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Dating Tips for the Unemployed
A series of episodes drawn from the life of "Iris Smyles," a young woman courting (read: resisting) love and success, with absurd yet improbably poignant results
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 17, 2016
Dating Tips for the Unemployed is a charming, fun, and poignant read. What I most appreciated was its structure – you can start at the end if you like, or the beginning. Each chapter is a self-contained story, which may or may not be memoir, not that it matters. I love Alice Munroe’s way of reading. In one story collection, she says that she never begins a novel/book at the beginning, but dives in willy-nilly. Each chapter, she says, should stand alone. Sure, you have to do some work and fill in the gaps, but who in the world wants to read anything where all the thinking is done for you. I certainly don’t.
There’s nothing more pleasurable in reading to be so struck by the writer’s trickery (and all good writing is trickery) that you immediately rest the book on your breast (or chest, if that’s what you have) and think about what you’ve just read. I did that here and particularly with the chapter titled “The Moon and the Stars”. It reminded me being young and going to bed with some callous asshole and entertaining ideas of permanent love with same despite being completly aware of what he is. I get the narrator and felt for her as she made me cringe at my own memories.
The terrific vulnerability with which Ms. Smyles writes is touching, endearing, and brave, but the bravest thing she does is present herself (or her doppelganger) as not nice. You think it’s easy to do this? Okay, so right now pen a page of something private from your diary and imagine publishing it. No, it’s not easy. I love that about her book. The best books by the smartest, sharpest, and wryest writers are about people who are not nice. Do you really want Shylock to play nice?
There’s a lot of playful banter about relationships/dating and some heady funny stuff like “Enter the Wutang”, which is delightful – Smyles has a real flair and talent for language play and a terrific eye for satire. But for me, the heart and soul of this book lies where she reveals herself without a mask, which is one of the hardest things to do and also one of the most generous.
July 12, 2018
When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be hilarious. The book has these fake classified ads stuck in throughout the novel, which I thought gave the book charm. However, this was one of the most painful books to get through; the main character does not change throughout the book, she doesn't have a purpose to the story, and the overall plot line was not even a plot. The book seems as if it is supposed to be written as a diary, but it just comes off as disjointed stories about her love life. I really struggled to read this book and I am disappointed that I spent money on something that I will not reread or even let a friend borrow.
December 31, 2016
whimsical, cute, at times frustratingly immature. I think the last chapter was probably the first that came into Iris's head because there are two or three paragraphs that are beautifully, blindingly insightful after hundreds of pages of stumbling around in nothingness. Having read this after "The New York Regional Mormon Singles Dance" -- I think it came up through an Amazon rec -- I can see why Elna Baker might be considered a "better" writer. There's something to be said about the spiritual connection of the writer being connected to something a bit more profound than the ego, and Iris continually gets stuck in a corner of "why me" and spirals in her own entitlement and mildly immature elitism.
That being said, there were several moments that left me laughing out loud -- the realization that women, too, can be chubby chasers! The recall of a memory "was I 30 or 19?...Wait, I just did the math, I was 19 (many pages later)." "Hello man with silver hair, you are a cloud in my sights!" These moments were so disarmingly sweet and charming, it made me feel like I had a mindless fun friend with me alongside my European travels. She also has these weird 50s-esque print ads throughout the book which at first annoyed me but by the end found many rather witty and cute -- a nice break from the constant "whyyyy meeeeee?"
Light, airy, but also not incredibly insightful. A decent commiserate ally if you want to remember or are stumbling through an existential crisis -- an odyssey that kind of begins and ends in the same place, with a slight shift of perspective.
That being said, there were several moments that left me laughing out loud -- the realization that women, too, can be chubby chasers! The recall of a memory "was I 30 or 19?...Wait, I just did the math, I was 19 (many pages later)." "Hello man with silver hair, you are a cloud in my sights!" These moments were so disarmingly sweet and charming, it made me feel like I had a mindless fun friend with me alongside my European travels. She also has these weird 50s-esque print ads throughout the book which at first annoyed me but by the end found many rather witty and cute -- a nice break from the constant "whyyyy meeeeee?"
