Customer Reviews

Wing-Ding at Uncle Tug's, and Other Stories

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If the kid from A Christmas Story had watched a lot more Twilight Zones, and then grown up to become an autopsy photographer/neon sign maker/baker who lived in The East Village, he might have been a lot like Jeff Grimshaw. His collection of short stories ranges from exaggerated truths to outright fabrications, each of them so ludicrous, human, and subtly humorous as to be completely believable. I have enjoyed his unique, conversational story-telling style for many years; this book is but a taste of it. Plus it's got illustrations and looks nice on a bookshelf! I highly recommend it to all Grimshaw novitiates and veterans alike.

What a grand pleasure it is to read a book that is not filled with moral didacticism, whining, or political posturing. One may read these stories in safety, certain to emerge from the pages not a bit better ethically, nor worse, but surely happier, and THAT must count for something.
Grimshaw's prose is crisp and sharp. The dialogue crackles with realism. His characters are consistent and so, so life-like. I like these guys and want to read more about them-and in the final analysis, how can one praise a book any higher than to say, "I want more."

I've been reading the weekly humor columns that Grimshaw has been writing for the newspaper for years. I never fail to laugh at least once. This book collects a bunch of the best ones: Great characters and comical situations that are either true stories or made to sound like they're true in the best Jean Shepherd tradition. Each is a neat, self-contained story that can be read in one, er, sitting, making it the perfect book to keep in the bathroom. If you have two bathrooms, buy two copies of the book.

Finally, a unique voice to emerge in the sea of Dave Barry and David Sedaris imitators. Grimshaw is easily one of the best chroniclers of geek-boyhood in the world of literature. WING-DING AT UNCLE TUG'S is populated by a sublime collection of losers, miscreants, and ne'er-do-wells, each funnier and yet more poignant than the last. Bravo Grimshaw!!!