Shelf Monkey [Paperback]

Corey Redekop (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2007

Thomas Friesen has three goals in life: get a job, make friends, and find a good book to curl up with. After landing a job at READ, the newest hypermegabookstore, he feels he may have accomplished all three. All is not peaceable within the stacks, however, as discontent steadily rises, aimed squarely at talk show host Munroe Purvis, whose wildly popular book club is progressively lowering the IQ of North America. But the bookworms have a plan—plots are being hatched and the destruction of Munroe is all but assured. As Thomas finds himself swept along in the malstrom of insanity, he wonders if reading a book is all it's cracked up to be.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"You'll probably enjoy this one, as I did. . . . Redekop has managed a credible debut."  —The Toronto Star

"Witty first novel."  —The Record

"Invigorating."  —Literary Review of Canada

"This will be the start of a very promising career for Redekop."  —Skullring.org

"Corey Redekop provided this year's gonzo fun with his Shelf Monkey, an utterly enjoyable novel about radical bookworms."  —Locus Online

About the Author

Corey Redekop is a librarian, freelance writer, and blogger at shelf-monkey.blogspot.com. He lives in London, Ontario.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: ECW Press (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550227661
• ISBN-13: 978-1550227666
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,505,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What would a Shelf Monkey make of this book?, January 10, 2008

By 

Nathan (Wilmington, DE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shelf Monkey (Paperback)

When I picked up Corey Redekop's SHELF MONKEY, I was going through a bit of a slump. Hadn't really read much in a week or two. Hadn't yet finished a book this year. I'm not sure what prompted me to pick this one up. Maybe the design similarities to Matt Ruff's manic BAD MONKEYS. In any event, it was a good move, because this odd little novel is great fun, engagingly written throughout, stoking my guttering enthusiasm into its usual bibliophilic blaze. It also quickly became clear that the author's taste in books is complementary to mine; while reading this novel my already daunting to-read pile grew alarmingly. So perhaps it wasn't such a great idea to read SHELF MONKEY after all.

Except it was! It was a blast, a page-turner. Unputdownable! Riveting! Amusing! Arousing! Inspiring!

Anyway.

Will this charming little novel still be remembered 50 years from now? I doubt it, but in the meantime, do the book-lover in you a favor and take a chance on it. I for one am eagerly awaiting whatever comes next from Mr. Redekop.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I love books about people who love books, October 24, 2008

By 

Cathe Fein Olson "Avid reader and writer" (curled up with a book) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shelf Monkey (Paperback)

This is a quirky story about an exlawyer who gets a job at a megabook store and hooks up with others who hate all the trash that people are reading. Their mission to rid the world of crappy books becomes focused on a sleazy talk show host whose book club promotes the worst of the worst books--and then things get a bit out of hand.

If there were half points, I would have given this a 4.5--points off only because I got pretty grossed out at the end. Otherwise, the writing is great, the humor is clever, and the story is completely engrossing. Can't to see what Redekop comes out with next.

5.0 out of 5 stars Satirical, savage...and brilliant, November 7, 2010

By 

Cliff Burns (Western Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shelf Monkey (Paperback)

Who would believe terrorism could be this much fun?

Of course, in this case, the "terrorists" are a cadre of bibliophiles who are revolted by how the corporate mentality has infected the book trade like an insidious virus, contaminating the printed word with hype, money and the herd mentality. No sacred cows are left unskinned and Mr. Redekop has a terrific eye for snappy dialogue and witty turns of phrase. Fans of Chuck Palahniuk and Craig Clevenger will LOVE this guy. Much of Canadian fiction is a wasteland these days but every so often one encounters a book that gives you hope that this country is still capable of producing innovative, convention-busting artists. Corey Redekop...remember that name. He's going to be around, pricking sensibilities and tickling funny bones, for a long time to come.