Geekdad reviews The Happiest Days

Posted on By Wil

Ken Denmead, who edits the Geekdad blog at Wired, wrote a review of The Happiest Days of Our Lives this weekend:

This is a wonderful little book.  I hate to use a diminutive like
"little," for fear of implying that THDOOL is less-than significant in
some literary way; it isn’t.  It is a charming, heart-warming,
laugh-inducing, tear-jerking, and even envy-inducing read.  It is not,
however, long.  I’d like to argue that this is a plus.  Indeed, I think
THDOOL is enjoyable in part because of its length (or lack thereof).
It is, after all, a collection of short-form writing (blog-posts),
collected, expanded, massaged, and served with a steaming side of
post-modern nostalgic recollection.  This is the face of contemporary
introspective non-fiction, and it is exactly what we all like to read
and write nowadays.  Reading THDOOL is all about getting the quick-fix
of checking your RSS feeds in the morning and skimming the new posts,
but then getting to take a little longer to sit down and savor
something just a bit more significant.

Have I pointed out that everything in this book, though it started online in one form or another, was completely rewritten, updated, expanded upon, and "de-bloggified’? The Happiest Days isn’t just a cut and paste, and maybe I should have made that more clear before? Anyway, I’m very happy that Ken noticed that, and mentioned it.

There will be good reviews and bad reviews, and not everyone will like what I write, or how I write it. I’ve learned over the years to make a conscious effort not to give too much importance to any of them, but I have to admit that getting such a positive review from someone who I respect and enjoy reading every day made me squee just a little bit.

Okay, a lot.

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Comments (13)

  2. I’m glad someone took the time to point that out!
    That was why I liked Just A Geek so much — it was almost a meta experience, using blog posts as time capsules, and then commenting on the posts to lace things into a narrative.
    No more hesitance to buy THDOOL now, thanks to GeekDad. I’ll go hunting for a Buy Now Paypal button…

  4. I Can not wait to get a copy of your book. I’m sure It will be worth the wait, I loved Just A Geek and Dancing Barefoot. Looking forward to a great read!!

  5. I read THDOOL last night, and I have to agree…great read. It is a tad on the short side (I probably could have read it in an hour if I hadn’t had to put it down mutiple times to laugh AND cry), but what it lacks in length it makes up in sincerity, warmth, and attitude (the good kind, mind you). I think you’ve proven that blogging can give birth to real writing. And while I don’t think anybody’s going to call you the next Truman Capote, I sure do like reading your stuff a whole lot more!

  7. Ooh, I can hardly wait to read mine – unfortunately, it’s at the post office that closes at 5PM, which takes about an hour for me to get to and I don’t leave work until 4:10… sigh…

  8. I’m “working” my way through Kevin Smith’s book-of-blog, and although I enjoyed it as a blog, I’m laboring through the book version. Now, in contrast, while the stories in your blog were a great read the first time around, the fact that you “de-blogged” them for the book is great as they seemed fresh yet fondly familiar (if that makes sense?).

  12. Now I cant read THDOOL without mentally calling ‘The Dool’. Damn.
    Im almost tempted to go ahead and order one now, but I really want a hardcover. Really Really.

  13. WOO WOO My book is here!!!
    And according to the stamp, it was mailed on the 22nd…..so only a week to get up here to the Great White North.
    Running off to read it now…hope the kids don’t mind take-out!

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