I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey Audiobook

" Some laugh-out-loud humor, but I found some stories just a bit too strange. "

" I really enjoyed the non-fiction memoir parts of the book, and after the first one, skipped the short story part. I have enjoyed quite a few things that Rudnick has written on stage and screen - most notably The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, and Jeffrey, and enjoyed reading about some of the backstory regarding his work, but was bored with the fiction sections - I may have enjoyed them if I had read them in a separate book, but I wasn't expecting them interspersed with the non-fiction and I think my brain wasn't prepared for it. All in all, sweet, nice, and at points very funny. "

" Bits of autobiography and fictional memoir. I didn't care for the latter, but the first and last chapters were humorous and humane real-life memoirs. Nothing here matches the hilarity of Rudnick's periodic one-pagers in the New Yorker. "

" This was hysterical! I highly recommend the audio version because he was great reading it. It did start to drag at the end but a good read. "

" +3 stars because Rudnick adores New York, tells gossipy stories about celebrities, has an unparalleled eye for details, and hates the TV screens in the back of cabs as much as I do. -2 points because he's repelled by and scornful of women between the ages of 15 and 45. "

" Mostly funny take on life in NYC and other topics. "

" Most bizarre book I have ever read. o.O "

" Because sometimes even I need a break from serious reading! Having just moved out of New Jersey, I found Rudnick's wit and insight spot on. Don't get me wrong, I think the Garden State gets a bad rap, but sometimes you do have to laugh. "

" Absolutely hilarious. Laugh-out-loud funny, touching and insightful look at New Yorker theater personalities surrounding the author, who is a screenwriter and gay Jewish observer from New Jersey. "

" I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. "

" I didn't finish the book. He was too cynical for my taste. There was too much anger in his humor. Good writer. I guess I was in the wrong mood for the book "

" Not quite Sedaris, but amusing so far....really funny insider stories. "

" Twenty pages in and it's funny in a Pocono resort kind of way. Of course, the early section dealt with an early time and some family member now dead. I'll post more when I finish this collection of humorous essays on life a la D. Sedaris. "

" More or less a decent collection of essays. "

" Short funny essays. It's all I can handle these days. "

" From the man that brought the screenplays for Sister Act and In and Out, Rudnick delivers stories around those and other movies, his crazy aunts and extended family, and of course, life in NJ. A very funny read, which delivered many laugh out loud moments. "

" This humorous memior is similiar in tone to Sedaris's work, and actually surpasses many of his less consistent later books. "

" Amusing collection of autobiographical stories (interspersed with fictional diary entries by the world's most tasteful man) by a gay New York playwright/screenwriter. "

" semi-funny. not as good as david sedaris "

" Was hoping this book would be much better since David Sedaris, who I love, said such good things about it. However, I wasn't as impressed. It was okay, but not great. What I was hoping for was another David Sedaris book! "

" This book is varied, but enjoyable. Some essays had me laughing out loud, some were kind of forgettable. They are fantastic if you like stories about bizarre, mostly gay, New Yorkers. "

" Humorous, funny parts, some parts went slowly though. "

" This man is responsible for writing Addams Family Values and coming up with the concept for Sister Act. Enough said. "

" Liked the essays about him, didn't care as much for the Vionnet fiction. "

" all gossip, really, without much substance. Very nice light read (listen), and I enjoyed the alternate personality stories as well. "

" Some of it is really, really funny. Great writing. Couldn't get into all of it, though. "

" This man is responsible for writing Addams Family Values and coming up with the concept for Sister Act. Enough said. "

" The first few essays/stories (it's a little of both) weren't very funny, but the second half of the book is RIDICULOUS---I was laughing outloud on the train, a ton. "

" Not all that good, especially the fiction parts. "

" Some of the situations and interplay with people were amusing but I could not even begin to be able to identify with show biz folks. I must be too mid-western (or too old) "

" Loved this book. he is my food hero. "

" Some hilarious essays, and a couple of not so funny ones. "

" Over the top and eventually just too much -- sort of David Sedaris of the entertainment business interspersed with chapters of a really stupid pretend memoir. I stopped listening halfway through. "

" I didn't finish the book. He was too cynical for my taste. There was too much anger in his humor. Good writer. I guess I was in the wrong mood for the book "

" Amusing collection of autobiographical stories (interspersed with fictional diary entries by the world's most tasteful man) by a gay New York playwright/screenwriter. "

" Because sometimes even I need a break from serious reading! Having just moved out of New Jersey, I found Rudnick's wit and insight spot on. Don't get me wrong, I think the Garden State gets a bad rap, but sometimes you do have to laugh. "

" I did laugh out loud a couple of times while reading this book, but eventually, it became a chore to read. "