Book Review: Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern

Sh*t My Dad Says - Justin Halpern

Synopsis:
Comedy writer, Justin Halpern, was 28-years-old when his girlfriend of three years broke up with him, forcing him to move back home to live with his parents.
While most young people would be frustrated to be living once more in constant contact with their parents after an extended period of independence, Justin took this as an opportunity to start recording all of his father’s outrageously funny comments and ponderings on life.
What originally started out as a Twitter page called ‘Shit My Dad Says’, soon became the catalyst for this book, as well as the source of many newspaper articles and television interviews. Halpern’s Twitter page also attracted a fan-base of over one million people, demonstrating just how popular Halpern’s witticisms are.
This book- Halpern’s tribute to his 73-year-old father, showcasing the profound, witty and hilarious things that Halpern Senior has said over the years- is filled with touching and amusing anecdotes and quotes straight from the mouth of Mr Sam Halpern, and covers some of the monumental moments in Justin’s life. From coaching Justin’s Little League baseball team, and trying to ensure he had the best science competition project, to confronting burglars with a shotgun while naked, Justin doesn’t hold back in showing the world just how unique his father is.
While some of these scenarios may sound slightly condescending, Justin is clearly a man who cares deeply for his father, and tells these stories with the utmost respect and loyalty (and a lot of humour!).

What I gained from reading this book:
Most people, at some point in their life, have looked at their dad with embarrassment. Maybe he said something totally inappropriate in front of your friends, or did something that you would only ever see on a really bad-taste television program.
The great thing about this book is that no matter how embarrassed you felt then, there’s a strong chance that Justin Halpern’s dad has said or done something equally embarrassing- only his social faux pas has been documented by his son so that the whole world can read it! Not only does this book help to ease some of the awkwardness you once felt about your father (because he could obviously be a lot worse), but it is also a sweet -albeit humorous- tribute that one man has written to his father.

Positives:
Even though most of the scenarios that feature in this book could be considered really embarrassing- to both Halpern and his father- it is clear that Halpern has a strong admiration and respect for the man whose funny quotes he is retelling.
I was also impressed with the set-out of the book- there is a developed story at the start of each chapter, and then several quotes at the end of the chapter that only accentuate just how witty (or wacky, depending on what you think) Halpern Senior is. Hilarious stuff.

Negatives:
If you don’t appreciate swearing or any type of coarse language, you should probably steer clear of this book- Halpern Senior has a way with words that would, in all likelihood, make a sailor blush. He doesn’t discriminate in who he uses this language to, either, choosing to say the f-bomb numerous times in front of his kids when they’re only young. But although Halpern swears a lot, this doesn’t diminish the humour of the book, so if you don’t have a problem with cursing, you shouldn’t have a problem reading this.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Genre: Non-Fiction Humour

Recommended for: People who want to read an extremely funny tribute that one guy wrote for his father to celebrate their relationship. This would actually make a great Father’s Day present.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Synopsis:
When Clay Jensen arrives home from school one day, he is surprised to find a plain package, with his name and address scrawled on it, waiting for him. With no sender address listed, and containing seven loose audiotapes (which are numbered), Clay is intrigued by the parcel and decides to listen to the first tape, hoping to uncover the mystery of who sent them to him.
But what Clay hears turns out to be the last thing he ever expected- Hannah Baker, his high school crush, who killed herself two weeks earlier.
On the tape, she explains that there were thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life, and that each of the people who receive the tapes are responsible for playing a part in her death. Clay is one of those people.
All that she requests is that each tape is listened to in full and then sent on to the next person on the list. If somebody doesn’t comply with her rules, then a copy of the tapes (with their incriminating stories) will be released into the public domain for everyone to hear, not just the thirteen people she has chosen.
Anxious to hear Hannah’s voice, and worried about what role he played in her death, Clay gets out the map he received from Hannah in the days before she swallowed the pills and traces her story and his role in it.
Over the course of a night, Clay learns all about what pushed Hannah over the edge, witnessing first-hand the trauma that caused her downward spiral, and learning some hard truths about himself in the process.

