All My Friends Are Superheroes (1999) - Plot & Excerpts
If you’re ever nostalgic for bedtime stories, the ones that made you float to another world that was both sweet and sad but made you smile all the same, than this is the book for you. Reading this book felt like spending time with some of the best books of my childhood, but then the adult version.The story is about Tom, a regular non-superhero, who married a superhero (‘The Perfectionist’). On their wedding day however, a mean ex-lover of hers who has the power of Hypnotization made sure that he would no longer be visible to his wife. She thinks Tom has disappeared, and for six months Tom has been trying to undo the damage, but time is running out when she decides to move away and start life anew somewhere else. What makes this story so brilliant is that there are so many layers to it. You can chose to which depth you want to read the book. You can just read the story for what it is, and enjoy it. But given the way it’s written, it’s not very hard to go a level deeper and realize that being unique is just one small step away from being a superhero – it all depends on your definition. Although it’s interesting to note that we might look at others and realize they have some superhero-skills, we keep seeing ourselves as ‘a regular’.There are some special superpowers but most of them sound quite everyday. I had a good laugh though with many of them. I thought Andrew Kaufman got very creative and witty with these, being very imaginative but still describing them in such a way that they are utterly recognizable and so very, very human. ‘Mr.Late’ is always late, but something of great importance will happen to you while you’re waiting for him. It is however still extremely annoying.”‘The Jumper’ has jumped aboard, ahead and to conclusions. He’s jumped into love and out of the frying pan. ‘Someday’ has red hair, a compact frame and two superheroes: an amazing ability to think big and an unlimited capacity to procrastinate.Another theme is the Power of Love, and what it in the end can pull of, no matter what the odds and obstacles are. Or how perfect it is, because she’s called the Perfectionist, not so much because of her perfectionism (though she is that too, she even gets frustrated for not being able to organize snow), but because she has the uncanny ability to make things perfect for him (On cue: 3…2…1… Awwwww).
Tom is just a regular guy, though all his friends are not. They are SUPERHEROES with SUPER POWERS! True, their powers may be somewhat odd. There's The Businessman who can calculate the net worth of passersby, The Couch Surfer, a man imbued with the ability to live off of his friends' generosity and Tom's new bride, The Perfectionist, whose source of power is her need for order. Alas, their love story goes pear shaped on their wedding day when a suggestion made by one of Perf's old beaus, Hypno, makes Tom invisible to his wife. Now Tom is floundering, attempting to solve a riddle that will get his love to see him again. . . before she walks out of his life for good.This is the perfect storm of quirky, romantic silliness and proved to be just the right book at just the right time. I loved, Loved, LOVED it. And now, it's confession time.I, too, am a superhero. I am The Rememberer. I am empowered with the ability to remember conversations (yes - only conversations, not impressive things like obscure historical facts or sports scores). I can remember what someone once told me over twenty years ago. Of course, when I bring up a tidbit that someone casually mentioned so long, long ago, the subject is so startled, they deny ever having said such a thing. Vehemently. I never said that, they say. Yes. You did, I say. This goes back and forth for a while, but always ends the same way. THEY think I'm THE CRAZY ONE!Whew. Being a superhero is exhausting. In fact, sometimes, it sucks.
What do You think about All My Friends Are Superheroes (1999)?
Andrew Kaufman's stories make me feel like Toronto is much more cool and hip than I previously thought. I feel like there is a whole group of people out there that I should be partying with. Kaufman is quickly becoming one of those rare writers where every single thing he writes drips with understated humour, intelligence, and an overall grasp of the subtle and delightful. I'd love to see what he would be able to bring to a graphic novel if paired with the right illustrator. The aside with Outcase Blue was absolutely beautiful and encapsulated the very essence of finding your soulmate. And then Kaufman flips the script by eluding to the eventual demise of the break-up! Well played sir. Nothing is sacred.
—Blair
This book is most definitely in my top three favourite books that I have read this year, its wonderful!What I think makes this story so awesome is that there is so much to it that you might not realise straight away without giving it some thought, either way I don't see how anyone could not enjoy it. It demonstrates how unique everyone is and how their uniqueness is close to being a superhero, not in the traditional sense by a superhero by your own definition. We can look unto others and see that they have their own superhero skills we ourselves only see us as being "regular" amongst all these wonderful people who seem to have their own amazing power that makes them stand out to everyone around them even if they don't see it.Everyone can see Tom but that doesn't waver him from the task of making The Perfectionist, the woman he loves see him. In order for Tom to do this he must understand why she cannot see him and to do this he leans on his other superhero friends. This is where the beautiful mind of Kaufman springs into action, creating funny, intelligent, witty, enchanting and bizarre characters is simply stunning.This incredibly sweet and cheek-aching novel is so short and a one-sitting kind of read where you discover how powerful love is and that obstacles could never get in the way, even though the Perfectionist is called this its not just of how organised she is but also she has the ability of making everything for Tom so perfect- yes get the tissues out its adorable and mushy and I love it!I am desperate to read more of Andrew Kaufman, he is a superhero of a writer.
—Emma
I Alla mina vänner är superhjältar får jag lära känna hela Torontos superhjältekrets. Det finns inga superskurkar, fast superhjältarna tycker att vissa andra superhjältar är skurkar, och jag själv upplever att gränsen mellan superhjälte och superskurk kan vara hårfin. Ta Superkollen, till exempel: han har dig som objekt under ett antal år och lär sig allt om dig. Han vet hur han ska leda in dig antingen mot framgång eller mot undergång, och bestämmer i detta ögonblick vad det ska bli. Läskigt!Att ta olika personlighetsdrag och stereotyper och förvandla dem till superhjältar med dessa personlighetsdrag som superkrafter är fyndigt och bjuder på underhållande läsning. Visst kan jag tröttna på den oändliga uppradningen av superhjältar i Alla mina vänner är superhjältar, men samtidig kan jag inte låta bli att läsa och småskratta åt de olika krafter som finns i omlopp. Det är en tämligen galen historia.Läs resten av recensionen på min blogg http://lacrimamens.com/blog/alla-mina...
—Cassandra
