Truth in Advertising

Mar 03, 2013 Hilary rated it 2 of 5 stars

I’m sure that someone cleverer than me has already coined a term for a beach read released in the winter months, and whatever that term is (ski read? Cardigan read? A scarfer? Chalet lit?), it’s applicable to John Kenney’s debut novel. The novel’s protagonist, Finbar (“Fin”) Dolan, is a fairly stock character from books by Jonathan Tropper and Nick Hornby: an immature slacker dude pushing 40 who’s single, bored by his job at a middling New York advertising agency, and with glaring commitment and...more I’m sure that someone cleverer than me has already coined a term for a beach read released in the winter months, and whatever that term is (ski read? Cardigan read? A scarfer? Chalet lit?), it’s applicable to John Kenney’s debut novel. The novel’s protagonist, Finbar (“Fin”) Dolan, is a fairly stock character from books by Jonathan Tropper and Nick Hornby: an immature slacker dude pushing 40 who’s single, bored by his job at a middling New York advertising agency, and with glaring commitment and unresolved family issues. Fin’s just canceled his wedding at a late, only-semi-refundable date (he’s still got two Anywhere in the World plane tickets due to expire soon from his honeymoon burning a hole in his pocket), and as a copywriter working on ads for a company that makes diapers, he’s perhaps not as fulfilled as any sentient human being would like to be. (He does find himself in a position to make lots of poop and diaper jokes, though, which is always nice.)

Since Fin isn’t the sort of character who will ever make a decision unless external forces demand it, he also has to face the impending death of his father, who he hasn’t spoken to in over 20 years. He’ll also have to sort out his romantic life, which is pretty dry except for an apparent interest in a decade-younger co-worker who he calls almost every day but has seemingly never thought about in that way. Fortunately, to alleviate that not-really-there tension, he’ll be able to crack wise with his co-workers, who are fairly indistinguishable, or perhaps I should say “Findistinguishable,” because they’re essentially just slightly different versions of Fin.

The characters and the basic plot aren’t particularly compelling, new, or fully formed, and this novel lacks the pacing, resonance, and dramatic build of, say, one of Hornby’s books. And for the first two thirds of the novel, Kenney's sense of humor and comically caffeinated descriptions of the advertising world and his particular slice of New York City distract you from the fact that everything else about this novel is pretty horrible, really. But as the novel limps toward its stupid conclusion, the complete lack of emotion, dramatic tension, and sub-Lifetime movie sentiments absolutely poison the well.

The more I think about this novel, the more I really disliked it - the last 50 pages really made me angry. When a novel's forced, cliche-ridden ending ties up loose ends (that aren't even really loose in the first place) in an obvious, ham-handed manner that makes you yearn for the subtlety of an episode of Perfect Strangers, it's not a good book. This is one such not-good book.(less)

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Jun 09, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, ebooks, read2012

I read a sample of this in the 2012 BEA sampler, and then requested it via NetGalley. It isn't set to come out until 2013, but I think this is one first novel worth a read.

Fin works as a copy writer for an advertising agency in NYC. During the time of the story, his biggest project is diapers, and he has to find ways to be creative while life is in a bit of turmoil - he has called off his wedding and his father is dying.

I feel like a lot of authors write about unhappy people, but this isn't as o...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I love the cover! I can't wait to get this book and to read it!

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Mar 22, 2013 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: advance-reader-copy

I’m sure I picked up this book at BookExpo America last summer purely for its cover. It reminded me of a Coca Cola ad, which I suspect may have been part of the point. Being that I’m in communications and public relations, I’ve always been tangentially interested in the world of advertising. Not so much that I’d want to do it as a profession but I’ve always been fascinated by how advertisements really do influence how we think and act.

(John Kenney and his publisher, Touchstone Books, created thi...more

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May 09, 2013 K rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, humor, satire

While he was a senior high school student, Fin received an A on a history paper that documented the struggles of Paul Murphy, a Vietnam Veteran who lost his legs. The trouble was he had made it all up. And now Fin sums it up this way: “Alfred Hitchcock said that drama was life with all the boring bits taken out. I believed that in creating Paul Murphy, who surely must have existed in some form somewhere in the United States, that’s all I had done. I wasn’t interested in unearthing the truth so m...more While he was a senior high school student, Fin received an A on a history paper that documented the struggles of Paul Murphy, a Vietnam Veteran who lost his legs. The trouble was he had made it all up. And now Fin sums it up this way: “Alfred Hitchcock said that drama was life with all the boring bits taken out. I believed that in creating Paul Murphy, who surely must have existed in some form somewhere in the United States, that’s all I had done. I wasn’t interested in unearthing the truth so much as creating a truth I wanted to believe, that I knew others would believe. Because it seemed true. Maybe it’s not entirely surprising that I ended up in advertising.”

