Murray Tepper would say that he is an ordinary New Yorker who is simply trying to read the newspaper in peace. But he reads while sitting behind the wheel of his parked car, and his car always seems to be in a particularly desirable parking spot. Not surprisingly, he is regularly interrupted by drivers who want to know if he is going out. Tepper isn’t going out. Why not? His explanations tend to be rather literal: the indisputable fact, for instance, that he has twenty minutes left on the meter. Tepper’s behavior sometimes irritates the people who want his spot. (“Is that where you live? Is that car rent-controlled?”) It also irritates the mayor—Frank Ducavelli, known in tabloid headlines as Il Duce—who sees Murray Tepper as a harbinger of what His Honor always calls “the forces of disorder.” But once New Yorkers become aware of Tepper, some of them begin to suspect that he knows something they don’t know. And an ever-increasing number of them are willing to line up for the opportunity to sit in his car with him and find out. Tepper Isn’t Going Out is a wise and witty story of an ordinary man who, perhaps innocently, changes the world around him.
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"This book is a laugh a page, at least, but it also has some gravitas and I must admit I hadn't anticipated the twist at the end. It's Trillin at his best and well worth reading. It's an interesting take on the conceit of the person whose eccentric behavior elicits a broad spectrum of responses from people who project their own fears and problems onto his minimalist account for his weird choice of hobby. In that sense it reminded me of Kiran Desai's "Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard", except it doesn't veer into the fantastic at the end." — Pascale (4 out of 5 stars)
"This book is a laugh a page, at least, but it also has some gravitas and I must admit I hadn't anticipated the twist at the end. It's Trillin at his best and well worth reading. It's an interesting take on the conceit of the person whose eccentric behavior elicits a broad spectrum of responses from people who project their own fears and problems onto his minimalist account for his weird choice of hobby. In that sense it reminded me of Kiran Desai's "Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard", except it doesn't veer into the fantastic at the end."
“[Told] with great, cranky affection [and] an irresistible way of mixing the quotidian with the absurd.”
“Beginning, middle, and end are equally charming…Nothing can take away from this novel’s delight.”
“Trillin is at his charmingly funny best in this good-humored satire.”
“Good for smiles, guffaws, and sometimes laughter that brings tears.”
" One of my all time favorite books. A definite must read for anyone who has dealt with alternate side street parking. "
" Quick read! Enjoyable story about a lifelong New Yorker quietly instigating a revolution...with a wee twist at the end. "
" Murray Tepper is a mild-mannered everyman who gains pleasure from finding great parking spots. He knows the rules on many Manhattan streets and relishes the rush of reading The Post in his car once he's found the perfect space. His eccentric habit is noticed and turns him into a household name. It is cute, fun book. I like the picture it paints of New York. "
" A must for the New Yorker....hilarious. "
" A laught out loud ,totally relatable story. "
" Gentle, charming little cupcake of a novel. Best enjoyed in one sitting over a slice or two of folded-over NYC style pizza. "
" Quaint. Quirky. Not anything earth shattering but made me smile. "
" This was a funny, enjoyable book. "
" One of the best books I have ever read. Trillen's Tepper interweaves humor with profound simplicity and subliminal complexity. Great work. "
" This is a book that a friend had read and passed on. I finally decided to read it on an airplane and found it to be a bit dry at first but I stuck with it. If the plot line of this book is interesting to you, I would give it a try. "
" Silly but light and sometimes you need that. "
" This is not my kind of book but it was interesting. I am sure there is a lot that I missed in this book and can't wait until book club so someone can tell me. "
" This book ought to sink Rudy Guliani's presidential bid. "
" Long after reading this delightful little novel, I continue to reference it, hoping someone else has read it. It is short and funny, yet its brilliance doesn't strike until after you have finished reading it. "
" Cute enough book. A little slow moving but that was the whole point, I believe. I enjoyed the tiny twist at the end. Nice short chapters, a good book to take along to anyplace you'll be waiting: dentist, bus stop, etc. "
" I was initially drawn to this book because parking spots are scarce in my neighbourhood. The Guiliani satire is also pretty good. "
" Wonderfully crafted. Great character. Funny. "
" you have to be a new yorker to appreciate this. but if you are you will really enjoy it "
" What a wonderful book, and I am going to continue to keep reading his works. I would tell you about it, but I would like you to read for yourself! Completely worth it and pretty fast read. "
" An amusing and quick read, especially to those of us who line in New York. Not sure what someone who doesn't know New York City would make of this book. The send-up of Giuliani when he was mayor is rapier sharp and laugh out loud funny. "
" I acquired Tepper's habit of saying, "There's always something," and it keeps me smiling. "
" Tepper is the Buddha "
" This is a great book. Marie wouldn't let me read it in bed because I kept laughing out loud and annoying her. It's a little off-beat, but funny to the core. "
" A simple book about a simple man and parking in NYC. This was nice but I love Trillin's Deadline Poet. It may lose currency over time but, wow, what a fun book. "
Calvin Trillin has been a staff writer at the New Yorker since 1963. He is the author of thirty books. His nonfiction includes Jackson, 1964; About Alice; and Remembering Denny. His humor writing includes books of political verse, comic novels, books on eating, and children’s poetry. In 2012, he was awarded the Thurber Prize for American Humor for Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin: Forty Years of Funny Stuff. In 2013, he was inducted into the New York Writers Hall of Fame.
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