A Sensitive Liberal's Guide to Life: How to Banter with Your Barista, Hug Mindfully, and Relate to Friends Who Choose Kids Over Dogs

by The Uptight Seattleite, David W. Stoesz (Writing as)

In the tradition of The Official Preppy Handbook , The Uptight Seattleite is the Stephen Colbert of left-wing satire

The author of the wildly popular Seattle Weekly advice column teaches Americans everywhere how to embrace their inner leftist. Artfully balancing the cosmic with the cosmopolitan, the Uptight Seattleite (aka Adrian) delights his loyal readers each week with snide insight on everything from fashion ("Can I pull off a Rasta beret?") to ear-bud etiquette. In A Sensitive Liberal's Guide to Life , he brings his savvy smugness to his widest audience yet, on topics such as the hierarchy of transportation righteousness (what to do with the clunky old Subaru after purchasing a Prius) and ethical behavior at the grocery store, including how to handle the horror forgetting to bring your reusable burlap sack.

Other day-to-day advice covers what to read on the bus (Vonnegut versus The Kite Runner versus The Economist ) and feasting at the buffet of diversity, with tips for shooting a condescending smile at those who don't know how to use chopsticks. The Uptight Seattleite also helps readers navigate the big issues, such as responsible parenting (which calls for a mini-landfill kit, perfect for the backyard and ready to be stuffed with environmentally unfriendly diapers). For every insecure liberal-and those who love to make fun of them-the Uptight Seattleite offers us laughs from the pinnacle of political correctness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 12, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: Also writes under the name David W. Stoesz.

Reviews

[Erik · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is deceptively titled. I thought it would be about a liberal trying to cope in a world with Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Tea Baggers, et al. It should be titled "An Uptight Elitist's Guide to Life." I understand that the writing is supposed to be tongue-in-check but it does not come off that way. The further I read, the more and more I hated the author. Maybe this passes for humor in Seattle but I was only annoyed.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

A friend sent me this book (from Chicago of all places!) and I was immediately intrigued because I recognized the "author" from the Seattle Weekly column that he writes. The book is mostly question and answer, a "Dear Abby" format if you will. But I wasn't impressed at all. Some of the letters and responses were funny but most were just ridiculous. However there were a few interesting ones here and there. Overall though not the best book I've ever read, but Seattleites might find it humorous.

[Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

book was alright kinda boring.....someone else might like it more than me....i ended up giving it to a friend of mine to read through.....

update my friend read half way through as well.....he says and i quote exactly "i could read any book but that one."

[Thom · Rating 2 out of 5]

In small doses, this humor is pretty good, and at times I got a good chuckle. In large or continuous doses, however, it just falls flat, at least for me. Great artwork - well worth it. I do not know how much of this is recycled from columns in Seattle Weekly. 1.75 stars, which rounds up to 2.

[Katie]

Entered to win this...living in Portland, reading it might just be therapeutic!

[Fatimah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to First Reads.I won this book form free give aways cant wait to recieve it and start my reading.

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of fun for the Seattlite. Even more fun for the Texan Seattlite.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny and also a very quick read. This book absolutely lifted me out of a crummy mood.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was quite boring. I really thought it was going to be funny, but it just never seemed to hit the mark.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious! I love the wordplay and smugness disguised as edification.

[Patrick M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I miss you, Uptight Seattleite!