What do you think?
Rate this book
賴乇噩 賵 賲乇噩 賲丨囟
"I am greatly relieved that the universe is finally explainable. I was beginning to think it was me." -- Woody Allen
Here, in his first collection since his three hilarious classics Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, Woody Allen has managed to write a book that not only answers the most profound questions of human existence but is the perfect size to place under any short table leg to prevent wobbling.
"I awoke Friday, and because the universe is expanding it took me longer than usual to find my robe," he explains in a piece on physics called "Strung Out." In other flights of inspirational sanity we are introduced to a cast of characters only Allen could imagine: Jasper Nutmeat, Flanders Mealworm, and the independent film mogul E. Coli Biggs, just to name a few. Whether he is writing about art, sex, food, or crime ("Pugh has been a policeman as far back as he can remember. His father was a notorious bank robber, and the only way Pugh could get to spend time with him was to apprehend him") he is explosively funny.
In "This Nib for Hire," a Hollywood bigwig comes across an author"s book in a little country store and describes it in a way that aptly captures this magnificent volume: "Actually," the producer says, "I'd never seen a book remaindered in the kindling section before."
Here, in his first collection since his three hilarious classics Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, Woody Allen has managed to write a book that not only answers the most profound questions of human existence but is the perfect size to place under any short table leg to prevent wobbling.
"I awoke Friday, and because the universe is expanding it took me longer than usual to find my robe," he explains in a piece on physics called "Strung Out." In other flights of inspirational sanity we are introduced to a cast of characters only Allen could imagine: Jasper Nutmeat, Flanders Mealworm, and the independent film mogul E. Coli Biggs, just to name a few. Whether he is writing about art, sex, food, or crime ("Pugh has been a policeman as far back as he can remember. His father was a notorious bank robber, and the only way Pugh could get to spend time with him was to apprehend him") he is explosively funny.
In "This Nib for Hire," a Hollywood bigwig comes across an author"s book in a little country store and describes it in a way that aptly captures this magnificent volume: "Actually," the producer says, "I'd never seen a book remaindered in the kindling section before."
First published January 1, 2007
234 people are currently reading
2107 people want to read
About the author
Woody Allen
277听books3,083听followersNoted American actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker Woody Allen, originally Allen Stewart Konigsberg explored the neuroses of the urban middle class in comedies of manners, such as
Annie Hall
(1977) and
Deconstructing Harry
(1997).
This director, jazz musician, and playwright thrice won Academy Award. His large body of work mixes satire, wit and humor in the most respected and prolific cerebral style in the modern era. Allen directs also in the majority of his movies. For inspiration, Allen draws heavily on literature, philosophy, psychology, Judaism, European cinema, and city of New York, where he lives.
This director, jazz musician, and playwright thrice won Academy Award. His large body of work mixes satire, wit and humor in the most respected and prolific cerebral style in the modern era. Allen directs also in the majority of his movies. For inspiration, Allen draws heavily on literature, philosophy, psychology, Judaism, European cinema, and city of New York, where he lives.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
October 13, 2012
Imagine being in an elevator with Woody Allen for three minutes, and he tells you a funny anecdote about buying a pair of pants. You鈥檇 find him witty and hysterical and you鈥檇 laugh out loud as you walk out of the elevator. OK, now imagine instead of three minutes it鈥檚 three days in an elevator with Woody Allen, who doesn鈥檛 stop talking for three whole days, and in those three days, he鈥檚 still talking about just buying pants. At some point, you鈥檇 probably turn to him and say 鈥淓nough with the pants already!鈥� no matter how witty he is being. That is what reading Mere Anarchy is like. Allegedly a book of short stories, the book is more a series of creative writing exercises stretched into stories; or like a long series of related witticisms that Allen decided was close enough to a story. For example, in one story (鈥淭his Nib for Hire鈥�) a writer is hired to pen the novelization of a Three Stooges movie. I鈥檓 100% convinced that Allen was watching a Three Stooges movie one day, thought in his head how clever it would be to draft a high literature paragraph based on the on-screen action, wrote out a dozen sentences of said paragraph, and then added four pages of fluff in front of it to justify a short story out of a single witticism. That is what all 18 stories in this collection are like. There are a few standout selections in here where Allen kept the story tightly short and the witticisms are sufficiently enjoyable (the only ones I liked were 鈥淪trung Out鈥� and 鈥淭hus Ate Zarathustra鈥�). And while there are plenty of phrases and sentences that are wildly clever and inventive and funny, trudging through the rest of the story to get to those lines was really not worth it for me. The stories often tended to peter out at the end, as if after getting to the witticism that the story was based around, Allen just wanted to wrap up the story and be done with it. Well, after three or four stories into it, I felt the same way. Unfortunately, this one is a pass for me.
September 9, 2020
螒蟺慰位伪蠀蟽蟿喂魏蠈蟼 魏喂 伪纬伪蟺畏渭苇谓慰蟼 螕慰蠉谓蟿蠀 螁位蔚谓!鉂�
May 23, 2025
Very few comedians, like Woody Allen, can move so brilliantly and with such ease through absurd plots and, even so, maintain contact with reality. We see this in the eighteen short stories that make up this volume, originally published in 2007. Bringing together ten stories published in the New Yorker magazine and eight previously unpublished texts, this is the first volume of prose fiction written by the filmmaker, actor, and comedian in twenty-five years, published in the 70s and early 80s, at the same time as hits like Manhattan.
January 3, 2016
Description: "I am greatly relieved that the universe is finally explainable. I was beginning to think it was me." -- Woody Allen
Here, in his first collection since his three hilarious classics Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, Woody Allen has managed to write a book that not only answers the most profound questions of human existence but is the perfect size to place under any short table leg to prevent wobbling.
"I awoke Friday, and because the universe is expanding it took me longer than usual to find my robe," he explains in a piece on physics called "Strung Out." In other flights of inspirational sanity we are introduced to a cast of characters only Allen could imagine: Jasper Nutmeat, Flanders Mealworm, and the independent film mogul E. Coli Biggs, just to name a few. Whether he is writing about art, sex, food, or crime ("Pugh has been a policeman as far back as he can remember. His father was a notorious bank robber, and the only way Pugh could get to spend time with him was to apprehend him") he is explosively funny.
In "This Nib for Hire," a Hollywood bigwig comes across an author"s book in a little country store and describes it in a way that aptly captures this magnificent volume: "Actually," the producer says, "I"d never seen a book remaindered in the kindling section before."
Read by hisself! 3:22:17
3* Without Feathers
3* Side Effects
TR Getting Even
3* Mere Anarchy
TR Woody Allen: Interviews
4* Zelig
Here, in his first collection since his three hilarious classics Getting Even, Without Feathers, and Side Effects, Woody Allen has managed to write a book that not only answers the most profound questions of human existence but is the perfect size to place under any short table leg to prevent wobbling.
