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.
Labels: Book review
5 Comments:
I love her when she's on "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me"
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.
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.
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.
5 days since your last posting? You SO aren't allowed to give me a hard time about not posting more frequently! :-)
Post a Comment
<< Home