Genre: Short
Memoir Collection
Description:
“Do you ever feel like life’s a joke and you’re the punchline?
The Bad Day Book is for people looking for a solution to life’s
many bad days; one that doesn’t include curling up in fetal position while
crying, or pretending it never happened.
You know the days we’re talking about. When your plans get ruined. You
think you’re a superhero, and you’re not. Or you have to deal with… people — no
explanation necessary.
We all have them.
And frankly, the number of healthy reactions available is quite
limited.
In this collection of real-life bad day experiences, you will find
comfort knowing that you are not alone. And learn to laugh at life’s unexpected
comedy.
By the time you finish The Bad Day Book, you’ll understand that
if your life is going to be a joke, you’re better off making it funny.”
Author:
Around seventy or eighty authors each
contributed short sections to this book. It reminded me of a short story anthology
in that each author contributed their own short story that fit the overall
theme of the book, with the significant difference that these stories are
supposedly true. Basically, a collection of short memoirs.
Appraisal:
The premise of each story in this book, the first in a planned series,
is that a “bad day” can be funny. I don’t remember it being explicitly stated,
but the message of the book seems to be that an appropriate reaction, maybe I
should say the best reaction, at some of life’s minor challenges should be to
laugh, not get upset. The book’s introduction makes it clear that the bad days
being explored here are not those terrible days where something tragic or
heartbreaking happens, but more life’s little irritants.
This was a fun and amusing read. I realized that many of the “bad”
things that happened to the author of each tale was, if not exactly, at least similar,
to something that had happened to me or someone I know. The reaction of the
storyteller encourages an amused reaction from the reader and you realize that
while a bit of a pain, laughing and moving on is often the best response to
days like those chronicled. The stories are, in theory true, and most of them were
credible and, as I said earlier, even familiar or universal at times. A couple
had things happen that I wasn’t sure I believed, but not so far out there that
I couldn’t suspend disbelief for the sake of the story. A fun read and potentially
good for a bit of an attitude adjustment in the reader.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
Format/Typo
Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: ****
Four Stars
Reviewed
by: BigAl
Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words
1 comment:
Takes some talent to make a bad day funny. Sadly, I have a few too many examples of bad days lately. Washing machine wouldn't fill, then wouldn't agitate, generator started for no good reason, my wildflower seeds were delivered ALL WET and had to get them resent...
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