"I awoke Friday, and because the universe is expanding it took me longer than usual to find my robe," he explains in a piece on physics called "Strung Out." In other flights of inspirational sanity we are introduced to a cast of characters only Allen could imagine: Jasper Nutmeat, Flanders Mealworm, and the independent film mogul E. Coli Biggs, just to name a few. Whether he is writing about art, sex, food, or crime ("Pugh has been a policeman as far back as he can remember. His father was a notorious bank robber, and the only way Pugh could get to spend time with him was to apprehend him") he is explosively funny.
In "This Nib for Hire," a Hollywood bigwig comes across an author"s book in a little country store and describes it in a way that aptly captures this magnificent volume: "Actually," the producer says, "I"d never seen a book remaindered in the kindling section before."
Read by hisself! 3:22:173* Without Feathers
3* Side Effects
TR Getting Even
3* Mere Anarchy
TR Woody Allen: Interviews
4* Zelig
September 2, 2016
螤蟻喂谓 蟺蠅 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪, 谓伪 蟽伪蟼 蟺蠅 蟿慰 蔚尉萎蟼: 渭慰蠀 魏维谓伪谓蔚 蟺伪蟻伪蟿萎蟻畏蟽畏 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 未委蟺位伪 未喂伪渭苇蟻喂蟽渭伪 纬喂伪蟿委 伪魏慰蠉纬慰谓蟿伪谓 蟺慰位蠉 未蠀谓伪蟿维 纬苇位喂伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 -蠁慰喂蟿畏蟿喂魏蠈- 未喂伪渭蔚蟻喂蟽渭伪蟿维魏喂 渭慰蠀. 危蟿喂蟼 2 蟿伪 尉畏渭蔚蟻蠋渭伪蟿伪. 螣 位蠈纬慰蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 伪蠀蟿蠈蟼 慰 魏蠉蟻喂慰蟼. 危蟿慰 蟽畏渭蔚委慰 伪蠀蟿蠈 谓伪 蔚蟺喂蟽畏渭维谓蠅 蠈蟿喂 纬蔚谓喂魏维 未蔚谓 蔚委渭伪喂 魏伪蟺蔚蟿维谓-蠁伪蟽伪蟻委伪蟼, 渭畏 渭慰蠀 尾纬蔚喂 魏伪喂 蟿'蠈谓慰渭伪.
螡伪喂, 慰 位伪蟿蟻蔚渭苇谓慰蟼, 未喂慰蟺蟿蟻慰蠁蠈蟻慰蟼 Woody 渭伪蟼 胃蠀渭委味蔚喂 蟺蠈蟽慰 魏伪位蠈蟼 魏蠅渭喂魏蠈蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 魏伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 "蟿慰 '蠂蔚喂" 伪魏蠈渭伪. 螚 渭委伪 伪蟿维魏伪 谓伪 伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蔚委 蟿畏谓 维位位畏, 渭蔚 伪蟺慰蟿苇位蔚蟽渭伪 谓伪 渭畏谓 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委蟼 谓伪 蟺维蟻蔚喂蟼 伪谓维蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 纬苇位喂伪.
4/5 纬喂伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟽蠀纬魏蟻委谓蠅 渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻慰畏纬慰蠉渭蔚谓蔚蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 (尾位. Complete Prose) 蠂维谓蔚喂 蟽蟿伪 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 螚 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 Woody 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏萎, 蟺维谓蟿伪 胃蔚蠅蟻慰蠉蟽伪 蠈蟿喂 蠂蔚喂蟻委味蔚蟿伪喂 苇尉蠀蟺谓伪 蟿畏 纬位蠋蟽蟽伪.
违.螕. 危蔚 蠈蟽慰蠀蟼 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿伪喂 蟺蟻慰蟿蔚委谓蠅 谓伪 蟿慰 未喂伪尾维蟽慰蠀谓 蟽蟿'伪纬纬位喂魏维. 危蟿伪 蔚位位畏谓喂魏维 胃蔚蠅蟻蠋 蠈蟿喂 蠂维谓蔚蟿伪喂 畏 纬慰畏蟿蔚委伪 蟺慰位位蠋谓 伪蟽蟿蔚委蠅谓, wordplays 魏位蟺.
螡伪喂, 慰 位伪蟿蟻蔚渭苇谓慰蟼, 未喂慰蟺蟿蟻慰蠁蠈蟻慰蟼 Woody 渭伪蟼 胃蠀渭委味蔚喂 蟺蠈蟽慰 魏伪位蠈蟼 魏蠅渭喂魏蠈蟼 蔚委谓伪喂 魏伪喂 蟺蠅蟼 "蟿慰 '蠂蔚喂" 伪魏蠈渭伪. 螚 渭委伪 伪蟿维魏伪 谓伪 伪魏慰位慰蠀胃蔚委 蟿畏谓 维位位畏, 渭蔚 伪蟺慰蟿苇位蔚蟽渭伪 谓伪 渭畏谓 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委蟼 谓伪 蟺维蟻蔚喂蟼 伪谓维蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蟿伪 纬苇位喂伪.
4/5 纬喂伪 纬喂伪 蟿慰 蟽蠀纬魏蟻委谓蠅 渭蔚 蟿喂蟼 蟺蟻慰畏纬慰蠉渭蔚谓蔚蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀 (尾位. Complete Prose) 蠂维谓蔚喂 蟽蟿伪 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 螚 纬蟻伪蠁萎 蟿慰蠀 Woody 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏萎, 蟺维谓蟿伪 胃蔚蠅蟻慰蠉蟽伪 蠈蟿喂 蠂蔚喂蟻委味蔚蟿伪喂 苇尉蠀蟺谓伪 蟿畏 纬位蠋蟽蟽伪.
违.螕. 危蔚 蠈蟽慰蠀蟼 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓蟿伪喂 蟺蟻慰蟿蔚委谓蠅 谓伪 蟿慰 未喂伪尾维蟽慰蠀谓 蟽蟿'伪纬纬位喂魏维. 危蟿伪 蔚位位畏谓喂魏维 胃蔚蠅蟻蠋 蠈蟿喂 蠂维谓蔚蟿伪喂 畏 纬慰畏蟿蔚委伪 蟺慰位位蠋谓 伪蟽蟿蔚委蠅谓, wordplays 魏位蟺.
