A Load of Hooey by Bob Odenkirk

December 1, 2017

A collection of jokes and comedic misquotes that lives up to its title.

A few golden kernels of hilarity had me laughing out loud through this otherwise contrived and forgettable mélange.

Some reviewer claimed David Sedaris fans would love this, and I’m not sure what attribute—other than humor—this shares with anything David Sedaris has written. I think Bob Odenkirk is funny and would consider myself a fan, but nothing in this book comes close to Sedaris’ wit, snark, and inherent connection to whatever he writes about. I don’t know David Sedaris, but I’m pretty sure he’s a keen observer and has a gift for translating his observations and inner thoughts into entertaining prose. Even if his characters or narratives are fabricated, they seem grounded by something more than a puff of an idea. Many of Odenkirk’s sketches here, however, seemed to be whipped up out of thin air and minimally refined to deliver a few funny ideas.

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