The Mind Wobbles

So many things to absorb, think about, deal with and put up with - it simply makes the mind wobble...

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Book Review - "There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant To Say" by Paula Poundstone

I love Paula Poundstone, I think she is one of the best female comics of our generation. I love her humor, her delivery - just the way her mind works. And I so admire her getting through her much-publicized rough patch with drinking, and losing her kids, etc. I totally ready to absolutely love this book. As it turns out...not so much.

I just don't understand why she wrote the book the way she did. She has taken what to me seem eight random historical/cultural figures - Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Charles Dickens, The Wright Brothers, Beethoven and Sitting Bull - and mushed up her story and humor with their stories. What's up with that?

I have no problem with her stream of consciousness style, I expected it, as that is often how she performs. And when she writes about her life, family and general observations she's hilarious - but when she writes about those other people it's boring and meandering, barely making sense!

Maybe it just went over my head and I'm missing something, but I can't recommend this book.


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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love her when she's on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me"

1:21 AM  
Blogger Adam Thornton said...

C'mon Hilda, you know the old joke: "What do Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Charles Dickens, The Wright Brothers, Beethoven and Sitting Bull have in common?"

Errr...absolutely nothing, actually. What a weird choice of people.

9:11 AM  
Blogger Toni Lea Andrews said...

When I rode my bike in the California Aids Ride (San Francisco to Los Angeles -- and I did it twice, Paula gave us a free concert. She was hysterical, and I've loved her ever since.

9:49 AM  
Blogger TroyBoy said...

I love me my Paula.

And Moe, I couldn't agree more...I've been known to turn WWDTM off when she's not on it.

1:19 PM  
Blogger TroyBoy said...

5 days since your last posting? You SO aren't allowed to give me a hard time about not posting more frequently! :-)

7:37 PM  

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