FM: Years ago, I
would sometimes finish a book and say something like, “Wow, that would make a
great movie!” Now, it’s hard to find a
good book that hasn’t been made into
a movie. More and more, it seems that
authors write books with an eye toward getting it cinematized, because that’s
where the real money is in writing books.
“Lunatics” has that made-for-movies feel. Enter Donald Trump! Cameo appearances; brief guest roles in
movies and even TV shows; are not at all unusual these days. This role for Trump is a bit more than a
cameo, but I would wager that he would be up for it if it were offered to
him! His casual offering of a million
dollars apiece to our heroes if they will endorse him, his expectations of his
entourage of yes-men and yes-women who gasp when Peckerman calls him “Donny
boy,” and his general demeanor throughout a rather lengthy scene are all
designed to create an image that is consistent with (though decidedly NOT
flattering to!) the public persona he has evoked. This “realism,” if you will, in no way
detracts from the humor, however; if anything, it amplifies it.
CJ: As usual I'm a slow
reader! But honestly I could only deal with this book in small doses. It is so
funny that I had to stop frequently to breathe! I can't remember when I laughed
so much except maybe when I read my last Dave Barry book about 20 years ago.
FM: And speaking of
book-to-movie deals; what about that title? Movie-makers have been known to
take even a classic and change the title for the movie. (Have you seen “Blade Runner”? It’s a pretty faithful rendition – a classic
in its own right - of Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi masterpiece “Do Androids Dream of
Electric Sheep?”) For some reason, I’m a
little disappointed by the fact that the title didn't show the same ingenuity as the story, which keeps us hurtling forward through an almost bewildering sequence of scenes.
CJ: Every chapter has a
new twist that only can be thought up by writers watching some pretty boring
news & smoking some pretty good weed! Bits and pieces were predictable, but
overall the journey from the soccer field to...the soccer field was good old
fashioned gut busting hilarious!
FM: I rarely read
comedic books, and whenever I do, I wonder why it’s so seldom. (The same is true with biographies, as I
stated a few months ago with a different book.)
Thanks again to CJ, who recommended this one! In fact, I’m ready to read another comedic
book next month, from an author I admire but haven’t read in a very long time,
Joan Hess. And since it’s our December
book, I’m proposing one of her seasonal mysteries, “A Holly Jolly Murder.” Enjoy!
Our book for December will be "A Holly, Jolly Murder" by Joan Hess! Copies should be easy to find at your library or used book store. Note: the starting date for this book would presumeably be December 1st, so we'll skip a week and open for comments on December 7th. See you then!
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