It's so good, I had to share it before I was done reading it
356489
It would be an understatement to call this book excellent. The highest praise I can give is my experience, over all, with the book today. An unconventional book requires an unconventional review.

I started reading it at the laundromat this afternoon, and I could have easily spent the rest of my evening at the laundromat reading it as well, but I forced myself to put it down as being at the laundromat isn't particularly pleasant and I couldn't exactly enjoy this book with a glass of bourbon there, so I finished the laundry as quickly as possible, made the quick drive home, picked the tablet back up, and poured a glass of bourbon.

I thought of a particular friend of mine immediately while reading the foreword. Not having purchased a gift for Christmas for this friend, it seemed like a good idea, and to my credit, I did consider finishing the book before gifting a copy--that just seems to be a wise decision in general. However, as I read, bourbon in hand, I reached a point where the book was just so damn good that I simply could not continue reading it without sharing it with someone whom I thought would enjoy it at least as much as I was enjoying it. If you have a friend like that, you'll understand when you read it. In any case, I pried my eyes away from the tablet just long enough to send a gift copy of the book with Christmas wishes and an abjuration to read it as soon as possible because it is too good, and then I resumed reading, and have now finished reading, and am now writing this review.

The book is entitled "Thoughts?" and the stated goal is to make people think. And I am thinking. But at the same time, I'd rather not pollute the experience for potential readers with too much specificity. Salviander's sense of the absurd and the surreal is fantastic--brilliant even. The writing is crisp, biting, and intelligent. The book contains 100 short stories, many of which would be classified as flash-fiction today. Many of these vignettes--these thoughts--are morose, dark, tragic. A couple in particular even brought a tear to my eye--no mean feat in literature. But there are some riotously funny and lighter bits in there as well (and often while in the process of being dark or tragic.) Nothing in it could be regarded as treacle; even the lighter thoughts have depth and gravity. It's all well-grounded with a refreshing lack of pretense. There is something for everyone who loves absurdism and surrealism. If the book has a weakness, it is only that it is just now being published for an English-speaking audience--20 years ago, it would certainly have made serious waves in some circles over here as well--but that has more to do with the zeitgeist and the current literary scene than it does with the book in itself.

Rather than succumbing to the temptation of sharing my favorite thoughts in "Thoughts?", I'll close with this: if you like absurdist, surrealistic flash-fiction, then stop reading the reviews and read this book, it's more than worth every penny. For me it was an easy 5/5, and if paperbacks should become available, I'll be ecstatic to purchase another copy.
3244418
When I finished reading this book, my first thought was 'Who will discuss this book with me?'  Every page opened my eyes to another world.  Every story made me more and more grateful of the evidently plush life I've led as a middle-class American.  This is one of those books I want to highly recommend, but as much as it's changed my outlook, I can't recommend it to just anybody.  I honestly think everyone needs to read it, but it's graphic nature (at points), and the fact that's it's narrated by children is almost too much to handle some times.  I realize it's fiction, but it's probably one of the best fiction books I've ever read.
2348603
It's raw, it's real, it's funny when it needs to be and frighteningly serious in enough places to get me completely out of my comfort zone. The author's ability to make me feel like I'm there (love the vicarious thrill)is admirable. It' a 10-star winner for me.
2593269
I think this is my first review of any books, but I enjoyed it so much I had to share this with the world. Sam is a down to earth, down on his luck loser, who realizes his life of excess has come to an end. It's crazy what he does to get his finances (and weight) back in line. I wouldn't suggest it as a diet, but I found myself eating more beans (to sympathize with him) while reading this book. I tried the lentils only once. Not good no matter how you serve them.
422344
I couldn't put it down and when I did, I thought about it until I could resume reading it.
3670271
If you haven't not read this ... You must. It s that damn good.
893860
Blessed Are the Misfits is the perfect combination of all the things I didn't know I needed to hear. It simultaneously soothed my soul and had me shouting, ah ha! I knew it wasn't just me! It was moving, and genuine, and honest. It made me feel like maybe I do have a place to fit after all; with all the other misfits who are just as lost as I am.

