The truth is, the whole place is just a bunch of assholes. And it turns out making an asshole a president, just means you end up with an asshole-presi
The truth is, the whole place is just a bunch of assholes. And it turns out making an asshole a president, just means you end up with an asshole-president. Probably could have guessed that. Being president doesn't change you, not really. Just brings out more of the You that you already are.
This is a tough one. I really liked pretty much all these stories... but the thing is that they're not really stories, each feels more like a joke in a stand-up routine... we take something absurd about life and extend it to it's extreme position ("A Most Blessed" is a great example - riffing on the inanity of the wedding industry) and laugh about how silly it is. Even when the story is addressing missed opportunities, lost relationships, or the difficulty in communicating with each other, they feel wry rather than heartfelt. "Missed Connections" for instance spoofs an "I Saw You..." where a couple let their entire lives go by (60ish years catalogued) literally sitting across from each other on the subway and neither starting a conversation nor moving on with their lives. It should be tragic but it reads more as 'aren't these folks idiots?'
Bob-Waksberg writes a great joke (I havent seen Bojack Horseman so don't @me), has a great sense of rhythm, is innovative ("Rufus," the story from the perspective of a dog is incredibly creative), and is a great wordsmith... the narration of these tales was phenomenal, not least because his verbage is hyper with adjectives, alliteration and other wordplay. But nothing here could be made into a (good) long-form story and even the many stories that I truly liked are already fading from memory because they hit their target (a laugh from me) and the aim wasn't for meaningful connection.
Audio is the way to go on this one.
One great line that ended a story that doesn't live up to it's depth:
Life is terrifying and overwhelming, and it can happen at any moment. And when you're confronted with life, you can either be cowardly or you can be brave. But either way you're going to live. So, you might as well be brave.
really wanted to love this (Mindy Kaling's endorsement is front and center) but it rarely landed for me, in part because the humor wasn't really therereally wanted to love this (Mindy Kaling's endorsement is front and center) but it rarely landed for me, in part because the humor wasn't really there if you haven't yourself experienced this cultural phenomena. I'm sure it would be hilarious if I were in the desi crowd. Qamar's strength is actually in her illustrations in which she takes the 50's pop-art style and makes it entirely her own. They are beautiful and dramatic. Her previous work is primarily on Instagram and I can see how this would be successful - and I think this might have been a true win with more true advice in the form of life-hacks, than in the attempt at stand-up comedy masquerading as advice on dealing with one's Aunties. For instance, I snagged at least two recipes to try - one a poor college student hack on Kheer & another for a face mask. (I've tried at least one with middling success!) Another section that really worked for me but showed up abruptly among other topics was the shadism discussion - it was heartfelt, rueful & full of humanity (with self-deprecating humor, especially when this progressive gal realizes that the cream her mother and aunties had her regularly apply was a skin lightener.) All in all, not bad, though not entirely successful. But again, those graphics... [image]alt="Page from Trust No Aunty"/>...more
turns out I read the sequel to this which is basically one blood splattered, zombie dismembered scene after another without real plotting or change. Sturns out I read the sequel to this which is basically one blood splattered, zombie dismembered scene after another without real plotting or change. So I've moved my review over to that edition, but I'll leave my notes and rating here because though the prologue on this successor (which sums up all of these events) is pretty humorous, i have to say the author/artist blew all his ideas in this volume so it would be disappointing to read this one and then expect more later....more
I enjoy 'Insecure' and I would probably have enjoyed this book more on audio format where tone of voice adds so much. Issa Rae is definitely a creativI enjoy 'Insecure' and I would probably have enjoyed this book more on audio format where tone of voice adds so much. Issa Rae is definitely a creative to watch for, but she hadn't quite translated her episodic style as well as I was expecting for this book. The tone is a little all over the place as well - a bit of a ping pong between 'serious stuff,' funny anecdotes and somewhat rote background on our protagonist. Next round will likely hit her stride. That being said, there are great quotes in here and I enjoyed getting more background on this lovely lady!...more
Maybe the best one yet! I'm biting the bullet and investing in the series thus far - wish I had these when I was a kid sighing over Cinderella and SleMaybe the best one yet! I'm biting the bullet and investing in the series thus far - wish I had these when I was a kid sighing over Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty!...more
ok, I feel weird giving this 4-stars since this is by no means high brow literature. And yet... and yet it is just SO pitch perfect. Compare this to tok, I feel weird giving this 4-stars since this is by no means high brow literature. And yet... and yet it is just SO pitch perfect. Compare this to the best and smartest of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes; feminist, funny, irreverent, a send-up of silly horror tropes like the virgin last-man-standing... everything one could hope for when looking for a break from aforementioned serious literature.
Shout out to Aimee's review who breaks down my love and sense of guilty pleasure excellently.
The main character, Maggie, needs to lose her virginity before getting her hunting apprentice license to go tag big baddies with her unusual mother. Until she's deflowered, she's a risk on jobs due to vampires going feeding-frenzy nuts around her. So amid mother-daughter drama, hunting adventures and semi-normal teenager-hood, Maggie is on a mission to get "The Sex." And everytime she says this I crack up.