June 23, 2020
螒谓 魏伪喂 蔚委渭伪喂 渭蔚纬维位慰蟼 胃伪蠀渭伪蟽蟿萎蟼 蟿慰蠀 螕慰蠉谓蟿喂 螁位位蔚谓 未蔚谓 渭蟺慰蟻蠋 谓伪 蟺蠅 蠈蟿喂 渭蔚 蟽蠀纬魏委谓畏蟽蔚 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 畏 蟺伪蟻慰蠉蟽伪 伪谓胃慰位慰纬委伪. 螤蟻蠈魏蔚喂蟿伪喂 纬喂伪 未喂畏纬萎渭伪蟿伪/维蟻胃蟻伪 蠂喂慰蠀渭慰蟻喂蟽蟿喂魏慰蠉 蟺蔚蟻喂蔚蠂慰渭苇谓慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 未畏渭慰蟽喂蔚蠉蟿畏魏伪谓 纬喂伪 蟺蟻蠋蟿畏 蠁慰蟻维 蟽蟿慰 New Yorker 魏伪喂 蟺伪蟻慰蠀蟽喂维味慰谓蟿伪喂 蔚未蠋 渭蔚 蟿畏谓 渭慰蟻蠁萎 尾喂尾位委慰蠀: 蟽蟿伪 未喂畏纬萎渭伪蟿伪 慰 螁位位蔚谓 魏伪蟿伪蟺喂维谓蔚蟿伪喂 渭蔚 未喂维蠁慰蟻伪 胃苇渭伪蟿伪 蟺蠂 蟿畏谓 未委伪喂蟿伪, 蟿伪 魏伪胃伪蟻喂蟽蟿萎蟻喂伪, 蟿慰谓 蟺谓蔚蠀渭伪蟿喂蟽渭蠈 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 蠈渭蠅蟼 谓伪 魏伪蟿伪蠁苇蟻谓蔚喂 (蟿慰蠀位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰谓 纬喂伪 渭苇谓伪) 谓伪 渭蔚蟿伪未蠋蟽蔚喂 蟿慰 谓蔚蠀蟻蠅蟿喂魏蠈 蠂喂慰蠉渭慰蟻 蟺慰蠀 苇蠂蔚喂 蟽蟿喂蟼 蟿伪喂谓委蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀. 螒谓蟿委胃蔚蟿伪 蔚渭蠁伪谓委味蔚蟿伪喂 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰 蟽慰蠀蔚蟻伪位喂蟽蟿喂魏蠈蟼 蔚谓蠋 蟽蔚 蟽畏渭蔚委伪 未蔚委蠂谓蔚喂 谓伪 魏维谓蔚喂 伪纬纬伪蟻蔚委伪 (尾伪蟻喂苇渭伪喂 谓伪 纬蟻维蠄蠅 伪位位维 魏维蟿喂 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 尾维位蠅) 魏维蟿喂 蟺慰蠀 未蔚谓 蟺蟻苇蟺蔚喂 谓伪 渭伪蟼 蔚魏蟺位萎蟽蔚喂 魏伪胃蠋蟼 蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿蔚蟼 蟽伪谓 伪蠀蟿蠈谓 伪蟺蠈 魏维蟺慰喂慰 蟽畏渭蔚委慰 魏伪喂 渭蔚蟿维 纬委谓慰谓蟿喂伪 魏伪胃蔚蟽蟿蠈蟼. 螘谓未蔚蠂慰渭苇谓蠅蟼 伪蠀蟿蠈 蟿慰 format 苇魏蠁蟻伪蟽畏蟼 谓伪 渭畏谓 蟿慰蠀 蟿伪喂蟻喂维味蔚喂 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 (未蔚谓 蔚委谓伪喂 蠈位慰喂 螠维蟻魏 韦慰蠀苇喂谓), 蔚谓未蔚慰渭苇谓蠅蟼 蔚纬蠋 谓伪 渭畏谓 蟿慰 蟺喂维谓蠅. 危蔚 魏维胃蔚 蟺蔚蟻委蟺蟿蠅蟽畏 畏 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏 蟿慰蠀 渭喂魏蟻慰蠉 伪蠀蟿慰蠉 尾喂尾位委慰蠀 萎蟿伪谓 喂未喂伪委蟿蔚蟻伪 尾伪蟻蔚蟿萎 未喂伪未喂魏伪蟽喂伪. 螞蠀蟺维渭伪喂 螕慰蠉谓蟿喂 伪位位维 伪蟽蠂慰位萎蟽慰蠀 魏伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻伪 渭蔚 魏伪渭委伪 rom-com 魏伪喂 维蟽蔚 蟿慰 纬蟻维蠄喂渭慰.
October 29, 2021
袙褍写褨 袗谢谢械薪 斜褍胁邪褦 褏邪褉懈蟹屑邪褌懈褔薪懈泄, 邪谢械 褑褞 褏邪褉懈蟹屑褍 褟 胁蟹邪谐邪谢褨 薪械 胁褨写褔褍胁邪褞 褍 褑懈褏 褌械泻褋褌邪褏. 袥懈褕械 胁褍谢褜谐邪褉薪褨褋褌褜, 褕械泄屑褨薪谐 褌邪 褋械泻褋懈蟹屑. 笑褨 泄芯谐芯 "泻褉邪谢褨" 薪械 胁褨写褉褨蟹薪褟褞褌褜褋褟 胁褨写 "谢褟谢械褔芯泻" 褨 胁懈泻谢懈泻邪褞褌褜 谢懈褕械 芯谐懈写褍 褌邪 褋褍屑. 携 薪械 褋屑褨褟谢邪褋褟.
January 17, 2025
Many of the stories in this collection reminded me of an old BBC TV series called The Good Old Days. It was a recreation of the days of the Victorian music hall (vaudeville) and was hosted by the loquacious Leonard Sachs who loved to demonstrate his lexicographical expeditiousness when introducing each act. Woody Allen shows himself to be on friendly terms with multi-syllabic and philologically complex linguistics, too - thankfully this rarely intrudes on the jokes, which are Woody Allen stand-up to the core. Very enjoyable. I may even read it again.
Read
October 6, 2024锌褋械胁写芯褨薪褌械谢械泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄 谐邪褉屑懈写械褉 蟹 薪芯褌泻邪屑懈 邪斜褋褍褉写褍. 褋锌芯褔邪褌泻褍 褟 褏芯褌褨胁 薪邪锌懈褋邪褌懈 胁褨写谐褍泻 薪邪 泻芯卸薪械 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟 芯泻褉械屑芯, 邪谢械 胁 褑褜芯屑褍 薪械屑邪褦 褋械薪褋褍: 胁芯薪懈 胁褋褨 芯写薪邪泻芯胁褨. 芯写薪邪泻芯胁芯 薪褨褟泻褨. 锌芯 褋褌懈谢褨褋褌懈褑褨 褑械 褟泻 褋褍屑褨褕 褉芯邪谢褜写邪 写邪谢邪 蟹 屑芯薪褌褨 锌邪泄褌芯薪芯屑 锌谢褞褋 芯褋泻邪卸械薪褨谢懈泄 薪械泄屑写褉芯锌褨薪谐 屑褨薪褍褋, 褏褌芯 斜 屑褨谐 锌芯写褍屑邪褌懈, 褏懈褋褌 蟹褨斜褉邪褌懈 胁褋械 褑械 写褨谢芯 写芯泻褍锌懈. 褉芯蟹胁鈥櫻徯沸盒� 屑谢褟胁褨, 褉械褎械褉械薪褋懈 斜械蟹蟹屑褨褋褌芯胁薪褨, 薪邪褉邪褌懈胁薪懈泄 锌褉懈泄芯屑 胁 褍褋褨褏 芯锌芯胁褨写邪薪薪褟褏 芯写薪邪泻芯胁懈泄: 谐褨锌械褉斜芯谢褨蟹邪褑褨褟 薪邪 屑械卸褨 褎芯谢褍. 蟹写械斜褨谢褜褕芯谐芯 锌芯蟹邪 屑械卸邪屑懈 褎芯谢褍.
