Comments on: The Russian Debutante’s Handbook http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/ Your head will collapse if there's nothing in it Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:16:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Baby Got Books » New Stuff http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/comment-page-1/#comment-487 Baby Got Books » New Stuff Wed, 26 Apr 2006 01:46:25 +0000 http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/#comment-487 [...] Somehow, the new novel by Gary Shteyngart, Absurdistan, has snuck up on me.  The NYT reviews it in today’s paper.  Shteyngart is the author of The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, which we disussed, here and here. [...] [...] Somehow, the new novel by Gary Shteyngart, Absurdistan, has snuck up on me.  The NYT reviews it in today’s paper.  Shteyngart is the author of The Russian Debutante’s Handbook, which we disussed, here and here. [...]

]]> By: Baby Got Books » Blog Archive » Russian Debutante Reduxe http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/comment-page-1/#comment-444 Baby Got Books » Blog Archive » Russian Debutante Reduxe Thu, 23 Mar 2006 02:28:48 +0000 http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/#comment-444 [...] On the Strong Read recommendation of Dr J, I hopped on The Russian Debutante’s Handbook with a quickness. I had a feeling that I would enjoy Gary Shteyngart’s sensibility from reading an interview with Jeffrey Eugenides at Bookslut. I was not mistaken. The book is an absurdist adventure of Russian immigrant Vladimir’s poorly thought-out stab at assimilation. I particularly enjoyed Shteyngart’s use of language and his satirical eye. For example, when describing a crowd of fiercely communist revolutionary babushkas in Prava, he describes their little dogs as agit-pups. That killed me for some reason. Shteyngart also mentioned, in passing, an old man ordering the vegetarian liver at a restaurant. This is a particular pet peeve of mine; vegetarian sausage, tofu-rkey, etc. It was a quick throw away line, but it had me chuckling. Having now read the book, I am somewhat surprised at how much praise was heaped on this book. It’s an engaging, humorous tale, sure. I’m not sure that it reaches “BIG IMPORTANT BOOK” status. But whatever. You could bring much worse books to the beach this summer. Gary Shteyngart is an original voice, and I recommend picking this up. And it’s priced to move used at Amazon. [...] [...] On the Strong Read recommendation of Dr J, I hopped on The Russian Debutante’s Handbook with a quickness. I had a feeling that I would enjoy Gary Shteyngart’s sensibility from reading an interview with Jeffrey Eugenides at Bookslut. I was not mistaken. The book is an absurdist adventure of Russian immigrant Vladimir’s poorly thought-out stab at assimilation. I particularly enjoyed Shteyngart’s use of language and his satirical eye. For example, when describing a crowd of fiercely communist revolutionary babushkas in Prava, he describes their little dogs as agit-pups. That killed me for some reason. Shteyngart also mentioned, in passing, an old man ordering the vegetarian liver at a restaurant. This is a particular pet peeve of mine; vegetarian sausage, tofu-rkey, etc. It was a quick throw away line, but it had me chuckling. Having now read the book, I am somewhat surprised at how much praise was heaped on this book. It’s an engaging, humorous tale, sure. I’m not sure that it reaches “BIG IMPORTANT BOOK” status. But whatever. You could bring much worse books to the beach this summer. Gary Shteyngart is an original voice, and I recommend picking this up. And it’s priced to move used at Amazon. [...]

]]> By: DJ Cayenne http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/comment-page-1/#comment-260 DJ Cayenne Tue, 21 Feb 2006 04:18:03 +0000 http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/#comment-260 Sweet. I’m fired up to add it to the pile. I’ll get Mrs. Cayenne to get moving on that other book. We’ll swap. Another positive sign is the Amazon list of books also purchased by people who bought this book is very interesting looking. I have read only one of the books, and the rest at least require some additional investigation. Sweet. I’m fired up to add it to the pile. I’ll get Mrs. Cayenne to get moving on that other book. We’ll swap.

Another positive sign is the Amazon list of books also purchased by people who bought this book is very interesting looking. I have read only one of the books, and the rest at least require some additional investigation.

]]> By: Dr J http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/comment-page-1/#comment-259 Dr J Tue, 21 Feb 2006 04:17:35 +0000 http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/#comment-259 Save yourself the fitty cents. You can have my copy for free. Save yourself the fitty cents. You can have my copy for free.

]]> By: DJ Cayenne http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/comment-page-1/#comment-258 DJ Cayenne Tue, 21 Feb 2006 04:17:18 +0000 http://www.babygotbooks.com/2005/06/01/the-russian-debutante%e2%80%99s-handbook/#comment-258 Bwu-wu-ha-ha-ha (maniacal laugh), excellent. My diabolical plot is starting to come together. Now that you’ve had a positive comix experience, and I have managed to insert a graphic novel into your home (through generous loan of Persepolis to Mrs. J) - within in no time you will be attending Dragon Com dressed as an Imperial Stormtrooper. Bwu-ha-ha-ha. Anyway, I’ve been wanting to read this book myself after checking out that link. Glad to hear that it was as advertised. It’s available used at Amazon for under fifty cents. Sounds like a done deal. I read somewhere that his next book is going to be called Absurdistan, but a quick looksee at Amazon has a book by that title written by someone else. Who knows. Bwu-wu-ha-ha-ha (maniacal laugh), excellent. My diabolical plot is starting to come together. Now that you’ve had a positive comix experience, and I have managed to insert a graphic novel into your home (through generous loan of Persepolis to Mrs. J) – within in no time you will be attending Dragon Com dressed as an Imperial Stormtrooper. Bwu-ha-ha-ha.

Anyway, I’ve been wanting to read this book myself after checking out that link. Glad to hear that it was as advertised. It’s available used at Amazon for under fifty cents. Sounds like a done deal.

I read somewhere that his next book is going to be called Absurdistan, but a quick looksee at Amazon has a book by that title written by someone else. Who knows.

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