Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans

August 9, 2004
In his introduction, McSweeney's
founder Eggers says the goal of these short pieces, most of which originally appeared on the McSweeney's Web site, is to be "funny without being humorous," which is an open invitation for critical bashing. It's true that the short stories, essays and lists—oh, so many lists—tend not to have, or even try for, the sort of universal appeal that turns stand-up comedians into bestselling authors. Readers' reactions will depend on whether they share the same level of erudition and love for pop culture as the authors. Greg Purcell's spot-on impression of the deranged voice of Ezra Pound's later writings, for example, will work only for those who know Pound's work, while the "Journal of a New COBRA Recruit" will be equally incomprehensible to people who didn't grow up with GI Joe in the 1980s. If you get the jokes, though, they can be side-splittingly hilarious. Of course, there are misfires, especially those that play with the idea of trying and failing to be funny. (Aug. 13)

Forecast:
Fans of the magazine should enjoy having all these pieces gathered together, and expect strong interest on college campuses, particularly among liberal arts students.

April 1, 2004
"The Ten Worst Films of All Time, as Reviewed by Ezra Pound over Italian Radio." That's a typical entry in this anthology, so you know what to expect.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2004
Adult/High School-This lively and amusing anthology brings together material that has appeared previously in either McSweeney's print edition or Web-site version. Anecdotes, plays, jokes, fake reviews, and lists are included, all poised to produce a quick chuckle. The pieces can be hit-or-miss and, like a lot of humor, they rely on readers knowing the references made to get the laughs, like Greg Purcell's "A Letter from Ezra Pound to Billy Wilder," which comes off quite dry unless one really knows Pound's style of criticism. The majority, though, touch more universal points. Christopher Monks's "Group Mobilization as a Desperate Cry for Help" places a nameless narrator organizing a picket line outside his girlfriend's house to protest her dumping him, in a manner worthy of a good Saturday Night Live sketch. Likewise, "My Beard Reviewed" by Chris Bachelder fabulously satirizes all the feelings of a self-deprecating person and the idea of self-image. All the pieces are short, many two pages or less. While no one will ever put this anthology on a literary best list, it does give a nice break from more serious reading and may even entice reluctant readers.-Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.