Classic David Thorne.
This time, he turns his razor sharp powers of observation, and over-enhanced power of description to holidays, but obviously gets sidetracked along the way. Featuring all the usuals (Holly, his wife, an assortment of workmates, Seb, his son), this convoluted, fictionally autobiographical, laugh out loud in places book will satisfy any readers of his previous works.

Didn't feel like it flowed and was an uncomfortable read at times. No, I'm not a snowflake, but there are references to abuse etc. without a trigger warning

Este es uno de esos libros que jamás hubiese leído, pero como fue elegido por el Club de lectura en el que participo como el libro correspondiente al mes de septiembre en la categoría Comedia, bueno me dispuse a leerlo y me encontré con una sorpresa bastante agradable.

El libro está escrito en un tono bastante ligero, lo que hace que sea muy rápido de leer, de hecho a muchos de los lectores que participan conmigo en el club les ha llamado la atención este punto: lo fácil de leer que resulta.

No se trata de un libro complejo, es bastante ligero y agradable, ahora no sé si podría decir que me hizo reír a carcajadas, era humor definitivamente... Pero creo que no mi tipo de humor.

Sirve para acompañar un rato y divertirse, y a pesar de que toca el tema de las reencarnaciones y el karma, al ser un libro de comedia no lo hace muy profundamente, aunque hay ciertas explicaciones que me agradaron bastante y que fueron acompañadas de las intervenciones de Buda y de Casanova (sip, los "reales" Buda y Casanova), lo cual a mi parecer demuestra que no se trata de un libro tonto o escrito a la ligera, el autor puso de lo suyo, creando un libro inteligente y a la vez sencillo, que a cualquiera le pudiera agradar.

Confesión personal: toda la vida pensar que era un libro de autoayuda (supongo que por la portada, el nombre, no sé)

One of the worst books I had to read for my bookclub. I hope the author is reincarnated in an e-coli bacteria.

Simplemente el mejor y más ingenioso libro de humor que nunca he leido.

Me ha resultado decepcionante. Leí hace años varias obras teatrales de Jardiel Poncela y me parecieron la mar de divertidas. Sin embargo, en esta novela no me he reído ni una sola vez. Está plagada de estereotipos muy negativos sobre las mujeres, supongo que fruto de la propia vida personal del autor. También deja mal a los hombres, cierto. Pero la crítica hacia las mujeres la he notado mucho más agria.
Es lo que tiene ponerse las gafas violeta...

Livro leve e gostoso de ler. há tempos não lia um livro que me fizesse rir de forma tão gostosa, super recomendo. leitura leve para antes de dormir

2/10 Péssimo

When you are reading a book by Jack Handey, and you come across a sentence such as: “The sun was like a blazing ball of fire in the sky,” you know you are witnessing genius.

Because yes, the sun literally is a blazing ball of fire in the sky, so structuring the sentence as a metaphor is ironic. But the word “fire” has connotations of heat, and with “blazing” it’s an unbearable, oppressive heat. So. Despite the irony, the description is perfect. This is also ironic. And achievable only in the context of this being a Jack Handey novel.

Art is all about consistency. Yes, The Stench of Honolulu is silly, but’s consistently silly. It’s unwavering, uncompromising. Anyone can make these jokes, but every paragraph, every sentence, for 165 pages? Only Jack Handey. I am not exaggerating: pure genius.

Right now, I’m only on page 64, but this is rapidly becoming of my all-time favorite books. Reviews continues when I finish.

[A few hours later] Okay all done. I was right—easily one of my all-time favorite books. I read it on my e-reader, but I tempted to go get the hard-back edition and keep it with me and read it over and over and over. I spoke about Art before. Let me bring it up once more: you know how people will see some piece of modern art, and say “I could have done that?”

The usual reply is “but you didn't.” Well, let me be clear. I dare you to read The Stench of Honolulu and then say “I could have written that.” I guarantee you couldn't.

Maybe I was in a grumpy mood, maybe I was just not into abjectly silly material, I certainly know I will never trust Judd Apatow's recommendations for the funniest books on the planet ever again. I smiled once or twice at a few references in this very short read, but laugh out loud? Not even close. Ridiculous the whole way through (absolutely on purpose). I am glad that Handey was so entertaining on SNL but this is a farce. Luckily it only wasted an hour or so of my time. On to better things.

This is written as a book for future aliens who come across our planet long after humanity has destroyed itself. It covers most aspects of human life, from politics to art to history to science to religion, and it's all hilarious. Definitely recommended.

A note on the audio: The audio presentation is inspired. Between the music and sound effects and various narrators (including, oddly enough, Sigourney Weaver), the whole thing has the atmosphere of a museum documentary. The juxtaposition of the silly jokes against this backdrop make them just that much funnier.

I have a mad crush on Jon Stewart. I don't think there has been more than one or two things that I have disagreed with him on and I laugh hysterically when I watch the Daily Show. I loved America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction so I am very disappointed that this one fell flat. I actually found it tedious, perhaps because everything is in the form of captions and jumping around gets tiring after awhile. I'm afraid this turned out to be as exciting as I Am America (another HUGE disappointment) which was slightly less funny than Helter Skelter or Hamlet.