The Big Happy

by Scott Mebus

Book Overview

The misadventures of hapless bachelor David Holden continue in Mebus's sequelto 2004's Booty Nomad. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401352561
• ISBN13: 9781401352561
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Miramax Books
• Length: 375 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.9" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Miramax Books Emerges With Another Winner

It seemed far-fetched to me that David would care that much about Annie, considering she had moved on considerably and was now engaged to Josh (the "Ray Boy" David dubs him). And also, David seems at least initially interested in Janey, a young woman his own age who stands a little bit outside this group of childhood friends, including Cameron and Dustin, whose Waspy names bely their personae. Janey has the sense to see them as they really are, sort of insular. People who liked the TV show FRIENDS will really enjoy this book, but not all of us. Scott Mebus has an observant eye and can make you see things, but I couldn't see why Annie was so great in the first place that a man would moon over her for years and obsess on her to such a degree that it takes over his whole life. She's pretty, but obnoxious, foul-mouthed, in love with herself, and hates David. Sure, he owes her something for sticking up for him back in high school and protecting him from the bullies, but any man would want to forget about all of that and move on, far away from the scene of such humiliation. [Warning, Possible SPOILER ahead.] Then again, THE BIG HAPPY is all about humiliation, all about the wounded picking at their scabs. It opens up with David, a part time DJ, being kicked to the ground by the 13 year old boys at a Bar Mitzvah whom he's supposedly "entertaining." I loved the part where David and all of his friends go to a sophisticated art opening, and they are confronted with the vision of a painting of David as a "Dancing Queen" in a translucent shirt, a seductive "treasure trail" visible, and tight leather pants, and then they find out his mother painted it. David thinks his parents were always happy, a "big happy" he'll never get to share, and he never once suspects that perhaps they might have had problems in their relationship. He makes mistake after mistake, and still we sympathize with him, even when we shouldn't. Mebus' talent shines through some murky material.

Funny, Insightful

I read this book in one weekend at the beach and I couldn't put it down. The characters are all so realistically portrayed (Are they real? I'd love to know!) - and the author does a great job at making them relatable and silly, without being corny or cheesy. The Big Happy left me just that: smiling from ear-to-ear at the author's voice and the amusing situations his characters find themselves in. LOVE the love scene - it doesn't get any more romantic than this, girls ... I wish I'd been in Cincinatti to meet Mr. Mebus like the other reviewer!

Warm and Funny...just like I like it!

I caught the author in Cincinnati, where he gave a very good reading. Afterward he talked to the mostly female audience about guys and why they are the way they are, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Very engaging and insightful. I took the book home and read it in a day. The book, I was glad to see, was just like Mr. Mebus: engaging and insightful and very funny. Recommended to anyone who likes to laugh while discovering a little bit about how men think (or at least one man).

endearing, honest - what's not to love?

After reading "The Big Happy," it's hard not to wish I had a Mebus in my own life - as a friend, boyfriend, brother or otherwise. The author has a remarkable ability to translate what so many of us feel in our late 20's/early 30's - re: transitional friendships, burgeoning relationships, jobs we'd love to quit - but are still learning to successfully navigate. While it's true that at times David's a bit clumsier than most, Mebus paints his bumbling protag with honest and very real intentions - which makes David lovable, fiercely loyal and above all very protective of his relationships. Valuing friendships and the search for our own "big happy" are such an obvious route to self-edification, yet they're so seldom touted by writers and people in general: money, status, sex and career are said to be the superhighway to a man's peace of mind - yet here, Mebus proves that there are guys out there who can go a bit deeper. While I'll admit that not every scene resonated with me, do keep an eye out for particularly tender love scenes and chance meetings between David and his girl. Mebus creates a very real character in Janey - and it's here that he yields the most refreshing view of the male psyche. Greg Behrendt, the guy who wrote "He's Just Not That Into You" blurbed this book - and was spot-on when he said that Mebus translates the male mind (or at least one version, anyway) to the page with amusing execution. In general, this book's a funny, charming, and all-around must-read for the summer. One word of advice though: I'd read TBH cinematically, as if you're watching a movie or great sitcom. The dialogue, physical comedy and overall humor will pop off the page with that much more bite and wisdom.