Stories and Other Stories (Vintage Contemporaries)

I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend, and because I am generally a fan of B.J. Novak (I love The Office and I find Novak's childrens' book hilarious). I was a little disappointed. I expected a lot more laugh-out-loud moments. Instead a got a few chuckles and mostly a lot of, for lack of a better word, weirdness. It's not a bad read, just kind of odd. The short-story format is nice for a busy schedule (I picked it up and read a story or two at a time when I could find a few minutes). If your have a broad sense of humor, and are looking for something unusual, thiis book might fit the bill.

This book was wonderful. In today's world everyone wants to write the great American novel so it's so very refreshing to have a collection of short stories which delight in their singularity rather than droning on. I loved this book and can't wait to read more from Mr. Novak.

Mr.Novak's collection had plenty of highlights and a few no so good ones. Some of the shirts seemed a bit forced and once the 'cleverness' factor worn off there was very little left.

Overall this collection is witty and showcased BJ's strength

Wonderfully well-written and engaging. I imagine this to be the way viewers felt during original airings of The Twilight Zone. (Though this collection is in no way eerie.) I found myself wondering, page after page, how Novak came up with these stories...each more clever and intriguing than the last.

I first noticed Novak on the television show, "The Office." Not only was he acting, but he was also writing. When I saw a book review, I thought I would give it a try. I was reading this book during a dreadful hospital wait for a relative. I'm sure the other people in the waiting room were wondering about the little old lady who was laughing out loud and wiping tears.

I had some pretty high expectations for this book, as I really respect BJ Novak's brilliant writing for "The Office," and this book really hit the spot! Well written with a great mix of traditional types of stories, funny and quirky ones, and others that are just downright silly.

This may be the most 'contemporary' book I have ever read. It is surprisingly literary yet pleasantly profane. If my grandkids ever ask what it was like "in the early teens" I'll illegally copy this book and forward it to their MySpace Platinum account.

Loved it! I have never been a short stories girl but I found myself feeling every emotion reading this book. I laughed more than I thought I would and underlined at least a line of every story. Surprisingly poignant!

From the writing style, there is no mistaking that BJ Novak wrote for 'The Office.' The stories require a dry-sense of humor and while some head me chuckling, others were more serious and ironic than funny. A good read, but not for everyone.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was exceptionally well written, funny and poignant in equal measure. My favorite story was about the roller coaster - I cannot stop thinking about it, and how insightful it is. Novak has become one of my favorite authors with this effort, and I look forward to reading the next.

I'm giving this collecion of short stories 4 stars because although many of them are a waste of time, the ones that are good are REALLY REALLY good! Mr. Novak has a way of making you think and gain a different perspective beyond the obvious. Our book group chose this because of the potential to spark discussion, and it definitely does that. However, be warned that different people will gain different meanings from the various stories and so many of them may mean nothing to you. But its worth reading for the ones that do. Have fun!