carolineloveswombats's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lola425's review
3.0
Really enjoyed the book, and felt that Bakopoulos' tone was spot-on. Very funny in a depressing way. Zeke is completely self-absorbed and yet clueless about who he is. You get the feeling that he might figure it out though. Brought to mind, for me, Joshua Ferris.
laurafinazzo's review against another edition
3.0
I was first drawn to Dean Bakopoulos’ second novel because of the title My American Unhappiness. This phrase sums up a lot of what I spend my time thinking about – how convenience, consumption, expansion, and similar American values deemed good by the population actually wreck havoc on our happiness and sense of content. I was pleasantly surprised by what I got out of this novel. A meditation on this unhappiness is definitely included, along with a bit of humor, some romance, and a touch of nostalgia. It’s a well-balanced novel that provides a bit of everything in a pleasing and enjoyable to read package.
Meet Zeke, the Executive Director of a Midwestern humanities nonprofit and the man behind “The Inventory of Unhappiness Project.” A widower following a short-lived and rather young marriage, Zeke is romantically uninvolved, though occupied with the unhappiness project and his beloved orphan nieces. The story unfolds appealingly with pieces of Zeke’s life being released bit by bit, making for a character that continues to grow on readers as the more appealing and endearing aspects of his personality are revealed. Though he ultimately makes some poor decisions in work and the romance department, at that point we’re already invested in this guy and rooting for him despite the odds.
So the unhappiness project. Funded by Zeke’s nonprofit, this inventory receives interviews, messages, and the like from citizens across the country who are asked one major question “Why are you so unhappy?” Zeke is intrigued by respondents’ willingness to share their discontent so readily with strangers, as well as the fact that so few respondents really deny the sad fact that they lead unhappy lives. Responses are littered throughout the novel and they ring with all the hollowness that comes from the consumer-driven, franchise-friendly state of our nation of lonely citizens. Zeke’s musings and reflections on life in America are honest and range from the heartfelt and nostalgic to the hopeless and dismal. I found his attitude toward President Bush (the novel is set in 2008) to be particularly spot on. He recognizes Bush as a leader estranged from and unable to help his people because of his failure to recognize and understand their unhappiness. He looks back at our nation’s finest leaders and identifies a common thread of darkness, melancholy, and depression, while Bush seems to sleep easy at night, out of touch with the problems pervading the nation under his leadership.
But apart from the political observations included, Zeke story includes his own share of family dramas, a quest to find love, and delusions of job security despite the fledgling economy and his secretary’s warnings. This novel packs a pretty mean punch, providing a little bit of something for everyone. It constantly entertains with its quirky characters, unpredictable scenarios, and of course those other situations that are inevitable to the reader, but rarely to Zeke himself. There’s plenty of levity within, but great depth can also be found, particularly in Zeke’s passion project, the Inventory of Unhappiness.
I finished this novel deeply satisfied. I was in the market for a book that would challenge me, make me think a little bit and maybe lend some insight to the state of American society, or at the very least to my own personal life. And it did just that, and then some. I was highly entertained as well as challenged; My American Unhappiness made me laugh just as much as it made me think of things in a new light. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a good read. It’s the kind of novel that’s both satisfying as a beach read, but also stimulating enough for the non-vacation sect.
Meet Zeke, the Executive Director of a Midwestern humanities nonprofit and the man behind “The Inventory of Unhappiness Project.” A widower following a short-lived and rather young marriage, Zeke is romantically uninvolved, though occupied with the unhappiness project and his beloved orphan nieces. The story unfolds appealingly with pieces of Zeke’s life being released bit by bit, making for a character that continues to grow on readers as the more appealing and endearing aspects of his personality are revealed. Though he ultimately makes some poor decisions in work and the romance department, at that point we’re already invested in this guy and rooting for him despite the odds.
So the unhappiness project. Funded by Zeke’s nonprofit, this inventory receives interviews, messages, and the like from citizens across the country who are asked one major question “Why are you so unhappy?” Zeke is intrigued by respondents’ willingness to share their discontent so readily with strangers, as well as the fact that so few respondents really deny the sad fact that they lead unhappy lives. Responses are littered throughout the novel and they ring with all the hollowness that comes from the consumer-driven, franchise-friendly state of our nation of lonely citizens. Zeke’s musings and reflections on life in America are honest and range from the heartfelt and nostalgic to the hopeless and dismal. I found his attitude toward President Bush (the novel is set in 2008) to be particularly spot on. He recognizes Bush as a leader estranged from and unable to help his people because of his failure to recognize and understand their unhappiness. He looks back at our nation’s finest leaders and identifies a common thread of darkness, melancholy, and depression, while Bush seems to sleep easy at night, out of touch with the problems pervading the nation under his leadership.