I really don't want to give away too much, because if you're tracking with me so far, I really want you to go read this book, but I will leave with one final thought from the book. One of the most valuable insights therein was a Hansens referral to a dark night that many of us experience; a lack of emotional reward from our spiritual lives, something others seem to have in abundance. The idea was described concisely this way: If the feeling is gone, maybe this whole this is a charade. But Hansen bravely suggests that letting go of the expectation of emotionality is, in fact, liberating. He says this to sum it all up:

We become less dependent on our feelings. Even the Our faith becomes less about the comings and goings of emotion and more about loving people freely.

How many of us need to hear that? How many of us need that spoken into our marriages, our families, and our churches? I know I did.

I could honestly go on and on about this book. After reading it through once, I only held myself back from reading it again because I felt like my husband needed to read it too. But Im going to stop here because, again, if youve tracked with me so far, I really want you to go out and get this book. Trust me, you need to hear what hes got to say.
4598102
I told my family and friends, it is thrilling to the last page, read it every free moment I had
2318997
As soon as a few pages in, I knew this was going to be a great read.  I couldn't figure out how someone could come across as so intelligent describing the life he was talking about.

I usually never write reviews, but this book is so good, I can't not write one!  Unfortunately, I just finished it, and I miss reading it already.

I agreed with much of his outlook on life, and have problems with other parts... but who am I to judge?  I'm just grateful he was willing to open up as much as he did.

The end was amazing!  Not a surprise because he is so intelligent how could he not come to that conclusion of life?

Definitely worth the money and time spent on it!!!
1120675
One of the highest compliments I can pay book; when I finished it I said, "I wish that book wasn't over."
4006021
It made me think about some things in a new way , i am planing on reading it again in the next week or two, it was that GOOD
107200
I loved it so much I sent it to my family and friends.  I even read it twice myself!
33384
I bought this book originally because it sounded great and then it kind of sat on my shelf, staring at me, wondering if I was every going to actually read it. Until I finally picked it up on a whim to bring with me on a beach day in August and then I got really into it, however with the busyness of life I kind of forgot about it again until most recently. So I re-started it and once I did, I couldn't put it down. A few of my friends were like oh a list of something isn't a book and you know what maybe they are right but this book did change me for the better. It inspired me to find a passion in life, to make changes and be a better person. It also encouraged me to take small risks and to motivate me to figure out what I'm doing with my life. It helped me through some pretty tough times and I am glad that it made me feel less alone in all the confusion and roller coaster ride my twenties really are. The author, Paul Angone, is a spectacular writer and from him sharing a piece of his story with us readers made the book feel more personal and he is a truly great guy who is only looking to help others with his advice. I honestly do recommend this book to anyone in their twenties who is going through a rough patch because lets face it, who really knows what they are supposed to, who to be or what their life actually means after graduating or getting ready to. Life is confusing and I am glad that I picked up this book because overall it did help. I even gave it to one of my friends as a suggestive read for him and he wound up loving it as well even though he is half way through it!
2294416
Ok, let me tell you how good this book is:  I pretty much never rate things, much less write reviews on them.  I'm only on page 9 of this book and I seriously stopped reading it mid-sentence so that I could get on here and give this MASTERPIECE 5 stars.

The author has an awesome style of writing.  From the first line of the table of contents you can tell that he's conveying a very causal tone.  As you read it you can just picture him sitting right beside you, perhaps at a pub or something, telling you these stories in a very modern way.  It creates a sort of intimacy between yourself and the author, like he's just one of your buds telling you a story.

(I will say, it's probably not the best for children, and stingy old people will probably find it vulgar or something, but speaking as a 20-something, it's fantastic!)
2153342
It impressed me so much that I'm going to give my book club a book review of it...only problem is there is so much in it I need to discuss, it may take hours. This is so well documented and readable...and I've also told many others about it.
1502370
I simply could not put it down. I had shared it with my wife and when I told her she would like it, she picked it up and went right by me and finished first. It's a really good read.
2146494
Opened my eyes to a lot. I read it through in a couple days then gave it to my friend to read because I loved it so much and wanted to share