The Other Shulman: A Novel

by Alan Zweibel

Shulman, a chubby, middle-aged stationery-store owner from New Jersey, has always claimed that he’s been gaining and losing the same thirty-five pounds since junior high–and that if you added all of that discarded weight together, he had lost an entire person. Another Shulman. A Shulman he never really cared for. A Shulman he’d always tried to lose by dieting and exercising. A Shulman he’d cover by wearing extra-large shirts in an attempt to hide his existence.

This has been just a joke until, at a crossroads marked by overwhelming marital and business stress, he actually encounters this Other Shulman–an incredibly successful man who’s made life and career choices that Shulman has spurned.

At first, the Other Shulman is but a mere nuisance, a source of frustration brought about by mistaken identity. But as time goes by, his actions become increasingly destructive and threaten to sabotage all aspects of Shulman’s existence.

The struggle between the two Shulmans comes to a head while Shulman is running in the New York City Marathon. And it is during the course of this race, as he runs through the old neighborhoods where his life took shape, that this ordinarily passive family man examines all the choices he’s made and realizes that in order for him to get his life back on track he must confront and overcome his haunting demons as presented in the form of this angry doppelgänger, this Other Shulman.

In 26.2 chapters, one for each mile of the marathon, The Other Shulman is a hilarious and affecting tale of identity and aspiration from one of America’s best-known comic writers.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Novels, Comedy, Literature, Jewish

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Νατάσσα · Rating 4 out of 5]

Από τα πιο διασκεδαστικά βιβλία που έχω διαβάσει - ήταν σημεία που γελούσα δυνατά. Καλογραμμένο, ενδιαφέρον μέχρι το τέλος, αξιοδιάβαστο. Το χάρηκα πολύ.

[Norm · Rating 3 out of 5]

My mother's book:

I read The Other Shuman because I enjoyed Lunatics, a book Alan Zweibel co-wrote with Dave Barry (one of my personal favorite writer-gods). So I was curious about Zweibel.

The book centers around an overweight, nice-guy wimp named Shulman, who owns a stationary store in New York that is quietly fading as big box stores take over the Mom and Pops. Shulman, in an attempt to become a more assertive, aggressive Shulman who can save his store, his marriage and his way of life decides to train for and run the New York Marathon. But a nemesis pops up, opposite of Shulman in every way, an evil doppelganger determined to torment Shulman in any possible way. The Other Shuman.

The book itself alternates backstory chapters with the race where he contemplates his failures and hopes as he runs (well, stumbles) through Staten Island, Manhattan, Harlem, Queens, the Bronx.

For me, it read a bit Woody Allen-ish, with a slowly developing, rambling plot interspersed with engaging moments and funny bits occasionally surfacing from a somewhat sluggish story. I enjoyed it once my expectations were lowered, and I would have ranked this higher if the ending had been a little stronger. One of the main characters basically disappeared without closure and I didn't like how the main conflict resolved.

Overall, I think my Mom would have liked the book more than I did ,,,

* caveat #1 I'm 53
* caveat #2 that's not so bad - Mom turned me on to Erma Bombeck forty years ago

Here's to you, Mom.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shulman is a middle-aged stationary store owner who estimates that he has lost (and regained) enough weight over his lifetime to make a whole other person, another Shulman who he'd never really liked and had spent years trying to be rid of. Married to Paula, who now spends most of their time in bed together leafing through design catalogs, and running a business that's gradually becoming obsolete, Shulman at 248 pounds decides to run the New York City marathon in order to raise money for AIDS research. His motivation for running for charity and that charity in particular is never explained; it serves mostly as a convenient plot device to drum up some conflict later in the book.

As he trains, Shulman becomes friends with Maria, his training partner who lost a brother to AIDS. Meanwhile, his wife begins spending more and more time with a design client and becomes increasingly and somewhat inexplicably hostile to Shulman. Shulman also begins to have encounters with The Other Shulman, the one who had been his nemesis only theoretically but who now exists as a much more successful stationary store owner in a neighboring town, and who clearly has one goal: to destroy Shulman's life.

So. It's all very high concept, including the 26.2 chapters which is supposed to mirror the 26.2 miles of the marathon, but that structure falls apart early on. And it's funny -- Zweibel was an original writer for Saturday Night Life, It's Garry Shandling's Show, and Curb Your Enthusiasm -- but in a very jokey kind of way. Conversations seem more like punchline setups, and people tend to be stupider than they need to be. Zweibel also has the tic of writing extensive passages all in sentence fragments; sometimes this is effective and sometimes it's annoying. And honestly, the ending just lies there. Nonetheless, I liked this book, just not as much as I like watching Curb Your Enthusiasm.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hilarious, sentimental story of a middle-aged man whose life is in such complete disarray that he figures the only way to make sense of it is to run 26.2 Miles. Like every decision made to run long distances, this ends up being brilliant. As Shulman runs the marathon, and reminisces preparing for it, he undergoes an existential crisis and realizes his life is in shambles.

