I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

People like Tucker Max are the reason women become Lesbians. He is probably one of the most despicable people on the planet. His lack of empathy towards anyone and everyone makes not only men but humans in general look bad. If I were a woman from another country and read this book it would probably make me not only hate men but never want to be alone in the room with one again. I personally know people like Max, have had to work around them and listen to them. It is beyond sad. People like him are the reason you cannot compliment a coworker without getting hit with sexual harassment. What is even sadder is that they think they are funny and witty. No they are just shallow and immature.

I think these stories are totally believable. I saw and experienced much of the same when I was 17 and 18. But why are these adolescent experiences subjects for a book? There were no moral epiphanies, no poetic phrasing, no existential wanderings; nothing. It was all just sex, flatulence, vomiting, alcoholic blackouts, and disgracing / taking advantage of other people (sometimes all in the same story). There are really two problems here: First, the writing and editing are absolutely horrible. Secondly, how the fuck did this become a New York Times bestseller? What the fuck is wrong with this world? I picked it up at a Goodwill. I knew that a movie had been made about it so I thought I would give it a chance. Bad mistake. Bestseller?!? show more Movie?!? Before now I have never burned a book, but I torched this motherfucker. I didn't want someone else to stumble across it in a Goodwill and be jolted by the alarming shock of the giant steaming pile of bullshit that has become of our culture. show less

I'll give Tucker Max one thing: he knows how to tell a story, and I'm sure he tells them well, too (especially over a drink or two - or twenty). Some of the stories aren't that spectacular unless you live in small-town America, maybe, and I know several "close friends" that could easily tell worse booze 'n sex stories from their private lives. After a few chapters the reader can't help but feel that the author was yes indeed an self-centred asshole (which the author readily admits to; and he probably still is, since his contrite asides ring very hollow), but also a small-minded bigot with serious masculinity issues. The first can be fun if tiresome, the second aspect is very unattractive. I couldn't help but think that this is the kind show more of guy for whom life will get progressively worse as his brain, his body and his relationships with other people will inevitably deteriorate under his destructive impulses. Not recommended. show less

If you’ve read one story, you’ve read them all. I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell is 300+ pages of a redundant play-by-play of the same scenario: protagonist gets blackout drunk, typically pukes or craps himself, gets laid. I say “protagonist” and not “Tucker” because though the author claims these stories are true, there’s no way in Hell they are. Sure, there is some semblance of truth to these stories, but many of the details are impossible. But that’s not the worst strike against this book. The worst strike is the writing itself. Whoever edited this book (Ah, I’ll go ahead and say it: Jeremie Ruby-Strauss) needs to be fired post-haste. To allow switched tenses in the same paragraph over and over again is clearly not show more artistic license, because the author is not that good of a writer, but only one thing: bad writing. Then there’s the fact the author only a few times describes with any sense of detail what a person looks like or what the environment looks like; girls are “hot” faceless mirages with “big tits” and everything takes place in a “bar” or “club.” Those are just a few examples among many. As for the bigger picture, let’s go deeper. It’s a shame the author, who is clearly intelligent with a few noble intellectual pursuits, uses those two tools as weapons to pursue his sociopathic aims without regard to anyone or anything except, as he states, personal gratification. The author claims, “I do contribute to humanity in one very important way: I share my adventures with the world.” That’s like saying Hitler contributed to humanity because he wrote Mein Kampf, except for one major difference: Hitler’s a better writer. The protagonist claims, “I’m awesome,” and other sycophantic congratulatory statements, and this comes off as funny to the half-wit frat boys and cute to the Hannah Montana fans that occupy most sorority houses, but it waxes dumb and immature to anyone over the age of twenty-three. Is the author therefore holding up a giant mirror to show everyone the new American culture of Dumb? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Yet the fact this book is a New York Times Bestseller is definitely a reflection of such; if not, it’s clearly a sign of the manipulation of The New Dumb. The protagonist/author claims he’s committed himself to writing. I challenge him to do so. This will require an immense amount of reading and writing, otherwise the author will continue writing what amounts to grocery lists. But if this is what our young culture likes to read (which isn’t surprising in this age of half-literate twenty-somethings who only understand the hyphenated language of txt msging ), then Yahweh, Muhammed, Buddha, Shiva, and Rocky Balboa save us all. LOL.

If you enjoy reading about a character who’s had everything provided for him (money, education, way too much free time—he laments the multiple divorces and marriages of his parents as being the reason he's an asshole, but how lame—this is the 21st century, who hasn’t come from a broken home?), then this book is for you. Be warned: you will find no poetry here—in the words, the experience, nothing. And as for the claim—“My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole”—get it right; “Tucker” is not an asshole, he’s just a jackass.

