As Seen on TV : Provocations

Rating:
Summary: Something for everyone
Review: As Seen on TV: Provocations is a really interesting and thought-provoking book of essays by Lucy Grealy. Ms. Grealy has a way with words and thoughts; so much so that she can take a simple thing (becoming friends with a dog, for example), and turning it into thoughts about life. I hesitate to say you'll "learn something" from her essays -- even though you will -- but it's more than just learning. Ms. Grealy makes you think. And her musings are so casually written, that you can help but read on and on and on.

There were two essays that I just couldn't read. Way too serious for me. But even so, the rest of the book was full of interesting stories that I didn't feel let down that I didn't like two essays from the book. It just didn't matter.

My favorite essay is the first one. She weaves her story in a rambling, friend talking to friend way, that when you get to the point of the essay, it really hits you. You don't expect the twist, and I really admire Ms. Grealy as a writer for being able to do that. Not everyone can lead up to something so momentous and not create a really strangely set-up scene.

If you're looking for some quick reading, then I would suggest picking up this book. If you haven't read her autobiography yet, you'll really want to after reading As Seen on TV: Provocations.

Rating:
Summary: Something for everyone
Review: As Seen on TV: Provocations is a really interesting and thought-provoking book of essays by Lucy Grealy. Ms. Grealy has a way with words and thoughts; so much so that she can take a simple thing (becoming friends with a dog, for example), and turning it into thoughts about life. I hesitate to say you'll "learn something" from her essays -- even though you will -- but it's more than just learning. Ms. Grealy makes you think. And her musings are so casually written, that you can help but read on and on and on.

There were two essays that I just couldn't read. Way too serious for me. But even so, the rest of the book was full of interesting stories that I didn't feel let down that I didn't like two essays from the book. It just didn't matter.

My favorite essay is the first one. She weaves her story in a rambling, friend talking to friend way, that when you get to the point of the essay, it really hits you. You don't expect the twist, and I really admire Ms. Grealy as a writer for being able to do that. Not everyone can lead up to something so momentous and not create a really strangely set-up scene.

If you're looking for some quick reading, then I would suggest picking up this book. If you haven't read her autobiography yet, you'll really want to after reading As Seen on TV: Provocations.

Rating:
Summary: I expected better
Review: Grealy writes like she's your best friend who happens to be incredibly hip, articulate and smart. Of course, real friends are so unreliable. Read Grealy's book instead.

Rating:
Summary: It's always 5 stars for Grealy
Review: I am a big fan of Lucy Grealy's writing. If she had written the phone book, I would sit down and read it. Her writing is just some of the most intimate I've ever read. Every essay was like receiving a present and I'm sorry she is not around to gift us with any more.

Rating:
Summary: For Philosophers of the Felicific
Review: Lucy Grealy is a woman saved by language. Her love of words and ideas infuse each of these engaging essays. Some are, indeed, more abstract than imagistic, and Grealy's greatest strength lies in her perceptions and explorations of the tangible world. However, each essay is thoughtful, intelligent, and, as suggested by the subtitle, PROVOKING of reflection. An interesting comparison is to the essays of Marilynne Robinson, another poet of the concrete: Robinson often loses touch with the tangible in her philosophical meanderings, but Grealy almost always keeps the reader hooked into an image. Grealy's persona is lovable, loving, and downright fun. I look forward to more of her literary explorations.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic.
Review: The essays in this book are warm, funny, true, and lovely.

I've read many books of essay's where the authors' own interest in the subject(s) at hand, extends further than the readers attention is willing to give. This isn't the case with Grealy's book.

I found her musings, and meanderings, engaging throughout.

Her essays take on daytime talkshows, playing with pets, the nature of twins, lost brothers- and ultimately her own struggles to make some sort of sense, or nonsense of things. Her prose talks with you- not at you, and asks you, without any finger wagging, to join in the conversations she is having with the page.

I loved it.

Rating:
Summary: Great Grealy
Review: This woman is funny, and she can write. Only two of these essays drown in the mundane language of academia; for the most part the essays are insightful, humorous, and fun.

One complaint: to the designer and art director: please wake up! Yo can barely tell the title is "As Seen on TV," and the running heads which just repeat the book title over and over again (as opposed to using the essay titles) are completely uninformative. However, these design flaws don't spoil this very enjoyable read.