Danny Wallace

1/15/2008: I just finished this book and I have to say that it is the funniest thing I've ever read! Although I was put off by the abundance of vulgar language, I did learn some new British swear words---so it was a learning experience! Some other things I learned are that the British form of the game "Clue" is called, "Cluedo" and that England, N. Ireland, Scotland, and Wales make up the United Kingdom.

I really liked how it ended on a positive and sentimental note and that everything really was "happily ever after" in the end! Wallace has a great ability to tell a very humorous story, while still leaving the reader is suspense as to the next turn. I read online that they are making this into a movie starring Jim Carrey. After hearing that, I showed the cover to my husband and said, "they are making a movie about this book...who do you think is starring?" He said, "Jim Carrey!"… (plus d'informations)

El día en que Stella se despierta y descubre que en su casa no funciona NADA que tenga una pantalla, el caos estalla en su familia. ¿En su familia? ¡No, en su ciudad! ¡En el planeta entero! Y es que TODOS los aparatos con pantallas han dejado de funcionar…

¿Lo peor? La pobre abuela de Stella, que vive en el otro lado del país, está incomunicada. A la familia no les queda otro remedio que lanzarse a la carretera… y a la aventura. Y, a lo largo de una expedición enloquecida en un mundo patas arriba, tal vez lleguen a descubrir que las pantallas son muy importantes, pero no son LO ÚNICO que importa.… (plus d'informations)

The first thing to say is that I'm someone with a relatively hypoplastic sense of humor. Very little makes me laugh out loud, and I usually find the idea of comedy kind of intimidating, because I never know if I'm finding it as funny enough. But even for someone as humor-stunted as myself, Yes Man is quite funny. Ever wonder what would happen if you said yes to the random pan-handlers, and spam e-mailers and signature-collectors and advertisements and dozens of other offers we're bombarded by? The idea is so simple, and Wallace has a beautifully dry sense of humor.

The other promise -- that I would find Yes Man insightful or thought-provoking -- didn't pan out, though. As a woman trying to make my academic career work I get the opposite advice, all the time: "Learn to say no." And Wallace did nothing to convince me that I shouldn't be working harder on not stretching myself too thin. Would it be fun to spontaneously go to Singapore? Yes. Can most people handle the major work, family and financial consequences to more spontaneity? Probably not. I had a lot of second-hand anxiety about Danny's financial straits when reading...maybe for independently wealthy mid-twenty somethings emulating this experiment is possible, but for the rest of us, taking out and using dozens of credit cards is more nightmarish than a life lesson.

Finally, the first half had an affected naivete that was neither interesting, nor convincing. We all know Nigerian princes offering millions of dollars is a scam. Say "yes" if you feel you have to, but it's tedious when you pretend to believe that there is anything real to the situation.

Overall, I found the book light and fun, but I was happy it was him and not me.… (plus d'informations)