Fridge Magnets Are Bastards

by Mark Dapin

Modern life: advertorials, obscenely cheerful breakfast TV hosts, celebrity chefs, call centres, smiling charity collectors. Brands, highly effective people, misuses of the word 'creative'. Performance reviews, people who say 'I'm not racist, but ... ', sushi bars and the Taliban. Alexander Downer. Water-cooler moments. Yellow stickers. Fridge magnets. Mark Dapin can complain - and does - about almost everything. In Fridge Magnets are Bastards, he's tried to contain his rants about the things that annoy him to a list of 141 - in alphabetical order. Why? Just to be irritating. A book for anyone who's ever gnashed their teeth over contemporary stupidity.

Genres: Humor

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Mark Dapin is the author of the novels King of the Cross and Spirit House. King of the Cross won the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Fiction, and Spirit House was long listed for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Age Book of the Year and the Royal Society for Literature's Ondaatje Prize.

His recent work of military history, The Nashos' War, has been widely acclaimed. He is a PhD candidate at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Reviews

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book by Mark Dapin and absolutely loved it! I received it as a gift last Christmas and it's been sitting in my TBR (to be read pile) since then and now I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner.

This book had me laughing out loud every 5 minutes and wanting to share it with anyone who'll listen. His take on things like 'the loop', 'learning curve' etc had me chuckling all the way through.

I also loved his list of imaginary countries that should exist like 'Burmany, where the mysterious temples of an ancient civilisation are serviced by the finest roads in Europe'.

Mark Dapin is funny and witty and I'll definitely keep an eye out for him in the future.

[Made._.Moiselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! And most of it still relevant in 2019.

[Xanthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had me laughing from the get go, which always a good sign! I just kept on laughing as I got through the rest. I love that there was so much Australian content. Good fun and at times poignant. The author is obviously intelligent and up to speed with his national politics. It is a bit dated now (with all the references to Alexander Downer) but still fun to read.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beard: fridge magnet for a face
Number Plate: fridge magnet for an ego

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laugh out loud funny. Apart from his aversion to marketers I tended to agree with Mark Dapin on most thing. An easy to read, enjoyable book.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the rants are really, really funny. However, unfortunately it is a bit hit and miss. The best observations tend to be about management and consultants.

[Mike H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some funny entries and some not so funny ones. Overall the book felt a bit forced to me, as if forcing points of view to get its observations across.