So I had heard about This is Where I Leave You from quite a few reliable sources and I had heard about Jonathan Tropper in general from quite a few reliable sources so of course Tropper and this book were on my ever growing TBR list. However, I knew that if I wasn't pushed to read this book I probably never would because even though it was on my TBR list I have so many other books that looked much more appealing to me! So when my book club decided that this would be the September book I was excited!!! Just what I needed, a little push in the direction of Tropper and now I am hooked!!! One of my earlier mentioned "Reliable Sources" is a fellow book blogger Greg from The New Dork Review. Greg is a big Tropper fan and he said in one of his reviews on Tropper that he is the mans equivalent of Chick Lit. Well, I couldn't agree with you more Greg. This is 100% Dude Lit for sure. Tropper writes an easy to read witty story full of family angst, self image, sex, and betrayal (throw in some Louboutins, and a Dolce and Gabbana handbag and you have full fledged Chick Lit). Now don't think for a moment comparing this book to Chick Lit makes this book fluff. It isn't, it is a touching look in to a dysfunctional family and realizing that it really isn't that dysfunctional. Tropper also builds very 3 dimensional characters, and while the book is easy to read it isn't mindless reading.
In This is Where I Leave You you meet Judd Foxman at the lowest point in his life. His dearly loved wife just cheated on him with his Alpha male boss (think Howard Stern). His Dad passed away after a fight with stomach cancer. And to top it all off his Mother has called to tell her children that their fathers dying wish was to have the whole non-religious family sit Shiva. The last thing Judd wants to do is spend 7 days locked in his childhood home with his body image obsessed older sister Wendy (and her Wall Street husband and 3 loud obnoxious kids), his self pitting older brother Paul, who holds Judd accountable for the end of his baseball career (along with his wife Alice who is desperate for a child), his younger brother Phillip who is a play boy with out direction in his life (and his 2 times older girlfriend/therapist), not to mentioned his sexually charged Therapist Mother who may or may not have become a lesbian. On top of this week from hell his soon-to-be ex-wife shows up to tell Judd she is pregnant. I mean come on, this book is jam packed with crazy!!! It is like watching a train wreck in slow motion, and it is worth every page!!! I promise you will LOL at least once if not continuously though this whole story!!
I don't know if I would recommend this to book clubs. It is full of shocking and graphic sexual scenes and where that doesn't ever bother me (or my book club) at all I could see some people getting a little up in arms over the whole thing. However, I would recommend this book to someone that wants to read something different for a change. I would recommend it to just about any guy, because I would bet most would love it and tell you that this book pegs the male point of view.
BOOK vs. MOVIE: So this book has been snatched up for a movie in 2011. I think that the movie will be nothing short of hilarious. I will be purchasing $10 tickets and $50 popcorn to check this one out for sure.
RATING: 4 stars
3 More reviews on this book:
This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
{Borrowed from a friend}
ISBN 0452296366
Pages 352
If you liked This is Where I Leave You then try: Girls in Trucks by Katie Crouch
Did you have a favorite character? Philip was DEFINITELY mine - "It was nice of Bon Jovi to show up." (Or something along those lines...)
ReplyDeleteTropper is also a screenwriter, and is actually working on the screenplay adaptation of his own novel - no easy feat. When I saw him at a signing earlier this summer, he didn't seem too optimistic that the movie would ever be made. Sad.
Nice! Here's my review of This is Where I Leave You.
ReplyDeleteCome visit (and follow me if you're feeling generous...I'm following you now : )
Greg, I think my favorite character was Judd actually. He was so lost and skewed in his version of his own life. Phillip cracked me up too. If you ever watched Dirty, Sexy, Money before it was canceled I pictured Phillip exactly like Jeremy Darling.
ReplyDeleteToo bad about the screen adaption. I would absolutely watch that! It would be hilarious.
Rebecca.. I'll go check out your blog and your review! Thanks for the follow and the comment!
Thanks for the wonderful review, I'll pick up this book. By the way, I keep joking whenever I take my kids to the movies that I still remember when the popcorn was less than the movie ticket. Hey, that's not a joke :(
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Hi, I just found your blog via 20 something bloggers...thanks for the great description of this book- I really want to read it now. I was a reading machine earlier this year, but haven't read in a while. I think that this would be the perfect read to get me back into reading mode. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI also read this book partially based on Greg at The New Dork Review's review! I loved it and I think it's interesting that you say it could be chick lit (which you're right, it could) but that doesn't mean it's fluff. I didn't think about the fact that had it mentioned designer brands and been written by a woman I might have written it off as fluff, as would others.
ReplyDeleteI have reallly wanted to read this for a while, especially after seeing it reviewed by Greg. I have it on my TBR so I should really get to it. I had no idea it was going to be a movie!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your review - just pushed this book up my TBR list
ReplyDeleteThis one has been on my list for a long time but the recent reviews like yours made me remember why I want to read it. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting.
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