Meet the much older Finbar Dolan, a mediocre copywriter at a premier Madison Avenue advertising agency of Lauderbeck, Kline & Vanderhosen, who has hit the mid-life crisis and discovered he really doesn’t know what he truly wants to do with his life. All he knows is that his job creating ads tries to convince viewers that the product is just what they need. And for Fin that product would be Snugglies diapers. When Snugglies tells the ad agency that they have created the first truly environmentally friendly diaper – toilet disposable and biodegradable Fin is assigned the task of creating and producing a Superbowl ad in just two weeks (which happens to be during the Christmas / New Years holidays.)

Of the “name” agency players only Dodge Vanderhosen is still around and he has Martin Carlson as his Executive Creative Director (but English born Carlson is the one who really runs the agency). Dodge has no trouble celebrating and enjoying the holidays while he has his employees working long days. And these employees include Ian Hicks, Senior Art Director (Fin is his copywriter partner), Phoebe Knowles, Creative Department Assistant (aka “gopher”), Pam Marston, Agency Broadcast Producer (her job is to make the ad production happen), and two other agency art director/copyright partnerships (Stefano with Paulie and Malcolm with Rajit). All of them are put on the Snugglies Superbowl ad team with Fin and not loving it.

To make matters even more complicated Keita Nagori shows up wanting to be a part of the ad production. The ad agency was bought last year by his father, a Japanese shipping tycoon billionaire, to keep his “useless” son busy doing something that doesn’t include “large vessels holding millions of dollars’ worth of cargo.” So of course the agency bends over backwards to accommodate Keita and Fin is pushed into becoming Keita’s “best friend.” Throw into the mix Snugglies might be having a bit of a problem with their new diaper claims.

While there are some very humorous moments much of the book is comes across as a dark comedy about finding oneself. Fin does a lot of soul searching utilizing two techniques: either picturing his life as an advertisement or picturing his life through imaginary interviews with talk show hosts like Oprah. And Fin does a lot of introspection on his life including what he didn’t accomplish both in his professional life and his personal life. His abusive father is dying in the hospital all alone, his siblings want nothing to do with each other, and he strikes out in love even when it is due to his breaking off his engagement. During the two weeks of planning and shooting the Snugglies ad that Fin hopes will validate his life and his work he begins to learn what really matters to both family and himself.
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Apr 05, 2013 Ms.pegasus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone interested in a novel set in the ad world

Recommended to Ms.pegasus by: Tova Beiser (Brown U. Bkstore) in Boston Globe "Books" section

Shelves: fiction

Between aspiring youth and complacent aging there is both a lifetime and the blink of an eye. Even the least contemplative among us must wonder at some time: How did I get here? So it is with Finbar Dolan, approaching 40, an ad agency copywriter. Most of the time, by focusing on the present, his life plays out like the race between Achilles and the Turtle. Like Achilles he will approach but never catch up to old age. He sums up his vocation objectively. “There are two kinds of creative people in...more Between aspiring youth and complacent aging there is both a lifetime and the blink of an eye. Even the least contemplative among us must wonder at some time: How did I get here? So it is with Finbar Dolan, approaching 40, an ad agency copywriter. Most of the time, by focusing on the present, his life plays out like the race between Achilles and the Turtle. Like Achilles he will approach but never catch up to old age. He sums up his vocation objectively. “There are two kinds of creative people in advertising. Those who think they're smarter than the client and those who are successful.” No illusions there. His is a craft, not Art. It is an amalgam of managing client insecurity, hard work, luck, and an ability (here, he is too modest – it really is a talent) to construct a plausible facsimile of the truth – a truth that's believable by both the client and an amorphous target consumer.

The product in this case is diapers. To succeed, the ad must beguile our minds into believing that the phrase “diapering experience” is not a punch-line but a resonating archetype of nurturance. Author John Kenney captures perfectly the chaos of the resulting commercial shoot, complete with a spattered twenty-something baby wrangler, mags of unusable 35mm film costing $2 a foot to process, an over-scheduled movie star, an ego-inflated director, and the proverbial cascade of bad luck.

The absurdly serious drama continues, and Kenney captures all of its frenetic rhythms. Discussions about the ideal actor who will play “Diarrhea” in a pharma commercial; objections to the rooster in an animatic featuring barnyard animals, and finally, the production of an ad to be conceived during the week between Christmas and New Year, and produced in time to air during the upcoming Superbowl (Christmas really IS cancelled)! Fin sums up his world: The “land of broken toys.”

