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karenleagermain's review
3.0
Thank You to Open Road Media for providing me with an advanced copy of Bruce Jay Friedman's The Peace Process, in exchange for an honest review.
PLOT - The Peace Process is comprised of thirteen short stories, and a novella, which is the namesake of the collection. Often humerous and frequently involving characters in the arts, Friedman tackles a wide range of human interaction, including all manner of relationships; romantic, business, family, international politics...he doesn't shy away from the difficult or absurd.
LIKE- Friedman writes heavy topics in a way that's very accessible. He uses humor to add levity to some very weighty, and often downright horrific scenarios. Additionally, he has a style of writing that I found accessible. It's direct, with clear characters and vivid description, but void of flowery prose. Not a single word is superfluous.
Friedman creates engaging plots, but his characters are what really shines. He has a knack for putting his characters in terrible moral dilemmas, like in his novella, The Peace Process, where his Jewish-American protagonist finds himself scouting movie locations in Israel, where he attacks a low-class Israeli Arab. Feeling remorse for his actions (especially when the Arab is nothing but kind in return), he tries to make it up to the man by attempting to smuggle him out of the country and into New York.
The Storyteller, with its Twilight Zone vibe was easily my favorite story. English Teacher Alan Dowling has died during surgery and his afterlife is void of literature. He can be famous in the afterlife by stealing a great work of literature, and claiming it as his own. The golden ring is his to grab, if only he can remember the plots of these famous stories.
DISLIKE- I was unevenly interested in the stories, very hit and miss. To be sure, there was more I liked, than disliked, but there were several that failed to keep my attention.
RECOMMEND- Yes. There is much to admire in Friedman's collection; his quirky sense of humor, unique perspective, and vivid characters. Although I wasn't "wowed" by every story, I'm left with enough of a positive impression to recommend The Peace Process.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
PLOT - The Peace Process is comprised of thirteen short stories, and a novella, which is the namesake of the collection. Often humerous and frequently involving characters in the arts, Friedman tackles a wide range of human interaction, including all manner of relationships; romantic, business, family, international politics...he doesn't shy away from the difficult or absurd.
LIKE- Friedman writes heavy topics in a way that's very accessible. He uses humor to add levity to some very weighty, and often downright horrific scenarios. Additionally, he has a style of writing that I found accessible. It's direct, with clear characters and vivid description, but void of flowery prose. Not a single word is superfluous.
Friedman creates engaging plots, but his characters are what really shines. He has a knack for putting his characters in terrible moral dilemmas, like in his novella, The Peace Process, where his Jewish-American protagonist finds himself scouting movie locations in Israel, where he attacks a low-class Israeli Arab. Feeling remorse for his actions (especially when the Arab is nothing but kind in return), he tries to make it up to the man by attempting to smuggle him out of the country and into New York.
The Storyteller, with its Twilight Zone vibe was easily my favorite story. English Teacher Alan Dowling has died during surgery and his afterlife is void of literature. He can be famous in the afterlife by stealing a great work of literature, and claiming it as his own. The golden ring is his to grab, if only he can remember the plots of these famous stories.
DISLIKE- I was unevenly interested in the stories, very hit and miss. To be sure, there was more I liked, than disliked, but there were several that failed to keep my attention.
RECOMMEND- Yes. There is much to admire in Friedman's collection; his quirky sense of humor, unique perspective, and vivid characters. Although I wasn't "wowed" by every story, I'm left with enough of a positive impression to recommend The Peace Process.
Like my review? Check out my blog!
rkrupitsky's review
4.0
I've heard that Friedman influenced Larry David, and after reading Peace Process I completely understand the connection. Many of the stories made me laugh at loud, something I haven't done since reading B.J. Novak's One More Thing. These stories are truly a delight and if you have a dark sense of humor like me, you will appreciates Friedman's writing. I'm looking forward to going back and reading his older books.
caidyn's review
DNFed at 26%, or at The Friendship
While this book seemed to have promise, I just could tell that the stories weren't interesting me or actually that great. The writing was good, hence two stars, just that I wasn't a huge fan of the stories themselves.
The Big Sister - 4/5: I'm not really sure what to think of this one. It was a great study of a relationship between a brother and a sister, and how it deteriorated over time. Then again, was it ever really good in the first place? Not only that, but it was odd in the way Mr. Friedman examined it. I'm all for consensual incest -- thanks to [b:Forbidden|7600924|Forbidden|Tabitha Suzuma|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394239949s/7600924.jpg|10018976] -- but this was just really different. I liked it, but it was different.
The Storyteller - 3/5: Maybe because I'm coming down with a cold, I had a hard time gathering the point of this story. In the end, I think that I got the heart of it, though: As a writer, you can only be yourself. Imitating the greats will only get you nowhere.
And Where She Stops. ... - 3.5/5: This is a wonderful example of how every good therapist themselves needs a good therapist. And I'm not talking about a Hannibal Lecter therapist, but one that actually does good for their patient and helps them through things. (Then again, you could certainly argue that Hannibal Lecter helped his patients, just in ways that aren't commonly seen.)
Any Number of Little Old Ladies - 2.5/5: I missed something with this short story. I didn't see the point of it, or any of the humor in it.
The Movie Buff - 2.5/5: Another one I missed the point of. I mean, therapy is great and all, and it has many rich things to write about. Just, this didn't catch me.
A Fan Is a Fan - 3/5: Not amazing, especially since I thought that this one would be. Goebbels asking a Jewish man he's protecting to write a story for his anti-Semitic newspaper? How could that be not interesting? But, this one fell flat. It wasn't anything that stood out.
The Friendship - /5: DNFed here.
While this book seemed to have promise, I just could tell that the stories weren't interesting me or actually that great. The writing was good, hence two stars, just that I wasn't a huge fan of the stories themselves.
The Big Sister - 4/5: I'm not really sure what to think of this one. It was a great study of a relationship between a brother and a sister, and how it deteriorated over time. Then again, was it ever really good in the first place? Not only that, but it was odd in the way Mr. Friedman examined it. I'm all for consensual incest -- thanks to [b:Forbidden|7600924|Forbidden|Tabitha Suzuma|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1394239949s/7600924.jpg|10018976] -- but this was just really different. I liked it, but it was different.
The Storyteller - 3/5: Maybe because I'm coming down with a cold, I had a hard time gathering the point of this story. In the end, I think that I got the heart of it, though: As a writer, you can only be yourself. Imitating the greats will only get you nowhere.
And Where She Stops. ... - 3.5/5: This is a wonderful example of how every good therapist themselves needs a good therapist. And I'm not talking about a Hannibal Lecter therapist, but one that actually does good for their patient and helps them through things. (Then again, you could certainly argue that Hannibal Lecter helped his patients, just in ways that aren't commonly seen.)
Any Number of Little Old Ladies - 2.5/5: I missed something with this short story. I didn't see the point of it, or any of the humor in it.
The Movie Buff - 2.5/5: Another one I missed the point of. I mean, therapy is great and all, and it has many rich things to write about. Just, this didn't catch me.
A Fan Is a Fan - 3/5: Not amazing, especially since I thought that this one would be. Goebbels asking a Jewish man he's protecting to write a story for his anti-Semitic newspaper? How could that be not interesting? But, this one fell flat. It wasn't anything that stood out.
The Friendship - /5: DNFed here.
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