Maybe Life's Just Not That Into You: When You Feel Like the World's Voted You Off

by Martha Bolton and Brad Dickson

Book Overview

A Self-Help Spoof for the Life Impaired

Right here in this book store, you can find hundreds of them -- self-help books. They tell you how to improve your finances, lose weight, age gracefully, and influence people. But even after reading all those books, you're still a mess. It can only mean one thing: maybe life's just not that into you.

Once you open you mind to this possibility, you can quit beating...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1582296596
• ISBN13: 9781582296593
• Release Date: December 2006
• Publisher: Howard Books
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.4" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Better Than Other Books

As someone with slight though persistent mental problems who alternates between wanting to mock and embrace the self-help genre, I found this book hit just the right note. And it made me laugh. But, before taking my word, remember, I have mental problems.

A much-needed satire delivers from p. 1

Upon reading Bolton and Dickson's biting, but good-natured mockery of the self-help industry, the first thought that springs to mind is, "I can't believe this hasn't been done before." The self-help genre is surely ripe for satire, but the authors don't content themselves with grabbing low-hanging fruit; they constantly make their ribbing feel fresh. Their approach-- effectively, How to Live a Dysfunctional Life-- is wonderfully goofy, serving to keep their parody lively while never mean-spirited. Don't be surprised if you find yourself chuckling and shaking your head with delight as you make your way through this page turner.

HIDEOUSLY FUNNY

A real "diamond in the rough" this book is hilarious from start to finish, with a little bit of a lag in the middle. I do a lot of reading but seldom feel strongly enough about a book one way or another, to feel compelled to pen a review. This is an exception. I picked up the book from some bin at the bookstore and saw that one of the authors wrote for a guy I've never been enamored of - Jay Leno, whose comedy seems cruel and simplstic to me. But the book CRACKLES with more of a Jon Stewart-esque type of satire. Sharp, pointed and generally on target it takes some of the best known self help books - "The Rules", "Maybe He's Just Not That Into You", "Why French Women Don't Get Fat", etc and rakes them over the coals. I think I enjoyed this book so much bedcause I am sick and tired of paying good money for self help books that leave me disappointed. This is a genre that was RIPE for satire, and the authors deliver in spades. There's more good material here than in a month of watching television comedy shows. It's good, clean-but-pointed humor and made me laugh repeatedly. There's also more than a touch of social commentary as the writers deftly point out that society places too much emphasis on the self improvement experts. Last but not least, this book contains some hilarious, off-the-wall cartoons and drawings that would stand alone as comics in a major magazine.

A joyful heart is good medicine!

Well, all I can say is don't read this on the bus on your way to work because people will think you're nuts when you begin guffawing and holding your sides. Are you sick and tired of self-help books which earn a lot of money for the author and do very little for you? Have you noticed the ludicrousness of life, including yourself? Do you find that in spite of all your imperfections (which everyone and their brother are happy to point out to you) you have fun? Or, on the other hand, are none of these how you feel but you'd like them to be? Then Maybe Life's Just Not That Into You is definitely for you. Name it, it's in here - farce, slap-stick, drollery, jocosity, comedy, ridiculousness, wittiness, zaniness. Maybe Life's Just Not That Into You combines humor, cheerfulness, color, a biting brilliance, and a lot of laughter-engendered wisdom. And it is all drawn from self-help books, providing a festival of burlesque. Here is a sample from "10 Affirmations for the Procrastinator": (1) Just do it! Whenever; (5) I never put off until tomorrow what I can do four weeks from now; I no longer procrastinate on voting; (8) First thing in the morning, I'm going to mail in that absentee ballot to elect Gore/Lieberman (p. 96). Okay, I have to admit it, this is a secular book. No Scripture in here. But, once in a while something sneaks in that sounds familiar. Besides being a noted media comedy writer, Martha Bolton writes for Focus on the Family's Brio magazine. Brad Dickson writes for Jay Leno, and other media comedy areas, as well as the Jewish World Review Web site. [...]. Remember Proverbs 17.22, "A joyful heart is good medicine," and buy this book. - Donna Eggett, Christian Book [...]

highly recommended

this book was a great answer to all those self help books out there. It's very funny, poking fun at the various gurus, but it also offers something on its own. I'd recommend it, something I don't do very often.