Light, airy, but also not incredibly insightful. A decent commiserate ally if you want to remember or are stumbling through an existential crisis -- an odyssey that kind of begins and ends in the same place, with a slight shift of perspective.
January 15, 2022
Some parts made me laugh out loud. There are some lines I want to memorize and steal. But for the most part, the narrator/author is whiny and privileged, and although unemployed, she lives in style on her parents' dime. She lost my sympathy about 2/3 through in the chapter about politics -- she's a full-on right-winger who doesn't want to pay taxes or have a Black president (it was written during the Obama years). Ugh. It was meant to be funny (her parents are horrified to think she's liberal when she does an interpretive dance), but in the post-Trump years, it just isn't.
Her tales of dating woes are pretty funny, though, so that made up for it just barely. Recommended to 20-somethings and those who want to remember their 20's and feel relief that they're in the rearview mirror.
Her tales of dating woes are pretty funny, though, so that made up for it just barely. Recommended to 20-somethings and those who want to remember their 20's and feel relief that they're in the rearview mirror.
July 17, 2016
When I read the summary I felt like I had no choice but to read it. It is something different and unique, but with the same message that books like this want to get out: finding yourself and finding where you belong.
Hilarious and sad all at the same time. I loved the main character - Iris. She was a mess as she was stumbling her way through relationships, family meetings, and just life in general. I loved her. I seen a lot of myself in her, so this made it so MUCH funnier! However....I will be honest....it took me about five stories before I realized that this book was centered around the same character. You are probably asking yourself what I am talking about? At first I thought it was different characters, until I re-read the summary and I realized it was the same character.
Why? Well, I think it was because the beginning was jumping around so much. At first the storyline was scattered around so much that I thought it was different people. I finally realized it was still Iris. That is honestly my only compliant. The beginning confused me, because it was jumping years too much.
Other than that, I couldn't put this book down. I simply adored the stories and the characters. Some of her exes needed a slap in the face! Ugh. But sometimes Iris was a total snot and selfish.
Honestly? I want to read more by the author. I love her voice and writing style. She can be tragic and funny all in one sentence. She certainly knows how to encompass life, because life is tragic and funny all at the same time. Brava!
In the end, I highly recommend this if you want a story about people stumbling through this silly thing we call life. The characters were fun. The stories were fun. My only compliant is the beginning, because it jumped around too much for my liking. Out of five stars, I stamp this with....mhmmm....4 stars.
Hilarious and sad all at the same time. I loved the main character - Iris. She was a mess as she was stumbling her way through relationships, family meetings, and just life in general. I loved her. I seen a lot of myself in her, so this made it so MUCH funnier! However....I will be honest....it took me about five stories before I realized that this book was centered around the same character. You are probably asking yourself what I am talking about? At first I thought it was different characters, until I re-read the summary and I realized it was the same character.
Why? Well, I think it was because the beginning was jumping around so much. At first the storyline was scattered around so much that I thought it was different people. I finally realized it was still Iris. That is honestly my only compliant. The beginning confused me, because it was jumping years too much.
Other than that, I couldn't put this book down. I simply adored the stories and the characters. Some of her exes needed a slap in the face! Ugh. But sometimes Iris was a total snot and selfish.
Honestly? I want to read more by the author. I love her voice and writing style. She can be tragic and funny all in one sentence. She certainly knows how to encompass life, because life is tragic and funny all at the same time. Brava!
In the end, I highly recommend this if you want a story about people stumbling through this silly thing we call life. The characters were fun. The stories were fun. My only compliant is the beginning, because it jumped around too much for my liking. Out of five stars, I stamp this with....mhmmm....4 stars.
June 3, 2018
I thought this would be funny, but it wasn’t. Many of the stories were crass. I rarely quit books, but this was one I decided to walk away from.
