First Contact

November 16, 2009
An alien invasion turns the United States, if not the world, upside down in this smart, witty romp—but not in the ways that extraterrestrial enthusiasts might expect. Ralph Bailey is working as a sandwich-fetching attaché to an inept president who assigns him to act as a liaison to the recently arrived aliens. As one of the few White House employees who seems to understand the Woody Allen–obsessed, generally laid-back visitors, Ralph begins to interrogate his existential angst: “I think everything has happened before,” he says to his girlfriend, Jessica Love (it's that kind of book), “...every grief has been endured, every idea has been explored, every joke has been told.” And in Mandery's world, it's certainly the truth. As we meet the intergalactic characters, we find that jokes, situations, prejudices, and even pets are the same no matter where you go. While coincidences add up and characters lives bleed into one another, Mandery's sharp sense of humor and habit of addressing the reader make for a stimulating and intelligent read that's never short on laughs.

December 15, 2009
Ralph Bailey, attaché to the President of the United States, has recently met his soul mate, found the perfect underwear for the President, and been appointed to establish diplomatic relations with the planet Rigel-Rigel. He is also 949th on the list of people who will succeed the President in case of a disaster. This hilarious scenario, complete with scenes of everyday life on Rigel-Rigel and ironic interjections from the narrator, works in service of the moral: it's later than you think, so do what makes your life most meaningful. Mandery's ("Dreaming of Gwen Stefani") allegorical portraits of people, governments, life on other planets, and philosophy range from amusing to laugh-out-loud funny. VERDICT Recommended for those who enjoy comedic fiction.Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence

Copyright 2009 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2010
Manderys Dreaming of Gwen Stefani (2007) drolly deconstructed popular music while plumbing the psyche of a celebrity-obsessed hot-dog vendor. Here Mandery offers a Douglas Adamsstyle political farce about first contact with aliens from the planet Rigel-Rigel who, at first glance, bear a striking resemblance to Orthodox Jews. Instead of announcing themselves on the White House front lawn, the technologically superior Rigelians choose the savvier option of getting a teenager to download their YouTube video. When the White Houses culturally challenged Republican president finally receives the news from assistant Ralph Bailey, his first order of business is arranging a kosher state dinner. But it doesnt take long before the presidents inept diplomacy turns the encounter into a major misunderstanding, culminating in a U.S.-led nuclear attack aimed at Rigel-Rigel. Ultimately, it will be up to Ralph and his newfound Rigelian ambassador friend, Ned, to save the day. Manderys digression-filled narrative, covering topics ranging from Woody Allens early comedies to Rigelian Bundt cake, spoofs contemporary popular culture while telling an irresistibly good story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)