'Holding down the fort' was apparently synonymous with 'have a huge house party and get your friends drunk' which I was totally cool with. I had a plan, see -- a flawless plan to have The Sex. Parties and The Sex went hand in hand almost as closely as watching Xena reruns and questioning my sexuality.
Besides loving that losing ones virginity is a big deal for this gal in completely subversive ways, this YA is much more about Maggie's relationships with her mom, best friend and new (and newly zombified friend) Lauren than about some cute guy who can see her attractiveness behind the baggy sweatshirts and lack of makeup/style (don't worry folks, there are plenty of alternatives if that's what you want instead). We're definitely passing the Bechdel test here as Maggie tries to figure out how to be a good friend.
[Lauren] was plenty nice, but starve her too long and who knew what would happen? She'd either go on a person bender or raid McDonald's for their pretend cow patties. I wasn't risking it.
So I'd highly recommend a read, but don't hold your edification expectations too high or you'll miss out on the utter brilliance of this piece. ...more
F-ing madrigals. Was there a more repulsive trend, in the entire universe? Trust hipsters to make even the collapse of civilization unbearably twee.
th
F-ing madrigals. Was there a more repulsive trend, in the entire universe? Trust hipsters to make even the collapse of civilization unbearably twee.
this book made me happy in so many ways!! it felt like a cross between The Night Circus (thanks Drew for pointing that out) for it's fantasy, and Goodbye, For Now (another book I evangelized to everyone with no takers - even giving away my copy) for its sci-fi-ishness and sweet central relationship. Only funnier and more sarcastic on both counts.
Everyone who's a sci-fi snob about fantasy or a fantasy snob about sci-fi should read this. And have lots of feels. Lots and lots please.
"Remember when we were kids?" He handed her a hot mug. "And we used to wonder how grown-ups got to be such assholes?" "Yeah." "Now we know." "Yeah."
Brilliant, challenging, funny, shocking... no one is safe. This tale of Mr. Me (no first name given) challenging society as he compares it to 'yelling Brilliant, challenging, funny, shocking... no one is safe. This tale of Mr. Me (no first name given) challenging society as he compares it to 'yelling fire in a crowded building' by calling out "racism in a post-racial world" skewers nearly everyone while sending up the absurdity of our current society that wants to forget or whitewash the past now that we nominated a black man to the presidency. To do so, he re-segregates his community and (rather reluctantly) takes up slavery.
The self-indoctrinated slave Hominy (last of the Little Rascals and continually trying to track down the hidden/stolen/destroyed missing racist reels of said show) steals the show, although the overall neighborhood/city inhabitants of Dickens are no less vivid. He hits every stereotype of pre-and post-antebellum blackness as a directive to the reader to resist looking away and forgetting. This is usually with hysterical results while somehow the funniest also ring with a sense of shame, horror and anger.
"One I know what year it is. Two, true freedom is having the right to be a slave." He hiked up his pants and slipped into his Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer platationese. "I know taint nobody forcin' me, but dis here one slave you ain't never gwine be rid of. Freedom can kiss my postbellum black ass."
I laughed out loud on several occasions, and gave sighs of thanks I was reading rather than listening to the book nearly every page (the n-word features prominently, pretty sure he gave The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a run for the money, as was perhaps the aim). Me isn't a terribly likable character aside from his delicious farm production, but he does an excellent job holding up mirrors to everyone around him and ruminating on not-allowed thinking in a way both intelligent and crackpot.
Knowing I was never coming back... Foy gave me the same sorrowful look the missionaries must've given the jungle heathen. A look that said, It doesn't matter if you're too stupid to understand God's love. He loves you regardless, just hand over the women, the distance runners, and the natural resources.
I couldn't give this the full 5-stars because I didn't connect to the story or the characters the way I did with it's final competitor in the TOB, The Turner House, which I found amazing and full of heart. However this is a brilliant, and important book and I'm happy it is getting the attention it deserves this year. Also, it was pretty fun to read....more
whew! we're back to basics with our seriously fantastical but seriously sweet hijinks! This time no expositionally weird mythology to subscribe to... whew! we're back to basics with our seriously fantastical but seriously sweet hijinks! This time no expositionally weird mythology to subscribe to... only our own strange, supernatural and punny wilderness. I was worried at the end of Vol 2 that I might be done with the series but this volume returned me to firm ground!
contains: portals to lost worlds! ghost stories! deadly competitive scrapbooking! ...more
Yesssss!! A beautifully drawn, clever and smart for adults, sweet for the kiddos read. Can't wait to track down more... Also can't wait until my daughYesssss!! A beautifully drawn, clever and smart for adults, sweet for the kiddos read. Can't wait to track down more... Also can't wait until my daughter is a couple years older and we read these together! (You don't need a kid as an excuse to love Hilda though) If you like Lumberjanes here's the Lumber-lone wolf....more