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING would be mere farce without its gallery of engaging characters, starting with Fin, himself. The story is told from his viewpoint, and his combination of self-aware irony and ambivalence make him a sympathetic character. On the one hand, he falls into Walter Mitty-like reveries which descend into frightening flights from his inner demons. On the other hand, he views life through a pop-culture lens of TV and movies reminiscent of the character in the TV show “Dream On.” The world through camera angles and dialog cues – a successful distancing from the abyss of emotional pain that might result from a genuine decision. Two primary narratives emerge. Moving forward in time, Fin contrives to avoid his family, beginning with refusing to return his brother's phone call. At the same time, there are revealing bits of flashbacks connecting him to the traumatized family life of his childhood. These time-shifts slip in with deceptive casualness. A Bloomingdale's ad for tableware, including a gravy boat, launches him into an examination of his aborted engagement, just 6 weeks before the wedding.

With such a reliance on pop culture, Kenney frequently comes dangerously close to being derivative. The late-night exchanges with Phoebe recall scenes from “Broadcast News.” The inverted logic of the advertising world may remind some of Albert Brooks in “Lost in America.” Kenney, himself, chooses as his epigram a quote from Hitchcock's “North by Northwest”: “In the world of advertising there's no such thing as a lie, there's only the expedient exaggeration.” There is also the theme that almost points to mid-life crisis. His writing, however, surprises with unanticipated plot turns, passages of sharp wit, and originality. This is a “must read” for anyone with experience in an advertising agency, and a highly enjoyable one for anyone else. If you enjoyed Michael J. Arlen's nonfictional, 30 SECONDS, or Joshua Ferris' novel, AND THEN WE CAME TO THE END, you will love this book.(less)

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Apr 05, 2013 Ware rated it 5 of 5 stars

Finbar Dolan is Holden Caulfield 2013, except he is pushing middle age and Irish Catholic. Fin works as a copywriter at a large New York advertising agency, where he has managed to survive while creating pedestrian copy for pedestrian products. He is our narrator.

Just before Christmas Fin is summoned to the executive suite for what could be his big break, the promotion he has long desired but never worked hard enough to get. What he is given is a task. A client has a revolutionary product which...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Lisa Montibello rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book--it was sort of a modern-day Mad Men story, with the protagonist, Fin, feeling so empty and disconnected, partly because of his soulless job, but also because of childhood tragedy and fear of getting close to anyone. The only reason i gave it 4 stars rather than 5 is that there were parts of his childhood that just seemed a bit trite to me, and I think he could have been a little bit more creative than an abusive Boston Irish dad ruining Fin and his siblings. Also, the...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Bridget rated it 5 of 5 stars

My favorite kind of novel: smart/funny, with a large not-quite-perfect Irish family set not too deeply in the background. Two quick excerpts, from John Kenney's hardworking ad team and main characters:

Ian says, "It's really like he has no idea what he's doing, like he's in film school."
Pam says, "He's one of the hottest commercial directors in the world."
Ian says, "He keeps using the word 'profanity'. Only he's using it wrong."
I say, "I noticed that. He thinks it means 'spacious'.
Ian says, "I h...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Kim McGee rated it 4 of 5 stars

If there is any truth in advertising it would be that the creative team strives to bring out the human element in their ads so we will follow them blindly like sheep and buy things. In Truth in Advertising author John Kenney finds the human in the advertising world so the reader will follow Finbar's story and experience every emotion and buy into the story completely. Fin is not on the upper ladder rungs of the NYC ad agency he works for so it is his name that is drawn to create and execute a Su...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, best-of-2013

http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....

From the engagement he called off to a wonderful woman, to his using his witty sense of humor as a defense mechanism, Fin is far from over his childhood. He was getting ready to head off on his solo honeymoon over Christmas break when he gets called back to the office to put together an ad for the Super Bowl. He is in the process of making this career making spot (about diapers, no less) when he gets word that his father is dying. The father that he hasn't...more

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Feb 12, 2013 John Luiz rated it 5 of 5 stars

I almost gave up on this novel in the early pages because the opening didn’t feel very novelistic. There was a frame of a dramatized scene – the shooting of a TV commercial, but very little was dramatized and the early pages were mostly filled with the 1st person narrator offering cynical, albeit very funny, views of the advertising world in a direct monologue to the reader. Then the narrator presented all the key characters in his world in the form of a bulleted list – must like the opening pag...more I almost gave up on this novel in the early pages because the opening didn’t feel very novelistic. There was a frame of a dramatized scene – the shooting of a TV commercial, but very little was dramatized and the early pages were mostly filled with the 1st person narrator offering cynical, albeit very funny, views of the advertising world in a direct monologue to the reader. Then the narrator presented all the key characters in his world in the form of a bulleted list – must like the opening pages of a play presented in book, when all the character’s names are listed with brief descriptors of each. The character summaries are witty and observant, but I was still desperately waiting for a dramatized scene. My qualms disappeared, though, after those pages. The novel turns into a great, fully dramatized story about a man unraveling for a bit because his job seems meaningless and his long-estranged father is near death. We are giving a moving, and often tragic, portrait of why his family is so fractured. His father left him and his three siblings when they were still at tender ages, and his mother killed herself shortly after her husband walked out. This may sound grim, but the author provides enough comic relief in the descriptions of his siblings’ awkward interactions to prevent the novel from becoming too maudlin. And with a heavy dose of cleverness and inventiveness, he milks the adverting agency world for every last drop of satire that can be found in it.

