Customer Reviews

Letters to Ebay: Hilarious Auctions, Crazy Emails, and Bongos for Grandma

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you're looking for something weird, twisted, and hilarious to pass some down time, then pick up a copy of Art Farkas' (pen name of Central Valley eBay enthusiast and author Paul Meadors) Letters to Ebay.

Amazon lists the book's key phrases as "happy bidding," "lint rollers," "deer jerky," and "depression glass" - fitting for this farcical, oftentimes obsessive, exploration of the virtual world of online consumerism.

Letters to Ebay is one of those books that's just plain good to have around when there's a possibility of a few moments down time. The letters/answers are quick reads and can be taken in small doses. Farkas knows how to shape an incredibly ridiculous question with just enough detail and earnest tone to make it believable. And the unsuspecting vendors bite, responding here with good natured sincerity, there with exasperation. The questions - funny; the real-life responses - even funnier!

Keep this book around - it's worth a big laugh a day.

Letters to Ebay: Hilarious Auctions, Crazy Emails, and Bongos for Grandma

This is a very funny book, that is sure to entertain the people who receive it for Christmas.

I have loved this book from the first time I picked it up. Whether I've got two minutes between meetings or a half an hour relaxing on the couch, Letters from Ebay doesn't disappoint. My wife and I can't control our ourbursts of laughter as we read these ridiculous and unbelievable interactions. A "Must Have" for anyone who wants to laugh.

In the vein of Christopher Guest's mockumentaries and John Stewart's joke interviews with all-too-earnest people, Art Farkas reveals just how funny it is when people try really, really, really hard to be taken seriously. Here he dupes greedy online hucksters into voraciously defending the quality of their cheesy offerings. The result? Well, I've got a copy in my bathroom, a copy on my bedside table, and a copy floating somewhere near my "A Mighty Wind" DVD.

The measured responses by the sellers are terrific (you can imagine them proofreading their letters seven times). Even better is Farkas' knack for coming off as being certifiably nuts but preciously innocent; certainly not so threatening that he scares sellers into calling off the sale. However, the crown jewels of this witty collection are the moments in which the sellers end up revealing information about THEMSELVES in response to what they must perceive as a mentally challenged inquirer. It is as if Farkas' letters stimulate the exhibitionism and (truth be told) neediness of many online shoppers. The letter about the heart-shaped locket and Sprinkles the rodeo clown is worth the cost of the book alone and reminds us that greatest comedy emerges from extraordinary coincidence, hints of true pathos, and stuff so real you couldn't make it up.

If you like "Letters From a Nut," you will appreciate this book. The author's mischievous wit shines through in each e-mail, and one senses that he received great pleasure when one of the sellers "got it," and joined in the fun. Like David Letterman Top Ten Lists, this book is great fun to read to a loved one, or to pass around at a party.

This book had me laughing hysterically as I forced my co-workers to listen to me read exerpts aloud. The author's sarcastic sense of humor is guaranteed to entertain. You can read this book start to finish or just skip around. It would make a great bathroom book, the pefect gift for someone with a quirky sense of humor, or something to pull out when you just need a good laugh. I highly recommend this book.

I have been a buyer and seller on Ebay for years, so when Letters to Ebay came out I knew it would be a fun read. And like most of my purchases, I was not disappointed. This is a very funny book!

In my opinion, this book is best enjoyed when browsed through. I don't recommend reading cover to cover, although it can be tough to put down; some of the entries are hilarious.

Letters to Ebay reminded me of the old-school radio station pranks that kept me glued to my radio when I was a kid. The stunts that Art Farkas pulls off with his letters to unsuspecting sellers are as funny as some of the best pranks from years ago.

The real question for Mr. Farkas is can he do it again? As a satisfied reader of his first effort, I sure hope so!

Mr. Farkas is a comedic genius. His questions to ebay sellers are hilarious...then you read their responses...even funnier! I highly recommend this book for yourself, your spouse, your family, your friends. Heck, I'd even give it out as Christmas gifts at your office party. Thank you, Mr. Farkas, for your wit and charm!

Read this book when you have a bad day. Instantly less than one minute, you forget what has happened that makes you so upset.

OK, I admit that I have a touch of ADD. So reading a full length novel can be a little trying. So naturally one of the reasons I love "Letters to eBay" is that you can pick it up and put it down with ease and still be fully engaged and entertained. Art Farkas has a refreshing, unique and intelligent sense of humor that reminds me of my favorite author David Sedaris. If you are a born prankster, a "Crank-Yankers" fan or like humor that falls into the category of Schadenfreude, then this is the book for you!!!