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joey_erg's review against another edition
5.0
In a world of "humor" novels that can't summon the briefest of guffaws, Home Land managed to make me laugh audibly several times. Super fun irreverent story for former high school weirdos.
jacksontibet's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty interesting, incredibly erratic and "smart" writing, like having a conversation with a hopped up slang banger. Almost done.
chette's review against another edition
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
ericfheiman's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5 stars) It's no “The Ask”, but still quite the high wire performance. Lipsyte is almost the Gen-X Philip Roth, so that should tell you if you'd enjoy this book or not.
Also, 17 years on, it's unnerving how these disaffected Gen-X ne'er-do-wells Lipsyte writes about might engender begrudging admiration if not project wounded charm in 2004; but today seem like prototypes for all the scary incels and internet trolls that pollute so much of our discourse. Discuss.
Also, 17 years on, it's unnerving how these disaffected Gen-X ne'er-do-wells Lipsyte writes about might engender begrudging admiration if not project wounded charm in 2004; but today seem like prototypes for all the scary incels and internet trolls that pollute so much of our discourse. Discuss.
mehitabels's review against another edition
2.0
meh. faintly amusing, but boy humor - full of farting, anger, bad sex, and bitterness. some lines made me laugh out loud, but not enough for me to rate this.
briandice's review against another edition
3.0
If brevity is the soul of wit, then pithiness is the essence of satire.
Sam Lipsyte has the chops. He can definitely write - his dialogue is sharp, his prose is snappy and yes, he can elicit true LOL moments like few other authors. But holding together an epistolary satiric tour de force for 220 pages is like watching your favorite stand-up comedian do a 7 hour set. The center won't hold, and when all of the characters have similarly brilliant and hilarious rejoinders, something's got to give.
I am very interested in reading Lipsyte's short fiction. I get the feeling that his brilliance works best in that format (See: Jim Shepard, Charles Baxter) and for the same reason why his novel sagged at parts (for me) his stories will shine for their pith.
Sam Lipsyte has the chops. He can definitely write - his dialogue is sharp, his prose is snappy and yes, he can elicit true LOL moments like few other authors. But holding together an epistolary satiric tour de force for 220 pages is like watching your favorite stand-up comedian do a 7 hour set. The center won't hold, and when all of the characters have similarly brilliant and hilarious rejoinders, something's got to give.
I am very interested in reading Lipsyte's short fiction. I get the feeling that his brilliance works best in that format (See: Jim Shepard, Charles Baxter) and for the same reason why his novel sagged at parts (for me) his stories will shine for their pith.
rocketiza's review against another edition
5.0
Quite possibly the funniest book I've ever read. Lipsyte just works put magic with his prose, writing snappy, hilarious dialogue that I couldn't put down. A must-read.
librariandest's review against another edition
3.0
I figured this would be a good one to read right before my high school reunion, right? The premise is a loser-ish guy (nicknamed "Teabag" from a gross locker room incident) writing really literary, intense "updates" to his high school alumni bulletin. The writing is just awesomely smart and funny, but also dark and weird. There is very little plot holding the book together, but it all culminates in one sick, strange high school reunion or "Togethering," as it's called.
Things that stick out in my mind from this book: Lewis AKA Teabag has a recurring dream about a champion masturbation artist. Lewis' best friend Gary lives on money from suing his therapist for making him think his parents molested him as a child. The former high school principal, Fontana, has bondage-type sex with a woman whose husband is trying to kill him with a mace. The mace-toting husband is also a drug dealer and Gary's AA sponsor. Lewis' ex-girlfriend is in love with her film star brother. Lewis earns his meager living writing fake facts for a cola industry journal.
If I had to subtitle this book, I think "The American Nightmare" might work.
Things that stick out in my mind from this book: Lewis AKA Teabag has a recurring dream about a champion masturbation artist. Lewis' best friend Gary lives on money from suing his therapist for making him think his parents molested him as a child. The former high school principal, Fontana, has bondage-type sex with a woman whose husband is trying to kill him with a mace. The mace-toting husband is also a drug dealer and Gary's AA sponsor. Lewis' ex-girlfriend is in love with her film star brother. Lewis earns his meager living writing fake facts for a cola industry journal.
If I had to subtitle this book, I think "The American Nightmare" might work.