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tfmcgill's review against another edition
5.0
Quirky, entertaining characters who brought some levity to my days. The misaligned conversations reminded me a bit of Catch-22 and Confederacy of Dunces. A fun read.
julieclair's review
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Strong sense of place - New York City
slerner310's review against another edition
4.0
An amusing and quick read, especially to those of us who line in New York. Not sure what someone who doesn't know New York City would make of this book. The send-up of Giuliani when he was mayor is rapier sharp and laugh out loud funny.
harvio's review against another edition
3.0
- cute, simple little novel
- the plot revolves around Murray Tepper, a small-business-owner and Manhattanite, whose hobby is finding the perfect parking space and then . . . just sitting in his car. Like the simple protagonist in Kozinski's "Being There" (the movie of which, I really loved), Murray's actions are misinterpreted by nearly everyone. His family thinks he's going crazy; the Mayor thinks that he's thumbing his nose at City Hall; a journalist projects his deep philosophical motivations onto him; and all the while Murray becomes a kind of guru to his fans.
- well done!
- the plot revolves around Murray Tepper, a small-business-owner and Manhattanite, whose hobby is finding the perfect parking space and then . . . just sitting in his car. Like the simple protagonist in Kozinski's "Being There" (the movie of which, I really loved), Murray's actions are misinterpreted by nearly everyone. His family thinks he's going crazy; the Mayor thinks that he's thumbing his nose at City Hall; a journalist projects his deep philosophical motivations onto him; and all the while Murray becomes a kind of guru to his fans.
- well done!
richardwells's review against another edition
4.0
Murray Tepper is either having a highly original late-midlife crisis, or he's just being a New Yorker; whichever, Calvin Trilling has written a highly amusing New York tale that may be the gentlest such to come out of the Big Applesauce.
Murray Tepper, moderately successful, devoted to family, easy-going, and easily misunderstood likes to spend his free time sitting in his car reading the paper. A life-long New Yorker, he knows the city's parking regulations, and best spots like the back of his hand. While exercising his right to park where it's legal, and his responsibility to feed the meter he manages to draw a considerable amount of unwanted attention from a host of fellow New Yorkers. Murray becomes a guru to some, a pain to others (especially the spot-on caricature of Mayor Guiliani,) and a puzzlement to friends and family.
"Tepper Isn't Going Out," is slight, but that doesn't make it less than delightful. Mr. Trilling is known as a food writer, and I don't think he'd mind someone using "Tepper..." as the sorbet between weightier courses
Murray Tepper, moderately successful, devoted to family, easy-going, and easily misunderstood likes to spend his free time sitting in his car reading the paper. A life-long New Yorker, he knows the city's parking regulations, and best spots like the back of his hand. While exercising his right to park where it's legal, and his responsibility to feed the meter he manages to draw a considerable amount of unwanted attention from a host of fellow New Yorkers. Murray becomes a guru to some, a pain to others (especially the spot-on caricature of Mayor Guiliani,) and a puzzlement to friends and family.
"Tepper Isn't Going Out," is slight, but that doesn't make it less than delightful. Mr. Trilling is known as a food writer, and I don't think he'd mind someone using "Tepper..." as the sorbet between weightier courses
kathleenish's review against another edition
2.0
I was initially drawn to this book because parking spots are scarce in my neighbourhood. The Guiliani satire is also pretty good.
xiaoyi's review against another edition
4.0
Short read. Finished in a few hours when I was a little sick but it definitely made me feel better afterwards. I wish that the author could depict the main character in more details to make the novel a little richer considering it has actually 200+ pages....
krebs31's review
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bucketheadmary's review against another edition
5.0
Murray Tepper appreciates a good parking place like some people enjoy a bench with an excellent view. "A beautiful spot," one might say in either situation, and hang out for a while to enjoy it. Or at least for as long as the meter allows. And if some people take Tepper's parking as political activism and elevate him to folk hero status, well, there's always something.
angelena's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
I loved this book. Tepper isn’t going out because alternate side parking in NYC has become his obsession. Wonderful premise. I love stories set in NYC. References to NYC places like Russ and Daughters. Like Calvin Trillin himself, this story has a deadpan kind of ironic humor.