Perhaps this diatribe has made you want to read the book. Perhaps you now want to sleep with “Tucker Max.” Go ahead, join the herd. I hear the beer is “rodeo cold” in Idiot Hell. show less

I felt so many emotions reading this book, I am almost unsure how to revew it.

To start, I thought after my last David Sedaris book (and a string of other books like it), that I would officially stop reading books I termed the "I'm an asshole" genre. I don't agree with giving someone a book deal just because they have writing abilities, and the ability to be a complete selfish jerk to everyone they come in contact with.

However, I knew that was what this book was...and I still wanted to read it. I needed, somehow, validation of "How absurd can he REALLY be?" Mind blowing is the answer.

I have an internal conflict with this book. I found Tucker Max to be the most terrible human being ever to walk the face of the earth. Literally, I have show more seen characters like him in books/tv/movies...but didn't know that kind of person really existed.

But (and we knew a but was coming..) I laughed my butt of reading this book. What does that say about me?

The thought that just kept popping into my head while reading this book is that Tucker Max represents EVERYTHING that is wrong with our country (maybe the world?). As a former teacher, I dealt with so many students who were disrespectful. And I remember thinking, How did they get this way? The answer: role models like Tucker Max (or perhaps Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson?). I do not doubt that Tucker has a pretty high intelligence. But rather than using that intellect to DO something, he makes a living by being an asshole to people. Well, if I were 16 and reading this book or seeing him get a movie deal and MTV shows...I might ask myself why I would bother to try in school--afterall, if I can get money to just be a dickhead to people?? Why not? It's easier than working.

What's worse, is the knowledge that, if there were a book about a person with the opposite qualities of Tucker Max: ie, a book about someone who just went around being nice to people and helping people....would I read it? Probably not. It'd be boring. So, while I can detest Max and the fact that he is only famous for being an ass...I must realize in myself that I contribute to the problem I say I detest.

That is the internal conflict.

One more note on the book itself: Although I laughed, and was shocked, I was bored by his actions halfway. The last half of the book was a DREAD to get though. Funny stuff still happened, but I just didn't care anymore. show less

I felt so many emotions reading this book, I am almost unsure how to revew it.

To start, I thought after my last David Sedaris book (and a string of other books like it), that I would officially stop reading books I termed the "I'm an asshole" genre. I don't agree with giving someone a book deal just because they have writing abilities, and the ability to be a complete selfish jerk to everyone they come in contact with.

However, I knew that was what this book was...and I still wanted to read it. I needed, somehow, validation of "How absurd can he REALLY be?" Mind blowing is the answer.

I have an internal conflict with this book. I found Tucker Max to be the most terrible human being ever to walk the face of the earth. Literally, I have show more seen characters like him in books/tv/movies...but didn't know that kind of person really existed.

But (and we knew a but was coming..) I laughed my butt of reading this book. What does that say about me?

The thought that just kept popping into my head while reading this book is that Tucker Max represents EVERYTHING that is wrong with our country (maybe the world?). As a former teacher, I dealt with so many students who were disrespectful. And I remember thinking, How did they get this way? The answer: role models like Tucker Max (or perhaps Peter Griffin and Homer Simpson?). I do not doubt that Tucker has a pretty high intelligence. But rather than using that intellect to DO something, he makes a living by being an asshole to people. Well, if I were 16 and reading this book or seeing him get a movie deal and MTV shows...I might ask myself why I would bother to try in school--afterall, if I can get money to just be a dickhead to people?? Why not? It's easier than working.

What's worse, is the knowledge that, if there were a book about a person with the opposite qualities of Tucker Max: ie, a book about someone who just went around being nice to people and helping people....would I read it? Probably not. It'd be boring. So, while I can detest Max and the fact that he is only famous for being an ass...I must realize in myself that I contribute to the problem I say I detest.

That is the internal conflict.

One more note on the book itself: Although I laughed, and was shocked, I was bored by his actions halfway. The last half of the book was a DREAD to get though. Funny stuff still happened, but I just didn't care anymore. show less

I randomly picked up this book from Barnes and Noble a few days ago and I was intrigued by the blatant disregard for humanity expressed by Tucker Max. Tucker is a reprehensible human being and no one on earth (or any other planet) should in any way, shape or form try to emulate his behavior, but hot damn this guy can tell a story. I usually do not laugh out loud at books. Ever. This book was definitely an exception to that rule.

If you offend easily and do not find any humor in mocking others, do yourself a favor and skip this book. On the other hand, if you do not mind handing out and receiving an insult now and again this may be for you.