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The Afterlife Diet
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A novel as big as all outdoors--a murder mystery set in heaven! The acclaimed NPR commentator and children's author explores what happens when fat people go to one heaven, and all others go to another. A novel of dazzling brilliance and consummate wit, it also tells the real story of weight consciousness in America.
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Hardcover, 259 pages
Published
February 28th 1995
by Random House (NY)
(first published 1995)
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What I learned from this book: Well, sometimes the used book shop just does not have what you want, so you get a hankering for Daniel Pinkwater, and you buy some weird book with a hot dog on the cover....'cause really, how wrong can you go with a book with a flying hot dog on the cover. This book was dislocating. I didn't get the point. People were eating lots of food, and trying to diet, and then some people were in some kind of fat people heaven, and God kept having BINGO night. Also there wer
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This was a very odd book, and I'm not sure that I got it. To my mind, there appeared to be entirely too much obsessing about fat people--which may, I supect, have been the author's point entirely. Or simply that we are altogether too concerned with appearances. Regardless, the AA-style meetings where the "fatty" is heaped with abuse--much of it from him/herself--is pretty tough to take. It makes you, the reader, complicit somehow. Anyhow, I stuck it out, finished the book, and found it to be odd
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This was not Daniel Pinkwater's best book. Perhaps his real talent lies in books for children, and it tripped him up trying to put together a book intended for adult readers (whatever those are). There was even one section (a lengthy excerpt from a novel written by one of the characters) that I skimmed. This is not normally how I approach his books.
That said, Pinkwater not at his best is still pretty good, and there were parts that amused me, kept my interest, and even made me laugh out loud.
If ...more
That said, Pinkwater not at his best is still pretty good, and there were parts that amused me, kept my interest, and even made me laugh out loud.
If ...more
Fun and packed with goodies, and at its core some serious ideas about what it means to be fat in the world. Compared with Pinkwater's books for kids and young adults this one doesn't seem to have as much heart (and Pinkwater has never made it a secret that he's a fan of kids; grownups, not so much). But I enjoyed it all the same.
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not sure there are words...I wonder how much weight Pinkwater picked up while writing this thing?
The book that answers the question: is there weight loss after death?
Milton Cramer, a lousy book editor, woke to find himself in heaven. Or he thought it was heaven—if heaven was a resort in the Catskills. Everyone in the afterlife is fat. And God is the stand-up comic.
Meanwhile, back on earth, there is a psychiatrist who practices in the Imago Luncheonette; a failed author penning a book about bloodsucking parakeets; and a weight loss guru in the style of Richard Simmons.
Pinkwater is a popul ...more
Milton Cramer, a lousy book editor, woke to find himself in heaven. Or he thought it was heaven—if heaven was a resort in the Catskills. Everyone in the afterlife is fat. And God is the stand-up comic.
Meanwhile, back on earth, there is a psychiatrist who practices in the Imago Luncheonette; a failed author penning a book about bloodsucking parakeets; and a weight loss guru in the style of Richard Simmons.
Pinkwater is a popul ...more
Oh boy, is this a goodie! Daniel Pinkwater is noted for being a children's author, and I believe this is his only book (a fiction) written for adults. His writing style is smooth and simple - reading the book is pure joy. The characters are hysterical, the plot lines are equally hysterical and as an added bonus, there are full-scale stories within the story. Lots of Jewish humor and a must-read for anyone who appreciates outlandish plots with plenty of knishes thrown in for good measure!
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I am a huge fan of Daniel Pinkwater's books pitched at adolescent readers, in which imagination and wacky humor converge with wonderful results. I don't enjoy his stab at a book for adults quite so much. There are still occasionally laugh-out-loud lines, but... here I am on page 109 and I'm taking the book back to the library. I think there's just not enough "what could possibly happen next?" in it.
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Maybe more like 2.5 starts. I admire the imagination of Pinkwater and the fact that the book kept going in directions I didn't expect, but I suppose I found the intended satire on weight issues and dieting to be kind of shrill--there was a lot of over the top fat shaming, for example. Nevertheless, there were some amusing scenes and droll touches.
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I understood that this book was supposed to be hilarious. I guess the bizarreness of the book took away from the satire for me. it does skewer the diet industry and the after life, but I had trouble finding the humor. Too much of it just wanders around with no real destination. Not too happy with it, and I do like his kids books.
Enjoyable book and entertaining characters, but it lacked the snap of Young Adult Novel and some of the other stuff I've read by him. But, it's still Pinkwater and therefore still delightfully bizarre.
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I've tried to read this book several times, but have finally realized that finishing this book just isn't in the cards for me. It is an adult novel, and I am just not that kind of adult. So I have to accept that there will be one Daniel Pinkwater book I will never read. And that is life.
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i think this could be almost like douglas adam's type books but I couldn't get my head wrapped in it. A bit of a chore. An interesting concept, and some neat ideas about "fat" and the desire for thin. I am not sad I read it, but felt confused for much of it. :)
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This book is dry humor at its best. I can't remember when I laughed so hard at the cold hard truth. I can't help but be impressed with an author that squelchs my idea of Heaven, and offers comfort in that second slice of pie all within the first chapter! lol
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Pinkwater is known for children's books and this is NOT one of them! Must have dry sense of humor and open mind to enjoy. I thought this book was hilarious!
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Supposed to be funny, a heaven for fat people.
Takes place on heaven and on earth.
Confusing shifts in time.
Some funny moments, but overall, a disappointment.
Takes place on heaven and on earth.
Confusing shifts in time.
Some funny moments, but overall, a disappointment.
Pinkwater is amazing! This one, eh, worth reading if you are a huge fan. This is one of his few books marketed for an older audience.
I think this was the worst book I've ever read. I remember my fifth grade teacher reading kids books by this author. He should stick to kids books!
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Jan 11, 2010
Abby
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A good Pinkwater romp for grown-ups! This is a man not afraid to call God fat. And no ph there...
A novel concerned with the fundamental issues of our times: love, sex, the problem of evil, the problem of literary agents, how to best prepare a hot dog and whether there is weight loss in heaven.
Meh. Starts off kind of cool and wacky at the beginning and everything gets sorted out at the end, but doesn't really go anywhere.
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This was funny! So many people say on this site that they didn't get it. They probably wouldn't get it if it came in a large bag marked "it."
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I could sort of see what he was going for, but this really lacked the oomph of Young Adult Novel. He should stick to kids books.
He has that crazy sense of humor that I love! No jokes; just funny situations with a unique take. I have found myself laughing out loud once or twice.
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Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that
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