But apart from the political observations included, Zeke story includes his own share of family dramas, a quest to find love, and delusions of job security despite the fledgling economy and his secretary’s warnings. This novel packs a pretty mean punch, providing a little bit of something for everyone. It constantly entertains with its quirky characters, unpredictable scenarios, and of course those other situations that are inevitable to the reader, but rarely to Zeke himself. There’s plenty of levity within, but great depth can also be found, particularly in Zeke’s passion project, the Inventory of Unhappiness.
I finished this novel deeply satisfied. I was in the market for a book that would challenge me, make me think a little bit and maybe lend some insight to the state of American society, or at the very least to my own personal life. And it did just that, and then some. I was highly entertained as well as challenged; My American Unhappiness made me laugh just as much as it made me think of things in a new light. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a good read. It’s the kind of novel that’s both satisfying as a beach read, but also stimulating enough for the non-vacation sect.
rickijill's review against another edition
4.0
This week I read My American Unhappiness by Dean Bakopoulos. It is about Zeke Pappas, a thirty-three year old liberal scholar living in Madison, Wisconsin, perhaps the most liberal of all American college towns. Zeke heads the Great Midwestern Humanities Initiative, a federally-funded program meant to "foster a greater sense of community, increase public literacy, and strengthen levels of civic engagements in the American heartland." His pet project is An Inventory of American Unhappiness, an attempt to document, study, and analyze why Americans are unhappy. He even strives to hold a Midwestern Unhappiness Festival with future grant money. Poor Zeke! Someone should have told him that liberals do not care about the flyover states, regardless of how blue Madison is! Zeke's assistant, Lara, understands that the program's money has run out, and prospects for future grants and earmarks are nonexistent.
Funding for the Great Midwestern Humanities Initiative is just one of many problems poor Zeke is facing: he is a widower whose wife disappeared shortly after their college marriage; his mother is terminally ill; he is caring for his orphaned seven year old twin nieces; and he needs to get married if he wants to maintain custody of the twins after his mother's death. Zeke's mother gives him an article from Simply You magazine that will aid him in finding a wife. So what if it was written for women: Zeke will use the article's step-by-step method and adapt it for a man. The first step is to make a list of four prospects, one can be a long shot. Zeke places these women on his list: his recently divorced neighbor, a barrista from Starbucks, his assistant Lara, and Sofia Coppola (the long shot).
Each chapter in My American Unhappiness begins with Zeke *this* or Zeke Pappas *that*....for example: "Zeke Pappas needs a triple shot of gusto" and "Zeke is coming to dinner." So I thought I would give Zeke Pappas a bit of wisdom since the poor guy needs my help. Desperately.
Zeke Papps is a clairvoyant.
Zeke can guess strangers' drink and snack orders at Starbucks with amazing accuracy. Zeke, honey, you need to harness that power for good rather than evil. You could negotiate for your own reality TV show and become rich: then you would not need to depend on the government for your scholarly pursuits. The private sector always provides more with much less waste.
Zeke Pappas need to grab a clue.
Like many liberals, Zeke is intelligent, but he lacks wisdom. His rationale for his An Inventory of American Unhappiness project is that Americans are "fundamentally unhappy because they suffer from institutional addiction." Zeke goes on to explain how we are educated with a targeted skill in order to get a job to buy a house and pay a mortgage. So universities, big business, and financial institutions are to blame. Zeke, honey, you left out the federal government who wants to take our money and waste it on administrative costs and bureaucracy while truly providing very few services for the money.
Zeke Pappas does not know how to get his flirt on.
Uh-uh, no way did you say/do/ask that to/of a lady. I refuse to give spoilers here, but either Zeke is the most inept womanizer or he is a sociopath. The jury is still out...I can't quite decide. Zeke, you are truly charming until you open your mouth. Don't.
Zeke Pappas gets some advice.
Zeke, let me quote an American to whom you can probably relate, one who was a liberal and a progressive:
Someone once asked me what I regarded as the three most important requirements for happiness. My answer was: "A feeling that you have been honest with yourself and those around you; a feeling that you have done the best you could both in your personal life and in your work; and the ability to love others."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
A conservative could not have said it better! Now you know what to do.
Disclaimer: I hope my liberal friends will still speak to me after reading this. You know that I love you! Also, Dean Bakopoulos can write. My American Unhappiness is a fantastic book despite Zeke's liberal rants. I would love to ask Zeke how hope and change is working out for him ;P.... But seriously, I would love for my daughter (an aspiring writer) to have the opportunity to take one of Dean Bakopoulos's classes. That is very high praise coming from a mother.
Funding for the Great Midwestern Humanities Initiative is just one of many problems poor Zeke is facing: he is a widower whose wife disappeared shortly after their college marriage; his mother is terminally ill; he is caring for his orphaned seven year old twin nieces; and he needs to get married if he wants to maintain custody of the twins after his mother's death. Zeke's mother gives him an article from Simply You magazine that will aid him in finding a wife. So what if it was written for women: Zeke will use the article's step-by-step method and adapt it for a man. The first step is to make a list of four prospects, one can be a long shot. Zeke places these women on his list: his recently divorced neighbor, a barrista from Starbucks, his assistant Lara, and Sofia Coppola (the long shot).
