- Hardcover: 384 pages
- Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (Jan 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312306911
- ISBN-13: 978-0312306915
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 14.2 x 3.3 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,535,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
6 reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Great book
15 Feb 2007
Format:Hardcover
I gulped this book down in two midnight sessions, to the detriment of my productivity the next days.
Why was I so fascinated by it, and why could I not stop reading it? I think it was the author's probing into the minds of these apparently normal (well, except the mother) people who were all, in their own ways, totally losing it.
The descriptions of the mother, who has advanced Alzheimers, were brilliantly done, but I guess I have to admit they got a bit old as time went on. Mania can be pretty boring. But there weren't so many of those anyway.
Bob was brilliantly funny. We all have our secret fantasies, and it was nice to be plunged into the weirdness of someone else's. The trouble it got him into was delicious. Somehow the author made us just hold onto liking him enough to keep reading. I was actually pleased that he made it up with his wife in the end in spite of the fact that he's a lecherous old professor.
The impossible stress of a 2-year old ("nubbies!") and a senile mum in the same house was wonderful - hilarious and heart-rending.
Brave of the author too to take on the mind of a beautiful, sexy, but somewhat sick Asian-American college student. At her best she was fabulous - I loved the poetry. Not so convinced by her second thoughts after Bob got exposed on the internet in his red leather miniskirt (great scenes!).
The plot was probably a bit lame when I think about it, but the structure of the book leads you on without having to think too much.
Alan, I'm going to look for more by you. Thanks for the thoughtful and sometimes moving entertainment.
Why was I so fascinated by it, and why could I not stop reading it? I think it was the author's probing into the minds of these apparently normal (well, except the mother) people who were all, in their own ways, totally losing it.
The descriptions of the mother, who has advanced Alzheimers, were brilliantly done, but I guess I have to admit they got a bit old as time went on. Mania can be pretty boring. But there weren't so many of those anyway.
Bob was brilliantly funny. We all have our secret fantasies, and it was nice to be plunged into the weirdness of someone else's. The trouble it got him into was delicious. Somehow the author made us just hold onto liking him enough to keep reading. I was actually pleased that he made it up with his wife in the end in spite of the fact that he's a lecherous old professor.
The impossible stress of a 2-year old ("nubbies!") and a senile mum in the same house was wonderful - hilarious and heart-rending.
Brave of the author too to take on the mind of a beautiful, sexy, but somewhat sick Asian-American college student. At her best she was fabulous - I loved the poetry. Not so convinced by her second thoughts after Bob got exposed on the internet in his red leather miniskirt (great scenes!).
The plot was probably a bit lame when I think about it, but the structure of the book leads you on without having to think too much.
Alan, I'm going to look for more by you. Thanks for the thoughtful and sometimes moving entertainment.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Absolutely Brilliant
7 Nov 2003
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I don't know what to add to that. If you like Augusten Burroughs, David Sedaris, or A Confederacy of Dunces - you'll love this book. It's shockingly funny and good and I needed more at the end. Stunning!!!!!
Felt Like a Book with No Point
12 May 2010
Format:Hardcover
Bob is an English Professor who divorced to marry his student, Julia. They have a 2 year old now and Julia is preoccupied with the child as well as her own mother, suffering from dementia. Robert is captivated by Sienna Chu, another student who is secretly researching cross-dressing and lures Robert into telling her that he has this fetish. Havoc ensues, with the mom missing, Bob caught on a website in full drag, the house burning down and a high school friend of Julia's showing up as the plumber with a thing for Julia. Bob must confess his fetish or risk losing his family, yet has to hide or risk losing his career.
I didn't expect the numerous plot twists, but the author would be a handful for Freud. He is obsessed with breast feeding and the whole Julia and son "nubbies" thing is distracting and useless to the story. All you get out of the book is the sense that if you don't conform to the societal norma, your world will come crashing down as punishment. Sienna's overdose doesn't make sense either - did her jealous girlfriend Ricky cause it? And why does Julia stay in the end? And, what happened to Donny?
I didn't expect the numerous plot twists, but the author would be a handful for Freud. He is obsessed with breast feeding and the whole Julia and son "nubbies" thing is distracting and useless to the story. All you get out of the book is the sense that if you don't conform to the societal norma, your world will come crashing down as punishment. Sienna's overdose doesn't make sense either - did her jealous girlfriend Ricky cause it? And why does Julia stay in the end? And, what happened to Donny?
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