David's book "I Drink For a Reason" is out now

[isoS]

Does anyone remember reading? You know, the thing that came after fire and before YouTube in the history of mankind? Well, get ready to move your eyeballs ceaselessly back and forth again: David Cross's first book "I Drink For a Reason" came out on Tuesday (and in true summer reading book report fashion, I'm two days late writing about it).

This collection of essays is pretty much what you would expect it to be: Cross getting alternately (and sometimes simultaneously) silly and condescending as only he can on topics like religion, politics, relationships, religion (again), the Internet and network TV. If you've read Cross's occasional blog posts on bobanddavid.com, you know what you're in for -- quite literally, as some of those entries have wound up as chapters in this book.

Like those? You'll like this book. Like David's stand-up? You will love this book -- while he's perhaps more engaging on stage than he is in print, the sharp wit and ironic world-view come through intact. Personally, I found myself wishing that some of the comic ideas put forth here were more developed; there's something to be said for an easily digestible book with chapters averaging four pages in length, but the downside is that the good chapters are over too soon, while the lesser ones drag. Luckily, as with most books by comedians, you don't have to wait too long for things to pick up again, and Cross fans will find plenty to laugh about within these pages.

[ASR]

I got this yesterday and I've read about 50 pages so far. Seriously great stuff.

I just got done reading the chapter about scrapbooking conventions and it was oddly depressing.

[SlyBattery]

I did not purchase the book, but instead read about half of it for free at Borders. Most importantly, I found it really enjoyable. I especially enjoyed reading about what a prick Jim Belushi is because I am very petty.

[Tairy Greene]

I'm somewhat mixed on the book (Amazon shipped my copy early, I've had it for a couple weeks now).

The one thing that stood out most was that the manuscript was clearly not proofread by anyone, at least not anyone who cared about their job. It gets to be a little cringe-worthy the fifth time you see "it's" rather than "its" or "conscious" instead of "conscience." I believe there are a couple they're/there/their mix-ups as well. I don't really go looking for this kind of stuff, but it stands out particularly when many of the chapters in question center around ridiculing someone else for their irrationality/stupidity/etc. I promise I'm not some kind of grammar Nazi.

The other thing is I found myself wishing this book was the memoir Cross mentions a few times. His recent interview on Adam Carolla's podcast was a great listen and I found Cross's (somewhat at least) sincere life story and his telling of it both amusing and engaging. I Drink for a Reason would've be a great title for such a book.

[Libel]

I am a horrible speller and not anything close to a grammar nazi but damn, that sort of stuff sounds distracting. It's got to be kind of embarrassing. I think I'll check out the book this week regardless, it's been too long sense i've had the Cross pov.

[Jawa]

I am a horrible speller and not anything close to a grammar nazi but damn, that sort of stuff sounds distracting. It's got to be kind of embarrassing. I think I'll check out the book this week regardless, it's been too long sense i've had the Cross pov.

sense=since

[Libel]

You found me, it's David, just trying to promote my book.

Seriously though, you should put your skills to work and go proofread books for funny people who can't spell or understand grammar. Obviously this doesn't include me because of the funny qualifier.

edit: picked it up today. the bio's hilarious. Here's the last two lines: "He is a true patriot and a great American. He is currently fucking Amber Tamblyn."

[BillBrasky]

edit: picked it up today. the bio's hilarious. Here's the last two lines: "He is a true patriot and a great American. He is currently fucking Amber Tamblyn."

To make this even creepier, he put a picture of Russ Tamblyn as his back jacket photo.

[Bucky_Sinister]

The one thing that stood out most was that the manuscript was clearly not proofread by anyone, at least not anyone who cared about their job.

Was it a regular edition of the book? Not an ARC? (advance reader copy) The ARC's get sent out for reviews, and some people resell them right away. ARC's are often done before a final edit.

I edited a book once, made the corrections, and somehow the designer didn't send the right copy to the printer. Or she just didn't make the corrections. There were a LOT of those types of mistakes in the book. Everyone noticed.

I felt like Michael Landon-based character in The Loneliest Runner, when he comes home and his mom has displayed the bedwetted-sheets for the neighborhood to see.

[MattM]

New interview with David up on Dead Frog:

http://www.dead-frog.com/blog/entry/..._for_a_reason/

[Bucky_Sinister]

Hey, finished the book this morning on the bus ride in. Not much to add, just that I liked it. It actually reminded me a little of Henry Rollins' '80s stuff, but funny. I actually read all of Rollins' books. That's another discussion.

Re: the typos:
It looks as if it was spellchecked, which missed the homonyms. Also, some proper nouns such as "Anartica" and "Whoopie" were left in.

It's frustrating, as a writer, to see this. I had a really bad typo in my last book in a chapter header, which made the title unreadable. It was thoroughly edited, and I had read over the final edits myself and approved them. Shit happens.

Overall, it's a fun book. it's not transcriptions of his standup routines as other comedians' books often are. Essays, rants, top ten lists...

I'd definitely recommend it for any fan of his stand up.

[scamboogah]

I was particularly surprised that he devoted an entire chapter to his dustup with SFist.com several years ago. I was actually a columnist for SFist when this happened, and I remember being especially embarrassed at just how much the person that reviewed his show completely missed the point. A really good example of San Francisco P.C. overreaction at its worst.

I had my own dustup with SFist when they got a new editor that seemed to care more about getting free stuff from local businesses in trade for favorable 'reviews' than running the kind of interesting, underground perspective that it started out as. But that's also another discussion...

[BFH]

I actually read all of Rollins' books. That's another discussion.

Go, Bucky! (Henry Rollins thread)