Kirkus Reviews QR Code
THE UNEXPURGATED CODE: A Complete Manual of Survival and Manners by J. P. Donleavy

THE UNEXPURGATED CODE: A Complete Manual of Survival and Manners

By

Pub Date: Aug. 1st, 1975
Publisher: Delacorte/Seymour Lawrence

Most will enter this laughing, as the author of The Ginger Man, in a hustle reminiscent of both gamesman Potter and comedian George Carlin, draws up a ""pukka"" manual for surly modern survival. Among the scatological skits: ""Knowing When You Have Reached the Top"" (pee from the 6th floor of a downtown hotel. If no one rushes out of the way, you've made it); ""Upon Being of a Colour in an Area Where Such Colour is Not Highly Esteemed"" (""Keep smiling. If asked what you are smiling at, keep moving""), The many ways of giving the finger or monitoring body fluids wear thin eventually, but there are bright moments such as the directions for dying correctly -- a process during which ""a not unpleasant, mildly sentimental phosphorescence persists. This is the soul."" Unfortunately the afterlife probably is jammed with the crass who may ""enjoy telling you to fuck off."" A frat house Lampoon item.