Each chapter in My American Unhappiness begins with Zeke *this* or Zeke Pappas *that*....for example: "Zeke Pappas needs a triple shot of gusto" and "Zeke is coming to dinner." So I thought I would give Zeke Pappas a bit of wisdom since the poor guy needs my help. Desperately.
Zeke Papps is a clairvoyant.
Zeke can guess strangers' drink and snack orders at Starbucks with amazing accuracy. Zeke, honey, you need to harness that power for good rather than evil. You could negotiate for your own reality TV show and become rich: then you would not need to depend on the government for your scholarly pursuits. The private sector always provides more with much less waste.
Zeke Pappas need to grab a clue.
Like many liberals, Zeke is intelligent, but he lacks wisdom. His rationale for his An Inventory of American Unhappiness project is that Americans are "fundamentally unhappy because they suffer from institutional addiction." Zeke goes on to explain how we are educated with a targeted skill in order to get a job to buy a house and pay a mortgage. So universities, big business, and financial institutions are to blame. Zeke, honey, you left out the federal government who wants to take our money and waste it on administrative costs and bureaucracy while truly providing very few services for the money.
Zeke Pappas does not know how to get his flirt on.
Uh-uh, no way did you say/do/ask that to/of a lady. I refuse to give spoilers here, but either Zeke is the most inept womanizer or he is a sociopath. The jury is still out...I can't quite decide. Zeke, you are truly charming until you open your mouth. Don't.
Zeke Pappas gets some advice.
Zeke, let me quote an American to whom you can probably relate, one who was a liberal and a progressive:
Someone once asked me what I regarded as the three most important requirements for happiness. My answer was: "A feeling that you have been honest with yourself and those around you; a feeling that you have done the best you could both in your personal life and in your work; and the ability to love others."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
A conservative could not have said it better! Now you know what to do.
Disclaimer: I hope my liberal friends will still speak to me after reading this. You know that I love you! Also, Dean Bakopoulos can write. My American Unhappiness is a fantastic book despite Zeke's liberal rants. I would love to ask Zeke how hope and change is working out for him ;P.... But seriously, I would love for my daughter (an aspiring writer) to have the opportunity to take one of Dean Bakopoulos's classes. That is very high praise coming from a mother.
sohnesorge's review against another edition
4.0
Funny and poignant and profoundly sad. The thoroughly unreliable, deeply flawed narrator is recognisable (we've all been in deep denial at one time or another) and likeable. A bittersweet meditation on "first world problems" and the loneliness of urban life.
melanie_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Some good lines that midwest living is entirely soul-sucking, but mostly forgettable plot-wise.
anasagebiel's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
hollandsays's review
3.0
If Steve Carrel from the office had a brother, Zeke would be it. Really glad I picked up this book but the awkwardness from the main charater kept making me feel so uncomfortable - in a good way!
jdgcreates's review
3.0
If the title or the beautiful cover doesn't pull you in on this book, then the very clever writing probably will do the trick. Zeke Pappas is, as far as I can tell, an unusual young man of 34: he is witty, conscientious, and considerate. He is also horny and conflicted and so all to common among his gender.
Whereas I would probably be horrified to read a similar non-fiction account by a man his age (see "Honeymoon with My Brother"), I was thoroughly entertained--charmed, even--by his tale of staunch denial, improbable marriage planning, and heartbreaking family life. This is not an outrageous book; it is everything it is, but gently so--you won't laugh so hard you snort in a public place, but you will feel your heart open up to this story and to Zeke.
Here's an early passage that clued me into the understated savvy of our protagonist while he flips out on teenage drivers racing down the street where his two young nieces are playing in the yard:
"As a man of average size and limited physical prowess, I have long ago learned that insanity is far more intimidating than size or strength. Nobody, if you will, fucks with a crazy man."
I did marvel, once again, at the constant sexual appraisal system that is the male brain(s), and am even more convinced that it is better to take our chances as a woman than to see every single female on a "Yes" or "No" level. It must be utterly exhausting to be a man. Fortunately, I only read about it.
Whereas I would probably be horrified to read a similar non-fiction account by a man his age (see "Honeymoon with My Brother"), I was thoroughly entertained--charmed, even--by his tale of staunch denial, improbable marriage planning, and heartbreaking family life. This is not an outrageous book; it is everything it is, but gently so--you won't laugh so hard you snort in a public place, but you will feel your heart open up to this story and to Zeke.
Here's an early passage that clued me into the understated savvy of our protagonist while he flips out on teenage drivers racing down the street where his two young nieces are playing in the yard:
"As a man of average size and limited physical prowess, I have long ago learned that insanity is far more intimidating than size or strength. Nobody, if you will, fucks with a crazy man."
I did marvel, once again, at the constant sexual appraisal system that is the male brain(s), and am even more convinced that it is better to take our chances as a woman than to see every single female on a "Yes" or "No" level. It must be utterly exhausting to be a man. Fortunately, I only read about it.