Customer Reviews

Chump Change

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If I were a woman in a Toronto bar, I'd stay far enough away from David Henry to be safe but keep close enough to fix a keen eye on him! To witness his escapades and get the added benefit of seeing the world through his twisted yet endearing outlook is a soul-soaring treat. The book gets a 10 on the laugh scale. (It was my husband's guffaws at reading the book that sparked my interest in the first place.) Everything from girlfriend "Kim, Gloria, or whatever" to the "Get it On" store are gifts of hilarity I hope reappear in subsequent novels by David Eddie. Encore, encore!

There are many novels which attempt to be real and pertinent to every day life. However, many authors tend to write in fantasy situations. David Eddie has written about life experiences that every college graduate has gone through. Life is almost always harder in the "real world" than in the sheltered college environment, and this story shows one person's progress and journey between trying to make enough money to survive and actually keeping in line with goals that were not monetary in nature. This truly is an outstanding story!

This is a very, very funny book by an exciting new talent about the life & times of a lost young member of Generation X. ("We're a whole generation of late bloomers," he says. "At least, we hope we are.") But don't make the mistake of confusing author & protagonist, because the most impressive thing about this book, aside from its nonstop laughs, is the author's determined refusal to tolerate any excuses for his protagonist's mistakes and misdeeds.

David Henry is one of those characters you could just keep reading about and he would never get boring. Loved the book. The writing is so funny, thoughful and moving. The end really surprised me. It is very bittersweet. What happens to David? And where is he now? Great commentary on New York in the beginning and life in Toronto. The lead character also goes through quite a journey (a realistic one that never loses the reader's attention). There are so many great comic scenes in this book (i.e. everything with Kim, David going to strip bars in NY and smoking pot, his friend Max and all of the jerk newsroom people he has to put up with towards the end of the novel) and one particularly touching one where Henry cooks dinner for his father...Almost cried when I read that. Modern writing at its best. Highly recommended to fans of Oscar Wilde and even Knut Hamson.

This book is simply hilarious. David Henry is no hero. In fact, he's probably one of the most flawed characters I've ever come across in any of the books I've read. Jobless, up to his eyeballs in debt, without a girlfriend and an all-out immature child of an adult -- he's fascinating and gets himself into situations that are so funny that I've had tears in my eyes. Take a character like that and put him on a quest to land a real job and find true love and you get "Chump Change".

An excellent first novel from a very talented writer. His prose is well constructed, fast paced and laced with a tender sarcasm that makes the reader feel as if they are in a personal conversation with Eddie. Writing in the first person is difficult, and although Eddie occasionally becomes style-obsessed and glib, he quickly catches himself, turning his razor wit upon himself to the delight of the reader.

A superb first effort. Good job, Dave. I'm looking forward to your next book.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. David Eddie wrote a thoroughly engaging, clever novel. I was extremely impressed with Eddie's insight into the twentysomething experience. Everything from dodging college loan collectors to the dating and interpersonal scene to the largely unfulfilling career path. This is the book that Coupland's Microserfs tries to be.

David Eddie's Chump Change is nothing short of a triumph. Even more stunning when you consider it's a first novel. It is a snap-shot of a life going wrong, a character study told in a frank, self-assured style and loaded with laugh-out-loud moments of absurdity most of us can relate to to some extent; I know I relate to David Henry, our "hero". It also displays a keen insight into the human condition, our world, and the cost of following your dreams. David Henry wants to be a writer, but nothing is going his way, and he is his own worst enemy. From the opening line of the novel, you're drawn in to his tale of despair, regret, poverty, heart ache, momentary respect, and climactic descent. Personally, I related so entirely to this story, it's mood, it's circumstances, it's become my favorite. It is a joy and a comfort to read, and outrageously funny. And it's a good thing Mr. Henry has not lost his sense of humour, because then this tale could be considered tragic. David Eddie is a true talent. He has captured the spirit of our generation without losing sight of the importance of principles and integrity. Well done! Incidentally, he has a "blog" site you can reach simply by typing in "David Eddie's thoughts". More fine Eddie despair...and, of course, very funny.

David Eddie has done an exceptional job of capturing the malaise of today's disenchanted 20- somethings. The story is both hilarious and heartbreaking. I found myself laughing outloud at numerous passages in the book, and also filled with a profound sense of sadness at other points. This is a definite must read for anyone in their twenties.

You may not identify with David Henry, the quixotic protagonist of this novel, but you can certainly sympathize with him. The narrative is filled with such wit and down-on-your-luck wisdom that you hope his trials will continue indefinitely.