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32nd out of 138 books
—
179 voters
The Roaches Have No King
by
Daniel Evan Weiss (Goodreads Author)
When Ira Fishblatt's girlfriend, Ruth Grubstein, moves into his apartment, he has the kitchen renovated She is tickled pink, but hundreds of other houseguests aren't - the cockroaches who'd been living high on the hog before they were starved out. Famine slowly drives them into a frenzy until one, named Numbers, comes up with a diabolical plan: they'll encourage a romance...more
Paperback, 240 pages
Published
May 1st 2000
by Serpent's Tail
(first published May 1st 1994)
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This is one of the more bizarre books I've read lately, and I'm not a stranger to bizarre books. I'm not exaggerating when I say that there were a few sections in this book that I had an actual, visceral reaction to. The story is about a colony of intelligent roaches who are trying to carve out a better life for themselves by ruining the lives of the humans whose apartment they occupy. It's equally funny and unsettling, and it'll probably give you pause the next time you go to crush some insect...more
If you want an original read then I would recommend this book. It is probably quite unlike most things I have read before. The closest comparison I could make would be to Will Self's Great Apes. Both books are trying to comment on human nature by moving outside of ourselves.
The basic plot is that a cockroach called Numbers wants to take over an apartment and try to manipulate the human inhabitants into making life better for him and his fellow cockroaches. Via Numbers the author makes quite an...more
The basic plot is that a cockroach called Numbers wants to take over an apartment and try to manipulate the human inhabitants into making life better for him and his fellow cockroaches. Via Numbers the author makes quite an...more
Jul 26, 2011
La Stamberga dei Lettori
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
livia-medullina
Ammetto di essere di gusti un po' difficili. Al ristorante sono capace di studiare il menu per un'ora prima di fare la mia scelta e lo stesso accade spesso in libreria. È raro quindi che mi ritrovi per le mani qualcosa che mi faccia proprio schifo (libri da 1 stellina, per intenderci) e quando accade, evito di parlarne perché mi hanno lasciato così poco che non saprei cosa dire. Questa volta però la delusione è stata troppo intensa e quindi ho scritto di getto questa recensione.
La trama mi appa...more
La trama mi appa...more
This is no 'Metamorphosis' ('Die Verwandlung') with laughs. A herd, bunch , flock, mob (not sure what the collective noun is) of Cockroaches achieve some sort of human understanding by eating through the contents of a book case. Some of them take on human characteristics of the authors or characters of these books but they are still roaches with no real understanding of human behavior.
The protagonist roach is called Numbers. He tries to manipulate the humans of the apartment into becoming more...more
The protagonist roach is called Numbers. He tries to manipulate the humans of the apartment into becoming more...more
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Gli scarafaggi non hanno re, in questa grottesca storia di Weiss, ma di sicuro sono dotati di un'intelligenza superiore che gli permette di leggere e comprendere il nostro linguaggio. In prosperità, gli scarafaggi filosofi analizzano le differenze, soprattuto legate alla sfera sessuale, fra le due specie. Tuttavia presto la batteglia per la sopravvivenza li spingerà ad organizzarsi e a cercare di collaborare. Nonostante gli sforzi e i piani ben architettati, la vita è dura per gli amici a 6 zamp...more
This was one of the books that tought me to love contemporary fiction. Daniel Evan Weiss is one of my all time favorite authors. The NY called him "the evil kanievel of novelist" his stories are gritty to the point of being filthy but they also feature more heart and honesty than almost any of his more famous contemporaries. This book is the story of numbers, a cockroach born in the bible chapter of the same name and his struggle to understand the world the humans around him and his place in it....more
Strange and interesting. I liked the concept -- cockroaches as philosophers -- but I'm not sure how long this will stay with me. This was first published in the UK as "Unnatural Selection" which I think is a better name. There are certainly plenty of unnatural occurrences in this one. Anyhow this was dirty and crazy but I liked it better than a lot of, say, Palahniuk. The seamy parts of this book were at least pretty humorous.