March 23, 2017
When is Goodreads gonna get it together and let us do half-stars??? I give this one THREE AND A HALF STARS. When I started, I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to continue. It felt like each story, each scenario, each conversation was designed to show off the sheer wonder and delight of our one-of-a-kind, glowingly eccentric, truly quirky, always whimsical, outrageously clever narrator. Exhausting.
But I pushed on and I'm glad I did.
This book is about being single and dating and boyfriends and drinking too much and being too smart and too talkative, but there are many laugh-out-loud moments, and I am always grateful for those. Also, she really does have a unique perspective and she's a decent writer.
But you have been forewarned, there is always a strain of 'aren't-I-dysfunctional-in-an-adorably-precious-way?
Here's one of my favorite bits:
"Short Story Idea: About a courtroom artist and the difficulties he faces as his style evolves toward Conceptualism."
But I pushed on and I'm glad I did.
This book is about being single and dating and boyfriends and drinking too much and being too smart and too talkative, but there are many laugh-out-loud moments, and I am always grateful for those. Also, she really does have a unique perspective and she's a decent writer.
But you have been forewarned, there is always a strain of 'aren't-I-dysfunctional-in-an-adorably-precious-way?
Here's one of my favorite bits:
"Short Story Idea: About a courtroom artist and the difficulties he faces as his style evolves toward Conceptualism."
November 16, 2016
Easily one of my favorite books of this 2016 year of reading!
Dating Tips is written almost wildly and I love it! I relate to so much of Iris writes in the book. Cynical and desperate while hilarious at the same time. I had to put the book down at least 3 times because I couldn't stop giggling. My friends think I am bonkers when I try to tell them why it's funny and immediately I feel connected to the book again! The fun advertisements thrown in through the book are nice stop gaps as well. Life is a mess and this book give really great examples of what a lot of people go through in their heads and just never talk about.
I have recommended this book to all of my writer friends and now wether you write or not I am telling you to pick this book up.
It is Fantastic!
love your butts,
Justin
Dating Tips is written almost wildly and I love it! I relate to so much of Iris writes in the book. Cynical and desperate while hilarious at the same time. I had to put the book down at least 3 times because I couldn't stop giggling. My friends think I am bonkers when I try to tell them why it's funny and immediately I feel connected to the book again! The fun advertisements thrown in through the book are nice stop gaps as well. Life is a mess and this book give really great examples of what a lot of people go through in their heads and just never talk about.
I have recommended this book to all of my writer friends and now wether you write or not I am telling you to pick this book up.
It is Fantastic!
love your butts,
Justin
August 13, 2016
fiction/humor. I was not expecting a work of literature, but I wasn't expecting a tedious list of un-funny jokes either. This might be better in audio/delivered in person?
The first chapter was pages about various people talking too much/telling her it's not too late to find love--sort of amusing, but not a hook. The second chapter is apparently a very long series of jokes (a couple pages of them detailing "This is how pathetic my unemployment is," then another few pages of them explaining "this is how pathetic my dating life is," and so on). I'm all for self-deprecation, but this was tedious, like a bunch of ideas for jokes that a comedienne might write out before honing one or two or three of the best storylines.
And that is as far as I got.
The first chapter was pages about various people talking too much/telling her it's not too late to find love--sort of amusing, but not a hook. The second chapter is apparently a very long series of jokes (a couple pages of them detailing "This is how pathetic my unemployment is," then another few pages of them explaining "this is how pathetic my dating life is," and so on). I'm all for self-deprecation, but this was tedious, like a bunch of ideas for jokes that a comedienne might write out before honing one or two or three of the best storylines.
And that is as far as I got.
July 18, 2017
The humor was cliche but well-done and well-written. I was not familiar with the author before stumbling across this book but her writing gives you very good insight into the type of person she is. I was in the mood to get out of my head and looking for something easy to digest- and this was good for that. I read the entire book in one evening. Although it was easy to consume she did interject it with some deeper thoughts, especially at the end, which I appreciated. Worth the $8.00 I spent at the local used bookstore.
