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How To Talk To A Widower

By Jonathan Tropper

(16)

| Paperback | 9780752885766

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Book review: Jonathan Tropper's *How to Talk to a Widower*

How to Talk to a Widower Jonathan Tropper Bantam Discovery Paperback 352 pages June 2008 Set in suburban Westchester, New York, Jonathan Tropper's irreverently funny How to Talk to a Widower proves that you can't rewrite history, even if you wanted t ... (read full critics)

curledup published on Tue, 7 Sep 2010

Bookreporter.com - HOW TO TALK TO A WIDOWER by Jonathan Tropper

• About the Book • Read an Excerpt • Author Interview -- July 20, 2007 • Reading Group Guide Upon reading the flap copy for Jonathan Tropper’s latest novel, I prepared myself for a slightly depressing but mostly hilarious read --- a book that would m ... (read full critics)

bookreporter published on Sat, 28 Aug 2010

4 Reviews

If only Jonathan Tropper could put out a book a month

There's nothing like a Jonathan Tropper novel to make you laugh and cry (and grin). No one gets into the head of the 30 year old Jewish male in his 30s dealing with ...stuff like Tropper. This time the stuff is big: 27 year old Doug finds himself a widower and single step-parent over night when his ... (continue)

There's nothing like a Jonathan Tropper novel to make you laugh and cry (and grin). No one gets into the head of the 30 year old Jewish male in his 30s dealing with ...stuff like Tropper. This time the stuff is big: 27 year old Doug finds himself a widower and single step-parent over night when his wonderful (and by all accounts perfect) wife dies in a fluke plane crash. A year later he is still grieving (quite publically as he is a magazine writer) and we get to follow his slow but certain re-insertion into suburban society. And what a hoot. Some great side characters: his crazy rich twin sister, alcoholic ex-actress mother, senile father, furious teen and not to be missed the very hot neighbor...Also don't miss his book of Joe, one of my favorites.

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Gail Paris said on May 19, 2010 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

Just two years after marriage at the age of twenty-six to a woman ten years his senior Doug Parker finds himself a widower. The story picks up his life when already a widower for a year, he is still drowning in self pity. His somewhat eccentric family are trying to encourage him to sort his life o ... (continue)

Just two years after marriage at the age of twenty-six to a woman ten years his senior Doug Parker finds himself a widower. The story picks up his life when already a widower for a year, he is still drowning in self pity. His somewhat eccentric family are trying to encourage him to sort his life out and at the same time his teenage step son, Russ is taking out the anger of his mother’s death on Doug, with difficult behaviour.
I have no idea how this one ever got to be on my wish list! I think possibly as it was a Richard and Judy recommendation.It made it’s way on to Mt ToBeRead fairly recently when a fellow Bookcrosser kindly it sent to me. In the spirit of Bookcrossing to keep books travelling I always try and read such gifts fairly soon after their arrival.
The quote on the front cover states ‘Jonathan Tropper is a genius…he has yet again written a brilliant, funny and incredibly poignant book’
Well sorry but I must be missing something here. The word genius seems rather a strong to use in this context, but then I don’t know any of this author’s other work so I will not pass further comment, just say I was very disappointed.
Funny, yes in parts mainly dark humour which I did not always find appropriate, especially with the I felt overuse of the f word and I assure you I am by no means a prude, if it is necessary use it.
I did laugh when the protagonist Doug describes his memory of his sister Claire putting on her best Julia Child voice. Until recently I had never even heard of Julia Child but now since having seen the film Julie and Julia, I related to this and found it amusing. I think maybe then that a lot of the humour went over my head being American?
So was it poignant yes, how could it fail to be as story of love and loss.
Definitely not the style of writing that I enjoy! I am sure that this will appeal to lots of people as Jonathan Tropper is obviously considered to be a talented writer.
This post written and saved I have just looked on Amazon.co.uk and there are no reviews there less than three stars, the majority being four and five star reviews. It seems I am therefore very much in the minority on this one. If anyone else has read this I would love to know what you made of it.

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Lindyloumac said on May 6, 2010 | Add your feedback

ARC

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Becky said on Nov 10, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

Great story!

This mad me laugh and cry. It's really really good and jocked full of emotion!
I totally recommend this book.

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Angie said on Sep 17, 2007 | Add your feedback