I'm with Stupid [Paperback]

Elaine Szewczyk (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 24, 2008

A hilarious tale of girl meets boy, girl falls in lust, girl discovers boy is not playing with a full deck...

When Kas meets William while on safari in South Africa he seems perfect-a gorgeous park ranger, both kind and brave (he saved the tour from certain death by water buffalo). Her two best friends, Max, an endlessly scheming personal trainer, and Libby, a jobless bombshell, would like to get their hands on William...but he's only interested in Kas, an editorial assistant at a struggling New York literary agency who thinks William is out of her league. The two have a fling, and Kas returns home to New York wondering if she'll hear from William again. So when he finally sends an email, she's delighted.

Until she opens it.

The email is not quite the love missive Kas expected. Did she misjudge William? A miscommunication ensues, triggering a rapid-fire series of comic developments that, within days, bring William to New York, now under the impression that Kas has offered him a place to live. As he unveils his big plan to take Manhattan by storm and make his fortune, Kas finally recognizes how limited William's intellectual capabilities are: He makes Kevin Federline look like Albert Einstein.

Readers are along for the outrageous ride as Kas copes with her new roommate's eccentricities, including a preoccupation with the Psychic Friends Network and a passion for collecting Big Apple-themed souvenirs, and the realization that her dream man is a comic nightmare.

"Elaine Szewczyk is smart and funny, and knows that New York bars and African safaris have something important in common: When it comes to dating, it's a jungle out there. If you savor Sophie Kinsella or Lauren Weisberger, you'll want to add her to your reading list."---Chris Bohjalian, author of MIDWIVES, THE DOUBLE BIND, and SKELETONS AT THE FEAST

"Spirited, irreverent, bilious, and above all funny, Elaine Szewczyk's bitter cocktail provides a much-needed antidote for the chick-lit genre..."---Adam Langer, author of Ellington Boulevard, Crossing California, and The Washington Story

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Girl gets boy and wishes she hadn't in this funny, refreshingly irreverent confection."
- People

"Szewczyk's debut is a clever blend of Shakespeare and Sex and the City with a touch of Binnie Kirshenbaum for good measure."
- Booklist

"[An] entertaining debut novel...with breezy prose, witty one-liners and goofball antics."
- Publishers Weekly

"When Szewczyk's novel strikes the right comedy note, it's dead on and hilarious... Szewczyk's writing is fast paced and frenetic-at times it's like talking to a good friend with a mild case of ADD. Kas and her crew are a hoot and a half, and this debut author definitely shows tons of promise."
- Romantic Times

"Why are pretty people often dumb? This timeless question is explored in Szewczyk's riotous novel of love and low IQs, I'm with Stupid."
- Time Out New York

"Szewczyk's cheerfully caustic sense of humor is a delight.... Recommended for all popular fiction collections."
- Library Journal

"Fun romp."
- Chicago Tribune; picked as a 2008 Hot Summer Read

About the Author

Elaine Szewczyk was born in Krakow, Poland. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her work has appeared in The Financial Times, Playboy and The Chicago Tribune, among other publications. Currently she is the Editor at Kirkus Reviews. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

• Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: 5 Spot (July 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446582476
• ISBN-13: 978-0446582476
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 1 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,372,075 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elaine Szewczyk was born in Krakow, Poland. Her debut novel, I'm with Stupid, about a one-night stand gone wrong, has been optioned by ABC TV. Elaine is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her work has appeared in The Financial Times, Playboy, and The Chicago Tribune, among other publications. Currently she is the editor of Kirkus Reviews. She lives in New York City. Visit www.stupidnovel.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars On the Rebound, August 3, 2008

By 

K. C. Liput "coco_houston" (Houston) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I'm with Stupid (Paperback)

Kas is a young woman in NY who is faced with the reality that "not all guys are who you think they are - or wish they were". It goes from worse - to bad... from a narcissistic user to an unconscious idiot savant user. On the rebound Kas wakes up with a "12" in South Africa, until she actually hears what is coming out of his mouth in New York (or e-mails), to discover he's really only a"3" - reality, he is a savory mindless piece of eye candy. She has two lovely friends on her journey - Max a `have to have' friend (especially with any revenge anyone would like to sic on an X) and his less motivated sexy cousin, Libby. Kas not only learns that not only are the men she dates not who she thought they were, but neither are her parents or brother. It's a right of passage of a young woman meeting sheer reality in humor, on the rebound.

The book did too many side-track journeys. Characters are very interesting and entertaining. The book probably would appeal to more 20 - 30' year olds. The book I would recommend to a single woman (or man)- especially in the dating jungle finding her/his footing (I ordered it for a younger relative). I did have a few good giggles. The lower rating is probably my 40-ish age perspective.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, August 6, 2008

By 

Christopher M. Orvino "ORV" (Elmhurst, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I'm with Stupid (Paperback)

I'm not one who usually reads this type of novel, but I heard from a friend I should give it a try...I was not disappointed to say the least. Ms. Szewczyk is funny, witty, and a great story teller. I really got into all the interesting characters in the book. I felt like I knew the three main charaters, Kas, Max, and especially Libby from real life. Ms. Szewczyk also gives you some great insight into the strange twists relationships can take, which are many in the story. I also appreciate her pride in her ethnicity! I enjoyed the times Kas is at her parents Polish deli, and the different interactions with her mother, father, and brother. Coming from an italian family, this is all so familiar. I feared for a very expected and tidy wind up to all the different plots going on, this did not happen and I thought the ending was perfect! I hope Ms. Szewczyk continues to write novels because I really enjoyed her first!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable at times, January 11, 2009

By 

Shannon M. Mcgee "Confuzzled Books" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I'm with Stupid (Paperback)

The book was interesting in the beginning, when they first made the trip to South Africa. Once they got to New York again, it became a little predicable. I have seen this storyline in tv shows, and to me it is an unrealistic story. I can't see it ever happening to someone. This book had it's humorous moments, but it just didn't have enough story or plot for me. It had it serious moments too. In fact, one moment about Kas and her brother Henryk had me tearing up. I think had the book mixed the serious and funny better, instead of trying to be so humorous all the time, it would have balanced out better. As it was, the book tried so hard to stay funny all the time that it became boring. It has moments similar to Sex and the City, which is a show I have never been a fan of. So if you like Sex and the City, you will probably like this book. Overall, I thought it was funny at times but boring at others.