Urban Outfitters, bike everywhere you go, imbibe in organic, gluten-free products at Whole Foods and compost.
C) It’s a desperate ploy to make people think you are funny, when you are definitely NOT FUNNY.
Extra Credit: Check out some real humorists, such as George Carlin and Robin Williams. Discuss how they employed humor.
However…
There was a big problem as I…as I was reading…listening…
ERM! I was listening to this on audiobook, as story after story went by. The Planetarium. The…The…The heaven story. The Calendar story. The…the…
SNORF! Well, what was I saying? Yeah, okay, the stories. They were being relayed, and well, I don’t recall all but a couple. The Tortoise and the Hare. The One where Everyone Hates Math. Another about a woman giving great advice, a guy who stands out with a red shirt and the two of them meeting up. And really…hmmmmm…really…
*YAWNS*
Anyway, the only things I could really think were: "Wow, Novak is a pretentious guy who thinks he is oh, so smart and clever and witty and intelligent with this smart-aleck humor" and "Maybe this is the proof I really am a robot". Oh, and I wonder how good of a pillow my keyboard would make.
Excuse me, I need a nap.
Discussion Question Answer:
No, I did not think the book was funny. The book was dry, boring, humorless, pretentious, and weird. The stories were mundane and simplistic, the writing was dull and insipid, and there were only two scenarios that made me even partially crack a smile.
Discussion Question for the Author:
What do you think adding discussion questions at the end of your “humorous” anecdotes says about you as an author and a “humorist”?
A) You are clever and witty, seeing something no one else could ever see because you are a super special snowflake. You know because your mother told you so.
B) You are pushing for a non-traditional (AKA totally mainstream now) type of comedy. That’s how you roll after all – being counter-cultural (AKA totally mainstream). Excuse you for trying to buck the mold – that’s why you wear only Urban Outfitters, bike everywhere you go, imbibe in organic, gluten-free products at Whole Foods and compost.
C) It’s a desperate ploy to make people think you are funny, when you are definitely NOT FUNNY.
Extra Credit: Check out some real humorists, such as George Carlin and Robin Williams. Discuss how they employed humor.
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One More Thing.
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Reading Progress
March 12, 2015
– Shelved
August 6, 2015
–
Started Reading
August 6, 2015
–
0.0%
"Okay, did my audiobook just start in the middle of a story is that how the book is?"
August 7, 2015
–
9.0%
"Tortoise and the Hare: OK. The Planetarium: *eyeroll* Heaven: Feels very, erm, hip, modern. Somehow I kinda expected that "twist". General: Slight chuckles, not much laughing."
August 7, 2015
–
17.0%
"Okay. John Grisham was mildly amusing. The lady with the best advice was eh. And the red shirt story was also eh. Once again, I find I am a robot unable to understand this thing people call "Humor". *SIGH*"
August 7, 2015
–
18.0%
"I am so freakin' @$$ tired of all the hate math gets. I LOVED math in high school (learned to love it at least) and college, and I honestly HATED English and Literature because I never understood the crappy excerpts they made us read. And I'm freakin' tired of EVERY. SINGLE. BOOK. hating on math. Math is freakin' awesome and makes a whole helluva lotta sense compared to crap like "Fifty Shades of Eat My Face". BLECH!"
August 7, 2015
–
25.0%
"This guy is a moron. You don't want to walk on the moon because it's too far away and you wear a bulky suit?! Half-tempted to quit this book now - but it's an audiobook and I'm still plugging away at work."
August 10, 2015
–
49.0%
"Gah. I didn't care for Sedaris at the time, but right now, he's funnier than Novak!"
August 11, 2015
–
58.0%
"OMG OMG OMG! That Elvis story was actually AMUSING! I cracked a smile and semi-snorted! *FAINTS*"
"
August 12, 2015
–
86.0%
"What is WITH all the pop culture/name dropping sh!t? Elvis, Johnny Depp, now Kate Moss???! This is NOT FUNNY."
August 12, 2015
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-5 of 5 (5 new)
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Ok scratch that, the gifs work perfectly now and yes, they are fricking hilarious.
great review hun, love the gifs:) better luck on your next read.
Crystal wrote: "I find short stories to be a hit or miss. It's hard for the author to fit a full narrative into a word limit and be able to pull it off."Short stories can be such a mixed bag. One story could be great - and then the next 5 are so meh you forget that one good one earlier!
I'm glad the gifs worked for you and you liked!
TL wrote: "great review hun, love the gifs:) better luck on your next read."
Thanks so much! I've got some good ones lined up so FINGERS CROSSED!
Carmen wrote: "Great review, CSL!"
Thank you - I got this spark of inspiration to write this review interspersed with cats falling asleep and everyone knows that cats make everything better!
I find short stories to be a hit or miss. It's hard for the author to fit a full narrative into a word limit and be able to pull it off. I'm currently reading a short story collection you may like, it has Australian humour in it, and it is a collection from a few years ago but I'm enjoying the so far.