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Lightning Rods Audiobook
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(2.99) - 650 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
All I want is to be a success. That's all I ask.' Joe fails to sell a single set of the Encyclopedia Britannica in six months. Then he fails to sell a single Electrolux and must eat hundreds of pieces of homemade pie, served up by his would-be customers who feel so sorry for him. Holed up in his trailer, Joe finds an outlet his for frustrations in a series of ingenious sexual fantasies, and at last strikes gold. His brain storm, Lightning Rods, Inc., will take Joe to the very top - and to the very heart of corporate insanity - with an outrageous solution to the spectre of sexual harassment in the modern office.
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"If you're like me, then you hate the words that come out of other people's mouths. Why do they say the same bland, cliched phrase over and over again? But every excessively utilized combination of words had to have been cobbled together with intent at some point, and every cliche rests on some sort of actual reflection of the world. So if you were a really clever writer, you could find a way to write a book that was 81.7% bland cliches and thoughtless idiomatic ways of saying things, and yet imbue them with meaning every time. It's almost as if some people use words as mere tools to convey their thoughts and feelings, caring little about where those words came from. And so was recreated in me, thoughtless but good-hearted, the continual experience of our protagonist Joe, who is unbelievably clueless about other human beings, but goes through a continual discovery about them, always with the best of intentions. It's like an after-school special. About the benefits of anonymous sex."
— Bria (4 out of 5 stars)
Lightning Rods Listener Reviews
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" Joe is a mediocre salesman, until he discovers that his odd sexual fantasy can be used in Corporate America to end sexual harassment, by making some women in the office lightning rods for sexual urges. Biting social commentary and humor are supposed to ensue. Not so much. This will not be progressing in my TMN Tournament of Books bracket. "
— Jill, 2/17/2014 -
" Three stars means I'm ambivalent about this. "
— Alison, 2/14/2014 -
" May 2012-22 give us ten more novels by Helen DeWitt. One of the strangest novels I have read. "
— Zach, 2/4/2014 -
" Shock-jock. Cannot look at blue M&Ms, lightning or bathroom stalls in the same way. Like a Penthouse Forum letter that went on too long. "
— Lisa, 2/3/2014 -
" It's a crazy book about a guy who brings to life his sexual fantasies as a solution for sexual harassment in the corporate work place. I think I laughed out loud twice, and smiled quite a bit, it was an amusing book. "
— Penelope, 1/31/2014 -
" This is one of the funniest books I have read in a while and exactly what I needed after two "serious" books. DeWitt is clearly a genius. Disclaimer ... It is bit shocking and I would not recommend it for everyone. The 7th of the Tournament of Books novels I have read. "
— Patricia, 1/17/2014 -
" I get it. It's satire. The style is supposed to be repetitive and dull. But life is too short to read 275 pages of intentionally bad writing. "
— Jonathan, 1/10/2014 -
" Once I got past the uncomfortableness of the concept, it was enjoyable...but not profound or even unusually thought-provoking. "
— Annelise, 1/10/2014 -
" This was without doubt one of the worst books I've read in a long, long time. Witless writing style coupled with a plot that rapidly evaporated interest added up to a waste of my time. For similar subject matter presented in an more amusing, almost artful way, read Nicholson Baker. "
— Rick, 1/4/2014 -
" Very hard to get into the language at first, but once you do the satire is great. "
— Amy, 12/5/2013 -
" One of the strangest books I've read in a long time. Very funny and compelling. "
— Cora, 12/4/2013 -
" Adequate premise and style for a short story, but at novel length there just isn't enough value added. "
— Jay, 12/3/2013 -
" Narrator kept repeating himself, absurd premise, fell flat for me. It sounded like fun, but the over-thinking done by the MC was boring. "
— Tiffany, 9/12/2013 -
" Really unique and interesting idea. It just didnt captivate me enough, but others it may. "
— Lacy, 9/1/2013 -
" Started off strong, with an interesting idea and good writing, but petered out at the end. So to speak. "
— Melissa, 8/15/2013 -
" A satirical look at sex in the workplace and selling a product. Although Lightning Rods was sometimes funny it had some problems with the timeline and overdoing stereotypes (where were the successful women salespeople?) "
— Nora, 6/16/2013 -
" I found the whole idea this book is based on to be quite repellent, so I wasn't sure I'd like the book. But I should have had more faith the author. It's not The Last Samurai - it's something completely different. But it's hilarious and quite special. "
— VeganMedusa, 4/22/2013 -
" This was really well written and could have seemed more prescient were it published fifteen years ago. Reminded me of George Saunders. I'm surprised to find myself saying that it just wasn't my kind book. "
— jenifer, 2/1/2013 -
" Funny and mildly motivating (though I may just be extra receptive right now). There are a few odd and obvious typos... "
— John, 3/18/2012 -
" This book was funny, and the premise though bizarre was entertaining. I kept waiting for more plot to develop, but nothing ever did. "
— Greg, 1/4/2012
About Helen DeWitt
Helen DeWitt is a novelist. She is the author of the highly praised novels, The Last Samurai, Your Name Here, and Lightning Rods. She lives in Berlin.