January 1, 2018
Quirky is the main word that comes to mind when thinking about this book. It’s funny, delightful and fully odd.
It’s so disjointed that it was hard to follow. Are these real essays or fiction? What’s up with the weird interstitial ads? It was a little repetitive, and simultaneously funny and sad.
This was a really unique book and I’m not sure what to make of it. Something about the quirky writing endeared me to it, but I don’t think many will feel that way.
It’s so disjointed that it was hard to follow. Are these real essays or fiction? What’s up with the weird interstitial ads? It was a little repetitive, and simultaneously funny and sad.
This was a really unique book and I’m not sure what to make of it. Something about the quirky writing endeared me to it, but I don’t think many will feel that way.
October 21, 2016
Iris Smyles makes me want to read the classics which I don't have to do because I read Iris Smyles.
August 20, 2017
The joy of reading this book is the unexpected. Each story is a pleasant, hilarious surprise.
August 28, 2017
I don’t know what I was looking for when I found Smyles book in the fiction section of my local library. Perhaps what I was looking for was a story about a woman’s difficulty navigating the world of love and romance while also being out of a job, something I bet a lot of us can relate to. Dating and trying to the find the “right one” or at least the “right one at this particular time because I want to get laid or at least not spend a Saturday night on the couch with a remote in one hand and a pint of store brand of mint chocolate chip mint ice cream in the other” while out of work can be quite a conundrum. It can also make for one heck of a book. Alas, not this book.
At first, Dating Tips for the Unemployed looked promising. Its book jacket provided a lot positive comments and Smyles’ author photo showed an attractive woman in a fetching retro look. And speaking of retro, throughout the book featured old school ads found in the back of magazines ages ago.
Smyles can be an entertaining writer, at times filled with wit and whimsy, and at other times, moribund and melancholic. But as Dating Tips for the Unemployed went on (and on, and on, and on), I found Smyles writing style and her story tiresome.
Dating Tips for the most part reads more like a memoir than a novel. First off, the main character is named Iris Smyles. Gee, I guess coming up with a different name was too difficult for Smyles.
For someone unemployed Iris has it pretty easy. There are no stories of trying to get unemployment, updating one’s resume, navigating the on-line obstacle courses of job searches, bad interviews, rejection letters…or worse, no feedback at all. There are no stories of trying to stretch a dollar until it screams, living on Ramen noodles, crying over wondering how you’re going to pay the rent and bills, and thinking you hit the lottery when you find a five dollar bill in a pocket of your blue jeans.
In fact, this book makes unemployment sound like a grand adventure of dating a lot of guys, travels to Greece, and fun nights on the town and goofy tales of family antics. Sure, this pretty much explains what it’s like to be out of work for most people…only not.
But apparently Iris lives in a different world than most of us. She appears to be fully supported by mommy and daddy even though she’s well into her thirties (Smyles was born in 1978). She travels to her family’s country of origin, which is Greece (gee, when I’m down on my luck I can barely afford a tasty gyro from Apollo Café on Brady Street) and men can’t help but be drawn to her. Most of Dating Tips for the Unemployed is devoted to Smyles’ endless cycle of boyfriends that for the most part are never fully fleshed out to be compelling or interesting. Even the sex is a total snooze fest. I’ve written grocery lists that were more erotic.
I think for the most part, Smyles is self-absorbed but not exactly self-aware, a trait that wears pretty thin after someone gets past the age of 25. She tries to come across as quirky and different, but is just another flavorless manic pixie dream girl like a piece of chewed Juicy Fruit gum that’s been on your bed post for a couple of days.
And no I’m not being a jealous hater. She’s very fortunate to have supportive parents and yes, she is quite attractive. I can figure out why men are drawn to her. But after a while, she’s just another boring #privilgedwhitewoman, nothing new under the sun. She’s more Elizabeth Gilbert than Dorothy Parker.
