In the Event of My Untimely Demise: Twenty Things My Son Needs to Know [Hardcover]

Brian Sack (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2008

In the form of letters written to his son, Brian Sack gets right to the heart of what ultimately matters most. While some insights might seem obvious (high school is probably going to suck), others are refreshingly unconventional, and all are presented with a wit that is self-deprecating, sharp, and addictive.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A strange and hilarious compendium of parenting wisdom for an age when no one knows anything.” (Neal Pollack, author of Alternadad )

“Unlike his “Public Viewer” appearances on my television show, Brian Sack’s new book is heartwarming, sincere and exceptionally funny.” (Glenn Beck, #1 New York Times bestselling author of An Inconvenient Book )

“Brian Sack’s book In the Event of my Untimely Demise had me laughing, crying with laughter, and seriously considering a vasectomy, often in the same paragraph.” (Grant Stoddard, author of Working Stiff )

“I like my life wisdom sardonic, salty and refreshingly dry, just the way Brian Sack serves it in his charming and insightful collection of essays.” (Alisa Kwitney, author of The Dominant Blonde and Flirting in Cars )

“Brian Sack’s In The Event of my Untimely Demise is a very funny book--let’s keep him alive so that he may write some more!” (Chris Regan, Emmy Award Winning Writer, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart )

“A book that covers almost everything that a human being in the modern world needs to know... It’s the kind of advice that, if we’re being honest, we all kinda wish our fathers had bothered to tell us.” (Vanity Fair )

“Part witty memoir, part common-sense guide and part social commentary, In the Event of My Untimely Demise is an owner’s manual for the late-model human heart.” (David Giffels, author of All the Way Home )

“An addictive read. You might come for the laughs, but you stay for the undeniable honesty of it all. In the end, it reminds us all of why it’s so great to be a parent - and that’s worth a lot more than the price of this book.” (Fusion Magazine )

About the Author

Brian Sack offers humorous commentary on the Glenn Beck Show and Not Just Another Cable News Show, as well as on his award-winning blog, banterist.com, and in publications such as McSweeney's, The Independent, and Glamour.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006137430X
• ISBN-13: 978-0061374302
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,053,210 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Sack has written humor for Radar, The Independent, CRACKED, Radar, Glamour and McSweeney's Internet Tendency. His work appears in the Best of McSweeney's compilation Created In Darkness By Troubled Americans (Vintage, 2005).

Sack and musician John Mayer collaborated on a comedy short titled The Paul Reddy Show. Sack's clueless "Paul Reddy" character was based on PBS mainstay Charlie Rose and peppers Mayer with outlandish and often absurd questions. He has also appeared in numerous commercials and audiobooks as well as the video game Grand Theft Auto IV.

His first book, "In the Event of My Untimely Demise" (HarperCollins, 2008) was a collection of humorous essays for his son.

In July 2011 the GBTV network announced that Sack would be hosting "The B.S. of A." a show based on his second book "The B.S. of A. - A Primer in Politics for the Incredibly Disenchanted." (Simon & Schuster, 2011) In an interview Sack claimed the show would be nonpartisan and objective due to his "complete indifference to politicians and political parties."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book makes me giggle in bed., May 9, 2008

By 

Jen Singer "Author, You're a Good Mom (and Yo... (Kinnelon, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Event of My Untimely Demise: Twenty Things My Son Needs to Know (Hardcover)

For the past few nights, I've annoyed my husband by busting out laughing while reading this book. Brian is a funny writer with a clever book that's more memoir than advice book, though I will save mine for my boys for when they're old enough to read about Irish pubs and French stalkers.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarity ensues the moment you open the cover..., May 2, 2008

By 

John Damien (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Event of My Untimely Demise: Twenty Things My Son Needs to Know (Hardcover)

"In the Event of My Untimely Demise: Twenty Things My Son Needs to Know" is a laugh a minute (or second, depending on whether or not you're speed-reading). For anyone who's ever read Mr. Sack's blog, banterist dot com, or seen any of his commentaries on The Glenn Beck Program, you won't be disappointed by his first book. It seems that whatever Brian Sack touches is comedy gold (he even co-produced, of all things, a comedy-documentary, "Johnny Berlin"). I highly recommend this book. It may yet become my third favorite piece of comedic writing behind Steve Martin's shamefully out-of-print "Cruel Shoes, and Woody Allen's "Without Feathers."

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You know it's good when you laugh ..., May 4, 2008

By 

Media Vixen "mediavixen" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Event of My Untimely Demise: Twenty Things My Son Needs to Know (Hardcover)

... so hard on the subway that people are looking at you. 'Tis true. The even better part of this book, is that it is very very touching. It's so good that I've been reading it aloud to friend who have already bought it.
Bravo!