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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
I read this book as a result of a review that said it was really good and the information that the author was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor.
It is definitely a quick read, as I think it took me about an hour and a half and I did a few other things during that time.
Some bits were funny and more bits weren't very funny and some bits were just kind of sad. A few bits were offensive unfunny. Nothing made me laugh out loud.
Maybe it's because I'm not American? (although I don't really think that's it)
Glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it though.
It is definitely a quick read, as I think it took me about an hour and a half and I did a few other things during that time.
Some bits were funny and more bits weren't very funny and some bits were just kind of sad. A few bits were offensive unfunny. Nothing made me laugh out loud.
Maybe it's because I'm not American? (although I don't really think that's it)
Glad I borrowed it from the library instead of buying it though.
Comedy is a difficult genre, because so much of the enjoyment depends on whether or not the authors humour is the type that the reader enjoys. I enjoyed Simon Rich's self-deprecating, comedic what-if scenarios of everyday things, and yes, I chuckled and even laughed out loud. The collection definitely delivered the laughs, but I nevertheless was left wanting something a bit longer and more further developed. The longest story of this collection is about four pages of dialogue, which makes for a quick read but doesn't really stick with you longer than a few pages. There are some clever ideas in this collection that I wish Rich would have chosen and gone all out instead of simply sketching a lot of ideas to form a series of quick jokes. Ant Farm and Other Desperate Situations wasn't quite what I expected, but I'm still very much looking forward to reading more from Simon Rich.
I can't tell you how many times I've read this book--it's that good. Rich an absolute genius when it comes to humor writing; he knows exactly when to strike with the punch line. Moreover, the situations that he puts his characters in are all ones that are so incredibly relatable--whether it be the literal content or the feeling he attempts to evoke. I think my favorite pieces in this work are the ones written from a child's perspective. So hilarious and so true.
A thin book filled with short vignettes. Jon Stewart said this book is "hilarious" but I didn't find that to be true. I can't even say this book was amusing, and it's not that I didn't "get" it. Every piece in the book fell short for me.
Read this during breaks at work. Humorous bits and pieces of weirdness.