In the end, Smyles book was one I should have ignored and left on the library shelf. If I want to read about a young woman dealing with being out of work and out of money, I’ll re-read The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel. And when it comes to a woman and her collection of paramours, you can’t go wrong with Pamela Des Barres’ I’m With the Band.
Review originally published at the Book Self:
https://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com...
At first, Dating Tips for the Unemployed looked promising. Its book jacket provided a lot positive comments and Smyles’ author photo showed an attractive woman in a fetching retro look. And speaking of retro, throughout the book featured old school ads found in the back of magazines ages ago.
Smyles can be an entertaining writer, at times filled with wit and whimsy, and at other times, moribund and melancholic. But as Dating Tips for the Unemployed went on (and on, and on, and on), I found Smyles writing style and her story tiresome.
Dating Tips for the most part reads more like a memoir than a novel. First off, the main character is named Iris Smyles. Gee, I guess coming up with a different name was too difficult for Smyles.
For someone unemployed Iris has it pretty easy. There are no stories of trying to get unemployment, updating one’s resume, navigating the on-line obstacle courses of job searches, bad interviews, rejection letters…or worse, no feedback at all. There are no stories of trying to stretch a dollar until it screams, living on Ramen noodles, crying over wondering how you’re going to pay the rent and bills, and thinking you hit the lottery when you find a five dollar bill in a pocket of your blue jeans.
In fact, this book makes unemployment sound like a grand adventure of dating a lot of guys, travels to Greece, and fun nights on the town and goofy tales of family antics. Sure, this pretty much explains what it’s like to be out of work for most people…only not.
But apparently Iris lives in a different world than most of us. She appears to be fully supported by mommy and daddy even though she’s well into her thirties (Smyles was born in 1978). She travels to her family’s country of origin, which is Greece (gee, when I’m down on my luck I can barely afford a tasty gyro from Apollo Café on Brady Street) and men can’t help but be drawn to her. Most of Dating Tips for the Unemployed is devoted to Smyles’ endless cycle of boyfriends that for the most part are never fully fleshed out to be compelling or interesting. Even the sex is a total snooze fest. I’ve written grocery lists that were more erotic.
I think for the most part, Smyles is self-absorbed but not exactly self-aware, a trait that wears pretty thin after someone gets past the age of 25. She tries to come across as quirky and different, but is just another flavorless manic pixie dream girl like a piece of chewed Juicy Fruit gum that’s been on your bed post for a couple of days.
And no I’m not being a jealous hater. She’s very fortunate to have supportive parents and yes, she is quite attractive. I can figure out why men are drawn to her. But after a while, she’s just another boring #privilgedwhitewoman, nothing new under the sun. She’s more Elizabeth Gilbert than Dorothy Parker.
In the end, Smyles book was one I should have ignored and left on the library shelf. If I want to read about a young woman dealing with being out of work and out of money, I’ll re-read The Broke Diaries by Angela Nissel. And when it comes to a woman and her collection of paramours, you can’t go wrong with Pamela Des Barres’ I’m With the Band.
Review originally published at the Book Self:
https://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com...
April 14, 2019
Sentence by sentence, this book is fabulous. There wasn't one tepid description in this madcap parade of Mr. Wrongs.
“As for love, if I couldn’t find someone to inspire it, I’d go to work of transforming them through my special art. Like a painter creating beauty through his depiction of the mundane, the swallow was my brushstroke; I’d drink until a man’s eyes twinkled like Van Gogh’s stars. Sometimes this required a lot of drinking, and here I’d demonstrate my romantic pragmatism, my dedication to things fine. Nobly, for art’s sake, I’d drink until I passed out."
Charming as such passages are, by mid-way through the book I was anxious for the narrator to sober the hell up. As is all too often the case in real life, sobriety announced itself a bit later in the narrative than was comfortable.
Once I saw where the book was going—and had my expectations subverted just enough to remain entertained—I was on board again. The glimmers of self awareness began to hold more promise.