屑邪斜褍褌褜, 胁褍写褨 邪谢谢械薪 褌邪泻懈 薪械 屑褨泄 auteur.
屑邪斜褍褌褜, 胁褍写褨 邪谢谢械薪 褌邪泻懈 薪械 屑褨泄 auteur.
April 2, 2018
@ past me what the fuck
at least i stole it off the inter webs instead of actually paying for it right
at least i stole it off the inter webs instead of actually paying for it right
December 6, 2017
夭乇丕賮賴 胤亘賯賴 爻賵賲 亘賷爻賰賵賷鬲 卮賵乇 賲賷禺賵丕賴丿...
January 12, 2023
A collection of short somewhat funny stories by Woody Allen... I listened to the audiobook which is great, read by Woody Allen himself it gives me the feeling of watching one of his movies.
November 6, 2012
In the 1970s Woody Allen wrote short humorous pieces that often appeared in The New Yorker. These pieces were collected into three acclaimed volumes, Getting Even (1971), Without Feathers (1975), and Side Effects (1980). For many years after that, he didn鈥檛 publish any short pieces, only his screenplays. However, at some point in the 1990s, he began to once more write these short comic pieces. These have now been collected into a volume published this year, Mere Anarchy. Having just finished it, the sketches and stories often brought a smile if not outright laughter. Allen is definitely a wordsmith and his use of language is amazing. This slim volume collects 18 of his recent pieces.
The pieces themselves span cults (religious or otherwise), the travails of a little-known character actor with delusions of grandeur, the invention and sale of clothing with unusual properties, an increasingly vitriolic series of letters from the director of a film camp and the father of a successful young student, a nanny tell-all book, a Maltese Falcon mystery of a giant white truffle, the perils of home remodeling, a history of the philosophy of dieting and good eating, and Mickey Mouse鈥檚 testimony at a Disney trial.
To offer a few quotes from the stories:
From 鈥淥n a Bad Day You Can See Forever鈥�(the home remodeling story): 鈥淚n the end I settled on a suspiciously sensible estimate originating from the office of one Max Arbogast, alias Chic Arbogast, alias Specs Arbogast鈥攁 waxy little ectomorph with the glinting eyes of a claim jumper in a Republic western.鈥�
From 鈥淎ttention Geniuses: Cash Only鈥�: 鈥淛ogging along Fifth Avenue last summer as part of a fitness program designed to reduce my life expectancy to that of a nineteenth-century coal miner, I paused at the outdoor caf茅 of the Stanhope Hotel to renovate my flagging respiratory system with a chilled screwdriver.鈥�
From 鈥淕lory Hallelujah, Sold!鈥�: 鈥淲hen the ratings came out and The Dancing Ombudsman got a minus thirty-four, there was some talk at Nielsen that people who accidentally tuned in the show then put their eyes out like Oedipus.鈥�
These are only a few of the sentences that made me laugh as I read Allen鈥檚 pieces. Mere Anarchy is a wonderful collection of short humor and I easily recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading humor or who appreciates the way a writer strings together words to complete his sentences. This was a delightful and easy read.
The pieces themselves span cults (religious or otherwise), the travails of a little-known character actor with delusions of grandeur, the invention and sale of clothing with unusual properties, an increasingly vitriolic series of letters from the director of a film camp and the father of a successful young student, a nanny tell-all book, a Maltese Falcon mystery of a giant white truffle, the perils of home remodeling, a history of the philosophy of dieting and good eating, and Mickey Mouse鈥檚 testimony at a Disney trial.
To offer a few quotes from the stories:
From 鈥淥n a Bad Day You Can See Forever鈥�(the home remodeling story): 鈥淚n the end I settled on a suspiciously sensible estimate originating from the office of one Max Arbogast, alias Chic Arbogast, alias Specs Arbogast鈥攁 waxy little ectomorph with the glinting eyes of a claim jumper in a Republic western.鈥�
From 鈥淎ttention Geniuses: Cash Only鈥�: 鈥淛ogging along Fifth Avenue last summer as part of a fitness program designed to reduce my life expectancy to that of a nineteenth-century coal miner, I paused at the outdoor caf茅 of the Stanhope Hotel to renovate my flagging respiratory system with a chilled screwdriver.鈥�
From 鈥淕lory Hallelujah, Sold!鈥�: 鈥淲hen the ratings came out and The Dancing Ombudsman got a minus thirty-four, there was some talk at Nielsen that people who accidentally tuned in the show then put their eyes out like Oedipus.鈥�
These are only a few of the sentences that made me laugh as I read Allen鈥檚 pieces. Mere Anarchy is a wonderful collection of short humor and I easily recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading humor or who appreciates the way a writer strings together words to complete his sentences. This was a delightful and easy read.
January 5, 2019
袗斜褋褍褉写, 褨褉芯薪褨褟, 褋邪褌懈褉邪, 褌芯薪泻褨 邪胁褌芯褉褋褜泻褨 屑械褌邪褎芯褉懈 - 斜械蟹褍屑芯胁薪芯, 泻芯褉芯薪薪褨 褌褉褞泻懈 袗谢谢械薪邪. 袟邪胁卸写懈 褑褨泻邪胁芯 写懈胁懈褌懈褋褜, 褟泻 蟹邪 写芯锌芯屑芯谐芯褞 褋屑褨褏褍 薪邪写 褋芯斜芯褞 (褍 锌械褉褕褍 褔械褉谐褍) 褨 薪邪写 褋胁褨褌芯屑 蟹械屑薪懈屑 (泻褍写懈 卸 斜械蟹 薪褜芯谐芯, 胁褋褨屑 薪邪屑 褌褍褌 写芯胁械谢芯褋褜 芯锌懈薪懈褌懈褋褟) 胁褨薪 薪邪屑邪谐邪褦褌褜褋褟 芯褋屑懈褋谢懈褌懈 胁褨褔薪褨 褌械屑懈.