I kept thinking about the Pearl Jam song "Rats" which pretty much is t...more
I kept thinking about the Pearl Jam song "Rats" which pretty much is t...more
This is a brilliant book, sometimes hilarious, sometimes gross and always intelligent and clever. The basic plot is that cockroaches take over an apartment and try to manipulate the human inhabitants into making life better for them, the cockroaches. The fact that the story is narrated from the point of view of a cockroach gives the author plenty of opportunity to make observations on evolution, ecology and human civilisation from a distinctly non-human viewpoint. I love the way that each roach...more
I bought this because I was hoping it would be like Joe's Apartment would have been if Will Self had written it.
It's exactly like that and it turns out that isn't a good thing.
It's exactly like that and it turns out that isn't a good thing.
Read at your own risk, especially if you like those alien invasion fiction. Weiss' books are always philosophical, psychological and intensely sexual – more than vanilla.
Watch out for Daniel Evan Weiss' new book that's coming out in April 2013 – "The Magic of Middle-Aged Women". Blog on author site; and on Facebook.
Watch out for Daniel Evan Weiss' new book that's coming out in April 2013 – "The Magic of Middle-Aged Women". Blog on author site; and on Facebook.
This is a really frustrating book. There are quite a few fantastic moments in it. It handles the roach POV perfectly, and I really got into the way that they think and feel, they way that they worked with each other, and the general world. The main character is engaging and you really do want him to succeed.
Unfortunately there are three really big problems. First, is that there are several scenes in the book where he buries critical details of action so that you either don't know or can't possi...more
Unfortunately there are three really big problems. First, is that there are several scenes in the book where he buries critical details of action so that you either don't know or can't possi...more
After allowing this book to loiter on my "to-read" shelf and in my Amazon wishlist (although a used copy ran all of $.50) forever, finally I ordered and read it. It was definitely worth the wait.
I've just been through a string of disappointing reads. Not that the works in and of themselves were bad, but I just haven't read anything lately that I full out enjoyed, and I'm so glad I picked this book off the shelf.
The reality is that this book is actually about roaches; in particular, one diaboli...more
I've just been through a string of disappointing reads. Not that the works in and of themselves were bad, but I just haven't read anything lately that I full out enjoyed, and I'm so glad I picked this book off the shelf.
The reality is that this book is actually about roaches; in particular, one diaboli...more
This is very well written but strange. I probably would have never read it if it hadn't been on the shelf due to my husband. I happened to see it on our shelf and picked it up. I ended up finishing the book in one sitting although i did stay up later than I planned.I think I might have found it difficult to sleep after reading it if I lived in place where roaches are more common. The story was engaging an I found myself rooting for Number even while being disturbed by some of his actions.
Some wonderfully philosophical observations of the human psyche told from the point of view of a cockroach, completely undermined by overly crass and unnecessarily disgusting parts. This often makes the points he makes seem flippant, losing the impact they may have had.
One part in particular near the end that I won't go into was very harrowing.
Not for the faint hearted...or even people not normally offended. I've got a strong stomach but often felt squeamish reading it in public.
One part in particular near the end that I won't go into was very harrowing.
Not for the faint hearted...or even people not normally offended. I've got a strong stomach but often felt squeamish reading it in public.
Le narrateur de ce livre s'appelle Nombres.
Il est né dans une bibliothèque de New York et appartient à l'espèce des dictyoptères, famille des blattellae germanicae, en français, les cafards.
Nombres et ses compagnons vivent heureux dans l'appartement d'Ira et de la Gitane, quand celle-ci, excellente cuisinière mais souillon de première, décide de quitter le domicile conjugal.
Elle est remplacée par Ruth, qui fait de l'ordre une religion et qui laisse subitement affamée la colonie des blattes pa...more
Il est né dans une bibliothèque de New York et appartient à l'espèce des dictyoptères, famille des blattellae germanicae, en français, les cafards.
Nombres et ses compagnons vivent heureux dans l'appartement d'Ira et de la Gitane, quand celle-ci, excellente cuisinière mais souillon de première, décide de quitter le domicile conjugal.
