Rating: Summary: Pretty Good! Review: Although Daniel Pinkwater has written better books (Borgel, Alan Mehndelson),this is a pretty good book. I like how it is in the format of a college application. Also, I like all of the descriptions of food. Keep churning out those great books, Mr.Pinkwater!
Rating: Summary: I suppose I should wait until my head stops swimming... Review: I finished reading this book not but half an hour ago, and it's one of the most amazing things i've ever read. Pinkwater at his very best, but a great deal more than that -- invites favorable comparison the the works of Saki and the early Vonnegut. A witty, astute, hedonistic critique of American culture and education. Buy it right now.
Rating: Summary: I enjoyed it Review: I thought that it was very amusing and interesting. I liked the writing style, and the main character and his adventures as well as his friends.
Rating: Summary: very strong deja vu Review: I, too, have read Pinkwater's essays and some of his fiction. From what he tells the reader elsewhere, one can't help but wonder if this is his own (very thinly veiled) autobiography. If so, it's pretty dishonest to simply change the names and call it fiction. Writing fiction ought to take a bit more creativity and spark than that but sadly often doesn't. Revisiting the same old territory again and again (fat kid with wacky Jewish family hates school, but finds people and ideas he can relate to outside of it) may result in faithful readers buying anything you publish, but it doesn't do much to let you grow as a writer.
Rating: Summary: WHAT I REALLY WANTED WAS A NEW COLLECTION OF PINKWATER'S Review: NPR columns, particularly the ones when he was looking at being a person-of-size in America, but since no new ones have come out, I picked this up as one of his most recent young adult novels. I expect much of this is autobiographical but it is very funny and wise and has a two-page reading list that I believe may actually BE a list of the books Pinkwater read in High School. Chances are if you are even reading this review, you have already decided to buy this book. So, go ahead.
Rating: Summary: DMAN HE'S GOOD! Review: Robert Nifkin, socially awkward son of eccentric immigrants, finds himself an inmate in a god-awful Chicago high school staffed by incompetent, bigoted, intolerant teachers. With the help of fellow free-thinking oddballs, Robert discovers 1950s Chicago bohemia and the benefits of self education. Great digs at vapid consumer culture and intellectual conformity are made along the way. Though arguably Pinkwater's best written and best paced work to date, I couldn't help feeling I'd read most of this before. Nifkin's Chicago will be very familiar territory to fans of _The Snarkout Boys_ books and Pinkwater's autobiographical essay collections. The most serious problem with _The Education of Robert Nifkin_ is it's length. It ended far too soon, darn it! Uptight parents offended by the idea of a teenager cutting classes and smoking cigars should buy this one for their kids anyway and lighten up a bit. --Stefan Jones
Rating: Summary: Geek Meets World; Opts Out. Familiar Pinkwater territory Review: Robert Nifkin, socially awkward son of eccentric immigrants, finds himself an inmate in a god-awful Chicago high school staffed by incompetent, bigoted, intolerant teachers. With the help of fellow free-thinking oddballs, Robert discovers 1950s Chicago bohemia and the benefits of self education. Great digs at vapid consumer culture and intellectual conformity are made along the way. Though arguably Pinkwater's best written and best paced work to date, I couldn't help feeling I'd read most of this before. Nifkin's Chicago will be very familiar territory to fans of _The Snarkout Boys_ books and Pinkwater's autobiographical essay collections. The most serious problem with _The Education of Robert Nifkin_ is it's length. It ended far too soon, darn it! Uptight parents offended by the idea of a teenager cutting classes and smoking cigars should buy this one for their kids anyway and lighten up a bit. --Stefan Jones
Rating: Summary: Pinkwater, you're a genius!!!!! Review: This book is great! Any Pinkwater fan should by it immediatley!!! Robert Nifkin all the way!
Rating: Summary: DMAN HE'S GOOD! Review: This is a must read for everyone even if they have never been to high school yet...ESPECIALLY if they have never been to high school yet. Daniel is a Mad Genius and I seriously reccomend this book.No matter what else may be said about him...this man does know his craft. If you read Pinkwater before then this is for you. if not then start with Lizard Music and read every book he has written until your eyes bug out and your head spins. Then pick this up and read it.
Rating: Summary: not your normal pink water book Review: this is more adult than any of his others works of art. but none the less it was a good read basically it is a high schoolers life. and a kid having to deal with his parents and theres not much more to say
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