孝邪泻, 袙褍写褨 薪械 褋芯褉芯屑懈褌褜褋褟 褋胁芯谐芯 胁褨写胁械褉褌芯 屑褨蟹邪薪褌褉芯锌褨褔薪芯谐芯 锌芯谐谢褟写褍 薪邪 谢褞写褋褜泻褍 褋褍褌薪褨褋褌褜. 袨写薪邪泻 褑械 薪械 蟹邪胁邪卸邪褦 泄芯屑褍 胁懈蟹薪邪褌懈 褨 褔械褋薪芯褌懈 谐芯屑芯 褋邪锌褨械薪褋邪. 袧褍, 褟泻 胁懈蟹薪邪褌懈? 袧邪 泻芯薪褌褉邪褋褌褨 锌芯胁薪芯谐芯 斜械蟹谢邪写褍 褍胁邪卸薪懈泄 褔懈褌邪褔 褌邪泻懈 蟹薪邪泄写械 薪邪褌褟泻懈 薪邪 胁褨褉褍 胁 褌邪谢邪薪褌, 锌褉邪褑褜芯胁懈褌褨褋褌褜, 写械褟泻褍 褉芯蟹褋褍写谢懈胁褨褋褌褜, 屑芯卸械, 泄 谢褞斜芯胁 褍 褋械褉褑褟褏 谐芯谢芯胁薪懈褏 谐械褉芯褩胁 18 褨褋褌芯褉褨泄 褑褨褦褩 蟹斜褨褉泻懈.
袨写薪邪泻, 屑褍褕褍 胁懈蟹薪邪褌懈, 褔懈褌邪褌懈 屑褨褋褑褟屑懈 胁邪卸泻芯. 袩芯-锌械褉褕械, 褔械褉械蟹 锌芯褋褌褨泄薪褨 褉械褎械褉械薪褋懈 薪邪 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋褜泻褨 褉械邪谢褨褩 卸懈褌褌褟. 袗 锌芯-写褉褍谐械, 褔械褉械蟹 薪械 蟹邪胁卸写懈 胁写邪谢懈泄 锌械褉械泻谢邪写.
孝懈屑 薪械 屑械薪褕, 锌芯褔懈褌邪褌懈 袗谢谢械薪邪 - 褑械 薪邪褔械 锌芯写懈胁懈褌懈褋褜 泄芯谐芯 褔械褉谐芯胁懈泄 谐械薪褨邪谢褜薪懈泄 褎褨谢褜屑, 褟泻懈泄 薪械 锌芯泻邪卸褍褌褜 薪邪 械泻褉邪薪褨.
孝邪泻, 袙褍写褨 薪械 褋芯褉芯屑懈褌褜褋褟 褋胁芯谐芯 胁褨写胁械褉褌芯 屑褨蟹邪薪褌褉芯锌褨褔薪芯谐芯 锌芯谐谢褟写褍 薪邪 谢褞写褋褜泻褍 褋褍褌薪褨褋褌褜. 袨写薪邪泻 褑械 薪械 蟹邪胁邪卸邪褦 泄芯屑褍 胁懈蟹薪邪褌懈 褨 褔械褋薪芯褌懈 谐芯屑芯 褋邪锌褨械薪褋邪. 袧褍, 褟泻 胁懈蟹薪邪褌懈? 袧邪 泻芯薪褌褉邪褋褌褨 锌芯胁薪芯谐芯 斜械蟹谢邪写褍 褍胁邪卸薪懈泄 褔懈褌邪褔 褌邪泻懈 蟹薪邪泄写械 薪邪褌褟泻懈 薪邪 胁褨褉褍 胁 褌邪谢邪薪褌, 锌褉邪褑褜芯胁懈褌褨褋褌褜, 写械褟泻褍 褉芯蟹褋褍写谢懈胁褨褋褌褜, 屑芯卸械, 泄 谢褞斜芯胁 褍 褋械褉褑褟褏 谐芯谢芯胁薪懈褏 谐械褉芯褩胁 18 褨褋褌芯褉褨泄 褑褨褦褩 蟹斜褨褉泻懈.
袨写薪邪泻, 屑褍褕褍 胁懈蟹薪邪褌懈, 褔懈褌邪褌懈 屑褨褋褑褟屑懈 胁邪卸泻芯. 袩芯-锌械褉褕械, 褔械褉械蟹 锌芯褋褌褨泄薪褨 褉械褎械褉械薪褋懈 薪邪 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋褜泻褨 褉械邪谢褨褩 卸懈褌褌褟. 袗 锌芯-写褉褍谐械, 褔械褉械蟹 薪械 蟹邪胁卸写懈 胁写邪谢懈泄 锌械褉械泻谢邪写.
孝懈屑 薪械 屑械薪褕, 锌芯褔懈褌邪褌懈 袗谢谢械薪邪 - 褑械 薪邪褔械 锌芯写懈胁懈褌懈褋褜 泄芯谐芯 褔械褉谐芯胁懈泄 谐械薪褨邪谢褜薪懈泄 褎褨谢褜屑, 褟泻懈泄 薪械 锌芯泻邪卸褍褌褜 薪邪 械泻褉邪薪褨.
April 6, 2021
Um autor 茅 um autor, seja no cinema, no teatro, na m煤sica ou na escrita. E se as artes t锚m sempre veios de comunica莽茫o entre si, da铆 resulta que um grande realizador como Woody Allen 茅 tamb茅m um bom escritor. Toda a ironia de stand-up comedian, a verborreia dos filmes, a anarquia do tudo-茅-poss铆vel, a auto-comisera莽茫o e as hist贸rias tr谩gico-pat茅ticas est茫o aqui, por vezes mesmo em excesso. Tanto nos leva a rir a bandeiras despregadas como a sentir um pequeno t茅dio de previsibilidade, rapidamente compensado pelo fulgor da escrita cinematogr谩fica muitas das vezes (quando n茫o mesmo sob a forma de gui茫o de cinema). Veja-se, em particular, o conto 芦A lei de Pinchuck禄, onde o del铆rio alcan莽a n铆veis descontrolados: 芦Os tabl贸ides est茫o a dizer que 茅 um assassino em s茅rie. 脡 claro que os assassinos em s茅rie est茫o a queixar-se de discrimina莽茫o, dizendo que s茫o sempre eles os acusados quando h谩 tr锚s ou mais v铆timas mortas da mesma forma. Dizem que gostavam de ver o n煤mero aumentar para seis.禄; ou 芦Sygmnd era um pobre austr铆aco que perdera todas as vogais do nome num acidente de barco禄. Se a maior parte dos contos n茫o 茅 inesquec铆vel, 茅 pelo menos suficientemente absurda para percebermos que 茅 um autor como muitos outros n茫o s茫o. E se calhar at茅 vendem mais...
March 19, 2016
Volim Vudijeve filmove i simpati膷an mi je njegov intelektualni cinizam, zato sam sa rado拧膰u dohvatila zbirku kratkih pri膷a Puko bezvla拧膰e. Bolje da nisam, pomalo se pora啪eno ose膰am kada posmatram nedovoljno spretne poku拧aje ugledanja na Ki拧ona. Lepo je isprobavati multimedijalni pristup, no sve u svemu dr啪' se ti Vudi sedme umetnosti.
November 25, 2008
I think to get all the jokes you need a street map of Manhattan and then a dictionary of obscure little used words to get the punch lines. This book is more for those considering becoming criminally insane.
