When I searched for funny books, this title came up multiple times. Sometimes, you’re just in the mood for something funny. Therefore, I decided to get A dirty job of Christopher Moore at the library. Did I think it was funny? Find out below!

Book cover

“Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy. A little hapless, somewhat neurotic, more of a Beta than an Alpha Male. Charlie’s been lucky, though. He owns a building in the heart of San Francisco, and runs a second-hand store with the help of a couple of loyal, if marginally insane, employees. He’s married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normality. And she, Rachel, is about to have their first child.

But normal service is about to be interrupted. As Charlie prepares to go home after the birth, he sees a strange man dressed in mint-green at Rachel’s hospital bedside – a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird. . . .

People start dropping dead around him, giant ravens perch on his building, and it seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yep, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death.”

My first impression

His writing style is very pleasant! I had a few smiles, but I didn’t really laugh yet. I am curious to find out why people think this book is so funny. It starts rather sad.

The story A dirty job

The book revolves around Charlie, he has a second-hand store in San Francisco and is about to have a kid with his wife who he loves very much. When his wife is in the hospital, he sees a strange figure next to her bed. His wife passes, his child makes it, and from that moment on his life changes. And not only because he is a new father and single.

It turns out he became Death. At first he refuses to collect the spirits, but as life gets stranger and ravens and demons start to show up, he understands he has a task at hand. Along the way he meets more Deaths and people. Moreover, hellhounds show up to protect and take care of the baby. Why would that be? We find that out at the end of the book with an interesting plot twist.

My opinion

It was a fun read, but I couldn’t really get into it. I think it was not funny enough to be comical and that the story/plot was not thick enough to be a strong fantasy book. I didn’t have long afterthoughts after this book, nor do I think that I will ever read it again. However, it was entertaining enough to finish the novel.

Conclusion of A dirty job

It was a fine read. As many people recommend this book as a funny book — it might even be the book you’re looking for! However, I had higher hopes for this book. It was entertaining, but I didn’t laugh out loud. However, entertaining is enough to enjoy the read.

Verdict

Educated by Tara Westover immediately grabbed my attention by its summary. When I googled it a bit more, I saw that the reviews of this book were all very positive.  I was curious, so not long after I learned about its book existence I read it. Was I as positive as those other reviews? Find out below!

Book cover of Educated

“Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.”

My first impression

My association with kids who don’t get an education is not directly linked with the United States, but there it is! It is such a strange, unsafe environment she grew up in. It’s so weird to think that in the Western world it is somehow still possible to fly under the radar. She didn’t even have a birth certificate for years and yeas. It is a baffling and very interesting read.

The story

This book is a memoir of Tara Westover who grew up in a Mormon, survivalist home in rural Idaho. That means that her parents (mostly her father) believed that the world was coming to an end. Boy, was he disappointed when the world still existed after 12 o ‘clock on December 31st 1999.

Her parents don’t believe in the school system, in hospitals, in doctors, dentists and anything that is of the government. Therefore, Tara was kept home and she had to work in her father’s junkyard. Her mother, a herbalist and reluctant midwife, would homeschool her, but besides from giving a few books she never really did.

Tara Westover grows up believing all sorts of strange things and the extent of the extremity during her upbringing is uncovered more and more during the book. She was 17 when she first set foot in a classroom. She was shocked to learn about the world, she hadn’t known about the Holocaust for example. However, as she continued her studies she even ended up studying at Cambridge University and Harvard University. She even pursued her PhD at the Cambridge University. She got educated.

My opinion

This is an extraordinary book of an extraordinary person. She must be extremely smart to be able to go from no education to college and even a PhD later on. Despite her violent brother, insane father and spinless mother, she is very mild about them towards the end of the book though, I guess it is hard to stop loving your family.

Conclusion of Educated

This is such a good book! I could keep writing about it, but I don’t want to accidentally write a spoiler. It’s just so weird to realize that there are children who grow up like this. Tara Westover’s story is bizarre but also empowering, she achieved what not even people under the best circumstances are guaranteed to achieve. I highly recommend this book.

Verdict

Dit is een héél ander boek dan dat ik normaliter lees. Maar ik wilde het zo graag lezen! Ik was erg geïnspireerd door Pater Frans, die in Syrië bleef om de bevolking te helpen terwijl hij wist wat er komen kwam. Hij werd dan ook inderdaad vermoord daar, erg treurig. Onder andere deze teksten liet hij achter in het Arabisch en nu ook vertaald in het Nederlands!

De flaptekst

Mijn eerste indruk

Wat een mooie inspirerende teksten! Zo liefdevol en wijs. Het is uiteraard wel sterk verbonden aan het Christelijke geloof, persoonlijk vind ik dat wel interessant. Het boek begint met teksten over falen en slagen. Pater Frans deelt een inspirerende, zachte en verfrissende manier waarop je falen kunt accepteren en daardoor echt kunt slagen. Hier kunnen veel mensen wat aan hebben!

De verzamelde werken

Het boek is opgebouwd in verschillende delen. Daarbij komen falen en slagen aan bod, net als liefde en luisteren en liefde.  Binnen deze delen behandelt Pater Frans verschillende aspecten. Zo schrijft hij bij falen en slagen over de maatschappelijke visie daarop en falen in de liefde en studie. Maar ook slagen komt aan bod en het succes van God’s liefde.

Bij het deel liefde en luisteren beschrijft Pater Frans verschillende manieren waarop wij luisteren. Daarnaast laat hij zien dat er een verschil is tussen horen en luisteren en wijst hij ons op wat écht luisteren voor positieve zaken brengt.

Vervolgens gaat het over de liefde en waar we soms zaken zoals jaloezie of tekorten verwarren met liefde.

Wat ik ervan vond

Deze verzamelde werken zijn mooi om te lezen. Sommige stukken waren iets minder interessant voor mij, maar voor de Christelijke lezer is dit boek ideaal. Ik wist zelf niet zó goed dat het Christelijke geloof zo dichtbij andere stromingen ligt, want ook Pater Frans had het over meditatie in de natuur. Ik vind de nadruk op zuiver luisteren, zuivere liefde en vergeving prachtig en inspirerend.

Conclusie van Wie ben jij, o liefde?

Een inspirerend boek van een wijze Pater. Erg mooi! Uitermate geschikt voor een Christelijk publiek of mensen die daar op zijn minst niks tegen hebben. De boodschap van liefde en zuiverheid lijkt mij universeel!

Beoordeling