I Drink for a Reason

Check out the full review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/05/29/book-review-i-drink-for-a-reason-david-c....
---------------
Excerpt:
---------------
David Cross’s I Drink For a Reason is a compelling amalgamation of sharp wit, irreverent humor, and biting social commentary. As a seasoned comedian and actor known for his work on Mr. Show and Arrested Development, Cross brings his distinctive voice to the page, offering a collection of essays, anecdotes, and rants that both entertain and provoke thought.

The book’s structure is delightfully chaotic, with each chapter serving as a standalone piece, allowing readers to dip in and out at their leisure. This format mirrors Cross’s stand-up style, where tangents and digressions often show more lead to some of the most insightful and hilarious moments. From lampooning Hollywood absurdities to critiquing religious fanaticism, Cross navigates a wide array of topics with a deft hand and a sharp tongue..................
---------------
Full Review here: https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/05/29/book-review-i-drink-for-a-reason-david-c....
--------------- show less

Shockingly hilarious -- sometimes I didn't know if something was genuinely hilarious or if I was just so shocked I laughed out of nervousness. There were of course disgusting parts, but that's all part of comedy, I guess. One man's feces is another man's punchline.

This was a book I had to read a little at a time -- much like anise, a little bit goes a long way. Cross' observations and the way he leaps from one tangent to another are amazing, though. It kind of makes you want to be trapped inside his brain (for maybe 10 minutes) to see how it works.

David Cross, I’m mildly disappointed in you.

But maybe it’s just me.

I’m inclined to think it’s the latter, judging by some of the review blurbs available on Amazon. Either these people are seriously fucking with the reading public—and while that may be true in some cases (John Hodgman), it’s certainly not in all (Paul Rudd)—or they’re so caught up in their own verbosity as to render any insight unintelligible (Sarah Vowell).

(I think that last sentence was somehow a mixture of self-deprecation, parody and scorn. A threefer!)

After skimming through the blurbs, I’m forced to question whether I read the same book they did. Mind you, mine was the Kindle* version (because it’s $10 as opposed to Amazon’s $16.31 for the show more physical copy), but I wouldn’t expect them to rewrite it so the electronic version is terrible enough to make purchase the physical version. Then again, maybe that’s part of the plan to save the book-publishing industry. I can’t be certain.
As with any review, I think it important to lay out my expectations going into the book. I’ve heard David Cross’ standup before, though it’s been awhile, and my more recent exposure comes through watching Arrested Development. I realize he’s only an actor on the show and not—to my knowledge, anyway—heavily involved in the script or creative decisions, so I wasn’t really expecting a book by Tobias.

There are two types of books that comedians tend to write, excluding a standard memoir (see Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up for an amazing memoir/discourse on comedy). The primary type is composed of standup routines and jokes that are either too old or too overused to tell on stage anymore. In rare, glorified cases, we find people like George Carlin. Though some of his books were recycled, many of them possessed new material that was worth the price of admission. Even more fortunately, because Carlin has such a distinct style that comes across as well in print as it does aurally, while reading the books the fan can usually have Carlin performing the routine inside his/her head.

The other type of book comedians typically write tries to stretch a theme through a series of anecdotes, stories or prose. Denis Leary’s Why We Suck drew on his life, experiences and standup in order to craft a (well-done) critique of American life. Lewis Black’s Nothing’s Sacred borrows so heavily from his life it might be confused as a memoir, but he pieces it together with modern critiques so well it’s almost unnoticeable that he’s actually trying to impart something.

But the modern era heralded the vanguard of genre-busting, and apparently that’s what Cross tried to do. I Drink For A Reason comes across as a bit of a mishmash of standup, personal anecdotes and short stories. Some try to have a point while others just try for laughs.

And I’m not calling the book unfunny. Some of the stories are fairly amusing, and he reprinted his “Open Letter to Larry the Cable Guy” (which made its way ’round the Internets two years ago), which is a must-read for those who haven’t seen. For the most part, every story gave me a laugh or two, though very rarely of the laugh-so-hard-I-have-to-set-the book-down-so-I-can-wipe-away-my-tears variety.