July 9, 2016
丕賲丕 丨丿丕賯賱 丕賷賳 丕鬲賮丕賯 亘丕毓孬 卮丿 賰賴 亘賮賴賲賲 丕禺鬲賱丕賮 賮乇賴賳诏賷 禺賷賱爻 賲賴賲鬲乇 丕夭 丕禺鬲賱丕賮 胤亘賯丕鬲賷 丕爻鬲.卮賲丕 賲賷鬲賵丕賳賷丿 亘丕 趩賵亘丿爻鬲 噩丕丿賵賷賷 賰丿賵 賯賱賯賱賷 乇丕 鬲亘丿賷賱 亘賴 賰丕賱爻賰賴 賵爻诏 賵賱诏乇丿 乇丕 鬲亘丿賷賱 亘賴 丕爻亘 鬲丕夭賷 賰賳賷丿 丕賲丕 賳賲賷鬲賵丕賳賷丿 賷賰 賲賵噩賵丿 禺丕賱賴 夭賳賰 乇丕 亘賴 賷賰 乇賵卮賳賮賰乇 賮賲賳賷爻鬲 鬲亘丿賷賱 賰賳賷丿
August 21, 2012
Woody Allen has a tap in his head. When he turns the tap on, out pour gags. Complex sentences setting up simple jokes, by the thousand. You might have read Getting Even, Without Feathers or Side Effects. They are books where Woody takes a single, silly premise, gets all Noo Yoik on its ass, via a few pages of first person narration and a metronomic set-up/punchline rhythm so exacting it's like a Drill Sergeant in clown shoes is shouting at Woody as he types.
Well Woody hasn't marched this yard since 1980, but this is right back in step. The last book I read and reviewed, is about what happens when you start thinking about something you don't have to think about. Woody doesn't seem to worry about doing a bad job of something he's good at. You just get up and have another go the next day.
This book is so good it's practically .
"Twenty years in the Homicide Division of the NYPD and, brother, you've seen everything. Like when some Wall Street broker juliennes his little petit four over who gets to work the channel changer, or this lovesick rabbi decides to end it all by salting his beard with anthrax and inhaling. That's why when somebody reported a dead body on Riverside Drive at Eighty Third with no bullet holes, no stab wounds and no sign of struggle I didn't freak to some film-noir conclusion but put it down to one of the thousand natural shocks the Bard claims the flesh is heir to but don't ask me which one."
Agent to meteoric and now fallen star:
"Did I say take it easy? Did I not lecture myself blue in the punim on overweening ambition, using as a for instance Icarus?"
"Yes, but-"
"What but? Arvide Mite was only waxing hyperbolic when he said you could make the phone book into a hit. Only an idiot or a megalomaniac would have accepted the challenge. Especially the Yellow Pages."
160 pages of big Woody joy, and even an afterword on the font. I couldn't ask for anymore, and if I did, I doubt anyone would hear me.
Well Woody hasn't marched this yard since 1980, but this is right back in step. The last book I read and reviewed, is about what happens when you start thinking about something you don't have to think about. Woody doesn't seem to worry about doing a bad job of something he's good at. You just get up and have another go the next day.
This book is so good it's practically .
"Twenty years in the Homicide Division of the NYPD and, brother, you've seen everything. Like when some Wall Street broker juliennes his little petit four over who gets to work the channel changer, or this lovesick rabbi decides to end it all by salting his beard with anthrax and inhaling. That's why when somebody reported a dead body on Riverside Drive at Eighty Third with no bullet holes, no stab wounds and no sign of struggle I didn't freak to some film-noir conclusion but put it down to one of the thousand natural shocks the Bard claims the flesh is heir to but don't ask me which one."
Agent to meteoric and now fallen star:
"Did I say take it easy? Did I not lecture myself blue in the punim on overweening ambition, using as a for instance Icarus?"
"Yes, but-"
"What but? Arvide Mite was only waxing hyperbolic when he said you could make the phone book into a hit. Only an idiot or a megalomaniac would have accepted the challenge. Especially the Yellow Pages."
160 pages of big Woody joy, and even an afterword on the font. I couldn't ask for anymore, and if I did, I doubt anyone would hear me.
April 13, 2013
Though I typically remember how I come into the possession of a book, I cannot for the life of me remember how I came to own Woody Allen's "Mere Anarchy." It isn't surprising for me to have a Woody Allen book on my bookshelf (I actually have another I remember getting). I happen to like the man in a purely artistic way. I just don't remember buying or receiving "Mere Anarchy" as a gift.
Regardless of the unsolved mystery, I had Woody Allen on the brain recently because I had read Diane Keaton's semi-memoir "Then Again" not so long ago and she spoke fondly of Woody. So when it came time for me to pick books for vacation, I naturally plucked "Mere Anarchy" from my bookshelf.
"Mere Anarchy" is a perfect book for travel because it's a small book that contains a series of short stories. Each story lasts only a few pages long so one could easily pick up the book and drop it. As it so happened, I had a free afternoon outside and I ended up finishing the book in a few hours.
While the book may not have taken long to finish I wouldn't label it a breezy read. Allen often used complicated syntax when describing the simplest details. At times I felt like I could have benefited from using a dictionary. Still I was able to overcome Allen's rhetoric and plough through the book. And as in any collection of short stories, there were a few stories that stood out more than others. Then there was the rare story or two that made me pause and wonder how it could have made the final cut. But overall I found "Mere Anarchy" to be a mostly enjoyable, readable, and oftentimes humorous body of work. I'd say the best audience for this book would be a Woody Allen fan or at the very least a person who is familiar with Allen.
Regardless of the unsolved mystery, I had Woody Allen on the brain recently because I had read Diane Keaton's semi-memoir "Then Again" not so long ago and she spoke fondly of Woody. So when it came time for me to pick books for vacation, I naturally plucked "Mere Anarchy" from my bookshelf.
"Mere Anarchy" is a perfect book for travel because it's a small book that contains a series of short stories. Each story lasts only a few pages long so one could easily pick up the book and drop it. As it so happened, I had a free afternoon outside and I ended up finishing the book in a few hours.
While the book may not have taken long to finish I wouldn't label it a breezy read. Allen often used complicated syntax when describing the simplest details. At times I felt like I could have benefited from using a dictionary. Still I was able to overcome Allen's rhetoric and plough through the book. And as in any collection of short stories, there were a few stories that stood out more than others. Then there was the rare story or two that made me pause and wonder how it could have made the final cut. But overall I found "Mere Anarchy" to be a mostly enjoyable, readable, and oftentimes humorous body of work. I'd say the best audience for this book would be a Woody Allen fan or at the very least a person who is familiar with Allen.