“I think: how often the effort of knowing someone is undermined by one’s wish to. I mean, it can be quite hard to see or hear a person amid the bright bellowing of one’s own projections. The world is a negotiation of wishes after all, and where desire is strongest, so are illusions.”
Once the narrator's illusions started to fall away, I realized I wasn't reading an acid description of a madcap parade of Mr. Wrongs, but maybe an actual Hero's Journey.
I can see why other readers may disagree with this assignation, especially if they gave up in disgust without reading to the end. And even those who did read to the end could easily make the case that Iris Smyles was playing the game of Hero's Journey with a stacked deck. The narrator arrived "home" to a place she hadn't exactly earned, as her parents had purchased it for her. I fully agree that the narrator is far too privileged for her plight to rank as tragic. And yet. Her sobriety is fully earned. In the end, Iris Smyles is finally capable of inhabiting herself, without inflicting any inane 12 step aphorisms on her readers along the way. And while the final chapter might have been a little too pat, I was finally completely on her side. The overall journey seemed heroic enough to me.
“As for love, if I couldn’t find someone to inspire it, I’d go to work of transforming them through my special art. Like a painter creating beauty through his depiction of the mundane, the swallow was my brushstroke; I’d drink until a man’s eyes twinkled like Van Gogh’s stars. Sometimes this required a lot of drinking, and here I’d demonstrate my romantic pragmatism, my dedication to things fine. Nobly, for art’s sake, I’d drink until I passed out."
Charming as such passages are, by mid-way through the book I was anxious for the narrator to sober the hell up. As is all too often the case in real life, sobriety announced itself a bit later in the narrative than was comfortable.
Once I saw where the book was going—and had my expectations subverted just enough to remain entertained—I was on board again. The glimmers of self awareness began to hold more promise.
“I think: how often the effort of knowing someone is undermined by one’s wish to. I mean, it can be quite hard to see or hear a person amid the bright bellowing of one’s own projections. The world is a negotiation of wishes after all, and where desire is strongest, so are illusions.”
Once the narrator's illusions started to fall away, I realized I wasn't reading an acid description of a madcap parade of Mr. Wrongs, but maybe an actual Hero's Journey.
I can see why other readers may disagree with this assignation, especially if they gave up in disgust without reading to the end. And even those who did read to the end could easily make the case that Iris Smyles was playing the game of Hero's Journey with a stacked deck. The narrator arrived "home" to a place she hadn't exactly earned, as her parents had purchased it for her. I fully agree that the narrator is far too privileged for her plight to rank as tragic. And yet. Her sobriety is fully earned. In the end, Iris Smyles is finally capable of inhabiting herself, without inflicting any inane 12 step aphorisms on her readers along the way. And while the final chapter might have been a little too pat, I was finally completely on her side. The overall journey seemed heroic enough to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2022
I read this a few years ago, so forgive the delay in posting here! Iris has a new book coming out this June (Droll Tales) that will rival Balzac's Droll Stories so I was inspired to post the review of this review of Dating Tips I wrote for Amazon under my nom de plume:
I am not the type of person who laughs a great deal, and certainly not when I am alone and reading a book. But Iris has changed all that with her deeply candid book disguised as a deeply hilarious story, with phrases that are so golden i am tempted to highlight them (again, something I don't do.) It is therapeutic and gorgeously written and makes me feel better every time I pick it up (although I do get strange and curious stares on the subway.) I am not quite done, but as I have the book with me right now, I thought to dash off a review! Early on in the novel, one of her brothers tells the narrator something like "no one cares about your precious little books, Iris." She falls apart and runs to her room where the carnival of her mind takes us on another odyssey. But we are steeped in her wry and precious little book and even inspired to run out and but a whoopee cushion—you'll see— to boot. Oh, and the ads in her book! Why have i never thought of such a clever thing!
