About this title: From the iconoclastic author of the "New York Times" bestseller "Candyfreak" comes this collection of essays that explores the truly urgent moral dilemmas of our age, such as the consumption of ham for Chanukah.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Description: Good. 1400066190 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Description: Good. 1400066190 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Description: Good. 1400066190 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Description: Good. 1400066190 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Description: Good. 1400066190 Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. 2007-Hardcover---some shelf-wear-Used-Good-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Random House
Date Published: 2007-09-11
ISBN-13:9781400066193ISBN:1400066190
Description: Very Good. Save some $$$. Perfectly Good Reading Copy. Shelfwear from storage in box with other books. This is a paperback with plain cover and publisher stickers. This book is the same isbn, but is a paperback. Great Copy. Ships Lightning Fast. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Date Published: 2008-07-08
ISBN-13:9780812977592ISBN:0812977599
Description: New. New, unread, unused & in perfect condition with no damaged or missing pages. This is a paperback with plain cover and pre-release stickers. This book is the same isbn, but is a paperback. Great Copy. Ships Lightning Fast. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Date Published: 2008-07-08
ISBN-13:9780812977592ISBN:0812977599
Description: New. New, unread, unused & in perfect condition with no damaged or missing pages. Pre-release book with plain cover and stickers. Great Copy. Ships Lightning Fast. read more
"This book consists of your standard same-ol' same-ol' narcissistic navel-gazing that you can find in any of a number of novels and bad Woody Allen movies. The frustrating thing is that Almond tries hard to put his own spin on his narcissisms and obsessions to really establish himself, but he spends too much time being self-mocking to really get to any kind of a point. There's a place for the self-referential author, such as in Ann Lamott's excellent Bird by Bird, but Almond can't quite find it.
Almond has written something that's easy to pick up and read, but it left me unsatisfied. I wanted there to be some more point to these stories. As it stands, the pieces in this book seem more like the type of stories your friends tell you over a beer at the local hangout. They're fun, and they're entertaining, but they often sort of peter out rather than come to some kind of conclusion. Sure, it's interesting to hear Almond's relationship with baseball, or his single experience with hair removal, and even his flirtation with reality TV fame, but for all that he seems that he wants to moralize or preach, he isn't saying anything new. This book is probably perfect if you want something light for a plane ride, but you needn't bother seeking it out."
"This is my favorite kind of humor: dark, self-effacing, and ultimately expository of the hypocrisy, fear, hoplessness and self-doubt to which we all can relate, but wouldn't admit in polite company. Most of the reviews I've read about this book paint Steve Almond as "hilarious" trouble-making" and "in-your-face," which is the book industry pitch to attract the golden twenty-to-thirty something market that has been lured away by Reality TV and Satellite Radio. Really, though, he is better than that. He's a funny author with a brain and real talent."
"This is my favorite kind o humor: dark, self-effacing, and ultimately expository of the hypocrisy, fear, hoplessness and self-doubt to which we all can relate, but wouldn't admit in polite company. Most of the reviews I've read about this book paint Steve Almond as "hilarious" trouble-making" and "in-your-face," which is the book industry pitch to attract the golden twenty-to-thirty something market that has been lured away by Reality TV and Satellite Radio. Really, though, he is better than that. He's a funny author with a brain and real talent."
"I had high hopes for this book as another funny read and it began that way. This guy rants and can be very funny BUT his chapter on Kurt Vonnegut almost made me put a fork in my eye. It may as well have been a whole separate work by him. Some chapters are worth reading and others are worth skipping so I'm not in love with this book and will be glad when I'm done. Usually I feel guilty about skipping around from chapter to chapter...not this time. The health of my eyes depends on it.
Add on: Okay so I lied-- I put this book down completely and left it without looking back. He is not as funny as he thinks. His letters to Oprah had me cautiously optimistic but the whole insulting chick-lit authors and again, the Kurt Vonnegut neverending chapter made me think he was an angry post office worker posing as a funny guy. It was aggravating."
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