Dr. Pauly reviews The Happiest Days

My friend Dr. Pauly reviewed The Happiest Days of Our Lives!

Very few authors are able to connect with their readers, but Wil
Wheaton is not like most writers. His words are like a sleeper cell.
You have no idea they have penetrated deep inside of you, then they
spring to life and attack your senses when you least expect it.

[…]

Probably the hardest part about reading any of
Wheaton’s books is that I’m constantly day dreaming while I’m supposed
to be reading it. My thoughts drift because his words instantly trigger
flashbacks and old memories. That’s a powerful gift to have.

My
only complaint was that the book was too short. I wanted more. I equate
Wheaton’s style to Hemingway in the sense that he has an amazing
economy of words. The result is short but powerfully loaded pieces.
Although the book physically contains only thirteen short stories, the
impact is much greater. The stories, images, and memories that Wheaton
stirs up inside your head continues to fester and entertain and inspire
you long after you’re done reading his last page.

Pauly is an inspiration to me, and I aspire to write as well as he does one day. His praise of my work means a lot to me. 

I hear that a lot of the 300 are getting their books. This is awesome, and I’m happy to hear that those of you who’ve gotten your books are as excited to have them as I am for them to be in your hands. Because I’ve processed all the hardbacks out of the computer (the outstanding orders are just waiting to be sorted and filled with books), I was able to put softcovers back up for order again.

In non-HDoOL news, I just found out that a deadline was moved up from the middle of
January to December 4, so I’m probably going to be AFK (well, AFB,
anyway) for the next week or so, except when my brain demands a break
from it all and forces me to come post psychotic ramblings in my blog
about the time a Nosferatu became a Deadhead and lived out of a
converted school bus for six years, tripping his fangs off by drinking
the blood of spun out hippies in 1960.

. . . uh-oh. It’s starting already.

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35 thoughts on “Dr. Pauly reviews The Happiest Days”

  3. wow. that review said exactly what i couldn’t put into words. i feel the same way when i read your books. you have an amazing talent wil. i hope there are many more books to come!

  5. I’m glad I’m not the only one whose mind wanders while reading your books. Your stories are things that all of us can relate too in one way or another. And you remind us that geek is the new black. While we might not have been cool 20 years ago, we sure as hell are now! 🙂

  9. Yay! I got my hardcover copy today! yay! It is so awesome!!! Thanks Wil! I won’t tell any of the people who have softcover editions why our version is cooler. 🙂

  10. Mine arrived today. Yay! The note explaining the pictures was a really nice touch — i’m going to have to try to keep that tucked inside my copy for, y’know, ever. Thanks so much, Wil! I can’t wait to read this!!

  12. I feel your pain, SandieK. USPS.com still lists mine as simply “processed.” It doesn’t surprise me — my local post office seems to hate getting us mail in a timely (and intact) manner. Also, some dick smashed a bunch of mail trucks in my area so I’m sure that’s slowed down the mail. So, really, I’m just a much more pessimistic and cranky version of “Still in Memphis… Still in Memphis…” 😀 (Not that I *need* it *now*… but having things out there in the ether of “the postal service” always puts me on edge. 🙂 )


  16. “What’s Out There with Wil Wheaton”
    Wait, what? I know it’s not a real show but… how did I miss this going up on YouTube, anyway? And I’d just like to say, objectively, I’d totally watch this if it really were a series.
    (Am I late to the party? Did someone mention this before?)

  17. Your item was processed and left our CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA 91715 facility on November 24, 2007. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later. <------ My "Still in Memphis" equivalent. The more reviews I read, the more I cant wait to read it.

  18. Woo, mine left Topeka today! Too bad though that I’m not home when the mailman arrives, so I will have to wait an extra day to pick it up at the post office.
    I can’t wait 😀

  19. I got mine today… got a message from my guy while I was at work, saying there was a book in the mail. I asked to go home from work early, but they wouldn’t let me. By the time I did get out of work, I’m lucky I didn’t get a ticket on the way home. LOL
    I ran in the door and grasped the envelope in my hands while I jumped up and down, and then sat on the couch to open it very carefully, to make sure it stayed in the condition it arrived, which is perfect!
    Probably a good thing I had to wait, really, as no one was up to see me tear up while I was reading the letter that came with the book.
    I got your book (well, second copy of it!) and my name is on the homepage of 360voice. This is the best geek day EVER. Srsly.
    Good luck with your deadline, and thank you, thank you, thank you so much! You totally made this one of my happiest days.