He fully captures the over-the-top pretentiousness and absurd silliness of spending millions of dollars to pitch products with little real value to the world – like non-toxic disposable diapers that are both toxic and non-disposable. I don’t work for an advertising agency, but I work on the client side and have sat in on the process of shooting commercials in Hollywood and every detail of the process is accurately portrayed. The characters seem spot on – including the tough as nails producer who keeps everything running smoothly and the vain director who had a once glorious career but has now fallen on hard times, while still clinging to all his vanity and pomposity. As is the case with the novels of Jonathan Tropper and Nick Hornby, whom this writer is being compared, our protagonist has a love interest – a kindhearted woman, who may be willing to devote herself to him if he can first accomplish that difficult task of maturing and growing up. Like Tropper and Hornby, Kenney does a very good job of delivering a lot of comic moments while showing the struggles a man must go through to make sense of the challenges and setbacks like has thrown his way. The novel may not reach the lofty heights of what I consider the two greatest ad agency novels – Glenn Savan’s The White Palace and Joshua Ferris’s Then We Came to the End -- but it’s a pretty good novel in its own right. If you like this one, try another recent novel that tells a similar story of a man struggling with a difficult father and troubles in his romantic life – the wonderful Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman. (less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Harvey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fin Dolan, the advertising agency copywriter and narrator of John Kenney’s engaging first novel, is approaching his 40th birthday while still “waiting for my life to begin.” That Kenney, who brings to this story his own experience of 17 years in the advertising business, is able to transform a man who’s basically drifting through life into such an appealing character is a tribute to his skill. Belying its debut status, Truth in Advertising is a mature novel that veers from pathos to humor and ba...more Fin Dolan, the advertising agency copywriter and narrator of John Kenney’s engaging first novel, is approaching his 40th birthday while still “waiting for my life to begin.” That Kenney, who brings to this story his own experience of 17 years in the advertising business, is able to transform a man who’s basically drifting through life into such an appealing character is a tribute to his skill. Belying its debut status, Truth in Advertising is a mature novel that veers from pathos to humor and back without a misstep.

After eight years with a New York agency owned by Japan’s largest shipping company, it’s easy to understand why Fin thinks he’s stuck in neutral. He fights to keep his creative juices flowing while crafting ads for a demanding diaper manufacturer, and he’s only recently ended his engagement for reasons even he doesn’t fully understand, leaving him with two first-class airline tickets but nowhere to go. When he’s recruited to produce a Super Bowl commercial for the world’s first biodegradable diaper—a job that will require him to abandon his plan to flee to Mexico alone for the Christmas holiday—he’s tossed into the middle of a nasty existential crisis.

If Kenney had been content to confine his story to Fin’s floundering performance at work and nearly nonexistent love life, this novel would be entertaining enough, if slight. Instead, he layers over the sharply observed, often witty portrait of Fin’s professional and personal troubles an empathetic account of his protagonist’s struggle to come to terms with the legacy of an abusive father.

For Kenney, the business of advertising—a business that exists to sell us products we didn’t even know we needed—serves as a proxy for the world of work that, for most of us, consumes the majority of our waking hours. “We settle into a life,” Fin muses. “Maybe we made this life or maybe it simply happened.” And yet, he concludes, “We look for something deeper than merely a paycheck.” There’s a certain nobility in this story of an Everyman whose stumbles and small triumphs illuminate our own lives.

Copyright 2013 BookPage(less)

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Jan 10, 2013 Alana ~ The Book Pimp added it

Shelves: dnf

Okay... I requested this from NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster (Publisher) and they allowed me to have an ARC.

