Good read, don't try to take it seriously
933762
As is often the case with Mr. Koontz, the characters are entertaining, the story veers a little, you get to know a lot of tree names and the premise is dubious. However, you can get a little lost in the read, which is what I look for. I don't expect a mystery novel to enlighten my sense of reality and this does just that.
1864922
I found many aspects of this book quite helpful.  For example, her make-up and fashion advice really helped improve my appearance.  However, I can't take her too seriously, for example, hiring an image consultant is way out of my price range.  I would nonetheless recommend the book, just please don't take everything to heart.

An even better book on this subject is Why Men Marry Some Women and Not Others.  I bought the book in June, met my fiance in July, got engaged in January, and will be married in May.
2415961
I like the anecdotes, although simplified, condensed, and likely taken out of context.  The author points out things which should be obvious but most of us need refreshers from time to time.  It can be somewhat depressing to see life portrayed in such cold, callous terms, but there is some truth to it.  I would not advise someone to live one's life by these "laws", but the author does point out that the "laws" do not apply to everyone.
2876416
I liked this book, but found it to be a bit depressing although extremely well written. It wasn't a quick read for me (and I usually read a book this size in about a day) as I kept putting it down and coming back to it. The recipes and newspaper articles, along with the general writing style make it a fun, though not perfect read. Enjoy!
631494
i enjoyed this thoroughly. mostly b/c i didn't take it too seriously. he has thought long and hard about what it is to be a cycling commuter and perhaps being a new yorker has left him jaded and angry, thinking he is being funny. i can appreciate it b/c i am such a person myself at times (hopefully not all the time) and i had a lot of fun reading it, laughing out loud. i certainly need a laugh at times so it all worked out. also, i belong to a Christian church and i *can* say that it was an enjoyable read (he has made fun of us to an immense degree) - mostly b/c i do not take myself so seriously. that said, yeah it's probably not for everyone as you can see from the many reviews already written. many do not like it and i can see why. so to each his/her own, and if you like bike snob nyc, (read a few blog posts first), then go for it. TBT i am not a blog reader but i have occasionally read a couple of his posts - and i haven't read the first book of his. hope this helps make a decision.
1160238
Some reviews pan this title because it paints motorcycling as relatively risky.  It can be.  But the author's intent is to paint a realistic picture of the risks involved.  All responsible motorcycling literature along this vein wants you to take the sport and its risks very seriously.  Against this serious backdrop, though, the author manages to be funny (my opinion).  The chapter on Riding at night is hilarious.  Is it too stark?  Not if you crash.  The margin for error is not wide in motorcycling.  The more prepared you are, the better.  This book can help.
2578675
The author has a 'way-with-words' and tells her story with humor.
Although somewhat naive and seemingly 'unworldly' ... she seems to get away situations.
Still: don't take it too seriously - gloss your way through this one.......
2102976
Like all 'self-help' books, this one needs to be read with a pinch of salt, and the 'one size fits all' advice is not for everyone. Still, for the discerning and alert reader, there is alot of good stuff in here. I suppose it's mostly common sense, but it doesn't hurt to be reminded. The book is probably not much use to those who haven't already come to some of some of his conclusions, such as

money is the friend, not an enemy
money doesn't make you happy
don't envy what others have
once you have it, don't flaunt it

If you need to be told these things, you're not ready for this book - or to be wealthy. The book is really just a distillation of what you ought to know already. Of course, it isn't going to make you rich!

Good, entertaining read though.
265729
I gave this book four stars after some deliberation with myself.  I'm glad I read it.  there are some laugh out loud funny moments, especially when he is describing his life in the kitchen in the first half of the book.  The second half gets more serious.  Parts are sad and a bit uncomfortable to read.  He goes on a bit too much about his father.  I'm not sure how much of the novel is autobiographical.  it has that feel to it.

