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David Ellis Dickerson
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House of Cards: Love, Faith, and Other Social Expressions Hardcover – October 1, 2009

by David Ellis Dickerson (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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Describes how the author's long-awaited dream job at Hallmark was challenged by his fundamentalist upbringing and social awkwardness that made it difficult for him to write relatable card sentiments, in a whimsical account that chronicles his bumpy journey toward maturity.
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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Riverhead Hardcover
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 2009
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    5.88 x 1.29 x 8.52 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1594488819
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1594488818
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dickerson was a struggling 20-something with a creative writing M.F.A. when he submitted a writing portfolio to Hallmark in part because he had an idea for a novel set at a greeting card company. He takes the job of writing those cards, but what seemed like a natural outlet for his highly verbal sense of humor quickly degenerates in a profoundly alienating environment, where his self-acknowledged ridiculously intense and enthusiastic personality rubs almost everybody the wrong way. The tone is set early—Oh Jesus, I just sent out a cry for help, Dickerson thinks at his first holiday party, and everybody heard it, and no one is coming to save me. His personal life isn't any better, as he struggles to maintain a long-distance relationship with the only woman he's ever dated while coping with the frustration of being a 28-year-old virgin. The behind-the-scenes material is diverting (you'll never be able to read the word special on a card again without smirking), but it's the broader drama of the profoundly un-corporate Dickerson's doomed efforts to fit into the corporate world that gives the memoir its staying power. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

David Dickerson is a comic, storyteller, crossword constructor, former greeting card writer, and self-proclaimed "word nerd." He holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in American literature from Florida State University. A regular contributor to NPR's This American Life, he has written for The Atlantic Monthly and The Gettysburg Review. His puzzles have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Games magazine, and Time Out New York.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Riverhead Hardcover (October 1, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594488819
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594488818
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.88 x 1.29 x 8.52 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

About the author

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David Ellis Dickerson

David Ellis Dickerson

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Emmy-nominated author, TV writer, cartoonist and humorist, David Ellis Dickerson is best known from public radio's "This American Life," where he often talks about his conservative religious upbringing. His TAL appearances include "Quiz Show," "The Ten Commandments," "The Devil Inside Me," "Social Engineering," "Bait and Switch," and "Know When to Fold 'Em."

He created the YouTube series "Greeting Card Emergency," where he made greeting cards for situations that don't normally have them. Greeting Card Emergency has been featured on the public radio shows Talk of the Nation, Weekend Edition, and Studio 360, among others. His humorous talk for the TEDNYC Ideas Festival, "Fact Checking the Bible," describes the challenges of writing for a Christian game show.

He is also responsible for the napkin-based cartoon series Slightly More Pleasant, on Facebook and Twitter (@napkincartoons). He could probably use some money right now.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
37 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book witty, funny, and laugh-out-loud funny. They also say it's full of whimsical wordplay and silly poetry. Readers describe the story as intriguing, entertaining, and interesting.

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HumorStory quality
3 customers mention "Humor"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book witty, funny, and well-written. They say it's full of whimsical wordplay and silly poetry.

"...This witty, informational sequence satisfies the reader's curiosity about what it's like to work at Hallmark...." Read more

"...The inside story of Hallmark (Anycompany, USA) is laugh out loud funny. Highly recommend." Read more

"very funny and well written..." Read more

3 customers mention "Story quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the story intriguing, entertaining, and interesting. They also say the English language is perfect.

"Dave Dickerson is a master of the english language - his story of his story is entertaining...." Read more

"...The memoir provides an intriguing (if not wholly satisfying) case study about how a fundamentalist upbringing affects a twenty-something who has..." Read more

"...Sure he is not perfect, but that is what made the book interesting...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Keri L. Robertson
5.0 out of 5 stars very funny and well written
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2014
Verified Purchase
Dave Dickerson is a master of the english language - his story of his story is entertaining. I should probably say that I knew who he was when I bought the book. As a resident of Missouri (from Arizona), I could relate to some of the culture shock in moving here. It is also a very intersting look into the world of greeting cards!!
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars House of Cards is entertaining, engaging and full of whimsical word play
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2009
Verified Purchase
There are three major reasons to recommend this book:

1) David Ellis Dickerson says in the book that he's more charming in person than on paper. That may be true -- but he's charming on paper, too. The memoir's light, easy writing style makes for a fast and fun read.

