Wild Thing
Josh Bazell
narrated by Robert Petkoff and Stephanie Wolfe
8 hours 46 minutes
Wild thing…you make my heart sing…
You make everything
Groovy
I said wild thing…
Just like the song it’s named (titled?) for, this book makes me laugh. Maybe not as much as the first book, Beat the Reaper, did, but there were definitely a few laugh out loud moments. Good thing I was listening to the audio. Alone. In a car.
This is the perfect listen for a long, boring drive. Which may explain why I seem to like this one slightly more than the average bear (not that Other Jill or Jim or Dawn are average. Or bears, for that matter.).
In Wild Thing, Pietro Brnwa (aka Lionel Azimuth), our favorite former mobster is back. This time he’s going on a camping trip to find a mythical lake monster.
Really. Or, in language more in keeping with the book, I shit you not.
Along the way, there are side trips down memory lane (not Pietro/Lionel’s memory) to Vietnam, forays into science (thanks to Violet the side-kick), and discourses on politics (and have I mentioned that the choice for the person tapped to be the impartial ref was frickin’ brilliant?) and religion (once again, thanks to Violet, who was astonishingly brilliant with her comebacks to Mr. Fick the ass-hat).
Yes, there’s a lot going on in this book, but if you just go with it, it works. (Except for maybe the appendix, which I may have given up on, even though I know I shouldn’t have, but the road trip was over, and I didn’t really feel like listening to more science at 6:30 in the morning as I drove to work the next day). (And except for the over-use of a certain word that others have already discussed, and that yes, bugs me, but does work if you remember the character who is (over)using it.)
There’s also a lot of liberal politics and liberal swearing, so if you’re not really open to certain members of the Republican party being mocked, or listening to (or reading) a goodly number of swears, then I’d avoid this one like the plague. But if you thought Bazell’s first book was the best thing since sliced bread, this one is still worth a try. You might not like it as much as I did, but you should still get a few chuckles out of it and its ridiculousness.
And as you probably know, he will be at the Tucson Festival of Books….
rhapsodyinbooks´s last [type] ..Review of “Across the Universe” by Beth Revis
When? We should go! (But first I need to read something of his…)
Care´s last [type] ..BossyPants
I really liked Beat the Reaper so I want to try this one, even if it’s not as good.
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last [type] ..Review: Red Mist
Beat the Reaper is sitting on my shelf staring at me as we speak, and I know I need to get to it, and to this one as soon as I can. I enjoy offbeat and bizarre humor, and think I would have a great time with both of these books. I am glad that you enjoyed this one!
zibilee´s last [type] ..What Happened to Hannah by Mary Kay McComas — 352 pgs
I’m not sure if I would classify Beat the Reaper as the best thing since sliced bread, but it was frigging insane. And sometimes (in my case) insane was just what I needed while mowing my yard and pulling weeds. I have this ordered on audio from the library. I shall save it for another yard day.
Sandy´s last [type] ..Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began – Art Spiegelman
This might be a good one for when my fiance and I take our next road trip together!
Amused´s last [type] ..I’ve Been Tagged!
Sounds interesting! I have that same thing happen to me sometimes, where I find that I like a book more than other average bears (or above average non-bears, as the case may be), and then realize that I listened to it while on a long boring car ride by myself, and therefore was probably prone to like it more than people reading it in the midst of real life.
Kerry M´s last [type] ..Nancy Pearl, DNF and Guilt
Sounds perfect for my next audio!
Jenners´s last [type] ..Poem: He Is Not Dead
I suppose I should read Beat the Reaper. Thanks for the reminder.
I’ve been debating whether or not to read this one. I don’t really have a problem with the subject matter – I loved the first book, but it is out of my normal sphere of reading. I just haven’t decided yet.
Alyce´s last [type] ..Mini Reviews: A Long Long Sleep & Enclave
Hmmm… Beat The Reaper never did get read by me although it has been on the shelf for…. ummm…. a long time. I may need to start with that one.
Sheila (Book Journey)´s last [type] ..The Making Of A Book Club
I thought Beat the Reaper was lots of fun, but if I read this one, I’ll try the audio — probably more entertaining considering the author’s style. Thanks for reminding me about this one Jill.
Diane@BibliophileBytheSea´s last [type] ..A Moveable Feast; Hemingway ~ Read-a-Long – Weeks (1) (2) and (3) and Wrap Up
This review could not have come at a better time: I have been listlessly poking about my books for the past few days trying to find one that can entice me out of my reading slump… I just tentatively picked up Beat the Reaper this morning and I think it might stick! I could use some fast-paced belly laughs, so if I like this one, I’ll certainly keep a look out for Bazell’s next novel.
Steph´s last [type] ..Steph & Tony might be coming to a country near you!