I Shudder And Other Reactions To Life, Death, And New Jersey (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
I really enjoyed the non-fiction memoir parts of the book, and after the first one, skipped the short story part. I have enjoyed quite a few things that Rudnick has written on stage and screen - most notably The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, and Jeffrey, and enjoyed reading about some of the backstory regarding his work, but was bored with the fiction sections - I may have enjoyed them if I had read them in a separate book, but I wasn't expecting them interspersed with the non-fiction and I think my brain wasn't prepared for it. All in all, sweet, nice, and at points very funny. A collection of autobiographical short stories by Paul Rudnick held together with fictional diary entries by one Elyot Violett. Although I enjoyed Mr. Rudnick’s stories to a decent extent (especially the views of a couple celebrities), Elyot’s dramatized version of life in NYC was much more interesting to read. The first entry is my favorite- He can’t help but notice a 30s-ish neighbor who is constantly on her cellphone, rudely ignoring everything going on around her. He decides to call her and lay down some truths about her life which she eventually takes to heart. After much coaxing she puts down the mobile parasite constantly attached to her skull and notices some great things about the area where she lives. Elyot is vindicated and excited! Then she tells him that she also never noticed how gross cabs were, didn’t have an excuse not to be bothered in the street, she relates how her friends dropped her because they thought she was ignoring them. The man he encouraged her to abandon her texting for turns out to be not so great. With one last stinger she picks up her phone and starts heading across the street when she is hit and killed by a vehicle. She is buried with her cell and Elyot still calls her, seeming to gain a strange satisfaction in imaging the ringing in the casket and his voice echoing in the sepulcher. Did I completely spoil that story for you? Maybe. There are so many others to read that you may as well stop your whinging, because I’m not going to feel bad.
What do You think about I Shudder And Other Reactions To Life, Death, And New Jersey (2009)?
I liked the writing done from rudnicks voice. his other character was just boring.
—Massie
I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did.
—AndyB123
Some hilarious essays, and a couple of not so funny ones.
—Rush
Not all that good, especially the fiction parts.
—Tee