Sadly, the beginning 2% of the book (which MANY reviews say the beginning isn't easy to overcome) has already put me off. He tells this lovely story, then flat out says 'it's a lie.' So, just as I'm first getting used to his 'voice' as a writer, and try and get comfortable reading the book, and the writer tells me essentially that the first several pages are just blowing smoke up you...more

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Lisa Roche "Blowing smoke up your bottom" is a good choice of words, because isn't that what advertising IS? The intro had the opposite effect on me. It gave me...more
Jan 13, 2013 08:31pm

Alana ~ The Book Pimp Lisa wrote: ""Blowing smoke up your bottom" is a good choice of words, because isn't that what advertising IS? The intro had the opposite effect on me...more
Apr 17, 2013 06:41pm

Jan 06, 2013 Lisa Roche rated it 4 of 5 stars

**I procured an Advance Reader's Edition for review from my local indie bookstore and have no other interests in this author or title.**

Some of us prefer to spend our free time wallowing in a great book. Others enjoy watching television or movies that make us laugh. It is clear that author John Kenney has spent a great deal of time doing both because his debut novel, "Truth In Advertising," is a fun and compelling blend of literary fiction and pop culture.

This is the story of advertising writer...more

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Dec 04, 2012 Tom rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: literary-genre-fiction, humorous, review-copy

Fin Dolan works for a successful New York ad agency. His job is a good one, although he's not exactly on their A-team. Fin is part of the creative group handling the lucrative, if not so glamorous, Snugglies Diaper account.

Indeed, if you read John Kenney's debut novel, "Truth in Advertising," you will gain amazing insight into the finer points of diapers, and the advertising thereof. Moreover, you'll be entertained at the behind-the-scenes machinations of how ads are produced. People will argue...more Fin Dolan works for a successful New York ad agency. His job is a good one, although he's not exactly on their A-team. Fin is part of the creative group handling the lucrative, if not so glamorous, Snugglies Diaper account.

Indeed, if you read John Kenney's debut novel, "Truth in Advertising," you will gain amazing insight into the finer points of diapers, and the advertising thereof. Moreover, you'll be entertained at the behind-the-scenes machinations of how ads are produced. People will argue for hours over three seconds of a TV ad, and micromanage every word of copy.

I spent a number of years producing radio ads--many of them for agencies--and I can attest to the almost surreal, often ridiculous human behavior involved.

If "Truth in Advertising" were only about the people and processes behind diaper ads, this would be a good novel. What takes it to the next level is how Kenney deals with other people in Fin's life. He recently broke off his engagement to Amy, citing feet so cold they were frostbitten. Amy...well, she didn't take the sudden breakup very well to say the least. Also, Fin has an almost glacially slow courtship developing with Phoebe, one of his departmental assistants.

Toughest of all, Fin has to deal with his estranged family, trying to unite his brothers and sister, as their once-abusive father lay dying in a hospital.

Work becomes exciting when Snugglies Diapers announces a revolutionary new product that will knock their diaper competitors on their asses. Snugglies wants to debut their new super-diaper during the Super Bowl, leaving Fin and his crew just weeks to come up with a winning concept, write it, film it, edit it, and put together the final, polished product. The client's last-minute decision certainly doesn't make this easy.

The way Kenney interlaces Fin's professional and personal lives truly lends an unexpected heart to "Truth in Advertising." The resolution of Fin's issues with his father--and how his journey to forgiveness ends up helping an unlikely new friend--add an extra layer of poignancy to the story.

In many ways, Fin's assignment to the diaper account works as a lovely metaphor. Not to get too scatological, but diapers collect and hold on to unpleasant human byproducts. In their own way, Fin and his three siblings have been doing the same thing for years. They essentially quit communicating once their mother died, and they left home. There was too much grief and recrimination to be healed with a cute card and an annual birthday phone call.

By the end of "Truth in Advertising," Fin has reevaluated his priorities, and he has a new outlook on life. It's not that everything changes for him. He just chooses to view his life--and his priorities--in a different way. Why, it's almost like he'd been influenced by a really slick TV ad.

John Kenney's debut is smart, funny, and deeply human, and I highly recommend it.

(nb: I received an advance review copy from the publisher)(less)

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Sep 20, 2012 Sue rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

Don't Give Up on This One...
Truth in Advertising started out as a mixed up mess of information. I felt confused and tossed about in Finbar Dolan’s narrative of his confused and tossed about life in the advertising world. Of course, characters have to be introduced and woven into the story, but I felt as though these were people I couldn’t relate to or ever get to know.

THEN the author, John Kenney, cracks the door a tiny bit on Fin’s real life and I was drawn into it. I began to see how Fin’s des...more

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Mar 05, 2013 Bill Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, humorous, literary

Finbar “Fin” Dolan is the sort of loveable loser that is common in American fiction. He is dissatisfied with his job as an advertising “creative” even though it is filled with perks. He is emotionally retarded and has called of his wedding weeks before the big day. He has also yet to realize that he is in love with his best friend Phoebe. If this all sounds rather cliché, it is, but what makes Truth in Advertising rise above others in the genre is its heart. There are very funny tidbits througho...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Joshua rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

Wow I didn't like this book by John Kenney and evidently others do quite a bit..I'm baffled. I enjoy some satire, in fact, I kind of like it, but Truth in Advertising was a huge swing and miss for me. The satire of the advertising world is so utterly forced, heavy-handed and dare I say phony [even though Kenney used to work in this world] that I never believed that these people trading endless barbs and one-liners to one another were anything other than complete fabrications. The key word in tha...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was given an advance copy of this novel by the publisher.

