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Summary: wonderful book. Beautifully written. You will laugh and cry.
Review: Do not ignore this book just because you have not heard of the author. Jincy Willett is a writer of prodigious talent. In the same vein as Joseph Heller. The only tragedy is that we have not seen more from this superb author
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Summary: An engaging foray into life, death, and humor
Review: Funny as in "huh" rather than a knee-slapping good time, Jenny and the Jaws of Life is simply a fantastic collection of short stories. Dark and cynical at times (most times, in fact), it's thought-provoking while still being somewhat glib and breezy. Willett is a great talent and I'm so happy this collection is still being offered (or is being offered again, as the case may be).
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Summary: Jenny Needs the Jaws of Life
Review: He He this book was super -di-duper
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Summary: funny
Review: I loved this book. People who dont get it, dont get it because they dont get most things. It is a truly funny book, we all know these characters.
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Summary: Huh?!?
Review: I was blown away at these short stories. They are almost indescribable, I couldn't help feeling thru reading several of the stories that I was literally reading someone losing thier mind. I'm not saying the stories are garbled or unclear, very far from it. The author brings a mental picture into sharp focus and does it in a subtle way. Another reccomendation is these books by Banana Yoshimoto..."Lizard" or "Kitchen" . In ways her writings remind me of Jincy Willet though on a diffrent scale.
Check them out!
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Summary: Amazing Collection
Review: I was never a big fan of short story collections until I picked up Jenny and the Jaws of Life. It's quickly become one of my favorite books of all time (right up there with A Widow for One Year and Mother Night). The stories in it are dark, bizarre and funny. I liked it so much I bought two copies.
After I lent out the first and it was never returned I was more careful. But now the second one's lost as well. I wanted to read the stories again, so I recently bought three copies; two for lending, one for keeping (just to be on the safe side).
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Summary: Make of it What You Will
Review: I'm not going to quote Latin at you or tell you who else I read who's as good as Jincy Willetts but I will say the "Jenny and the Jaws of Life" is probably one of those books which will stay with me always. The narrative voice is so strong that it is actually jarring when one enters the next story and finds it so different. Yes, it is true, some kids do kill their mom and there are ghosts and car accidents and rapes and one really scary phone call in this book but there is also a true recognition of the human impulse to make sense of the senseless and a desire to connect with humanity despite the pain and the cruelty. Willetts' recognition of the miraculous in even the most small-minded desires is beautiful. Is it funny? Yes, but not always in the way that makes you laugh.
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Summary: Make of it What You Will
Review: I'm not going to quote Latin at you or tell you who else I read who's as good as Jincy Willetts but I will say the "Jenny and the Jaws of Life" is probably one of those books which will stay with me always. The narrative voice is so strong that it is actually jarring when one enters the next story and finds it so different. Yes, it is true, some kids do kill their mom and there are ghosts and car accidents and rapes and one really scary phone call in this book but there is also a true recognition of the human impulse to make sense of the senseless and a desire to connect with humanity despite the pain and the cruelty. Willetts' recognition of the miraculous in even the most small-minded desires is beautiful. Is it funny? Yes, but not always in the way that makes you laugh.
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Summary: Maybe too true to life
Review: What I got out of it was a cynical look at life and death, and how people react to them. My favorite, "Resume," is a man talking to God as his wife dies, but bargaining for his own life as per his weasley persona. Another is written completely in the format of an advice column, showcasing the empty lives of its readers. The most well rounded story is "The Jaws Of Life" about a guy trying to recapture lost youth through adultery. This collection, errantly marketed as hilarious, blows away any short story book I read in college. It throws you curves, doesn't end the way you expect. It ends the way the character may end in real life. By changing or not changing, by having something unexpected and unexplainable occur, such as a car accident or cancer. You get the feeling that these are real people instead of archetypes following thier character arc. Every writer should aspire to this level. Can't wait to read her new book.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe too true to life
Review: What I got out of it was a cynical look at life and death, and how people react to them. My favorite, "Resume," is a man talking to God as his wife dies, but bargaining for his own life as per his weasley persona. Another is written completely in the format of an advice column, showcasing the empty lives of its readers. The most well rounded story is "The Jaws Of Life" about a guy trying to recapture lost youth through adultery. This collection, errantly marketed as hilarious, blows away any short story book I read in college. It throws you curves, doesn't end the way you expect. It ends the way the character may end in real life. By changing or not changing, by having something unexpected and unexplainable occur, such as a car accident or cancer. You get the feeling that these are real people instead of archetypes following thier character arc. Every writer should aspire to this level. Can't wait to read her new book.
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