Book 27 of my 2017 Reading Challenge
read from May 8 - May 20
The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal by Laurie Notaro
Summary (via Goodreads)
Laurie Notaro has the uncanny ability to attract insanity - and leave readers doubled over with laughter. In The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death, she experiences the popular phenomenon of laser hair removal (because at least one of her chins should be stubble-free); bemoans the scourge of the Open Mouth Coughers on America's airplanes; welcomes the newest ex-con (yay, a sex offender!) to her neighborhood; and watches, against her own better judgement, every Discovery Health Channel special on parasites and tapeworms that has ever aired - resulting in an overwhelming fear that a worm the size of a python will soon come a-knocking on her back door.
My Opinion
Great title but that's the only positive thing I can say.
My review after reading another one of her books was that I didn't love it but thought it could be because I read it too quickly, so my approach to this book was to read 1-2 essays per day. It didn't help. I guess I just don't find her funny.
It was chugging along to be a 2 star read which for me means I personally didn't like it but think someone else might. Two things ended up pushing me over the line to a 1 star. First, she described people and animals as "retarded" 4 separate times in the book. Nope. Second, her jokes seem to come from harsh judgements, particularly focusing on weight. I found it annoying and not funny when she was talking about herself but the cruise essay did me in when she turned the judgement onto others. Blech.
A Few Quotes from the Book
"I felt so good.
So naturally, I couldn't leave it at that and enjoy it. Of course I had to poke at it until it burst."
"We'd worry about hurting men's "feelings", completely forgetting that most men don't typically purchase the biological upgrade package that includes those options..."
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