franklc29's review against another edition
3.0
We're different, that's just the way it is! This book is kind of all over the place and sometimes goes off on tangents that seemingly have nothing to do with the topic at hand, but if you stick with it the message of this book is very good. Why keep trying to pretend that we are all the same, that there are no differences between white people, black people, Asians, Muslims, etc. when we can celebrate our different cultures and what makes us unique? Some people may think of this book as racist and stereotypical but I believe it is anything but. It is an honest, free, and open dialogue about an issue that has been plaguing this country for years, especially in recent years. If we were more open and accepting instead of constantly "PC" and timid, maybe we could finally have this "conversation on race" and put an end to a lot of these problems.
jannyslibrary's review against another edition
3.0
Colin Quinn does a good job of describing what New York was like when he was growing up in Park Slope in the 70's. It's a memoir and it's pretty fun, I didn't enjoy it as much as Overstated, but I did like all of his stories from his drunken rampage days. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
sharptoe's review against another edition
3.0
Clever and witty for what it is... But I'm not sure what it really is. A strange jumbled mess of stereotypes. Delivered as only Quinn can. I recommend the audiobook
melindamaureen's review against another edition
4.0
I learned a lot - like Quinn goes to a gym, had a mustache, and got into a lot of fist fights - and a nice reminder of the pleasures of difference and problems with sameness.
cpa85's review against another edition
3.0
I was led to believe there would be some brilliant insights among the humor in this book. Not so much. It wasn't bad by any means but it was mostly just humorous observations and autobiographical anecdotes.
annieturnsthepage's review
5.0
I have always enjoyed Colin's comedy, and this book was great just like his act.
afrugalfather's review
3.0
I agree with Nakesd's review intro: "SNL alum Colin Quinn recounts his childhood growing up in multiethnic New York in the 70s and uses the occasion to make amusing, if not very deep or even very novel, generalizations of these ethnic groups"
This is very much one man's personal reflection of growing up in New York, so do not really expect to find any solutions to race relations in America. Still, if you like his humor you should find this a funny account of racial interactions in the 70s.
This is very much one man's personal reflection of growing up in New York, so do not really expect to find any solutions to race relations in America. Still, if you like his humor you should find this a funny account of racial interactions in the 70s.
More...