My father died in August of 2012. He was two days shy of his 64th birthday. Profoundly diabetic, he had a long history of heart trouble, medication manipulation, and noncompliance in regards to his health. He was also known to lie about his condition, sometimes making it seem worse than it was and often not admitting that it was bad as it had been. Needless to say, when he actually died, it came as a bit of a shock. None of us had any id...more I was given an advance copy of this novel by the publisher.

My father died in August of 2012. He was two days shy of his 64th birthday. Profoundly diabetic, he had a long history of heart trouble, medication manipulation, and noncompliance in regards to his health. He was also known to lie about his condition, sometimes making it seem worse than it was and often not admitting that it was bad as it had been. Needless to say, when he actually died, it came as a bit of a shock. None of us had any idea he was sick as he was and might not have believed him had he said something.

I have a tumultuous history with my father. He abandoned my siblings and I when we were young and spent most of our early years spiraling further and further into drug addiction and alcoholism, two things which only served to exacerbate the deterioration of his already dwindling health. And the lies. The backlog of lies, deceptions, and untrustworthy actions. There was a good five or six years of my life that we never spoke to one another. Not even once.

Within the last several years—probably since 2007 or so—my father turned it around. He still had a myriad of health concerns. He was still an idiot when it came to following his doctor’s orders. We still had to take his reporting on his condition with a grain of salt. But he did become more pro-oactive in the relationships with his children. He became more a part of our lives. He began to find some solace in the religion that he had been brought up in. Essentially, we became friends even if we could not be effective father and son. Like me, he loved baseball. This was our common ground and it was often the excuse we needed to speak on the phone more frequently.

When he died, I was not sure how to feel. He had never really been my father by its strictest definition. However, as I’ve gotten older and begun to look more like him, begun to appreciate him more, matured enough to look past the bad and focus on the good, I could not deny the familial bond. I was upset when he died, angry that he had to be taken away from me just when things between us were starting to feel real, railing about the injustices inherent in getting too close to anyone. Why should I have bothered if he was just going to be taken away?

My wife—my beautiful, beautiful wife—turned to during one of my self-pitying tirades and said, “At least, when he died, you were no longer mad at him.” I love my wife. Sometimes, she’s very profound.

I tell you all of the above because I couldn’t stop thinking about any of the above as I read this novel by John Kenney. Was that a spoiler? Perhaps it was.

I really enjoyed this novel. Not because of its brilliance. Or its originality. Or its creativity. But because it perfectly captured what I felt at a time when I really needed someone to understand what I was feeling and why I might have been feeling it.

The novel itself is nothing ground-breaking, but it is quite enjoyable. Kenney has a background in advertising and television-writing and the novel reads like a script for commercials. Whipcrack dialogue, fast-paced scenes, not-quite-developed characters (except for the ridiculously-named lead character, who becomes more and more briliantly-realized as the novel progresses). I was reminded of both Nick Hornby and Jonathan Tropper, both of whom are defendable mainstream writers to emulate. Both of these writers also have a tendency to have a finished product that reads like a well-done screenplay.

I sped through this novel in just over a day. It was the perfect break from the lengthy, 900+ books I have been slogging through of late. And it was an exceptional catharsis as I progress into the holidays.
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Apr 25, 2013 Linda Robinson rated it 3 of 5 stars

The title intrigued me on the new book shelf - the font is close to some company's logo. Is it Coca Cola? And there is not much truth in advertising, so that's interesting, too, and funny before the book is opened. Advertising was a major part of my professional life, and when it's not incredibly stressful, it's ridiculously funny. Kenney worked in ad agencies and he has writing skills and a keen eye for the stereotypical ad agency types, and they all have a role in this book. Finbar Dolan's lif...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Priscilla Melchior rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won a copy of this book from the publisher and, after reading some of the pre-publication press, was anxious to read it. While not as thrilled as professional reviewers, I did like it.

"Truth in Advertising" is the story of Finbar Dolan, a New York advertising copywriter who struggles with many of the mid-life questions facing us all: Is that all there is? Have I wasted my life? Can I still make an impact?

Struggling with childhood issues enough to bow most anyone, he keeps most everyone at a di...more

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Nov 27, 2012 Veronica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: advance-reader-books

*I was sent an advance reader copy from the publisher*

What attracted me to this debut novel is the suggested similarity to Jonathan Tropper's novels. Having finished this book, I can honestly say that fans of Tropper will love this new volume from John Kenney. Much like Tropper, Kenney has a way of dissecting his characters and letting the reader enter their minds and really gain an understanding of them. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Fin Dolan inside and out.