What I gained from reading this book:
Asher’s debut novel deals with the delicate topic of teenage suicide, and explores some of the reasons why people might choose this as the ultimate solution to their problems. His portrayal of Hannah, taunted by rumours, passive-aggressive bullying and a strong sensitivity, helps to paint a picture of how one vibrant girl could change so quickly into one whose life spiralled out of control- so much so, that the only way that she could find a way out of it was to kill herself.
This novel also highlights how one negative action can create a snowball to affect the lives of many people, even if the original action seems insignificant at the time.
Most of all, this novel teaches us that small acts of kindness can provide a ray of hope for people who need it most. Even though Hannah commits suicide before this novel even begins, she remembers the kindness that Clay and several other students showed to her. Clay realises this as he listens to the tapes, and, hoping to prevent a repeat of what happened to Hannah, learns to reach out to other people who seem lost, in the hope that he can make a difference. This is something that everyone can learn.

Positives:
The way that the novel is written is clever, with Hannah’s story interspersed with Clay’s own reactions and thoughts. This allows us to see several perspectives at the one time. The author is also able to build up suspense by allowing us to hear Hannah’s story only as Clay hears it, via the tapes. By doing this, it makes us- the readers- feel more involved in Hannah’s drama.

Negatives:
At times, you can’t help but feel that Hannah is overreacting to some of the things she claims had a role in her death. I understand that it’s the build up of these events that culminate in her suicide, and that her experiences weren’t pleasant in any way, but the way that she picks apart every little detail of what happened to her in order to justify her death sometimes seems just a tad over-the-top. Perhaps this is merely a reflection of somebody whose mental state is starting to collapse, but to me it seemed kind of nitpicky.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Teenage Fiction

Recommended for: People looking for a serious teen fiction that deals with complex issues.

If you or someone you know is having problems and you need to talk to somebody, please contact the following help lines:

Kids Help Line (Australia) 1800 55 1800
Lifeline (Australia) 13 11 14
Mental Health Advice Line (Australia) 1300 280 737



Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below:

Book Review: Friendly Fire by Wil Anderson

Friendly Fire - Wil Anderson

Synopsis:
In this book, Australian comedian Wil Anderson explores a diverse range of topics- from childhood obesity to Valentine’s Day, trackie pants to terrorism, aging to four-wheel-drive etiquette, and exercise regimes to VB beer ads- putting his own unique spin on it all. Nothing is sacred as Anderson shifts from topic to topic, stating his views on each and raising some intriguing questions (for example, why is it that you can always come up with the perfect comeback for an insult about thirty seconds too late?). But he also looks at some more serious issues, like the pitiful amount of money that pensioners receive every fortnight and Australia’s binge drinking culture.
Many fascinating points are covered in this funny and often satirical novel.

What I gained from reading this book:
Anderson raises some interesting points in his second novel- although it’s debatable whether anyone would have even thought of the topics he mentions, if they hadn’t read about them in his book. He discusses the term ‘un-Australian’, and talks about how it is used to describe people who do not meet the standards of Australian society, querying why other nations don’t use a similar label for their ‘unpatriotic citizens’. He talks about the perils of weddings, and how gift buying is almost becoming a competitive sport. He complains about unfair ATM fees, where ‘you know the fees are getting too high when you go down to the local RSL and end up losing more on the teller machine than on the pokies’.
Basically, this book is an avenue for Anderson to complain about all aspects of life- but in a witty and entertaining way. This book also reminds readers that everyone has to deal with the same little problems in everyday life, and no one is immune from wanting to have a good whinge once in a while.

Positives:
The way that this book is set out reminds me of a stand-up comedy act. Anderson’s narrative flows from topic to topic, using language that wouldn’t be out of place on stage, in front of an audience. It could be because he is a popular entertainer, in the media and at comedy festivals, but you can almost imagine him standing in front of you and performing his gags (which feature in the book). In other words, this book brings the stand-up comedian into the room with you, and what’s not to love about that?

Negatives:
Unless you have grown up in Australia (or live overseas and have an excellent knowledge of Australian people/places/pop culture references), a lot of the witticism of this book could be lost on you. You kind of need to have an understanding of these things to be able to appreciate Anderson’s humour, so this novel is probably better suited to Australian readers, rather than international readers.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Genre: Non-Fiction Humour

Recommended for: Anyone who is a fan of Wil Anderson.

Australians can buy the book by clicking the picture below: