Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Warning: May Cause Public Snorting!, September 9, 2005
The cover alone made me giggle in the aisle of my local bookstore . . . opening the book and reading the chapter titles made me laugh aloud . . . looking at some of the pictures had me guffawing in the aisle . . . I stopped reading in the aisle for fear of snorting and causing a scene.
This book is hilarious and touching all at once. An honest and lovely account of trying to figure out who we are in this post-modern generation of American dreamers. Josh's dedication to his wife Tara adds depth to this novel found in the humor section and his competitions are . . . absurd.
Favorite chapters? I can't decide between the sauna chapter where the author and his family roast themselves in Finland for a family bonding experience; the chapter about arm wrestling and imagining this tiny squirt of a man dying his hair ferocious red in an attempt to appear frightening; or the chapter that inspired the cover when he tries to be big, to be a sumo wrestler. Then again there is walking backwards . . .
In a time when laughter is scarce and the world is tough, Joshua Davis' book shines a light of hilarity that can strengthen our own hope and dare us to dream and do what we thought previously impossible. Enjoy the book, and congratulations Josh!
|
|
|
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Greatness comes in short, skinny packages, October 12, 2005
I wasn't sure what to expect. I read it in two days, and found myself laughing out loud, which is rare. I found the best part to be his description of becoming a 128 lb sumo wrestler, and being surrounded by "man fat" as he plowed into his opponent. There's a photo of a race, but everybody seems to be looking behind them. I couldn't figure it out until I started reading the chapter, that Mr. Davis decided to take up backwards running. It's amazing the feats he attempts to conquer, in his quest for a fulfilled, exciting life.
"The Underdog" is "What Color is Your Parachute" for an aging Gen-X, who want to feel unique and fulfilled, but have no idea how to do it. I recommend this book, not just for being well-written and enjoyable, but also for touching on how scary it is to grow up, take on adult responsibilities, and live up to the expectations of the family, partner, and self. Mr. Davis' self-deprecating humor is charming, and I found myself rooting for him. Maybe he would be a great matador, maybe he would win the Finnish sauna contest, maybe he would be happy with his life and find satisfaction with the mundane as well as the fantastic. Maybe.
|
|
|
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dealing With "Not Knowing Where You're Headed", November 5, 2005
I enjoyed every page of this well-written and FUNNY book. An unlikely hero, Joshua Davis takes the reader on a journey through his quest to make a name for himself in . . . something.
The son of a "failed" beauty queen, this young man bursts with talent and ambition. With a loving and supportive wife allowing him the chance to try and fulfill his dreams, he ventures into the little known worlds of bizarre competitions: Arm wrestling, Sumo wrestling, bullfighting, backward running, and perhaps, the strangest thing I've ever imagined, competitive sauna-sitting. (He doesn't call it that, but that's what it was to me).
At one point after spending time in the steamy sauna, he describes his feelings as "buoyant, like I was filled with helium." That's how I felt while reading this book. It's light, original, funny and brave. I highly recommend the read and look forward to future work by this rising star.
From the author of "I'm Living Your Dream Life," and "The Things I Wish I'd Said," McKenna Publishing Group.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
by Keith Peters
by Donald A. Norman
by Colin Moock