I would recommend this book.  it might be more geared toward men, but I think anyone could enjoy it.  there is quite a bit of foul language, but mostly in quoting others, and it seemed funny to me and not gratuitous.
3054647
A lot of people mistakenly consider this a book in the category of humor, but while there are some lines/situations that can make a reader chuckle or laugh, these are born of sad situations.  Like Joeys dog left in the glove compartment. Funny on the outside, but not really. The entire book is relatively dark; an overexaggeration of stereotyped adults (thinking grandma here), but the messed up, misdirected dad and Joeys desire to win him over even at the cost of losing himself are not so stereotypical in our modern world. A tough, hard look at how kids, especially those with physical or emotional, etc, problems, must learn to accept truths that they may not want to accept and make choices that can either harm or help them. Interesting read for older youngsters as long as there is plenty of followup including, perhaps, some outside visits to the classroom from speakers regarding ADD, medications, making choices, accepting responsibility, etc.  Dont leave the children dangling with this one, unsure of what the healthy choices are, and that sometimes neither choice is particularly compelling.
179711
Bought this one a while ago, since I found it amusing enough for my wife to read.  I related to parts of it, and she found those associations.  From there, it acted as more of a conversation starter for where the book was on, and where it varied.  Later in the book, as the author digresses into the thoughts of a woman, it really allows for a good turnabout.  Good read, as long as both men and women realise, like any good stereotyping, it's just a generalization bound in mass truths regarding both sexes, not something explicitly regarding the reader.  Dont' take it straight to heart- discuss it, and have fun with it!
3077395
There are plenty of reader-reviews that discuss the underlying premise of  this novel, so I will cut to the chase.
 I thought the book was a great  read. It created atmosphere and characters that were filled with human  foibles and desire. It creates environments where things like this are  real.
 When I sit down to read a book, I find it helpful to 'unlearn'  what expectations you have about the author, and jump right in. This may  seem somewhat illusory, since a reason you have the book may be that you  trust the author not to waste your time.
 Think again. Don't do  comparisons. Take the book for what it is. And it is really a fun read ...  the pages turn so fast that flies don't come near you, and it would make a  good movie, too.
 My only complaint is that, in the end, the wrong guy  died.
4342666
This is a good book for Christians of all stripes.  It's written in an approachable manner and deals with topics that many people struggle with.  Unfortunately it suffers from an underlying assumption that some people will find cringe worthy.  The main thrust of the book is that Christians should not be afraid to think for themselves.  "Think for yourself.  God doesn't want you to stagnate in theological constructs that limit your ability to encounter Him."  Good message.  But once it gets driven home for a while the underlying assumptions start to grate.
.
"Think for yourself."  Well duh.  What's the alternative?  Is he saying Christians tend to be sheep incapable of forming their own opinions?  Or that Christians have a problem with trusting God because they rely on the hive-mind mentality instead of their own God given gifts?  The message starts subtle but gradually builds that Christians tend be shallow silly creatures that cling to the herd for safety and are too afraid or dumb to venture where God really wants them to go.
 .
While I'm sure that any offense is completely unintentional and a great many Christians need to hear this message so that they can grow in their faith, some will find it a little condescending and maybe even obvious to the point of being insulting.
1490507
Some good and insightful stuff in this book. There are some parts that I do not agree with or it seems as though the authors are trying too hard to make something fit. So, while I enjoy this book, I have to read it more carefully for those reasons.
1894853
It is a good read, interesting enough to make you want to keep on reading even though the main characters, especially Liv, the doctors and  the maid are not believable. In spite of this, I would have given it five stars were it not for all the out of context words throughout the book. Someone should have caught them, as they are very obvious, in one instance, using "Illicit" as "Elicit." The end of the story is too abrupt, too brief and it feels forced.
4675099
This is a really good book with a very bad title.  I am a big fan of the artist naming his work whatever he/she wants to without the powers that be asserting their influence, but I think in this case the publishers should have made a fuss.  Why, you may ask? Because I think the title effectively drives away many a reader who would really enjoy this quirky little novel and attracts an audience who may be disappointed it's not a lot heavier.
Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of heavy stuff going on in here--embezzlement, death, domestic disputes, psychosis--but it's actually quite an enjoyable read.  The novel follows the exploits of a 20-something after his girlfriend breaks up with him and kicks him out of their New York apartment, leaving him effectively homeless.  He manages to scrape by through a series of freak occurrences and emerge at the end a little road weary, but essentially none the worse for the wear.
This could be the story of any recent college grad, and that is a little frightening.  However, rather than beat you over the head with a bunch of woe-is-me crap, the novel never gets overly depressing and is, in some places, rather optimistic, without being treacly or sentimental.
I really enjoyed this novel.  It is well-written, interesting, and hard to put down.
1317595
Good read but don't know if I like the idea of what it says