I've never run a marathon, but I have done distance running, and a lot of Shulman's experience rang true for me. Funny and bittersweet, The Other Shulman would be a good read for anyone who's taken up the sport of running, or who's been through life-changing experiences that left them reminiscent of days gone by.

[Bettylou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you're a marathoner or not, you'll love this book. But you might like it more if you've run a marathon

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some funny moments but the conflict ended weird and I couldn't really make sense of the two Shulmans and how they co-existed. Just so-so for me

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read and clever concept. The insecure, and out of shape, Shulman embarks on a life changing challenge of preparing for the NYC marathon. Along the way he is forced to confront himself, mile-by-mile, borough-by-borough. Billed as a comic novel, much of the humor is lost in the writing. You miss the tone and often the punchline. And so it is here. Still, Shulman reads as an endearing character, on a journey of self discovery.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Other Shulman" is a fun, harmless read that will definitely make you laugh at many stops along the way from the beginning to the end of Shulman's marathon journey. Each chapter is numbered by the mile within a marathon (from 1 to 26 to 26.2) as Shulman reflects on his life, his relationship with his wife, his business, and the sudden appearance of a nefarious doppelganger. At times a little wordy and meandering, it's still an enjoyable story.

[Autumn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read. Obviously not intended for my age group, but a fairly funny, light-hearted read - with a heart warming ending! I don’t think the humor was exactly geared towards me and some of the word choices used throughout the book wouldn’t be tasteful in modern times, but overall it was a good read.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clever and well written story but still confusing as to if the other Shulman was real. Did laugh a number of times, though would not describe it as hilarious or amazing as the cover blurbs rated it.

[Hananaki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ευκολοδιαβαστο βιβλίο με πολύ ζωντανή γραφή αλλά με τους συμβολισμούς για τον άλλον Σουλμαν χάθηκα από τη μέση και μετά.

[Ben Brackett · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh.

[george w. shorago m.d. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Ending a little confusing: was the other Shulman real or an alter ego?; but an entertaining read.

[Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

- a light, humorous first novel by one of the original writers for 'Saturday Night Live'
- I thought that the story-line/plot was very creative and I really enjoyed the light surrealism - and how I was never really sure if 'the other Shulman' was a real person or not (or just a product of the original Shulman's mid-life crisis, or physical over-exertion, or the psychological stress of suppressing his suspicions regarding his wife's possible infidelity)
- I typed out the plot: Shulman, a chubby, middle-aged stationery-store owner from New Jersey, has always claimed that he’s been gaining and losing the same thirty-five pounds since junior high–and that if you added all of that discarded weight together, he had lost an entire person. Another Shulman. A Shulman he never really cared for. A Shulman he’d always tried to lose by dieting and exercising. A Shulman he’d cover by wearing extra-large shirts in an attempt to hide his existence.

This has been just a joke until, at a crossroads marked by overwhelming marital and business stress, he actually encounters this Other Shulman–an incredibly successful man who’s made life and career choices that Shulman has spurned.

At first, the Other Shulman is but a mere nuisance, a source of frustration brought about by mistaken identity. But as time goes by, his actions become increasingly destructive and threaten to sabotage all aspects of Shulman’s existence.

The struggle between the two Shulmans comes to a head while Shulman is running in the New York City Marathon. And it is during the course of this race, as he runs through the old neighbourhoods where his life took shape, that this ordinarily passive family man examines all the choices he’s made and realizes that in order for him to get his life back on track he must confront and overcome his haunting demons as presented in the form of this angry doppelgänger, this Other Shulman.

In 26.2 chapters, one for each mile of the marathon, The Other Shulman is a hilarious and affecting tale of identity and aspiration from one of America’s best-known comic writers.

[Janie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last third of the book descended into a "comedy" of errors (please note the quotes of uncomfortable mockery). I am not a fan of everything in the protagonist's life going horribly wrong. I do not find that hilariously funny. Like, you know, I did not laugh when I read the Book of Job. Damn dirty trick that was for the devil and his brother to bet on poor Job like that.

Luckily it resolved well. Hooray!

It made me glad I visited New York. I enjoyed the running bits the best.

"But as much as he hated running, Shulman had even more disdain for runners because it seemed that all runners ever talked about (with the possible exception of mute runners) was running. How today's run felt. How today's run felt compared with yesterday's run. How they felt a cramp around the seventh mile of their run but it started to loosen up around the fortieth mile of their run. In addition to their smug implications that because they wore shorts and owned watches that beeped intermittently they were now members of an elite segment of middle-class white people whose metabolism had magically turned Kenyan. That their hearts now beat only once or twice a year [...:] that someday they were all going to get together and have a huge electrolyte festival that the rest of us wouldn't be attending because we'd all be dead because we weren't runners."