There is a little bit...more *I was sent an advance reader copy from the publisher*

What attracted me to this debut novel is the suggested similarity to Jonathan Tropper's novels. Having finished this book, I can honestly say that fans of Tropper will love this new volume from John Kenney. Much like Tropper, Kenney has a way of dissecting his characters and letting the reader enter their minds and really gain an understanding of them. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Fin Dolan inside and out.

There is a little bit of Fin Dolan in all of us. Do we truly know what makes us happy? Can we achieve happiness? Fin is dealing with a lot of issues, but who isn't? Fin's father was abusive and indirectly/directly (depending on where you side) responsible for Fin's mother's death. That has scarred the four Dolan children for life, making it unlikely they will ever be the type of family to stay in touch or show emotion to anyone. Thus, Fin has difficulty showing his emotions to the woman he loves.

I found Fin to be especially likeable because of how easy it is to relate to him. His coworkers Pam and Ian are funny and refreshingly sarcastic which helps Fin keep his sanity while he tries to come up with the perfect diapers commercial on a tight budget. When Fin learns that his father has fallen ill, he must decide if he will take the time to go visit him, knowing his siblings won't. His mental journey while he deals with his father's illness answers many questions for readers, like why he is so scarred and why his emotions are kept under lock and key for the most part. The present is interspersed with momentary flashbacks so that readers slowly get a complete picture of Fin.

There are a few surprises throughout this book that keep the reader interested. While Kenney deals with some poignant issues, his use of humor keeps this from being depressing. There is quite a bit of background information on advertising and creating a commercial which only adds to the story. The introspective parts of this book aren't cliche either which is also surprising. I definitely recommend this for anyone who is a fan of Jonathan Tropper or anyone interested in a look at the intricacies of family life.(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Martha Bullen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first encountered this entertaining debut novel about a frustrated ad man on the cusp of turning 40 when I read an excerpt right before Book Expo America last May. The first chapter is laugh-out-loud funny, featuring our hero, advertising copywriter Fin Dolan, on the set of a diaper commercial starring Gwyneth Paltrow. I expected a satire of America's consumer culture driven by today's Mad Men, and the author, John Kenney, definitely provides that.

What I didn't expect was the poignant, touchin...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Bebe (Sarah) Brechner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Less than 100 pages in, and I've laughed out loud many times - brilliantly written! Here's a sample, where he describes types of advertising people, starting with the true geniuses, the solidly talented and ..."Then there's the rest of us. Me and my coworkers. We do diapers. We do little chocolate candies. We do detergent and dishwashing liquid and air fresheners and toilet paper and paper towels and prescription drugs. Our commercials have cartoon animals or talking germs. It's the stuff you se...more

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Apr 21, 2013 Whitney rated it 1 of 5 stars

I stopped reading Truth in Advertising on Christmas day (Christmas day in the book that is) The back cover made it sound witty and interesting, both of which it was not.

The novel is a fictional account of Fin Dolen, a sad lonely man assigned to a diapers commercial over the Christmas holidays. It is long winded, and disjointed, with an ADHD attempt at witty writing. There were actually a few moments where I was reminded of a David Sedaris' panache but those were fleeting and rather reverted back...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Sam Sattler rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: humor, contemporary-fiction, coming-of-age

Although most people would tell you that they are too smart to be fooled by advertising, the truth is that it works - and that it works on even those who claim otherwise. But, despite its effectiveness, we still like to laugh at the whole advertising industry and those who spend their lives “lying” to the rest of us about products we can easily live without. John Kenney’s debut novel, Truth in Advertising, gives readers a chance to do exactly that. Truth in Advertising, however, is a novel with...more Although most people would tell you that they are too smart to be fooled by advertising, the truth is that it works - and that it works on even those who claim otherwise. But, despite its effectiveness, we still like to laugh at the whole advertising industry and those who spend their lives “lying” to the rest of us about products we can easily live without. John Kenney’s debut novel, Truth in Advertising, gives readers a chance to do exactly that. Truth in Advertising, however, is a novel with a serious message. That the message is cloaked in dark, often laugh-out-loud, humor is just a bonus.

Whether he realizes it or not, Finbar Dolan is caught up in his own version of a mid-life crisis. He is about to turn 40, has just backed out of his impending wedding, does not have to use all the fingers of one hand to count his friends, and feels like he is pretty much just wasting his life. He has carved out a mediocre career for himself at a Madison Avenue ad agency but no longer really believes in what he does. Then, Fin and his three siblings, none of whom he even speaks to anymore, must decide how to handle the impending death of their long estranged father. When he learns that none of them intend to see their father before he dies, Fin realizes he is on his own.

