|
A Novel
By Publisher: William Morrow
ISBN: 0060590270
Release Date: 2006-03-21
List Price: USD 24.95
Hardcover
Buy it from: amazon.com ( from US$ 15.01)
Book description:
Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy. A little hapless, somewhat neurotic, sort of a hypochondriac. He's what's known as a Beta Male: the kind of fellow who makes his way through life by being careful and constant -- you know, the one who's always there to pick up the pieces when the girl gets dumped by the bigger/taller/stronger Alpha Male. </p>
But Charlie's been lucky. He owns a building in the heart of San Francisco, and runs a secondhand store with the help of a couple of loyal, if marginally insane, employees. He's married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy. And she, Rachel, is about to have their first child. </p>
Yes, Charlie's doing okay for a Beta. That is, until the day his daughter, Sophie, is born. Just as Charlie -- exhausted from the birth -- turns to go home, he sees a strange man in mint-green golf wear at Rachel's hospital bedside, a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird. . . . </p>
People start dropping dead around him, giant ravens perch on his building, and it seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yup, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death. It's a dirty job. But hey, somebody's gotta do it. </p>
Christopher Moore, the man whose Lamb served up Jesus' "missing years" (with the funny parts left in), and whose Fluke found the deep humor in whale researchers' lives, now shines his comic light on the undiscovered country we all eventually explore -- death and dying -- and the results are hilarious, heartwarming, and a hell of a lot of fun. </p>
Those who like this book also like:
Forum of this bookReviews from people like you (2)
7 out of 8 found this helpful: A Dirty Job
rince1wind(chicago)
 
This book is very good. I might have said great -- but it's not quite as good as the author's earlier The Stupidest Angel, Bloodsucking Fiends, or Island of the Sequined Love Nun. Moore is so wonderful at characterization; the protagonist of Dirty Job is appealing, even while you shake your head over him. The supporting characters, too, are well constructed and funny, and while the villains in this one are not so well-filled-out, they provide enough amusing evil to keep the reader happy. The plot isn't as sophisticated as some of Moore's others, but still very enjoyable. 2006-04-06 17:12 | 2 comments
A dirty job review
kimmy
If your review contains discussions of key plot of a novel or a movie, please check the spoler warning. Douban will display a hint in in front of your review to protect innocent readers.
There's a 25 word minimum length requirement for all reviews. If your review if shorter, it will be posted in the forum instead.
You can leave a permalink at the end of your review if it is copied from your own blog. Douban will convert addresses starting with "http://" to hyperlinks.
2006-08-26 10:55 | 1 comment
 Write a review
|
| |
Have you read this book?
Rate this book/all ratings
Who read this book?
Break
|