Rating: Summary: A Great One Night Stand Review: RICK MARIN's "CAD" is pointless and meandering...and that's why it is entertaining. You probably won't reread it when you're done but you'll have fun reading it the first time. The only thing really holding it back is that a) the hip attitude seems forced as if Marin does not believe himself to be as cool as he wishes us to believe, and b) he doesn't seem to have an underlying modesty to take his actions with a grain of salt. We're laughing at him, not with him. In Rikki Lee Travolta's "MY FRACTURED LIFE" he covered all the same areas of womanizing and being a "cad" but never took himself too seriously. His is a book I continue to reread, like a regular fling. "CAD" though was like a one night, good for the moment.
Rating: Summary: The Gender Wars (from a male perspective) Review: Rick Marin's CAD is not only an enjoyable & amusing book, it's also important because it is one of a very few books out there willing to tell the MALE side of this so-called 'Gender War' game currently going on in America.Marin dispels a great many myths about BOTH sexes in this book, and maintains a humorous outlook while gently defending men from the feminist male-bashing trends that have become so popular over the last several years. The book does have it's flaws. If anything, Mr. Marin is a bit too guilty and sheepish (and smug) in some passages. And some women may be offended by his cavalier attitudes towards dating. Nonetheless, any book that starts the ball rolling with regard to MEN telling their side of the story can only be a good thing. After all, if there's gonna be a "war" of words (and politics) between the sexes... we need to hear from BOTH sides of the issue... not just women. In conclusion, I strongly recommend this book to both women and men, and truly hope that in the future, we will see many more writers who aren't afraid to tell the male perpective with regard to these issues. It may well be true that we've come "a long way, baby"... but we've (obviously) still got a very "long way" to go.
Rating: Summary: Amusing, yes. Revolutionary , no. Review: The description of the "beautiful people" dating scene in NYC is entertaining for sure. The attitudes & exchanges among he & his friends is laugh out loud & some trade secrets were revealed (who hasn't dated one of these "toxic bachelor" types). It's interesting to see what his next dating adventure will be however not captivating because to be honest, the materials isn't new or surprising. I expected more & the ending was lame. I was more interested in his parents & family interaction as well as travels, that was the story for me.
Rating: Summary: An over-rated bore Review: The writing was mediocre, his life is uninteresting, and frankly he isn't even much of a cad in my book. Borrow a copy if you feel you must read it.
Rating: Summary: and? Review: there are some turning points that don't hold together well - for instance the ending. yawn, are all the women nuts? if so, this bachelor is not toxic and therefore more sympathetic than the title suggests. good style/tone. the ending left me flat and disappointed.
Rating: Summary: Lighthearted and fun Review: There's nothing profound or meaningful about this book, but it sure is a good read. All guys will surely nod their heads in sympathy as they read each episode in this guy's landmine-filled love life. And I think most women would find it insightful, in a lighthearted sort of way. Rick Marin really does get right to the heart of what it means to be a single guy - not that we are all that complicated, mind you, so I'm not saying his achievement is worthy of any kind of prize, be it literary or sociological. But this book could have easily been written badly by a lesser author or lesser human being. Marin, I think, demonstrates quality in both categories.
Rating: Summary: Lighthearted and fun Review: There's nothing profound or meaningful about this book, but it sure is a good read. All guys will surely nod their heads in sympathy as they read each episode in this guy's landmine-filled love life. And I think most women would find it insightful, in a lighthearted sort of way. Rick Marin really does get right to the heart of what it means to be a single guy - not that we are all that complicated, mind you, so I'm not saying his achievement is worthy of any kind of prize, be it literary or sociological. But this book could have easily been written badly by a lesser author or lesser human being. Marin, I think, demonstrates quality in both categories.
Rating: Summary: CAD: Confessions of a Toxic Bachelor Review: This book is really fun to read and its incredibly well written. I loved following the author's trials and tribulations, I have never read a book that chronicled the dating world from the man's point of view. Throughout, the writing is witty and smart, much more so than most of the dates we all go on looking for the one and only! Buy it and enjoy.
Rating: Summary: Depends on Your Definition of "Cad".... Review: This is really a book I could have hated. I love intellectual books, those kind that make you look good in a Manhattan coffee shop. That's right ma'am, I love this book, and I have a subscription to the New Yorker. However, I hate when intellectual elite type writers ram it down a persons throat, as if saying, look at me, I'm so much better than you. Rick Marin does that in his own way, but at least he does it in a fun way. Sure, he's smarter than you, but he's not as stable, not as happy. Smart, sure, better, no way in hell. He'll probably admit it. It becomes very clear as you read his book. Cad is a fairly entertaining and funny description of Marin's adventures in romance and companionship. We are told that Marin is fairly attractive, whip crack smart, and an up and comer in the writing biz, kind of. He loves TV and feels he has an amazing amount of charm. With this portfolio, it would seem to be easy for him to get numerous women. Well, it is. But he never finds the right one. In fact, most of the women he encounters are just nuts, or at least try really hard to reach that lofty mental condition. To obtain these women, Marin uses fairly effective methods, such as the old divorce story. Marin is a bit scarred by his rocky divorce, but he doesn?t let it show, only when he wants to show it. As Marin's career gets better, he just seems to find richer, stupider women. This is where I take issue with the books title. I never really found Marin to be a classic "cad". He just seems like a very annoying and particular person. The onus is really on the women, most of them would not be happy with anyone. Marin seems to be just a kook, he never appears to be a very mean person. That is where the book fails in a way, you expect him to be this hilariously crude De Sade type, but he never fully delivers. Oh sure, maybe he doesn't call back all the time, but is that worthy of a cad medal? Highly doubtful. However, what keeps the book from becoming another boring exercise in high class debauchery is Marin's wonderful writing style, and his vicious sense of humor, a rapier wit which is just fun to read. Throw in some good jokes about womens foibles, and you have a pretty pleasant reading experience.
Rating: Summary: Male answer to Sex and the City? Review: This might be Rick Marin's male answer to "Sex and the City." I think what Marin is trying to do with this book is show that men can be the flighty, fickle, and fake ones in the world. It's not an impressive read. The book explores his exploits among New York's women from the point of view of a (supposedly) attractive Latin-Canadian. Marin's "Reference Train" is dated and out-of-touch. He discounts women because they have "bad shoes," or faces like the Easter Island statues, and when he likes a woman, it's because she has "good shoes" and doesn't take crap from him. Sex is a card he plays when he wants to. Overall, unimpressive, not worth the money. If you must read it, try the library's copy.
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