2) The memoir provides an intriguing (if not wholly satisfying) case study about how a fundamentalist upbringing affects a twenty-something who has lost his faith. At the beginning of the memoir, twenty-seven-year-old Dickerson has already converted to Catholicism, become liberal, and started supporting feminism and gay rights. However, he still feels that he and his fiancée must avoid sex until marriage, a conviction that shifts during the course of the book until, after the pair break up, twenty-eight-year-old Dickerson is left trying to lose his virginity approximately a decade after most of his peers.

3)It's a great deal of fun to read about Dickerson's work process and word play. The memoir is peppered with his silly poetry. In chapter nine (How to Write a Card), Dickerson details the process of taking a Hallmark card category, brainstorming ideas for it, and proposing a suitable card (which editors subsequently reject or accept). He explains common card types, including cards that come with attachments like paper clips and golf tees, and cards that include pop-ups. This witty, informational sequence satisfies the reader's curiosity about what it's like to work at Hallmark.

Read the rest of this review at [...]
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Blue Like State
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific memoir
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
I know the author and sent him the following note, which I'll also share here in adapted form.

"This is a straight-up Bildungsroman of an early career, and of a young man trying to figure out the mysteries of creativity, sex and faith and of getting along with eccentric coworkers in a first "real job." It hit many universals, especially for guys. And the voice was clear and confident. Final report: it was a tremendously good read."

Meant every word of this. You'll never read a Hallmark again the same way.
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Patricia Ann Littlefield
2.0 out of 5 stars disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2009
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Iheard the author speak on NPR and decided to buy his book. However, it did not live up to its hype about life within Hallmark Cards. Instead, it became a detailed account of his love life.
5 people found this helpful
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LKAgno
5.0 out of 5 stars wonderfully funny book about becoming self-aware. (And the greeting card biz)
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2014
Verified Purchase
Author Dickerson tells a fine ridiculously-late-coming-of-age story. The inside story of Hallmark (Anycompany, USA) is laugh out loud funny. Highly recommend.
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Destiny T.
4.0 out of 5 stars entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2012
Verified Purchase
I was reading over some of the one star reviews and I can't say I agree. I was not looking for nonfiction about the greeting card business. This book is one man's life experiences during a brief period of his life. The greeting card business is almost secondary. Sure he is not perfect, but that is what made the book interesting. Even when I was frustrated with some of his choices or views, it was still entertaining just getting to know David.
One person found this helpful
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Just the Facts, Please
1.0 out of 5 stars Really disappointing book...
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2011
I picked up this book because I worked with David Dickerson at Hallmark and expected his memoir to be funny and well-written. Like him, I'm a former Hallmarker, and I'm certainly not an apologist for the company; it can be maddeningly "corporate" at times.

But I'm disappointed that David went out of his way to malign some really good managers, writers, and editors, all the while trying to convince the reader that they were just too uncool to recognize his sheer genius. I didn't dislike David, but he was not brilliant (or at least he didn't exhibit brilliance, if he was), and he alienated a lot of people for some really sound reasons.

I found David's admission on page 12 really telling: "I've always despaired of ever impressing anyone with my resume, and my writing so far had gotten almost no attention. But I know that in person I'm charming. It's what I've counted on my whole life to get me out of trouble for being late, or for forgetting assignments, or for all the other difficulties that my absentminded brain gets me into. People are generally receptive to my jokes and my friendly nature, as long as they aren't humorless office manager types."

This explains a lot, because David missed a fair number of meetings, writing deadlines, and other important obligations. "Charm" (and I'm being generous to use his word, although I wouldn't call him charming - just friendly) doesn't make up for that. Sometimes his jokes were really funny, and sometimes they bombed. David's book also misrepresents the creative work process at Hallmark to the point where I would characterize it as a fictional account. Maybe his lack of understanding contributed to why he struggled so much in his job? But for all you readers who think, "Oh, THIS is what it's like on the inside..." - sadly - no, this book does not deliver a glimpse of how it really works.

The bottom line is that David, who was around 30 years old at the time he agreed to work at a corporation, expected to shine without working hard or behaving like a responsible adult. The real world doesn't work that way. And it also doesn't revolve around him, although it appears that he has yet to figure out that particular truth.
29 people found this helpful
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