Customer Reviews

Men and Other Mammals

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

 

 

I simply loved this book. It reminds, I know, I know, of early Hornby, if a bit more sappy. Keeble, however, has his own voice and explores a terrain rarely seen in today's popular fiction--brothers. The relationship between Jes and Scott is very real. The book is universal and it could easily have been set in New Orleans or Dallas as London. The penguin subplot is funny and makes sense in the context of the story. The losses that Scott feels are very real and the redemption he finds is poignant. The book is a breezy but moving read.

I don't think I have laughed this hard in a book, EVER! I may be demented, but I thought it was a great read. I read it in one long weekend!

I will definitly read more of his books!

Geez! The Penguin part is soooo great! :)

A divine and sweet comedy. Has great incites on realtionships, both romantic and familial, a unique point of view. You will never view a penguin the same way again.

Jim Keeble is so talented that I won't deign to compare him to that other lad-lit writer. Men and Other Mammals tells the story of Scott Barron, a bestselling author and toast of London. His life couldn't be better - that is until his girlfriend leaves him and his third book doesn't reach the same success that his previous efforts had. To make matters worse, he's begun to envy his younger brother's life. Hasn't it always been the other way around? After all, Jes is a struggling writer with an average life. But Jes, unlike Scott, is happily married. Is love the one thing missing in Scott's life? There are some fun twists in the novel.

I know critics have put lad-lit writers through the Nick Hornby test. (Oops, I've said it!) But Keeble has wit, insight and self-deprecating humor all his own. I for one look forward to his next effort.

This book made me laugh until I cried and even moved me to tears. 'Men and other mammals' seems to be the U.S. Hyperion title for 'My Fat Brother' by Penguin in the U.K. If you have ever wondered what London, fraternal love and life look like from the perspective of a 30ish (often drunk) British male, this book will give you some insight. Add a bum, a father who ran away, and a Gentoo penguin, wave the magic Keeble wand and voila - you have a wonderful tale. The story is written with sensitivity, warmth, lots of creativity and unquenchable humor. The pace is quick, the language uncomplicated and the story highly entertaining. The encounter with the penguin had me rolling on the floor. Despite the fact that I am neither 30ish, male, or British, I greatly enjoyed 'Men and Other Mammals' and look forward to Keeble's next book. I think you will enjoy it too.

The book was a good read. Scott Barron, a writer, recently released his new book of poems "Men and Other Mammals". Despite the success of his book, his personal life is another story. He has unresolved issues with his father, figuring out as to why he left him and his brother as children and his girlfriend of eight months has left him. Scott begins to wonder what is his lot in life besides writing. Does he feel he needs a relationship to make his life complete? Does he feel helping others will make him better?
The book was a great read, rather than a good read. It was funny when he and his father kidnap a penguin and keep him in his flat reeking and soiling his bathroom. It was gross when he threw up in front of his audience as he reads a piece from his book. But it was overall interesting as to know what defines manhood. Jim Keeble did a good job. Hope he comes out with another interesting book to keep the reader in tune.

With Nick Hornby as a guage, this book gets 4 stars. It is good and funny but slightly missing the mark compared to Hornby. Horby really, really gets my generation's pop culture life and makes in incredibly funny to read. Jim Keeble is close and a good read. I will definitely give Jim another read when his next novel comes out.

men and other mammals is about a poet just starting out in the lit world and slowly making his way up the ladder. his brother is trying to do the same thing, but its just not working out the way he wants it. funny thing is, he has everything that the poet DOESN'T. so while one guy is jealous of the other, they both end up losing everything and having to pull things together as a team. along the way there are hijinks, antics, ballyhoo, shenanigans and tomfoolery, mixed in with a little sad stuff too.

well, like the title says, it has a rough start with the main character belly aching and pining after this girl who left him high and dry and he just can't get on with his life the right way. then he starts crying about how his brother and he dont have much of a relationship and how they fight and get mad at each other and blah blah blah. oh man what a drag the first 80 pages were and I was like, "come on dude, have some backbone for crying out loud!" really.

then, out of nowhere, the writer starts writing! a story comes out of left field and his character gets nice and fleshed out and i start caring about his brother and his relationship with his parents begins to get a little interesting. by the 100th page, i was really into the story, even if the character main seems like he's always dealing with situations like many sensitive young ladies i know.

and then, you know what? IT GETS FUNNY! man this writer finds his niche so well during the middle of the book that i just could not put the darn thing down! yeah, he bored the stuffing out of me for so long, i was sure that i was just going to leave the stupid book on the train like i did that piece of junk, "dirt music." but man oh man am i glad i didnt. no, this isn't "the davinci code" or anything like that, but it is a nice little read that gave me a bit of pleasure. thankfully, it winds up nice and easy and in much of a way that i expected, which pleased me because it kind of couldn't end any other way. check it out.