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Leave the Building Quickly: True Stories
Cynthia Kaplan, acclaimed author of Why I'm Like This, once again casts her gimlet eye upon the current state of her affairs. Also of your affairs, and some other people's affairs as well. Journey with her as she humiliates herself in a variety of locales and fearlessly takes on all the important issues of the day--including her family, intelligent design, Narnia, and New...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
May 6th 2008
by Harper Perennial
(first published 2007)
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A family friend gave me Leave the Building Quickly for Christmas and at the end of the month when I realized I hadn’t read a non-fiction book yet (part of my goals for the year), I was excited to remember this book was sitting on my coffee table. I’d never heard of Cynthia Kaplan, but as a fan of other funny memoirists like David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs, I was looking forward to seeing what awaited me.
Writer and actress Cynthia Kaplan has had essays published in numerous newspapers and ma...more
Writer and actress Cynthia Kaplan has had essays published in numerous newspapers and ma...more
Jan 03, 2011
Alison
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
essays,
read-in-2011,
american,
authors-whose-careers-inspire-me,
brevity,
cnf,
columnists,
humor,
memoir,
non-fiction
I was so excited when I learned that Cynthia Kaplan had another book out—I received her first collection, "Why I'm Like This," as a gift a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. So the fact that I didn't love this one as much might not be a reflection on this collection itself, but just that the first one was so great, anything else might pale in comparison. I did feel like there were a couple of essays in this one that fell a bit flat. But I really loved (and related to) the essay about h...more
As a child I was introduce to fun essay writing while sneaking my Mom's books by Harry Golden, Art Buchwald and Erma Bombeck. I love a witty, friendly essay about almost anything.
Ms. Kaplan started strong with a fun romp on a Disney cruise. Then it tapers off quickly.
Not everything in your life is interesting, I labored through a yawner about growing up with her brother, finally giving up after one too many obligatory bash Bush statements.
Ms. Kaplan started strong with a fun romp on a Disney cruise. Then it tapers off quickly.
Not everything in your life is interesting, I labored through a yawner about growing up with her brother, finally giving up after one too many obligatory bash Bush statements.
Stopped reading this book in the middle of a chapter. While I can laugh at the porn tapes her husband gives her for Valentine's Day, I was unentertained at her "reasons" for no longer believeing in God and her cheap shot at religion and those who do believe. As I am not being forced to read this book, I chose to throw it away instead. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone I know.
Some of the essays here are funny, but I didn't enjoy this collection as much as her first collection "Why I'm Like This." Many of the essays meandered, with no apparent focus or purpose. They read almost like a stream of consciousness. I'd say skip this one, but definitely read "Why I'm Like This."
One of the essays in this collection ("Very Special Thanks") serves as Kaplan's sarcastic rebuttal to a friend who "mentored" her, without providing any actual assistance. He criticized her first book for not having any identifiable theme. I don't recall that as having been a problem myself when I read it. However, there is a flaw in this book: the stories are all over the place, in no particular order. There's a funny one about cruises, and then a serious look back at Alzheimer's effect on her...more
I really enjoyed 'Why I'm Like this' by Kaplan several years ago. This, her next book too was an entertaining, fun, mostly light read. Particularly enjoyed her audition for the Jon Stewart show where she completely sabotages herself! Liberal use of 4 letter words if that bothers you.
Entertaining enough; her thoughts re working and parenting were comforting to me (how for a woman you give up so much - your body, career in some fashion at least, etc.). Each chapter is a short story, so easy to read.
Funny book, caused me to actually laugh out loud more than once.
These stories aren't as laugh-out-loud funny as those by David Sedaris, but I don't think they're meant to be. She is more honest and reflective, and some of the essays put into clear words some of the nebulous frustrations of my own life. I'd love to hang out with this woman!
Good. Not as good as her first book. But good.
I really enjoyed this book.
chick lit but really good
More thoughtful than the quirky! madcap! packaging implies.
Wow, I was very pleasantly suprised -- this was an Amazon impulse buy "my suggested fries with that" that came with David Sedaris's latest. Cynthia Kaplan has a fresh, authentic, witty voice that was engaging, truthful and clever. I really enjoyed each of her anecdotes & reading the book felt like sharing a wonderful cup of coffee with a good friend who always makes you think "why don't I hang out with her more -- She's hilarious and tuned in." I'm a fan & buying her 1st book.
meh.
Cynthia Kaplan has done it again! This book is laugh-out-loud funny, as she muses about God, the evolution of deer, Peter and the Wolf and countless other topics. Every one of these biographical stories is either completely relevant, or completely irrelevant, but always worth the read! I highly recommend this one to women, especially mothers; and to dudes, like my boyfriend, who get it.
Aug 26, 2008
Marcia
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
nope
Recommended to Marcia by:
read a review
Shelves:
grown-up-books
I had read a rave review which led me to this book in search of some good laughs. They were not to be found. In one of the first chapters the author describes good humor as laughing out loud while nodding your head in recognition. I nodded a few times, but there were no laughs. One small chuckle maybe...
Kaplan is likeable. Her stories are fun to read because we can relate. You won't find yourself howling with laughter or shouting, "I know EXACTLY what you mean!" It's not that kind of book. But what is enjoyable about her books is that the stories are familiar but not exactly like your life. Good storytelling.
This book was exactly as it stated "short stories", they seemed to of been chosen radomly from her journals. I appreciated some of them, but not all. One of the stories talked about "her mentor"-I believe this person to be one of my favorite authors Augusten Burroughs, but I may be totally off. haha Strange.
Love it so far! All Aboard is my life with Scott's family...on & off a cruise ship. Thought this was my own entry, ha! Ballads of Rusty Magee is especially poignant to me, as my best friend from h.s. is suffering from a terminal illness and this exerpt spoke VOLUMES to me. I need to keep reading...
I'm still in the middle of this one. I'm not sure how much I like it, but I find myself giggling and nodding in recognition. So, that's good. I think I'm still struggling with the stand-up comedian turned writer schtick. I think Chelsea Handler turned me off. :(
I loved Kaplan's first book, Why I'm Like This, so I was very excited to read this one. Unfortunately, Leave the Building Quickly was just not as good. It was good, yes, but not as good as it's predecessor.
Meh
Enjoyable and funny. I read this before I discovered David Sedaris. I think he is a better read, although they both reminisce about growing up with atypical homelives in the sixties/seventies.
I enjoyed her first book so much I bought the second one for my return flight. Once again, just well written stories from life. Wish I had written the books!!!
A humorous/poignant collection of short stories. Gave me a new perspective on Drops of Jupiter. Purchased this book at the 2007 Jewish Book Fair and met the author!
I like to read satire by sarcastic writers--this book definitely fits the bill. The last 2 chapters were not up to the rest of the book but until then it was great.
I didn't enjoy this the way I did her first. She still has a few great stories, but I was not as addicted to it as I was to Why I'm Like This.
Cynthia rocks! Another enjoyable read. I thought even better than her first book. A lot of good laugh out loud moments.
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