I am not the type of person who laughs a great deal, and certainly not when I am alone and reading a book. But Iris has changed all that with her deeply candid book disguised as a deeply hilarious story, with phrases that are so golden i am tempted to highlight them (again, something I don't do.) It is therapeutic and gorgeously written and makes me feel better every time I pick it up (although I do get strange and curious stares on the subway.) I am not quite done, but as I have the book with me right now, I thought to dash off a review! Early on in the novel, one of her brothers tells the narrator something like "no one cares about your precious little books, Iris." She falls apart and runs to her room where the carnival of her mind takes us on another odyssey. But we are steeped in her wry and precious little book and even inspired to run out and but a whoopee cushion—you'll see— to boot. Oh, and the ads in her book! Why have i never thought of such a clever thing!
December 26, 2023
Raamat duetipartneri Andy Fite'i soovitusel, kelle jaoks Iris Smyles on üks lemmikautoritest. Tegu on väljakutsuva raamatuga, milles tänapäeva teatud vanuses inimesed võivad end ära tunda küll. Siiski, Eestis elanuna pole minuvanustel neid puutekohti päris nii palju kui mujal, "vabas maailmas" kasvanutel. Puudub pikk rodu suhteid, mis tihtipeale ka tänapäeval abiellumisele ja lastesaamisele eelneb. Kuna ei tahtnud raamatut kaasa paluda, tuli see üsna ruttu läbi lugeda ning võib-olla oli siis ka "doos" korraga liiga suur.
Siiski ei tiirle kõik mõtisklused ja sündmused üksnes suhete, seksi jms ümber, autor oskab ka väga veenvalt erinevatel teemadel filosofeerida ja leida asjade vahel põnevaid seoseid. Minu lemmikud on küll pigem teistsugused teosed aga samas hea, et raamat sai läbi loetud ning tekkis ettekujutus autori stiilist. Selle teose põhjal ta paraku minu lemmikautorite hulka ei kuulu.
May 5, 2017
I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
While the premise is simple: the dating adventures of a young woman, the execution is something else. This book was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the first part of the book then grew tired of its repetitive theme and finally wanted it to end. Smyles' humor is engaging, witty and at times, absurd. Some of her observations remind me of Dorothy Parker's, spitting out thoughts must of us could never say out loud. The awkward elements of dating are also well described, just letting them lay there for the reader to judge. Unfortunately it became tedious for me and ended on a lower note, but overall I found it to be an enjoyable read.
While the premise is simple: the dating adventures of a young woman, the execution is something else. This book was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the first part of the book then grew tired of its repetitive theme and finally wanted it to end. Smyles' humor is engaging, witty and at times, absurd. Some of her observations remind me of Dorothy Parker's, spitting out thoughts must of us could never say out loud. The awkward elements of dating are also well described, just letting them lay there for the reader to judge. Unfortunately it became tedious for me and ended on a lower note, but overall I found it to be an enjoyable read.
December 12, 2018
I requested an advance reader copy of this cuz the blurb said something about it being a memoir having to do with particle physics & the ancient Greeks but actually it's sad/funny vignettes about a woman trying to find a non-jackass man to settle down with. There's a hint that she might be a Republican, which is transgressive for a woman writer living in New York, but it's sort of raised & then dropped. If you want to read sad/funny vignettes about a woman trying to find a non-jackass man to settle down with this would probably be a good book for you. Or, apparently she's a blogger, maybe check out her blog.
May 24, 2017
I found this book at the airport and can recommend it as an airplane read but nothing more. Smyles is possessed of a small talent and an unlimited ambition to Be A Writer, a combination that obviously makes her very unhappy. This is nothing more than a rambling, over-long meditation on her inability to settle down with a decent guy and lead a purposeful life. There are many funny and half-profound one-liners about the life of the single girl trapped in the dreary life of endless one-might stands, boozy parties followed by hang-overs, and aggravating holidays with her parents and siblings. Her desperation feels real enough, but as an eccentric she strikes me as a phony.
