GOODNIGHT, FUCKERS #265: HELP OTHERS

Every once in a while I read a book that is so important that I feel I must do more than just review on Goodreads or Amazon. I feel like I have to post here. BETWEEN THE BRIDGE AND THE RIVER by Craig Ferguson is just such a book. This is my Goodreads review:


I remember when I looked at my to-read list at home, and I saw this book was next, I thought this would be interesting. I like Ferguson as a stand up comic and a late show host. I listen to his XM show on Saturdays. I thought it would be cool to find out how good of a novelist he is.


And then I remembered that this book was located at the bottom of a very tall stack of books. Outside my bedroom, I have an overloaded bookcase with two stacks on top almost to the ceiling. On the right is another book pile, and on the left there are two book piles, almost to the ceiling. I've stacked them as high as I can reach, and I'm a smidge under 6' 2". This book was on the inside stack at the bottom, which means I had to take down both stacks to get to it, which is an incredible undertaking for someone as out of shape as I am. When I finally got the book, I said to it: "You'd better be worth it."


It was. It was worth it times a million. I'm here to tell you, folks, that Craig Ferguson is an incredible novelist. Very honest. Very intelligent. This might even be a work of genius. I love his style.


You know how, when he was a late show host, he would sometimes face the camera in such a close way so it felt like he was talking to you and you alone? This book is kind of like that. It's like having God tell you a bawdy yet meaningful story. He knows everything about all of his characters, no matter how it's necessary to the plot, yet at the same time he uses this to show that everything--EVERYTHING--is connected to everything else.


These characters are amazing. The things they do are wonderful. I even like that in the afterlife, authors are the guides (in particular one guy who popularized cosmic horror).


In the prologue he states: "This story is true. Of course, there are many lies therein and most of it did not happen, but it's all true. " I can think of no finer way to put it. To say anything more is criminal. You should discover the wonder for yourself.


This is a beautiful book. Smart. Funny as all hell. And it is even inspiring: "Help others." Spread the word.