- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Sourcebooks; First Printing edition (Mar 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1402229356
- ISBN-13: 978-1402229350
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.2 x 3.2 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,248,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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33 reviews
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Buy this book. The remarkable story of how you should click on the add to cart button
8 Mar 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I got this book at 1 pm and finished its 475 pages before midnight the same day. Despite its unwieldiness, Markley's wit and sharp observations made it an irresistible read. He rides this admittedly silly and self-referential concept and uses it to get to truths about the craft of writing and the struggle of publishing in general and specifically his own very personal story.
I don't know who is the right demographic for this book. It is about writing and publishing but more than that it is about Markley and his perspective into a generation that came of age under Bush and Jon Stewart. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be entertained, to anyone that wants to know about writing, and to anyone who wants to know more about the folks that will be running the joint in a couple of decades.
Markley promises early on that the book will be honest and not boring. He delivers on both accounts and more. It is also very insightful, personal, bold and hopeful. Give his book a chance so it is not all Dan Brown and Twilight from here on out.
I don't know who is the right demographic for this book. It is about writing and publishing but more than that it is about Markley and his perspective into a generation that came of age under Bush and Jon Stewart. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to be entertained, to anyone that wants to know about writing, and to anyone who wants to know more about the folks that will be running the joint in a couple of decades.
Markley promises early on that the book will be honest and not boring. He delivers on both accounts and more. It is also very insightful, personal, bold and hopeful. Give his book a chance so it is not all Dan Brown and Twilight from here on out.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
A Surprisingly Lucid Voice
9 Mar 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was startled by this book. Admittedly, the entire device (a book about publishing a book...but not at all a self-help nor entirely a conventional memoir) should immediately provoke skepticism. What does Markley have to offer that is different from any number of struggling authors trying to break into a closed industry? I think the answer may simply be his unflinching honesty and a clear ability to tease out connections between life and art.
Although he breezily jokes about his inevitable classification as a post-modern voice of the likes of Eggers and Klosterman, I actually found his writing to be more sincere than Klosterman's (who, though very clever and funny, often sounds calculated and carefully scripted) and certainly funnier than A Heartbreaking Work. Yes, there are dick jokes (Lord, are there dick jokes). Yes, there are gimmicks that may even feel disorienting (I don't think Ann Coulter uses as many spurious footnotes as Markley, and that's saying a lot). But the arc of the story targets a larger subject than just getting published. In fact, it freely deviates almost like a head-fake, a zwischenzug that pulls you into his early experience of the death of a dear friend, the fallout from an unplanned pregnancy, and the pains of a long-distance relationship.
If a handful of dick jokes is all you take away, I think you probably missed the point.
Although he breezily jokes about his inevitable classification as a post-modern voice of the likes of Eggers and Klosterman, I actually found his writing to be more sincere than Klosterman's (who, though very clever and funny, often sounds calculated and carefully scripted) and certainly funnier than A Heartbreaking Work. Yes, there are dick jokes (Lord, are there dick jokes). Yes, there are gimmicks that may even feel disorienting (I don't think Ann Coulter uses as many spurious footnotes as Markley, and that's saying a lot). But the arc of the story targets a larger subject than just getting published. In fact, it freely deviates almost like a head-fake, a zwischenzug that pulls you into his early experience of the death of a dear friend, the fallout from an unplanned pregnancy, and the pains of a long-distance relationship.
If a handful of dick jokes is all you take away, I think you probably missed the point.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Out of Nowhere
12 Mar 2010
Format:Paperback
Wow. The voice of this book isn't just powerful, it's contagious. It will drive you through the first 200 pages without blinking. For the first half I couldn't put it down; for the second half I tried to slow down because I didn't want it to be over. I loved the juxtaposition of subtle moments of brilliant insight with otherwise catastrophic immaturity. That and it's funny as hell.
The book was all over the place, yet it had an effortless flow. I have no idea how the author did this. The chaos of order combined with his ability to make it feel logical and coherent was fascinating. It was like enjoying 50 pivotal moments all at once, or watching 4 movies at the same time without confusion. It also contains moments of transparency and self-analysis that begin to make you feel like you're looking into a reflection of a reflection of yourself.
The writing is hilarious, and if you buy this just for a laugh, you won't be disappointed. But be prepared: this book captures something far beyond funny insights on the journey to getting published. Ultimately, it is about the human desire to create something. Whether by starting a family, building a house, or creating art, this book captures the distinctly human need to find meaning in our lives by adding something to the universe. I think nearly everyone can relate to this.
The book was all over the place, yet it had an effortless flow. I have no idea how the author did this. The chaos of order combined with his ability to make it feel logical and coherent was fascinating. It was like enjoying 50 pivotal moments all at once, or watching 4 movies at the same time without confusion. It also contains moments of transparency and self-analysis that begin to make you feel like you're looking into a reflection of a reflection of yourself.
The writing is hilarious, and if you buy this just for a laugh, you won't be disappointed. But be prepared: this book captures something far beyond funny insights on the journey to getting published. Ultimately, it is about the human desire to create something. Whether by starting a family, building a house, or creating art, this book captures the distinctly human need to find meaning in our lives by adding something to the universe. I think nearly everyone can relate to this.
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