  20. #163 was waiting for me when I got home.
    Yay!
    Plan to read it Thursday on my day off.
    Thanks for the packing slip also… 🙂

  21. A common complaint about this book seems to be that it is too short. I can believe that one because I thought the same about Just A Geek.
    It’s an interesting problem for a writer that people want MORE of his words not less. I can think of many writers where the later was certainly true.
    Maybe Wil will take the hint and do something a bit longer in length for those of us who think he’s a writer well worth reading.

  22. In case you missed it, on Fark,Gamepolitics has an article about how the Fl bar has cleared the ENTIRE WEEK to deal with the wonderful Jack Thompson.
    Christmas might have an extra present under the tree for all gamers this year

  23. Mine (#167) was safely nestled and snuggled in my mailbox when I got home. I thought it might come today while I was at work and I was crossing my fingers and toes that it would not be left outside on my porch like some packages of mine are because it was pouring rain yesterday. Didn’t matter because, damn, those packages you put them in are WATERTIGHT! And almost knife-proof (ow).
    I haven’t had the chance to read it yet – it’s my plan to do so today. But I do want to say, even though I haven’t read THIS book yet, I do know Dr. Pauly’s review is very spot on. You know why? I think you know the secret to happiness, Wil. Seriously. Not many people are TRULY happy and I think you’re one of very few souls that can see into nearly every situation with humor and gratefulness.
    I wrote some more about this topic but it felt too wordy, so I erased the excess “Mwah-wah-wah” (Charlie Brown boring adult blather).
    But basically, your writing absolutely makes me feel young at heart and giddy (even though I’m only 30… that’s still a damn hard thing to accomplish). Yes, it IS a very powerful, and rare, gift to have.

  24. Oh, you mean Spike-style (Re: Nosferatu)? “If every vampire who said he was at the Crucifixion was actually there it would’ve been like Woodstock. I was at Woodstock. I fed off a flower person and I spent six hours watching my hand move.”
    Sorry, I’m a Buffy geek and had to quote that or I was going to go nuts. 🙂

  26. Good luck with that. 🙂
    I got my Hard back yesterday. My husband threatened to open it because it was addressed to him (he stole the paypal account and now it is in his name…bah) but I threatened him with many bloody beatings.
    I am 60/300! Wooo Hooo! Party!

  27. I was almost CERTAIN I would have one of the signed copies in the first 10…
    But alas, my signed copy did arrive (#50) and I was overjoyed to find it in my mailbox yesterday.
    I eagerly ripped open the package and produced forth the tome I have been waiting for. I sat down in my new Ikea easy chair with my reading lamp, turned on my space heater and as I began to toast my feet and thaw a bit, cracked the cover and began my journey.
    Thanks!
    Bill

  28. Well, speaking as one of the non-300 (the Softies we call ourselves) my copy of the book is just as good! An chock full of softy goodness!

  30. Wil, with this deadline pressure and such, methinks you will need some distractions and fun times shortly thereafter. Like, in Las Vegas the very next weekend with your poker blogger brethren. Come on, dude, you know you NEED to go. For the sake of your own sanity, if nothing else. Dr. Pauly will be there and you can thank him in person for the great review. Maybe Otis will top his keno-crayon-eating prop bet.
    You’ll kick yourself if you miss it. So don’t.

  31. Well, speaking as one of the non-300 (the Softies we call ourselves) my copy of the book is just as good!
    Mad Monk: Your book may be as good as ours, but what you don’t know is that with the hardcover, Wil packaged a lock of his hair and a talisman specially tuned to his psychic frequency so that we can always be near him, no matter how many miles separate us. 😀 And we will become Wil’s ArMy oF DeaTH THAT WILL TAKE OVER THE WORLD! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
    But I’m not supposed to tell you that. D’oh! Forget that I said that. Poker! Linux Rules! Ahem.

  32. Craig Have you been to see people in lab coats lately? Theyre really very nice. They gave me this cool new jacket after I chewed through my first one.
    Anyway….76/300. I cracked up when I saw that number. Seems to pop up all kinds of odd places.
    Now I just need some ‘reading music’ and Ill be good.
    Thanks a BUNCH.

  33. Craig Steffen FTW.
    Bwahahahaha! That’s just made of win. I lol’d IRL. 🙂
    Yes… Linux, poker, um… “Prove to everyone that quitting Star Trek wasn’t a mistake”… um… zombies… move along… move along.
    *shifty eyes*

  34. Wil,
    If it is not too late, you could offer the six customers who were over”booked”, TWO autographed paperback copies of The Happiest Days instead of refunding their money. Seems like a fair deal to me.
    Freeman 🙂

  35. On my way home today my mom called to say my book arrived at her place (she ordered it through her paypal account because she owed me the money) well I made a special detour through traffic to pick it up (even though I’ll be at her place picking up the kids tomorrow.) I am proud to be an esteemed member of the Wheaton 300 (#91)!!!!
    ~~TARA~~

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