is it just me or is everything shit? by Steve Lowe and Alan McArthur

Reviewed by Tim Gleichner

About the book:

An encyclopedic attack on modern culture so hilariously bitter that it actually becomes uplifting. Based on two runaway UK bestsellers, this new American edition has been ingeniously adapted and features exclusive new material for US audiences by Brendan Hay, a former Daily Show headline producer and contributing writer to America: The Book.

If you hate chick lit, Che Guevara merchandise, pop Kabbalah, cosmetic-surgery-gone-wrong-as-tv-programming, DVDs with ads you can't skip, or any of a few hundred other insanely annoying modern things, then this book will finally lend creedence to your frustrations.

Say NO to the awful ideas, terrible people, useless products, and infuriating doublespeak that increasingly dominates our lives. Never before has there been a book so completely full of shit.

Clearly, it isn't just you...

Inside the book jacket this book is referred to as "the standard reference for everyone who believes that everything is shit". It also stated that "never before has a book been so entirely full of shit." I couldn't agree more. I think I understand what the authors were going for. Quick 4-5 paragraph bits of commentary on a wide range of common topics or themes that most everyone can relate to. Sort of Seinfeld, only with a lot more attitude.

The problem for me was I wasn't seeing enough humor. Instead, I saw more long winded rants that were less funny, more whiney, and punctuated throughout by quite a big of vulgar language. Profanity, when used properly and in context, can be quite funny. I didn't find that to be the case in this instance.

I believe the authors would have been better served to narrow down the list of topics, keep them current, and focus on shorter, sharper, commentary. This was just not my type of book in it's present form.

Thanks to Anna Balasi, and the wonderful people at The Hatchette Book Group for providing me with this book to review -you guys rock!

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (October 8, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316035904
ISBN-13: 978-0316035903

About the book:

David Sedaris's beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. Along with such favoritesas the diaries of a Macy's elf and the annals of two very competitive families, are Sedaris's tales of tardy trick-or-treaters ("Us and Them"); the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to the French ("Jesus Shaves"); what to do when you've been locked out in a snowstorm ("Let It Snow"); the puzzling Christmas traditions of other nations ("Six to Eight Black Men"); what Halloween at the medical examiner's looks like ("The Monster Mash"); and a barnyard secret Santa scheme gone awry ("Cow and Turkey").

I am a big fan of David Sedaris. I find his writing to be consistantly funny. His humor is both droll and sarcastic in equal measure. This holds true with "Holidays on Ice". While I found some of the stories personally funnier than others, they were all very witty and delightully readable.

My favorites were "Seasons Greetings" about an annual holiday newsletter, and "Six to Eight Black Men" which points out a number of different ways a seemingly familiar story can be told.

Sedaris is a satirical giant who never fails to please. Whether you are looking for a good read, or just a good laugh, "Holidays on Ice" should have you covered.

Win a copy of Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips

About the book:

Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse-and none too happy about it. And they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ. Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees-a favorite pastime of Apollo's-is sapping their vital reserves of strength.

Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, must fear not only for their own lives, but for the survival of humankind. Nothing less than a true act of heroism is needed-but can these two decidedly ordinary people replicate the feats of the mythical heroes and save the world?

I have 5, yes 5 copies to give away, thanks to Valerie Russo and the wonderful people at Hatchette Book Group.

For 1 entry, leave me a comment.

For an additional 5 entries blog about this and leave me a link so I can check it out.

* Winners are restricted to the US and Canada. No PO Box mailing addresses, please.*

I must have a way of contacting you, so be sure to leave your email address in code: you[at]yourmail[dot]com*

I'll close the comments on Friday November 14th at 6PM CST and pick the winners. I will contact the winners via email to get their snail mail address. The winners will have three days to respond. If I do not hear from them within three days, I will select another winner(s).

* If you're interested, leave a comment with that all-important email in code.This sounds like a great book, and what a great way to get the word out. Hope to hear from you soon!

Win a copy of Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst

About the book:

A suburban mom, her troubled daughter, divorced brothers, former child stars, born-again Christians, and some young millionaires have all been selected to compete on LOST AND FOUND, a daring new reality show. In pairs of two, they will race across the world to compete for a million-dollar prize.The only question is not only who will capture the big jackpot, but at what price.

Carolyn Parkhurst is also the author of the bestseller The Dogs of Babel.


I have 5, yes 5 copies to give away, thanks to Valerie Russo and the wonderful people at Hatchette Book Group. For 1 entry, leave me a comment. For an additional 5 entries blog about this and leave me a link so I can check it out.


* Winners are restricted to the US and Canada. No PO Box mailing addresses, please.

* I must have a way of contacting you, so be sure to leave your email address in code: you[at]yourmail[dot]com

* I'll close the comments on Friday November 7th at 6PM CST 3rd and pick the winners. I will contact the winners via email to get their snail mail address. The winners will have three days to respond. If I do not hear from them within three days, I will select another winner(s).

* If you're interested, leave a comment with that all-important email in code.

This sounds like a great book, and what a great way to get the word out. Hope to hear from you soon!