October 27, 2015
丿爻鬲 丌 禺乇 賴賲 倬丕蹖丕賳 夭賳丿诏蹖鬲賵賳 賲氐丕丿賮 賲蹖卮賴 亘丕 乇爻蹖丿賳 亘賴 丕賵噩 賱匕鬲
March 29, 2022
Empec茅 esta novela creyendo que ser铆a una "novela", luego me doy con la sorpresa de que es una antolog铆a. Para ser sincero, no s茅 s铆 ambos pueden convivir en un solo libro, pero vamos con lo que me gust贸 y lo que no:
BUENOS:
-Errar es humano; flotar, divino: Este relato (el primero) fue demasiado divertido, sobre todo por esa joda a la cienciolog铆a (hay varios relatos en lo que es mencionado) y a esa "secta" que te da poderes sobrenaturales... Quiz谩s el personaje que m谩s me gust贸 fue Max Endorphine, ese gordo es insoportable y divertido, ambos la mismo tiempo.
-Rescate tadoori: Este relato fue igual de divertido que el anterior, o quiz谩 m谩s. Se centra en un actor que quiere ganarse un lugar en las pantallas grandes, 茅l cree que ya lo ha logrado; su agente Pontius Perry... joder, es el mejor agente del mundo jajajajaja, cuando lo lean me entender谩n.
-Qu茅 paladar tienes, mu帽eca: Solo fueron unas pocas p谩ginas y me qued茅 impresionado con toda la cantidad de informaci贸n que hubo. Espero que no haya gente que pague tanto por comida... Igual el detective fue muy h谩bil para no caer en las redes que le tendi贸 aquella...
-Gloria, aleluya, 隆adjudicada!: Este relato te deja un mensaje claro: No te juegues nunca con la fe de la gente, menos si tiene una familia peligrosa xd
-Peligro, ca铆da de magnates: Este fue el top 1 de los relatos, incluso podr铆a f谩cilmente ser adaptada al cine, o una serie... Hasta ya tengo el nombre: "El ascenso de un joven guionista".
-El sol no sale para todos: Esto es como un manual sobre c贸mo no comprar una propiedad. Fue interesante y un pel铆n divertido.
-Atenci贸n, genios: pagos al contado: Desconoc铆a lo de Cachet y Van Gogh, averiguar茅 m谩s de esa historia.
-Sorpresa en el juicio de la Disney: En mi cabeza se o铆a, me refiero al terminar el relato: "Jajajajaja, 驴Qu茅 caraj*s acabo de leer?". Hasta ahora no puedo creer lo que le铆. Es demasiado gracioso, pero depende del sentido del humor que tengas.
NO TAN BUENOS:
-Pluma de alquiler: Este relato no es tan divertido, pero deja una ense帽anza: Jam谩s muestres tu trabajo si no hay un contrato de por medio.
-Calistenia, urticaria, montaje final: Este relato es de los que menos me gust贸, incluso lo sacar铆a de la antolog铆a.
-El rechazo: Fue entretenido, pero me sigo quedando con los de arriba.
-Canta, Sacher Tortes: No entend铆 nada de lo que dec铆an. Creo que es muy sofisticado para m铆.
-Tirar demasiado de la cuerda: Relato prescindible. Ya ni recuerdo de qu茅 iba.
-Por encima de la ley, por debajo del somier: Meh.
-As铆 comi贸 Zaratustra: Meh x2.
La ley de Pinchuk: Meh x3.
BUENOS:
-Errar es humano; flotar, divino: Este relato (el primero) fue demasiado divertido, sobre todo por esa joda a la cienciolog铆a (hay varios relatos en lo que es mencionado) y a esa "secta" que te da poderes sobrenaturales... Quiz谩s el personaje que m谩s me gust贸 fue Max Endorphine, ese gordo es insoportable y divertido, ambos la mismo tiempo.
-Rescate tadoori: Este relato fue igual de divertido que el anterior, o quiz谩 m谩s. Se centra en un actor que quiere ganarse un lugar en las pantallas grandes, 茅l cree que ya lo ha logrado; su agente Pontius Perry... joder, es el mejor agente del mundo jajajajaja, cuando lo lean me entender谩n.
-Qu茅 paladar tienes, mu帽eca: Solo fueron unas pocas p谩ginas y me qued茅 impresionado con toda la cantidad de informaci贸n que hubo. Espero que no haya gente que pague tanto por comida... Igual el detective fue muy h谩bil para no caer en las redes que le tendi贸 aquella...
-Gloria, aleluya, 隆adjudicada!: Este relato te deja un mensaje claro: No te juegues nunca con la fe de la gente, menos si tiene una familia peligrosa xd
-Peligro, ca铆da de magnates: Este fue el top 1 de los relatos, incluso podr铆a f谩cilmente ser adaptada al cine, o una serie... Hasta ya tengo el nombre: "El ascenso de un joven guionista".
-El sol no sale para todos: Esto es como un manual sobre c贸mo no comprar una propiedad. Fue interesante y un pel铆n divertido.
-Atenci贸n, genios: pagos al contado: Desconoc铆a lo de Cachet y Van Gogh, averiguar茅 m谩s de esa historia.
-Sorpresa en el juicio de la Disney: En mi cabeza se o铆a, me refiero al terminar el relato: "Jajajajaja, 驴Qu茅 caraj*s acabo de leer?". Hasta ahora no puedo creer lo que le铆. Es demasiado gracioso, pero depende del sentido del humor que tengas.
NO TAN BUENOS:
-Pluma de alquiler: Este relato no es tan divertido, pero deja una ense帽anza: Jam谩s muestres tu trabajo si no hay un contrato de por medio.
-Calistenia, urticaria, montaje final: Este relato es de los que menos me gust贸, incluso lo sacar铆a de la antolog铆a.
-El rechazo: Fue entretenido, pero me sigo quedando con los de arriba.
-Canta, Sacher Tortes: No entend铆 nada de lo que dec铆an. Creo que es muy sofisticado para m铆.
-Tirar demasiado de la cuerda: Relato prescindible. Ya ni recuerdo de qu茅 iba.
-Por encima de la ley, por debajo del somier: Meh.
-As铆 comi贸 Zaratustra: Meh x2.
La ley de Pinchuk: Meh x3.
July 28, 2019
Some of the stories were funny, the other ones I just read to finish the book and that's it.
I like that there are a lot of references to great people/history events, and I've actually discovered a lot of interesting things. So that was cool.
I like that there are a lot of references to great people/history events, and I've actually discovered a lot of interesting things. So that was cool.
February 11, 2021
Its genius how his mind works even in writing short stories but i must confess that i didn't perticularly enjoy all of the stories; just like his movies. Some are good and some are meh. All in all the good old humor and sarcasm is there.
March 26, 2019
褔懈褌邪褞褔懈 褑褞 泻薪懈谐褍, 屑械薪褨 写芯胁械谢芯褋褜 薪械屑懈谢芯褋械褉写薪芯 谐褍谐谢懈褌懈, 褖芯, 蟹胁褨褋薪芯, 胁褨写胁芯谢褨泻邪褦 胁褨写 褔懈褌邪薪薪褟. 锌械胁薪芯, 褑械泄 褌胁褨褉 褉芯蟹褉邪褏芯胁邪薪懈泄 薪邪 蟹薪邪褔薪芯 胁懈褌芯薪褔械薪褨褕芯谐芯 褨 械褉褍写芯胁邪薪褨褕芯谐芯 褔懈褌邪褔邪, 薪褨卸 褟. 写褍卸械 屑邪泄褋褌械褉薪芯 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪邪 泻薪懈谐邪 (锌械褉械泻谢邪写 褌械卸 褏芯褉芯褕懈泄), 邪谢械 薪械 蟹邪褔械锌懈谢芯 卸芯写薪芯褩 械屑芯褑褨褩.