I don’t know if I’d be able to recommend the book, not least because I don’t know how to describe it. “David Cross tries to amuse you” would be my preferred method, but that sounds dismissive. David Cross did amuse me at points, and to say it as written above would prejudice the listener in the direction of thinking he didn’t. But how do I summarize this? It’s part Chuck Klosterman (though, to be honest, not as good) in trying to critique culture, part Amazing Randi in pointing out the hypocrisy of religion, part David Cross (most of the stories base their humor on taking an everyday situation and applying a tame version of the “Aristocrats” joke to it) and part pure vitriol in regards to Jim Belushi (which, frankly, I don’t necessarily mind).

I’m not even sure I’ll recommend it to my friend, who’s a huge David Cross fan. The disjointed nature of the individual parts left me unsatisfied. As I was reading it, I was trying to envision the process Cross went through. I imagined him sitting down at a computer, pounding out a chapter once every week or two—allowing enough time to transpire between sections to be unable to link them together, but close enough that he can refer back to earlier jokes when needed.

In the end, I’d have to limit my evaluation of the book as such: “David Cross wanted to write a book, but didn’t particularly know what book he wanted to write.” It’s funny at times, because it’s Cross, but it ultimately feels a bit lacking because it’s so directionless. I’m more apt to direct people to nearly any of the comedian-penned books listed above, if only because those guys knew what and why they wanted to write. I’d certainly be willing to try another book by Cross, so long as he figured out ahead of time where he wanted to go. show less

When I first picked up this book and browsed through it in 2009, I loved it. I was laughing out loud in the aisles of the bookstore. I must have read over 50 pages while lounging in the store. I went home and added it to my "to-read" list on here right away.

It took me 3 years before I finally came across the book again and ordered it. I was ecstatic when it arrived at my house.

I opened it, anticipation building..

..started reading it, excitedly.

And absolutely despised it.

Many, many things about my core personality and beliefs have found their niche since 2009 and none of them really mesh with David Cross' outlook on life. I found him crass (which I know he is supposed to be) and obnoxious. Not in a witty, funny way that makes me show more chuckle (IE: Mindy Kaling) but in a sort of sad "I have a grudge against the world" way.

Don't get me wrong, I still love watching Cross on screen but I had to toss this book aside fairly quickly.

If anyone in the US wants my brand new hardcover edition, you are welcome to it (seriously, I hate seeing a book go to waste, you can have it). show less

Cross is sharp and funny as always in this book.

It is a bit alarming how he chooses to respond to a blogger and Larry the Cable-Guy directly. It is not that his rebuffs aren’t funny and correct it just seems small.

He goes through some funny stuff about Jim Belushi then relates the story about why he hates Belushi. You know it isn’t that bad. Yeah he sounds likes a conceited jerk, but so does Cross. But it seems Cross knows he’s a jerk and that honesty goes a long way.

But the bottom line is he is funny and more original than most comedians. I like that he names names of people that are not funny, Larry the Cable Guy, Jim Belushi, Whoopee Goldberg, Dane Cook, etc. The fast I find none of these people funny and agree with him is show more probably why I love his work. show less

I could see how this would come across as lazy or vitriolic if you were just reading it. While Cross on occasion reminds the audience that we're lazy for letting him read this to us, there is a huge benefit for having his voice there. Not that I think these pieces are knock offs of his stand-up material but it bears repeating, sarcasm does not read well on the page.
With that in mind there was an effort to elevate this beyond a regular audio book. H. Jon Benjamin, always a delight, helps David out with the Foreword, he invites some of his hipster band friends to sing an exceptionally long list and adds other asides. It's fun, but probably if your already a fan. Or don't take things too seriously.

Another light listen for a long car ride. This book was like listening to a very long set of standup by David Cross and as you would imagine any 6 hour standup set it would have its hits and misses. It did have just enough hits to keep me entertained and engaged during the journey.

Throughout the audiobook Cross repeats his disgust for people having bought the audiobook a number of times, which is ok. It's just that it stops being funny after the first or second time and it isn't until about 5 hours in that he realizes that an audiobook might be convenient for a person driving, or traveling in some other manner. But I digress, this book did exactly what I expected it to do. It kept me entertained during a four hour car ride. I will say show more I'm glad I didn't buy the print version, as it would be destined for the trade-in pile and who needs that hassle? It would have however, taken far less time to read than the 6 hours it takes to listen. show less