Ruining It For Everybody (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In April of 1997, the Red River, fed by the melting snows of an earlier blizzard, rose to fifty-four feet, a full twenty-six feet above..." (more)
Key Phrases: refrigerator box, New York, Grand Forks, John Doe (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Knipfel, a columnist for New York Press, opens this memoir with, "Whenever I hear the word 'spiritual,' I reach for my revolver." Dogged by "bad spirits," he cites a wicked laundry list of his physical and psychological ailments, beginning with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease; epilepsy; and paranoia and depression. The author catalogued much of this torment, both of the body and mind, in his previous books, Slackjaw and Quitting the Nairobi Trio. Here, he uses his dark, sardonic humor to examine his inner self, finding "failure of the spirit is the most dangerous kind of failure there is." Childhood obsessions of a "blinding white light" and the crucifixion evolve, as demons continue to plague the adult Knipfel with seizures, blackouts, suicide attempts and the evil influences of his friend Grinch, a sociopath who tries to get Knipfel to burn down a building with him. Fortunately, two other (more sane) friends, Laura and Morgan, humanize his rage and paranoia so he can get on with the "patterns" of daily existence. What makes this book enjoyable is not Knipfel's false opinion of just being "a simple... man with psychological and neurological problems," but rather the author's triumph in the face of often overwhelming health challenges. Witty, irreverent and full of black humor, this is a memoir of a troubled, talented soul who can laugh at himself while refusing to throw in the towel on life.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description

Praised by The New York Times for his "wicked black humor" and by Thomas Pynchon for putting readers on "an extraordinary emotional ride," Jim Knipfel has written about the failings of his body (Slackjaw) and the failings of his mind (Quitting the Nairobi Trio).

Now, in his third-and finest-memoir, Knipfel looks unflinchingly at his soul, and comes to some surprising conclusions in this anti-spirituality spiritual manifesto.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (May 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585423378
• ISBN-13: 978-1585423378
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #784,298 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's one of the best writers in America (a well-kept secret), May 15, 2004

By A Customer

You will inhale this book, possibly in one sitting. Great cover, but the odd, square packaging makes it look a bit like a gift-book. Look past that and buy this book, because it contains the writing of one of our most gifted writers. Knipfel is brilliant.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than Sedaris--but different, June 5, 2004

By A Customer

Um, giving Jim Knipfel one star because he's not like David Sedaris is absurd. Knipfel is better than Sedaris because he's darker and he's smarter. This is an extraordinary book for intelligent people. And you'll look cool reading it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Buddhism for Drunkards, May 24, 2007

By	Andrew Shaffer "www.PrintisUndead.com" (Davenport, Iowa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Knipfel's memoir opens with one of the best opening lines that I've ever read: "Whenever I hear the word 'spiritual,' I reach for my revolver." I thought, "Hell yeah," and continued to nod my way through the rest of the book. The book is a sort-of spiritual awakening (of the non-religious variety). Jesus only makes one appearance--riding a horse and swinging a giant flaming sword.

The writing style is loose and friendly, like a good conversation over beers at a dive bar...and there are plenty of beers and dive bars in the book's brief 235 pages. "I don't even want to think about the condition of my liver," Knipfel says in the introduction. After reading Knipfel's three memoirs, his liver is probably the least of his worries. Thankfully, he's still alive and kicking, and shows no signs of slowing his writing or drinking.