Customer Reviews

Relative Discomfort: The Family Survival Guide

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I stumbled across Relative Discomfort while browsing Amazon and immediately used the 1-click order button based on the title alone. If you have a "normal" family, this book probably won't make much sense, but if you're like the 99.9% of Americans that have some dysfunction, this book is a must have!

Reading Jeremy Greenberg's writing is like catching up with an old friend. I felt like he was writing about MY family! There is a level of familiarity and he has no shame stating the (very) wrong things most people think but do not say. This book was laugh out loud funny to the point where I found myself reading passages out loud to friends because it was just too hilarious to keep to myself.

I rarely write reviews, but I couldn't put down this book down. I was recommending it to friends and coworkers before I finished reading Relative Discomfort. It's a fun, funny book and it makes a great present/subtle hint for all of your weird a** family members and friends.

I was able to see Jeremy after one of his comedy shows and he was selling his book. I enjoyed his act and bought the book even though I don't have any kids (or spouse) of my own. Has he ever prepared me for the things that could happen when I have my own family. He put a funny spin on in-laws, holidays, and dealing with everyday nonsense is a positive and insightful manner. I would suggest this book to anyone who has kids, or doesn't...

A great book for anyone from a large family and/or dreads family gatherings. You can't read this book and not find a family member parodied here.

When I think about family, first I think about shame, but immediately after that this book springs to mind. A joy to read, fun to look at, and pleasing to hold in one's hand. If you like to laugh, buy this book. Simply put, it's hilarious.

I Picked this book up after watching Jeremy Greenberg's stand up comedy routine at a comedy club. This book is a great read full of humor, wit and written with intellegence.

Whenever the great comedian Jeremy Greenberg has come to town, I've enjoyed his performances. He's much more articulate and inventive than the average American stand-up artist; for this reason, I've always sought out his written material. He gives the impression of being a writer who happens to be a very funny performer, rather than merely a performer who happens to write. This has all led me to his new book, Relative Discomfort.

This is not the usual "contemporary comedy" book. There's not a single pedestrian paragraph or wasted sentence. Irreverent, daring, and just cocky enough to surprise the reader into genuine laughter with unexpected asides and left turns, this is one of the very few books I've ever read that have made me laugh out loud. I'm not really a "laugh out loud" guy while reading, in spite of being a lifelong book lover and comedy buff. But this book provides a very welcome exception.

If you meet both of the following criteria, I highly recommend this book: 1. You are human. 2. You have family members of some kind.

An excellent job. I look forward to more books by Mr. Greenberg. I hope he never stops writing. There aren't enough people out there offering such a consistently high level of originality.

When I first got this book, I skimmed it a little bit, and ended up laughing out loud enough that I had to read it cover to cover. Reading it after Thanksgiving was so appropriate that I'm thinking of getting it for a certain so and so for Christmas...

If you've ever felt the flight or fight reflex in a room full of quirky old relatives you know you're just too close to, this book will help. The age-old cure of humor to deal with problems really does still work.

Picked it up based on the recommendation of a friend just prior to the in-laws coming to town for an extended stay. I'm glad I did. At night after everyone had turned in, I'd be giggling away because of how true it all was and how helpful the tips were.

I think the very important thing to understand about Relative Discomfort up front is that it loves to insult people. All people, all the time, and nothing is sacred. If you have a pet concern that is meaningful to you, be prepared to take in some deep breaths.

There are chapters in here that joke - at length - about feeding alcohol to babies and dogs. Never mind that it'd be fatal, but somehow it's funny. Right at the start of the book it talks about awful people in the world - the racists, the homophobes, the alcoholics ... and the obese. That right there is guaranteed to upset 2/3rds of the readers. If you're heavy, it's not lovely to be thought that you're tossed in with racists and alcoholics because of your size.

I had this same sort of iffy reaction to most of the book. Yes, there were some sections where I laughed out loud because they were funny. The commentary about behavior of sisters or mothers or fathers is often right on. However, there were just as many times where I winced at stereotypes that went beyond funny into offensive.

I watch a lot of comedy shows, and it's always interesting to discuss with friends where the "line of taste" is. At what point is a routine funny, and at what point is it just rude? It's a challenge for comedians to straddle that line, to help us challenge our opinions, to stretch our horizons, to think outside the box. I admire what they do and how they do it. Still, giving yourself the shield of humor should not allow you to continually, repeatedly bash a group just because they exist. Otherwise the KKK could start a weekly humor TV show to voice their opinions.

Still, I feel hesitant to pick on a humor book because its humor is too in-your-face. If everything was off limits, there would be no humor at all. I think it's fair to simply warn people up front. If you like a low key style of humor, this book will probably push too many triggers with its anti-race, anti-gay, anti-etc commentary. If your idea of enjoyment is to laugh at everything and anyone, then you're probably all set!