E-mail from Nigeria

Rating:
Summary: The Worst Book I Have Ever Read
Review: "In order to have sex with socially acceptable women, I must improve myself, or at least be abel to show them a piece of paper that says I improved myself. I figured a lawy degree would allow me to save money by wirting my own pre-nuptial agreement. Then I realized if I got a good MBA, then I could marry some rich broad with more money than me and I wouldn't need to have a pre-nuptial agreement, so getting a law degree would be silly. And that is why you must let me into the Harvard Business School." This is just one of hundred examples of his streams of consciousness and drivel. The guy is just NOT FUNNY, INTERESTING, OR EVEN INDIGNANT as he claims to be. I am offended that I wasted my time and money on this crap, and incredulous that book stores would stock it. I can take guys being guys kind of writing but this is just bad writing.

Rating:
Summary: Subversive
Review: A classic example of the journalist as subversive agent. While the surface level is a series of humor columns of varying topicality, under the surface is an agenda. A point. A critque of bad manners and foolish people. I'd like to put a political label on his agenda, but the agenda doesn't seem to be political. An agenda of condeming the foolish, perhaps. It's surprising it isn't more political.

Rating:
Summary: Wry and Dry
Review: A diverse set of humor pieces, a little wider than you might expect from the title. There is a title piece and the book opens with a techie/biz bent, but it expands into other topics, including a section on bar and hospitality industry tales, which is an underserved topic.

The style mixes between first and third person and the humor is often narrative accounts of incidents. Somewhat observational, but often the punchline is implied, rather than explicit, with the occassional venture into over-the-top parody.

Rating:
Summary: Not funny
Review: I didn't think it was all that funny. Maybe you have to like bar stories. The Lincoln Park Trixies was the best bit.

Rating:
Summary: Comedian as a Social Observor
Review: Observational humor on stage peaked in the 80s with the rise of Jerry Seinfeld, before he switched to television. It was, as its root, humor as a form of commentary. Seinfeld, who popularized the form, took a more "isn't that strange" approach to observation.

Here, Allen spins a different flavor of observation, not so much "isn't that strange" as a variation on Harlan Ellison's notion of "not suffering fools gladly." Inconsistencies and foolish behavior are frequent targets and form a sort of left-handed social commentary drawn from observing popular cultures less glowing moments.

The social critique that sneaks in is largely a by-product of Allen's sensibilities as a satirist, but it adds an unusual texture.

Rating:
Summary: Sammy's Lament
Review: Samuel T. Carter seems to have a lot of problems with this book. Too bad he can't decide if the book consists of articles or chapters. He mentions both. I don't think he's read the book.

It sounds like he has a problem with the author. Everything Samuel describes smacks of a personal vendetta. What's the matter Saumel, your little girlfriend think the cover was hot?

This sort of personal vendetta is inappropriate on Amazon.

Todd Allen is funny. He's got a column in a New York City paper. It's not like he's some hillbilly with a printing press.

Sammy is such a hater. Maybe Sammy needs a stiff drink and some self-esteem. Maybe then he could stop hating people who do something with their lives.

Rating:
Summary: Worthwhile
Review: Strange mix of essays. Covers different ground than a Woody Allen collection, although there is a certain similarity in cynicism between the two Allens. Has a certain cocktail hour, chewing the fat feel to it.

Rating:
Summary: Old Fashioned Storytelling
Review: The vast majority of so-called "funny" books trumpeted by the best-seller lists are really political tomes with either Republicans or Democrats decrying the other party. That's more sad than it is funny.

"E-Mail from Nigeria" is a departure in the current climate, as it is a collection of cynical anecdotes, such as might be told over a drink. The storytelling approach seems to be out of vogue in the mass market, but unlike the deluge of political agendas passing themselves off as comedy, I was able to wear a smile, or perhaps an evil grin, while reading this book.

Rating:
Summary: Ego Abounds
Review: Todd Allen must be stopped.

The smug print-on-demand author featured here is playing dirty tricks and stooping to disgusting levels of self-promotion in this gross experiment: crossbreeding confessional sarcasm with narcissism.

What is the source of all my savage emotion? Perhaps it stems from when I attended an educational roundtable with the Senior Books Editor of Cosmopolitan and Todd used the time to shamelessly pitch his book to the kind alum. Then, when I searched Amazon for Eugenides' labored and serious work Middlesex, I find that someone (hmm, I wonder who) recommended Email from Nigeria INSTEAD of Middlesex 5 TIMES. Not even IN ADDITION TO Middlesex, suggesting that somehow the author of Email from Nigeria was more skilled than the author of The Virgin Suicides. No, dear reader, don't waste your time on that hack Jeffrey. . . put Todd's face on your pillow tonight before you fall asleep.

Readers beware, his picture on the cover is only the first glimmer of unfortunate Todd's ego. Every chapter leaves the reader feeling as empty and dried-up as a sun-bleached pitted plum. "Why," one asks, "am I supposed to care?" After eliminating all the impossible reasons (insightful commentary, revealing personal moment, etc.), the only feasible explanation is nauseating--we are supposed to care simply because Todd cares about this.

Did Todd want to write a book, or did he want to have written a book?

Email from Nigeria only exists because Todd took the low road. How many times has he casually mentioned in conversation that his book is on Amazon? God only knows, and since I'm no Chillingworth, I can't peer into his soul. And honestly, I would never want to get any closer to it.

If I could unread his columns I would. Spare yourself further exposure to Todd's Ego, and please, please don't encourage him by buying this book.

Rating:
Summary: Todd Allen = good
Review: U have 2 like Todd Allen, cuz he's just soooooooooo funnnny! I LUV this book! It's like the best book I've ever red. It's 2 funny. Screw the last reviewer cuz TODD ALLEN RULEZ!