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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A really excellent collection of short stories. I loved the way the collection was thought out and presented, as well. Not typical for a short story collection.
dark
fast-paced
Very odd book. Recommended by my indie bookstore. Not for me. Very short stories with no discernible direction for most of them. Flat and I barely finished.
I thoroughly enjoyed taking this on a business trip I didn’t want to go on.
Since Goodreads idiotically won’t let me attach a pic, enjoy this excerpt of a sandwich maker from the eponymous short story. Punctuation, spacing errors etc. are mine, not the author’s.
_______ excerpt___________
The sandwich maker grabs a mixing bowl.
He fills it with ingredients from the sandwich station.
Turkey.
Arugula.
Red onion.
Poached cherry tomatoes.
Fresh mozzarella.
Pesto.
Plus all of the hate, poison, and death he can transmit through his hands, eyes, and heart. *Please— please feel my hate*, he thinks.
He moves the ingredients around in the bowl.
Fingering the cold bullshit.
Not wearing gloves.
He never wears gloves.
‘Hey, put some gloves on, fuckface,’ says the chef, coming up from downstairs holding a bunch of ingredients.
____ end excerpt ______
That “fingering the cold bullshit” line makes me laugh so much. I think of it whenever I’m performing a repetitive, make-work task for my job (which is a lot).
Since Goodreads idiotically won’t let me attach a pic, enjoy this excerpt of a sandwich maker from the eponymous short story. Punctuation, spacing errors etc. are mine, not the author’s.
_______ excerpt___________
The sandwich maker grabs a mixing bowl.
He fills it with ingredients from the sandwich station.
Turkey.
Arugula.
Red onion.
Poached cherry tomatoes.
Fresh mozzarella.
Pesto.
Plus all of the hate, poison, and death he can transmit through his hands, eyes, and heart. *Please— please feel my hate*, he thinks.
He moves the ingredients around in the bowl.
Fingering the cold bullshit.
Not wearing gloves.
He never wears gloves.
‘Hey, put some gloves on, fuckface,’ says the chef, coming up from downstairs holding a bunch of ingredients.
____ end excerpt ______
That “fingering the cold bullshit” line makes me laugh so much. I think of it whenever I’m performing a repetitive, make-work task for my job (which is a lot).
Not sure what it was, but I already disliked Nicky.
Something about him seemed bad.
He was an asshole, yes, true, but beyond that.
He was an artist of an asshole.
A master.
Someone about whom later assholes would say, 'He's the reason I got into being an asshole.'
On the wall he hung a T-shirt with Pac-Man on it, mouth open, going toward a dollar sign.
Let me put it that way.
Something about him seemed bad.
He was an asshole, yes, true, but beyond that.
He was an artist of an asshole.
A master.
Someone about whom later assholes would say, 'He's the reason I got into being an asshole.'
On the wall he hung a T-shirt with Pac-Man on it, mouth open, going toward a dollar sign.
Let me put it that way.
The Ice Cream Man and Other Stories is a collection of working-class, counterculture, slice-of-life prose that tickled my senses because I've been there -- on the front lines, slinging consumer goods.
Sam Pink focuses on what it means to be a blue-collar worker in America (although that's not all). Whether he's dealing in cones from the side of a truck or advice in some back alley with the rats, this collection gets surprisingly deep, funny, and sad. While the stories are self-contained, they often refer to one another, making for an even more cohesive read. This is pure Sam Pink gold. I don't want to spoil any of it. Just read it. I got it in dead tree form and as an audiobook, and both versions are good. I highly recommend either.
Sam Pink focuses on what it means to be a blue-collar worker in America (although that's not all). Whether he's dealing in cones from the side of a truck or advice in some back alley with the rats, this collection gets surprisingly deep, funny, and sad. While the stories are self-contained, they often refer to one another, making for an even more cohesive read. This is pure Sam Pink gold. I don't want to spoil any of it. Just read it. I got it in dead tree form and as an audiobook, and both versions are good. I highly recommend either.
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Different-Colored Candy: 4.5
The Dishwasher: 5
Yop: 3.25
Blue Victoria: 4.75
Jumping Rope: 4.5
The Sandwich Maker: 4.5
Keeps You Sharp: 3.5
The Ice Cream Man: 4.75
The Machine Operator: 4.25
Geese: -
Dragon: 5
The Stag: 4
Robby: 4