March 20, 2017
This book, in many ways, is about a woman's struggles in dating. As her age increases, so does the pressure around her. She meets many men, some painful, some joyful, but all worth telling and reading. The one tale in the book that resonates most with me is Taxonomy of Exes. I am a Philip, who still loves her. Brilliant writing which pierces the core of the young generation. Not recommended for younger audiences due to sexual content.
June 24, 2017
I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway and didn't know what to expect. I haven't read any of her other works. It took me a few chapters to get into as I wasn't so sure about her style of writing but I soon found that I really enjoyed it. I think I have a similar sense of humor and a few parts made be audibly laugh and several made me smile. She has an interesting view and take on life and relationships and I'm definitely interested in reading more from Iris Smyles.
October 31, 2019
What a marvelous writer. Funny, fast paced, with lots of hidden comedy. No doubt she's bright and intelligent.
I discovered that I need a forward moving pace, plot driven, and characters that model that. Her character describes not giving a shit about anything positive or driven in such detail that I didn't enjoy reading it, even knowing it was meant humorously. So, a well written book, created for someone other than myself.
I discovered that I need a forward moving pace, plot driven, and characters that model that. Her character describes not giving a shit about anything positive or driven in such detail that I didn't enjoy reading it, even knowing it was meant humorously. So, a well written book, created for someone other than myself.
January 12, 2020
Different.
An existential meditation on the chicken that crosses the road written in French, references to the Godfather Part II, (a heartwarming film about Italian immigrants), and Grey Gardens on the same page, and educating me that an alcoholist drinks as a matter of ideology were almost worth 4 stars.
I studied French in high school but due to lack of any use now only recognize a few words and my drinking very much is ideology.
An existential meditation on the chicken that crosses the road written in French, references to the Godfather Part II, (a heartwarming film about Italian immigrants), and Grey Gardens on the same page, and educating me that an alcoholist drinks as a matter of ideology were almost worth 4 stars.
I studied French in high school but due to lack of any use now only recognize a few words and my drinking very much is ideology.
June 3, 2017
I wanted to like this but it just fell flat on every level. The main character comes across as whiny, unlikable and self-absorbed. It seems like an over the top bad caricature of a failure to launch adolescent who would still live in her parent's basement if they didn't throw cash at her every month to pay her bills.
One star for mentioning Edward Gorey, other than that, I'd give it nothing.
One star for mentioning Edward Gorey, other than that, I'd give it nothing.
June 15, 2017
A few weeks ago I won Dating Tips for the Unemployed by Iris Smyles in a Goodreads giveaway. A collection of semi autobiographical tales mixed with humorous stories and some fantastic parody ads strewn throughout. I've never called an ad fantastic before so take note. I enjoyed most of the stories very much and had some actual laugh out loud moments. I'll be seeking out her first book soon.
November 9, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
I might not have picked it up if I saw it while browsing in a book store or online. I stumbled across it on Godreads and, it seemed interesting.
I read pretty much anything and everything. These stories and essays are fun. But I still can't say that having read this? I would pick up anything by this author again.
2.5 stars
I might not have picked it up if I saw it while browsing in a book store or online. I stumbled across it on Godreads and, it seemed interesting.
I read pretty much anything and everything. These stories and essays are fun. But I still can't say that having read this? I would pick up anything by this author again.
2.5 stars
February 12, 2019
As another reviewer mentioned, the stories are quirky, at times they felt painfully so; someone working really hard to be unconventional. My favorite parts were about the protagonists family. I could read a book about her family with small bits about dating vs a book about dating with small bits about her family.
June 13, 2019
Bitingly funny and darkly self-deprecating, it was enjoyable to see instances of self-awareness (usually culminating in mini meltdowns) cutting through what otherwise would have been a whiny and deluded narrator. There are moments of genuine sincerity, of the impossibility of love and all its painful unpredictability that makes reading this worthwhile!
June 25, 2017
I found "Dating Tips for the Unemployed" fun to read. I would give it a solid 3.5 stars for it's entertainment value. I won this great book on GoodReads and like I do with most my wins I will be paying it forward by giving my win either to a friend or library to enjoy.
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