Jonathan Evison - The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving

[Patty, free birdeaucrat]

"Wryly uplifting" says the Tampa Bay Times review

[Jonathan, the skipper]

. . . "too glib and too many characters" says the columbus dispatch . . .

[Hugh, aka Hugh the Moderator]

I'm confounded. What is it about the following sentence that doesn't address Jennifer Weiner's concerns?

"From our preferred vantage opposite Cinnabon, we objectify, demystify, belittle, and generally marginalize the fair sex, as though we weren't both completely terrified of them," says Ben

I mean, the author goes to the trouble to POINT OUT that the two guys are "objectifying" "belittling" and "completely, terrified of" women.

Or as SHE gets to call them: "the female of the species".

It's part of the story -- and though she seems loathe to admit it, those little gross-outs are what make some of the later epiphanies of insight resonate. (It's as if she thinks every sentence should be just like the ONE she likes.)

The whole review is so schoolmarmish that I thought a fair number of sentences could have ended with: "young man!" As in, say:

"A little of this goes a long, long way," young man.

"When you have the misfortune of encountering a pack of teenage boys, online or IRL, you can block them, or leave," young man.

"Your enjoyment of the book...will be largely predicated on how much you like listening in on can-you-top-this, gross-out sex talk," young man.

No, ma'am, my enjoyment of a book is predicated on how much I can drop my expectations that something mirrors me and my sensibilities (as reviewers have pointed out, her most recent book mirrors HER experience in Hollywood) and how much I'm open to coming along for the ride.

"Please, young man! If you're going to smoke that, do you MIND rolling down the wind?!" Yeeeesh.

[Matt, e-monk]

wryly uplifting? wryly uplifting!? screw the Tampa Bay Times Review, how dare they....

[Patty, free birdeaucrat]

e-monk, you are adorable.

[Maureen, mo-nemclature]

Hugh wrote: "Please, young man! If you're going to smoke that, do you MIND rolling down the wind?!" Yeeeesh. "

the answer my friend, is rolling down the wind, the answer is rolling down the wind. :)

oh. :P

i haven't read the skipper's book yet. i just noticed that patty called e-monk adorable, and that called like a moth to a flame, whereupon i burned in the raging against and for jennifer weiner's reviewing chops, then decided to leave a cinder for hugh. i never read reviews of a book or film just before i read/see a book/film. only afterwards, or before in early researching stages so that i've forgotten what it said previous to reading/watching. :)

[Gloria]

I can't wait to chime in on this once I've actually read it! But in the interim, I got to see our fearless leader in Milwaukee tonight on his book tour. (You're welcome for the bottle opener, Johnny. :) ).

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Ooooh, Gloria, is that a picture that I can't see??? Repost it! How was the reading? Isn't Johnny hysterical when he reads in front of an audience? I hope you partook of the beer.

[Jonathan, the skipper]

. . . thanks, gloria! . . . wait, i hope i gave you your swiss army knife back! . . . oh, and gloria's daughter is a gorgeous chip off the old block, btw!

[Gloria]

Did it not come through? Sorry. Trying again. I got my knife, Johnny. :)
Kerry, no beer. Had surgery on my wrist this morning so I'm pecking away w/ my left hand. What a nuisance.

[Gloria]

if its still not showing up i put it in the photos section.

[Jonathan, the skipper]

. . .photos? . . . i wanna see photos!

[Maureen, mo-nemclature]

still not showing up here, but it is in the group photo section. Linky link to image here: http://www.goodreads.com/photo/group/...

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

I always forget about the group photos section. We should all upload Dorkapalooza photos.

[Adrian]

I have written for The Tampa Bay Times in the past, but I hereby proclaim that I never use "Colette Bancroft" as a pseudonym, nor would I ever describe anything as "wryly uplifting." (That sounds like some kind of ironic, postmodern brassiere.)

[Jonathan, the skipper]

. . .ha! . . .once again, adrian makes me snort beer out of my nose! . . .

[Pavel]

Got me some TRFOC for my Nook. The acronym is a bit awkward. Should we pronounce it "Tee-Ahr-Foc"? Having a great time with it so far. I noticed the penis story made it. I coulda sworn you said it got cut? Whatever, it's better uncut... and with the penis

[Shel, ad astra per aspera]

I sold at least three more copies of your book for you this week. :)

[Jonathan, the skipper]

. . . you rule, shel! . . .thanks, darlin!