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but it took me forever to get through it.

What went wrong? I never liked the Shulman character very much, nor many of the other characters aside from his store assistant, Austin. I suppose I am bored with tales of suburban angst. This saga of an average guy with average troubles just doesn't rise to any level of significance as literature.

One of the cover blurbs terms the book "hilarious," and were that true, the story might work as humor. Yes, a number of lines and dialogue are witty. But there is little humor to the plot, and no character is compellingly funny. But the story behind the humor seems totally serious, and thus the book fails as both humor and serious literature, since as I mentioned above, the serious story seems hackneyed.

There is one redeeming feature, however. The ending is terrific -- if you get that far.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really liked this book even though I found the back cover annoying. I mean, if you're going to get your famous friends (Larry David and Billy Crystal) to offer quotes for your book ("hilarious" and "very funny"), you should probably get them to read the book first. The book is neither hilarious nor very funny but it is sweet, poignant, and very clever. The basic premise is that Schulman has gained and lost the same 30 pounds so many times he's lost a whole person...whom he meets...who's a jerk. Also, the entire book takes place while Schulman is running the NYC marathon. Despite the fact that Schulman is middle aged, out of shape, and at least 50 pounds over weight, you leave the book seriously considering training for your own marathon. Very inspirational.

[Paul O'Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Other Shulman is a wonderfully creative novel. I picked it up because I had seen the author read a passage from the book on Letterman and it seemed amusing. Zweibel is one of the original SNL writers so I was sure he was talented and this might be amusing. That it was set in New York was certainly a plus for me. I never expected to be so captivated by this book. It had a depth and understanding of the human condition that spoke to my 45 year old soul. On one hand the book could not be more realistic -- I feel like I could cross the bridge to New Jersey and find Shulman; on the other, it contains wonderful elements of fantasy that make the novel extraordinary. I highly recommend this book to middle-aged men, anyone who has run the NY marathon and everyone in between.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll start by saying that I absolutely loved Lunatics, which Zweibel co-wrote with Dave Barry. In some ways, this falls short. It's not as funny, nor as zany, nor as quick a read. On the other hand, it's richer than Lunatics, more than just a comic adventure romp. Ultimately, this is a book about vanquishing one's demons, taking greater agency in one's life, and finishing with dignity. (To me, whether the other Shulman was real or not is unimportant to the novel's theme.) The fact that Shulman's epiphany comes wrapped within 27 chapters corresponding to the New York Marathon was charming, not nearly as contrived as it might seem. A worthwhile read if you like humorous novels, marathons, retail, or Jewish angst.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have run 16 marathons, but will probably never run the New York City Marathon. There are just too many people that really, really want to do it, and there are too many other marathons I'd rather run than NYC; I wouldn't want to take a space away from someone who has it on their must-do list. That being said, I loved this book. 26.2 chapters, one for each mile of the race, plus a .2 postscript. A lot of us midpackers can identify with what Shulman goes through training for his first race. It's a bit surreal, which may bother some people, but I've felt a bit surreal myself at the finish of some of my marathons.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father-in-law sent me this book. The guy who wrote it also wrote some episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. It is about an older man who decides to run the New York Marathon for an HIV charity. His stationary store is becoming irrelevant due to super stores such as Target, and he also feels irrelevant to his grown children. So he runs a marathon. So far this book is a lot of fun! There 26.2 chapters and as I write this I am on chapter 15.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a creatively written book, especially if you're a runner or determined to get on an excersise program! There was a little bit of swearing, but I really enjoyed reading this book about a heavy set man determined to master himself and his weaknesses by training for and running a marathon. Each chapter of the book (26.2 in total) represents a mile of the New York city marathon--- So creative and so fun to read!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I really enjoyed reading and then when I was finished, I just kept thinking about how much I loved it. It's a book about running and about life. And it's very funny! I recommend it to everyone.

[Andrew Rothstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a humorous book about a sad sack stationary store owner to battles his own lack of gumption. The quips and writing are funny and keep the story lively. Shulman vs The Other Shulman has enough tension to keep the story moving.

Very enjoyable.

[Dave Mortensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Alan Zweibel shares a tender and hilarious view into the life of a 248-pound New Yorker on his way to completing the marathon of his life. Beware, you may sign up for a marathon yourself (I did).

[Tracy Dorsett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me laughing out loud, especially in the first half of the book. I would definitely read other books by this author. In fact, I have read a book that he co-wrote with Dave Barry. It was also very funny.

[Wally · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic

[Gwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

cute book about a overweight man training to run the NYC marathon. Nothing dramatic - cute. Very easy read.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny!

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny book by one of the original writers of SNL about a middle aged overweight man running in the NYC marathon. During the course of the book, he reflects on past experiences in his life.