james read and liked Kurt's review of How I Became Stupid:

"Are you morose? Does your intelligence get in the way of your happiness? Then move along, this book is not for you.

Draw an equilateral triangle. Label each vertex: "Candide", by Voltaire; "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...more Are you morose? Does your intelligence get in the way of your happiness? Then move along, this book is not for you.

Draw an equilateral triangle. Label each vertex: "Candide", by Voltaire; "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", by Douglas Adams; "Venus on the Half-Shell", by Kilgore Trout.

Now plot a point in the middle of the triangle, but a little off-center, somewhere between Hitchhiker's Guide and Half-Shell. That is where this novel wants to be, in pattern and poise, but is not.

If you want an introspective adventure juxtaposing intelligence and emotional awareness, that leaves you with something to discuss, read some Herman Hesse.

--spoiler--

Despite his journey through the land of unselfconsciousness, Antoine remains unfulfilled. In the end, the answer to his problems is a woman he meets in a park. In fact, she is the one who approaches him, having noticed some quality in his character.

So, then, what is this book telling us? Not to pursue, but to wait for the Universe to send us a gift of companionship? I reject it.

--end spoiler--

I would give this book one star, but it helped me recall some pleasant memories of Europe. For that, and its having a tone utterly and refreshingly lacking in guile, I give it another star.(less) "