Couch

by Benjamin Parzybok and Love Belvin

Book Overview

"Couch hits on an improbable, even fantastic premise, and then rigorously hews to the logic that it generates, keeping it afloat (at times literally) to the end." -- Los Angeles Times "Delightfully... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931520542
• ISBN13: 9781931520546
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Small Beer Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

My whole year got better when I read this book.

Not only is this a stylistically fabulous book, it is also by turns hilarious, poignant, tender and energizing. It's a classic hero-quest novel -- and it's an edgy, modern take on magic realism. Its hero is a stereotypical geek -- who sports complexity and hidden depths, and who does some actual and believable growth through the course of the novel. The plot is compelling (I read it in a day because I couldn't stand to stop), the characters are delightful, the writing style is addictive, and beyond all that, the book has something to say that you'll want to hear -- about life, about love, about cooking and couches and camping. Yes, it's a book that any computer geek worth his or her salt will enjoy, but it's also a book for your father, your best friend, your teacher, your daughter. I recommend you buy 10 copies and just hand 'em out.

Very entertaining

I really enjoyed this book. I'm the type of reader who will either be immediately attached to a book upon the first few pages, or immediately repelled. Thankfully, "Couch" was definitely in the former category. "Couch" is about three roommates who move their couch after their apartment is flooded. While carrying their couch, they notice that, strangely, the couch either grows lighter or heavier depending on which way they carry it. Soon after this discovery, weirder and weirder things begin to happen... This is an AMAZINGLY funny book. I swear, I scared my neighbors several times by cracking up in the middle of the night while reading the book. The three main characters, Thom, Tree, and Erik, are by far extremely original, sympathetic, and hilarious. The plot is original, the writing is excellently done, and it is extremely easy to enjoy. I can't understand why there aren't more reviews on here. This book is worth it. Seriously. Give it a try, at least. If you like comedy, fantasy, magical realism, or just a stories about extremely durable furniture, this is the book for you. (Read it. It's worth your time.)

Great story

I loved this book and it is one of my favorites now. Great original story with a lot of philosophy thrown in. Highly recommended :)

Somewhere between Clueless and Heart of Darkness

In Parzybok's first work, he introduces characters whose internal struggles are delightfully complex. Honing in on three youthful samples of angsty internal struggle, he raises the stakes one notch at a time as the impossible, the supernatural, and the miraculous drop layers over a twisted slacker scenario. The characters' quest, their struggles to believe, and their resulting commitment to a life-threatening, though life-affirming, adventure comes across as believable and intensely suspenseful as the novel-turned-travelogue paints scenes of otherworldly natural splendor and makes frightening but insightful forays into historical spiritualism. In the end I am left with one handful of early Stephen King and another of seminal Douglas Coupland. (Raising the slacker flag high in the name of eerie ancient symbolic stuff)

Kind of brilliant

Oh man, was this a good novel: fresh, original, funny, smart, quirky, cool, philosophical, and whimsical. Couch begins with a simple premise: three roommates attempt to get rid of a couch; however, this seemingly mundane task soon spirals into an epic quest in which . . . . . . I can't tell you more here; I wouldn't want to give anything away. But trust me when I say that Parzybok has produced a wondrous debut here. It ponders big questions without being ponderous. It's intellectual without taking itself too seriously, and it's irreverent without being sarcastic. Plus, part of it takes place in Portland, Oregon and that's always a good thing. Bottom line: You need to check this one out.