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crystal_reading's review against another edition
4.0
At times hilarious, at times serious, but always interesting, this novel explores the life of one slightly rebellious professor.
mkhaas29's review against another edition
3.0
A meandering tale of one small college English department’s staff in the 80s (?) or late 70s (?) narrated by an apathetic writing professor who happens to chair the department. The majority of the book’s events happen in the course of a week when his wife is out of town, but the scenes are set with lots of characters, back story, cynicism, and witticism. I think I’ve decided I don’t always love audiobooks when the content is meant to be funny. Sometimes the joke lands and other times it doesn’t, but mostly I can’t help but think I would have delivered the punch lines differently. So that becomes distracting and can take away from the humor of it all. Though there were many a good one-liners and ridiculous situations here to appreciate.
Overall, there was just so much happening and so many characters’ mini dramas expounded on that it felt like perhaps if you took this at a much, much slower pace to read it could be best appreciated.
Overall, there was just so much happening and so many characters’ mini dramas expounded on that it felt like perhaps if you took this at a much, much slower pace to read it could be best appreciated.
maemay03's review against another edition
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
m4change's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sundaydutro's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
A hilarious contemporary fiction novel about a college professor going through a midlife crisis. This had legit laugh out loud moments and felt very much like a coming-of-age story. Reflective and slow-to-medium-paced, it doesn’t feel like a long book even though it is.
mamalemma's review against another edition
4.0
I do so love a Richard Russo book, and was delighted when my friend Tom dropped it by my house unexpectedly. Even better, it's a book centered around academia, a topic near and dear to my heart. The book explores what you get when you cross middle aged academics who have worked together for 20 years, bickering, harboring grudges, sharing friendships, romances and alliances, and put them up against state-mandated budget cuts. Absurdist fun, interlaced with melancholic ruminations on age and dwindling careers.
sherri_larue's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
gabe_reads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I found this incredibly funny, and ended up liking the plot a lot more than I thought I would. I liked how mundane and petty it all was, and how everyone (perhaps except his wife) was mediocre to kinda shitty.
I enjoyed his first person perspective, with the inside thoughts and comedy that it brought to everything. It was also good work creating a main character who is likable to the reader and the other characters but is also such an infuriating prat.
I thought the main character (and particularly his humour) felt like a caricature/extreme version of quite a few people I know, probably including myself. A lot of the things he says for the bit are things that we wish we'd have the balls to say. The way he constantly stirs the pot and prods at people. And the way he bumbles through life is in a way quite admirable. Don't get me wrong, he's a deeply unpleasant person, who I would not want to be like and could certainly not be friends with. But in the setting of the story I think he's class.
I thought the setting of the university was well made. With people who are largely washed up and past their prime; who hate their jobs and those around them; and have generally unsatisfactory, crummy lives.
His antics towards the conclusion did slightly take me out of the realism of the whole thing.
I enjoyed his first person perspective, with the inside thoughts and comedy that it brought to everything. It was also good work creating a main character who is likable to the reader and the other characters but is also such an infuriating prat.
I thought the main character (and particularly his humour) felt like a caricature/extreme version of quite a few people I know, probably including myself. A lot of the things he says for the bit are things that we wish we'd have the balls to say. The way he constantly stirs the pot and prods at people. And the way he bumbles through life is in a way quite admirable. Don't get me wrong, he's a deeply unpleasant person, who I would not want to be like and could certainly not be friends with. But in the setting of the story I think he's class.
I thought the setting of the university was well made. With people who are largely washed up and past their prime; who hate their jobs and those around them; and have generally unsatisfactory, crummy lives.
His antics towards the conclusion did slightly take me out of the realism of the whole thing.