Elle est remplacée par Ruth, qui fait de l'ordre une religion et qui laisse subitement affamée la colonie des blattes pa...more
Hilaross. I combined hilarious and gross because this book is both. It is almost always disgusting, but so creative and possibly cerebral, assuming you enjoy roach humor and very graphic descriptions of everything. Told from the roach persepctive; an objective view at human beings and an imaginative take on roach life. Weiss knows how to tell an interesting story.
Amazing. Interesting. Disgusting. Creative. I cannot possibly warn and suggest this book enough.
Amazing. Interesting. Disgusting. Creative. I cannot possibly warn and suggest this book enough.
Okay, a caveat or ten for this one: I flew through it. It was like reading a book version of Jackass or South Park or something. Absolutely disgusting, revolting, and gross.... and well written, fascinating, and so out-of-left-field that it was kind of awesome. (Okay, maybe more South Park and less Jackass) But I can't actually recommend this to anyone who is easily offended or has a weak stomach. So. There you go. Read at your own risk.
Jul 13, 2010
Ashley Lewis
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anybody wanting to read something different
Finally, something different! The world through a roach's perspective. While the concept of this book intrigued me and kept me gripped, I found myself often confused by where this book was going. Many of the scenes depicted in it were quite bizarre. That, of course, being far from a complaint. Numbers, the narrator, is quite the clever little roach. He is very intelligent, and yet, he doesn't do something that was so drastically important to the lives of the citizens in his colony; just moving t...more
I think someone gave me this, or it appeared at my house for some reason. I read it some years ago and was ambivalent about it at the time. But it is a book that kind of sticks with you. Really gets inside the cockroach mind.
I kind of hated this book. I was halfway through it before the racism, sexism, and raunchiness really got to me. But, the story was interesting enough that I finished the book. I don't recommend it. Unless you love William Burroughs. It's not that far out, but the intelligent cockroaches and general grodiness had me thinking along those lines.
OUTSTANDING - from a roaches point of view, easy to read, went fast and was very interesting. Just cute! I lent it to someone and never saw the book again :(
Have to admit - I still have no idea what this book is about...It was given to me by a friend...who usually has impecable taste, so I am more than willing to give it a go.
One of the most humorous books, up there with Dug Adams Hitchiker's Guide. It is also quite good as an allegory. Imaginative beyond belief.
I bought this book used because I needed a beach read on my vacation. The concept intrigued me - the central character is a cockroach trying to reclaim his apartment from its human occupants. It was pretty entertaining and light enough for the beach, but the depiction of black characters seemed a bit racist - I couldn't tell if it was meant to be satirical or not. Also, and I know this sounds ridiculous in a review of a book about a talking cockroach, but - some of the story didn't make sense. T...more
Ever felt sorry for a cockroach? No? Well, prepare to. I even enjoyed the weird love story between two cockroaches. Fantastically written.
A perverse, hysterically funny view of human life, from the perspective of a cockroach. Out of print, alas.
Mar 01, 2013
Brendan
added it
This was... This was a book I read that's literally all I can say about it, it was fucking wild.
I really liked these critters, whose personalities were shaped by the books they've devoured.
How do people think of these things? A book written from a roaches perspective.
Aug 04, 2007
Renee
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone with a sense of humor and a strong stomach
Shelves:
fiction
The Roaches Have No King, by Daniel Evan Weiss, is a clever tale of cockroach “societal” dynamics, told from the perspective of the cockroach. Mind you, this is not a book for everyone – the “Ew Factor” is very high, especially in passages concerning the interaction between human and cockroach; some may find it downright unreadable for this reason. That said, I found it a funny, creative and involving story of roach sensibilities and their take on the world around them. The grossness isn’t gratu...more
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Daniel Evan Weiss is the author of four novels: The Roaches Have No King, Hell on Wheels, Honk if You Love Aphrodite, and The Swine’s Wedding. His most recent book is non-fiction, The Magic of Middle-aged Women: Romance, Sex, Deviance--Freedom.
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