Crass, rarely entertaining comedy that pokes fun at motherhood.
More parenting humor from the author of I Heart My Little A-Holes (2013).
"I'm mediocre," writes Alpert in one of the first entries in her scattered new book on raising children. "Now you might be like, uhhh, why would you admit that? But let me tell you something: I am damn proud of being mediocre because I'm really awesome at it. And that’s no easy task." Unfortunately, most of the intended comic moments fall flat. (How many times can we read a version of this Chelsea Handler–esque joke? “You would take your coffee intravenously if it were an option. And your vodka.” The narrative reads as blatant, you'd-better-laugh-or-else comedy that lacks wit, grace, or narrative finesse. Then again, the book should appeal to readers who are amused by the fact that Alpert calls her children "douchenuggets" or "crotchmuffins," or that her husband "jackhammered" her while they tried to conceive their second child. The author drops a surplus of “WTF” throughout her chronicles of taking her child to school, volunteering to be a Girl Scout mom, traveling on an airplane, or discovering her two children pooped on the toilet at the same time. But if that doesn't sound funny, readers would be better off hanging out with a bunch of kids whose humor is less vulgar and easily as stupid and gross. Not all is lost for Alpert, though; she does show signs of true compassion when she talks about her feelings in regard to the Newtown mass shooting, and she makes some valid points in her letter to all grandparents. If the author dialed back the forcefulness of her endeavors and left out more of her kids' bodily functions, she might realize that she doesn’t need to work so hard to get a good belly laugh out of parents.
Crass, rarely entertaining comedy that pokes fun at motherhood.Pub Date: April 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-242708-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
Just what it sounds like. Journalist Saline (Dr. Snow, 1988) and Pulitzer Prizewinning photojournalist Wohlmuth present brief portraits of 36 sets of sisters. Wohlmuth's intelligent photographs capture a range of sisterly feeling from the severe to the giggly, while the texts function as plainspoken testimonials to the pleasures, difficulties, and duration of the sisterly bond. The sisters come in groups of two and up; some are infants, some in their 90s; two sisters are Sisters in the Roman Catholic Church; and, family values embracing transsexuality, one sister used to be her sister's brother. Some sisters are anonymous and others famous: Coretta Scott (King) and Edythe; supermodel Christy Turlington and her two sisters, Erin and Kelly; the Mandrell sisters; Wendy Wasserstein and her sibs, Sandra and Georgette. But the point isn't celebrity. The point is to celebrate the enduring relationship between girl-children.
Pub Date: Oct. 5, 1994
ISBN: 1-56138-450-X
Page Count: 136
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
A merry, if uneven, romp through an end-times conspiracy.
A novel about the end of cheap energy features compelling characters, dysfunctional families and a good dose of black humor.
Set against the lush backdrop of Tampa Bay, Fla., this novel combines the politics of peak oil and economic apartheid with characters and situations that rival Carl Hiaasen’s in their absurdity and black humor. Liz Delaney, recently widowed and inching herself back into life in a new career as a mental health professional, meets Bud Jackson, a renegade journalist whose discoveries about the truth behind the worldwide energy economy land him in a mental institution. What ensues is seven days of hectic revelations about the potential collapse of everyday life, brushes with death, social commentary, examinations of power and an arch look at our healthcare system. Added to the mix are Liz’s blackmailing and murdering quadriplegic brother, his nymphomaniac wife, an evangelical plastic surgeon who runs the Born Again Clinic and a wise professor in a mangrove swamp, among other memorable characters. And yes, there is a hurricane. Despite of–or because of–these elements, this surreal narrative works. Strong descriptions of patients and staff make the hospital and institutional settings compelling in their compassion and humanity. Wry humor in discussions of consumer behavior and greed relieves the polemic that drives the novel. While the main narrative is an apocalyptic one, larger-than-life characters and wacky situations–like the huge hired bomb maker who wears a bright yellow shirt and is interrupted, twice, while trying to set a car bomb–engage the reader. Unfortunately, humor and family dysfunction diminish as the story reaches its climax. Action-packed scenes and plot turns excite, but character development and dialogue become mired down with socio-political rhetoric: “people are placated by dreams of wealth while a distant upper stream actually benefits from their labors.” Still, a taut plot, hilarious characters and a vivid portrayal of different aspects of health–mental, environmental and cultural–provide a rollicking read.
A merry, if uneven, romp through an end-times conspiracy.Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2008
ISBN: 978-1419690648
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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