There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say

by Paula Poundstone

Book Overview

Part memoir, part monologue, with a dash of startling honesty, There's Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say features biographies of legendary historical figures from which Paula Poundstone can't help digressing to tell her own story. Mining gold from the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Joan of Arc, and Beethoven, among others, the eccentric and utterly inimitable mind of Paula Poundstone dissects, observes, and comments on the successes...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307382281
• ISBN13: 9780307382283
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

NOBODY, absolutely NOBODY thinks like Paula!

Paula Poundstone is honest, wise and witty and her mind is all over the "map," so to speak. Just when you're beginning to wonder where she's going, she slips right back in and leaves you thinking--or laughing--or, sometimes, shedding a tear. Read this book!

Let Me Speak for/to the Detractors

I enjoyed the book. I appreciate that Poundstone took such a creative approach to launch her stream of consciousness. As I read, I chuckled a lot (I'm not much of a laugh-out-loud kind of person) although I did experience the occasional loud snicker. As I read, I imagined something that the book's detractors would say (if Poundstone can wander off into the weeds writing the book, I can certainly do the same as I review it!): "Poundstone goes on ad nauseum about her arrest a few years ago....she keeps bringing it up....like she's trying to explain her side of her legal troubles..." So let me "'splain" to you that this is a stream of consciousness book. Poundstone gets in a biographical mode and then veers off to what pops into her mind. Her legal woes were traumatic for her and a turning point in her life. They're on her mind. When she thinks of one thing, her mind sometimes wanders off to her arrest and drinking and follow-up healing. Though embarrassed, ashamed, and even angered about what she went through (particularly losing her kids and the endless parade of diagnoses), her self-deprecating humor can still see some humor in some of her experiences. This is not a book for someone who takes himself and life too seriously, who can't eke out some humor in bad experiences in retrospect. If you've never been described as being irreverent or having a morbid sense of humor, if you're turned off Jon Stewart or SNL, don't read this book, and re-read one of your inspirational books.

BUY THE BOOK!!!

No matter how much I love a book, at some point, I'm going to fall asleep while reading it. But that was not the case with Paula's book. In fact, when I received 'There's Nothing In This Book That I Meant To Say' in the mail a couple weeks back, I read it from start to finish throughout the night. This is not a book that can be put down! It is brilliantly written, extremely funny, reflective, sweet, endearing and engaging as is the author herself. I HIGHLY recommend this book to everyone. Definitely a must for Christmas!

Thank you, Paula Poundstone.

My suggestion is to first watch Paula's new super-funny stand up routine on Comedy Central entitled Look what the cat dragged in. Then sit down with this book and you'll understand the unique writing style she uses. I'll think of Paula every time I interrupt someone. I want to thank Paula for being a real "stand up" person - she fostered kids, adopted kids, stopped drinking, held her head high when the media broadcasted her personal business, made us laugh with her comedy shows and wrote this great book (one of the best I've read all year). I'm impressed as all get out.

HILARIOUS

This book is HILARIOUS....This is a MUST READ....I find myself thinking about what I read throughout the day and giggling. You can't put this book down. If you have someone who is down or going through something in their lives this book is a perfect pick me up.