Truth in Advertising is a story about second chances – as opposed to “second acts.” Fin Dunbar will come to believe that, “Every day we get a fresh chance to live the way we want.” He learns, the hard way, that the choice is his, but that realization is a long way from where he bottoms out:

“It will change. All of it. Imperceptibly at first. Then irrevocably. Thirty comes. Thirty-five surprises you. The prospect of forty stuns you. Once the money was a wonderful surprise. Now it is not enough. A restlessness creeps in. A wanting of something you cannot quite put your finger on. Stories of others people’s lives fascinate you. The idea of many things – a career change, a sabbatical, graduate school, a tattoo – seems interesting but you never do any of them.”

Whether you call it a “second chance” or a “second act,” Fin Dunbar is finally ready to make more of the second half of his life than he made of its first. If it is really possible for a person to come-of-age at 40 (you decide), John Kenney has written one of the funniest coming of age novels that I have read in a while. But, call it what you will, Truth in Advertising is an admirable debut novel.
(less)

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Mar 04, 2013 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone with a caveat to make it through the first 70 pages

Recommended to Michelle by: Typographical Era

Shelves: 2013-read, opinionless

3 1/2 Stars

Truth in Advertising by John Kenny was the February Book for the Typographical Era book club. The book is about advertising executive Fin Dolan. Part of the book is a satirical view of the advertising world and the production of commercials where as the other half of the book is about Fin Dolan himself in the present dealing with his life issues while reminiscing about the past.

Part of this book is laugh out loud hilarious. Shoot water out of your nose hilarious. Wet your pants hilari...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Michelle added it

In John Kenney’s Truth in Advertising, Finbar Dolan is a hot mess. A penchant for storytelling led him to a career in advertising. After eight years, what seemed great now seems inane, and as he approaches forty, he is left wondering if there isn’t something more important than creating a fabulous new Super Bowl worthy commercial for diapers. As he skates through the assignment questioning the validity of his career, he is forced to face some hard truths about his past, his present, and his futu...more In John Kenney’s Truth in Advertising, Finbar Dolan is a hot mess. A penchant for storytelling led him to a career in advertising. After eight years, what seemed great now seems inane, and as he approaches forty, he is left wondering if there isn’t something more important than creating a fabulous new Super Bowl worthy commercial for diapers. As he skates through the assignment questioning the validity of his career, he is forced to face some hard truths about his past, his present, and his future, but he manages to get in more than a few good jabs along the way.

"In that moment I think, This is my life. This, here and now. This is as close as I am ever going to get to that elusive thing called happiness. How could I ask for more?" (p. 302)

Fin is a modern-day everyman. Who hasn’t questioned one’s career path, chosen industry and/or department, and wondered if there isn’t something more fulfilling out there? The conclusions Fin draw may not be the most palatable but they are the most realistic, and therein lies Fin’s appeal. They are surprising insights for their non-fairytale ending but extremely satisfying. For in Fin’s realizations, one finds a modicum of hope – hope that one is not alone in feeling frustrated and unfulfilled, hope that the grass is not greener, and hope that one’s best at a monotonous job is enough.

"F. Scott Fitzgerald said that there are no second acts in American lives...I don't know about second acts, but I do think we get second chances, fifth chances, eighteenth chances. Every day we get a fresh chance to live the way we want. We get a chance to do one amazing thing, one scary thing, one difficult thing, one beautiful thing. We get a chance to make a difference." (p 298)

It is a shock to learn that Truth in Advertising is Mr. Kenney’s debut novel, as it has none of the faults typically seen in a novelist’s first piece of work. Wittily told, it absolutely skewers modern-day business and the general inanity that occurs in offices and cubicles around the country. In Fin, Mr. Kenney creates a modern-day non-hero, the type of character every reader will recognize and with whom there is an instantaneous connection simply because of the fact that every reader employed in corporate America has been Fin at one point in time or another. Fin’s struggles in regards to his father are poignant and timely given the rapidly aging Boomer generation and the increasing number of Gen Xers forced to care for them. Entertaining and well-told, Truth in Advertising will have readers evaluating their own career dissatisfaction and developing their own realistic truths.(less)

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Jan 21, 2013 Dan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Finbar Dolan works for an NYC advertising agency. He doesn’t like his job as a creative writer for diaper campaigns. Nor is he happy in his personal life and is estranged from his family. He recently cancelled his wedding, planning a trip alone for the holiday and learns that his father is dying. On top of that his boss wants him to put together a commercial for the Super Bowl in a really short time.

This novel started off slow and with an influx of information (see above), but once the setup was...more

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