June 28, 2016

I'm a fan of Mr. Schaefer's ideas (though I wouldn't recommend his podcast - too much him trying to be funny and not enough sharing interesting ideas). And this book is filled with helpful ideas. I will keep it on my shelf for reference.

November 1, 2018

For a love of Elvis Costello and his music, I wanted to enjoy this book more. But the fragmented tales jump time and place faster than a Dick Dale guitar riff. Still, the book contains moments of magic for me. It was seldom easy to read, but I'm glad I read it.

March 10, 2016

Maybe I have just read too many books about trends lately. But this one just kinda left me hoping for more.

November 1, 2018

I both loved and hated this book. Which really means I loved it nearly as much as anything I've read. But still, yeah, okay, amazing. But ...

January 28, 2022

I could probably give it five stars, for the attention I paid to it and the longing to read more and for its creative formatting. This book expands any writer's ability and possibility. For that, five stars indeed.

July 30, 2022

Probably 3.5 stars, but that's okay. I enjoyed the language and style. Good characters that you could really get to know. Mystery? More of a twisting tale than traditional mystery book. An excellent summertime read.

July 20, 2017
August 9, 2020

Amazing. I took notes and still couldn't capture all the learning in here. It's incredible how often this book applies to things I'm doing and to conversations I'm having. It will be read again and again.

February 18, 2020

While the ending might merit 4 stars, most of the book gets 3 from me. It takes a while for the story to grab attention, and the jumpy timeline gets tiring, distracting. But the end is great, honestly, and I often struggle with a book's ending.

January 22, 2025

I enjoyed the begging quarter and the end, but the majority of it seemed too long, often redundant, and a bit predictable.

Merged review:

I enjoyed the begging quarter and the end, but the majority of it seemed too long, often redundant, and a bit predictable.

March 16, 2022
March 28, 2021
December 10, 2018
November 10, 2020
August 6, 2014

Best Vonnegut ever? Is there such a thing, just one?

December 19, 2021

It's challenging to review a book of short stories. Some are amazing (Friend of My Youth, Five Points, Oranges and Apples) and others you struggle to get into (Differently, in particular). But you persist for individual bits of outstanding prose. Maybe a 3.5.

November 4, 2022
March 28, 2024

This book had everything I love. Character development and word choices and literary references and a bit of cultural history and relational suspense. One of my favorite reads this year.

December 30, 2024