褑械泄 褨薪褌械谢械泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄 谐褍屑芯褉 薪邪褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 褨薪褌械谢械泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄, 褖芯 褟 谢懈褕 薪邪 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪褨 泻薪懈谐懈 蟹斜邪谐薪褍谢邪, 褖芯 褌芯 卸 斜褍胁 谐褍屑芯褉 (褏芯褔邪 褋屑褨褕薪芯 胁褨写 褌芯谐芯 褌邪泻 褨 薪械 褋褌邪谢芯)!
谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪械 褎褍邪-谐褉邪 锌褨写 褌褉褞褎械谢褟屑懈 - 褑械 薪械 写谢褟 屑械薪械. 胁褌褨屑, 褑械 薪械 芯蟹薪邪褔邪褦, 褖芯 泻薪懈谐邪 锌芯谐邪薪邪, 锌褉芯褋褌芯 薪械 写谢褟 屑械薪械.
褑械泄 褨薪褌械谢械泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄 谐褍屑芯褉 薪邪褋褌褨谢褜泻懈 褨薪褌械谢械泻褌褍邪谢褜薪懈泄, 褖芯 褟 谢懈褕 薪邪 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪褨 泻薪懈谐懈 蟹斜邪谐薪褍谢邪, 褖芯 褌芯 卸 斜褍胁 谐褍屑芯褉 (褏芯褔邪 褋屑褨褕薪芯 胁褨写 褌芯谐芯 褌邪泻 褨 薪械 褋褌邪谢芯)!
谢褨褌械褉邪褌褍褉薪械 褎褍邪-谐褉邪 锌褨写 褌褉褞褎械谢褟屑懈 - 褑械 薪械 写谢褟 屑械薪械. 胁褌褨屑, 褑械 薪械 芯蟹薪邪褔邪褦, 褖芯 泻薪懈谐邪 锌芯谐邪薪邪, 锌褉芯褋褌芯 薪械 写谢褟 屑械薪械.
December 15, 2009
I wanna preface a nasty review with this: I love me some Woody Allen...films. I'll take Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, even new offerings like Match Point and Vicky Christina Barcelona any day! But we all know that sometimes dear ole Woody takes a misstep. Curse of the Jade Scorpion? Getting with the stepdaughter? Yes, indeed, this collection of short stories was a disaster on that level. Ok, ok, I did like one thing about the stories - they were very short. The characters, events, and language in the stories are beyond ridiculous. People are dying on toast points etc. Please, Woody, please. All the characters are buffoons, which is slightly entertaining, but the language (which may have been enjoyable to hear) was a major headache to read. The ENTIRE book was like this: "Flashback six months prior, when Mrs. Endorphine's little boy was at emotional ducks and drakes over a series of tribulations, which, if you count my misplaced beret, topped Job's. First, this fortune cookie from Taiwan I was tutoring in anatomical hydraulics eighty-sixes me for an apprentice pie maker, then I get sued to the tune of many dead presidents for backing my Jaguar through a Christian Science Reading Room." So, I admit, that passage in ISOLATION is fairly entertaining, if not totally absurd, but continue this non-stop whacked-out 1940's detective movie slang parade for the next 150 pages and a reader just gets tired. I like playing with language, but it works out less well in print than in dialogue.
January 27, 2020
Creo que este libro es completamente lo que llamar铆amos un Fan Service para quien sea un fiel seguidor de Woody Allen desde hace ya algunas d茅cadas.
El libro arremete en muchas de las breves historias a manera de s谩tira en contra de la religi贸n, la pol铆tica y la sociedad New Yorkina.
La mayor铆a de los cuentos se encuentran localizados en New York y esta narrada desde la perspectiva de coloridos personajes de diferentes c铆rculos sociales y estatus econ贸micos (Por as铆 llamarlo).
Woody hace sobre todo un uso incre铆ble de la s谩tira haciendo hincapi茅 en lo absurdo de la vida, la fama y la pol铆tica.
En general el libro me saco mas de una sonora carcajada, sin embargo no le doy el 5 estrellas completa por que creo que su obra esta cargada de referencias a los trabajos anteriores de Allen ademas de que emplea demasiadas noticias, nombres de socialites y artistas con los que si no estas familiarizado puede que te pierdas un poco en la lectura.
Pero en general, recomiendo este libro para aquel que goce del relato corto.
El libro arremete en muchas de las breves historias a manera de s谩tira en contra de la religi贸n, la pol铆tica y la sociedad New Yorkina.
La mayor铆a de los cuentos se encuentran localizados en New York y esta narrada desde la perspectiva de coloridos personajes de diferentes c铆rculos sociales y estatus econ贸micos (Por as铆 llamarlo).
Woody hace sobre todo un uso incre铆ble de la s谩tira haciendo hincapi茅 en lo absurdo de la vida, la fama y la pol铆tica.
En general el libro me saco mas de una sonora carcajada, sin embargo no le doy el 5 estrellas completa por que creo que su obra esta cargada de referencias a los trabajos anteriores de Allen ademas de que emplea demasiadas noticias, nombres de socialites y artistas con los que si no estas familiarizado puede que te pierdas un poco en la lectura.
Pero en general, recomiendo este libro para aquel que goce del relato corto.
September 7, 2009
As I read this book I told myself, " I am as big a fan of synonyms as the next bibliophile but c'mon!"
Here is an example of that which I speak, "a quincunx* of loyal minions scurried forward" "a salivating lycanthrope*". This one I had to admit was funny, "my son from a previous connubial holocaust".
*quincunx=five objects
*lycanthrope=werewolf
So, at times, it was funny but most of the time it was tenebrous, obtuse and pedantic.
Here is an example of that which I speak, "a quincunx* of loyal minions scurried forward" "a salivating lycanthrope*". This one I had to admit was funny, "my son from a previous connubial holocaust".
*quincunx=five objects
*lycanthrope=werewolf
So, at times, it was funny but most of the time it was tenebrous, obtuse and pedantic.
January 9, 2021
I'd never understood the criticism that Woody Allen was a pretentious writer until settling in to his books. A collection of light comedy stories, of which about a quarter are any good. The final three in the brief compendium are worth a glance, but not a purchase. Still, short and sweet, a nice little distraction for the weekend, but shamefully half-baked and littered with wordplay that relies on an avalanche of large words, rather than strong writing.
February 28, 2016
I remember laughing hysterically at a couple of Woody's tiny books when I was in college, but the thrill seems to be gone. I did get a chuckle out of a few stories, but I was disappointed I didn't enjoy this collection more. ;-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.