NASTYbook

by Barry Yourgrau

Why would criminals kidnap a cuddly teddy bear? Or monsters attack a kid for picking his nose? 'Cause Nice is overrated

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Humor, Young Adult, Fantasy, Horror, Childrens

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Writer-performer Barry Yourgrau is author of "A Man Jumps Out of an Airplane: Stories" (new edition, May '17). His other books of surreal brief tales include "Wearing Dad's Head," "Haunted Traveller," and "The Sadness of Sex," in whose movie version he starred.

Audio of story, "Honky-Tonk,"" from "A Man Jumps Out of an Airplane" is on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKPPj...

Barry is also the author of a memoir, "Mess." He has appeared on MTV and NPR, and workshopped at Sundance Theatre Lab.

Born in South Africa, he lives in New York and Istanbul and travels widely.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once in awhile a book comes along that is just so mindblowingly absurd that you honestly don't know what to think. NASTYbook is one of those books.

While most people will be quick to point out that most of what Mr. Yourgrau has written inside is weird and stupid, you really have to give the guy credits for his creativity. Really, it's genius.

I have never read a book more random than this. Nor have I read a better one. It's a fast, whacky, fun-filled journey from cover to cover. Though all his stories are short and blunt, every single tale has its own little charm and moral.

The elephant that tries to cheat on his test. The lazy guardian angel. The boy who tickled his girlfriend so much that she laughed and exploded...

Read it. It'll change your life. Seriously.

[Nikku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another potential for 3rd grade book club that was passed over for being too dark. If you like your fables with unhappy, abrupt and sometimes scary endings, this is a great book for you. I found it highly entertaining but not terribly appropriate for the under-10 crowd.

[Jared Vincent Lacaran · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is shit but I gave it 2 stars 'cause you're supposed to read it upside down :D

[Brigid Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kept thinking it was going to get better, but it was just a weird compilation of short stories. Not worth my time

[Eddie McNeil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I personally thought that this novel was very interesting and unique. It demonstrated to me a great new style of rhetoric and it sparked a lot of new ideals that I could use for my writing. some things I didn't like about the novel though were, some stories were very plain and boring. You could honestly tell which stories the author put more effort into. Even with that being said though, I still would rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars mainly because of its originality, cleverness, and for the lessons the author presents to the reader.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, yes, this is a nasty book. Naughty, filled with plot twists and covered with inky fingerprints, it’s the sort of book that makes adults and children alike a tad apprehensive…which may be the point. From a child who discovers that his parents aren’t his real parents (for anyone who’s ever looked sideways at the parental units and wondered…) to the dreams of a sadly caged monkey to a writer that gets even with some very unpleasant critics, “Nastybook” has no heroes, few happy endings and quite a bit of gore. It’s just the kind of fare the anti-Disney fans have been craving.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't even read this book. However, I gave it four stars because it is upside down. (When you open the front cover and wonder if you are retarded, you see a teeny right-side-up note that asks, "Is this book upside down, or are you?"). Imagine reading this on a plane. The fat hairy guy next to you would think you just go around pretending you know how to read. He would feel superior and you could deplane knowing that you boosted some loser's self esteem.

[Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yourgrau has assembled a collection of uproariously unpleasant stories that would make Lemony Snicket cry uncle. I snorted, hooted, and guffawed my way through these malicious tales in just a couple of days, and am already wanting more. The only drawback to this book is that the stories come so fast and furious that the reader is in danger of overload. My advice: take this one slowly and savor every macabre moment. You won't be sorry.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is like VERY random... alot of characters and their story. its very very werid and it comes in many stories.
i personally think its soo random...it can get boring because theres nothing you can really connect to. the short stories are too short... but the good thing is that its very creative. reading a book upside down. makes you weird.

[Kelley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Like any book of short stories there are some good ones and some bad ones. Unfortunately this book seemed to hold more bad than good. This book prides itself on its hilarity, and I didn't find it funny in the least. I also had a hard time keeping up with the extremely short stories: it was more of a collection for the ADD than a collection for the general public.

[Diamond]

I stopped reading this book because it was very boring and it was weird. It was not about one person it was about many people and tall tales that happened to them. This book seems to be for boys rather than girls.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful! Do you wince in retrospect at the naivete of those books of saccharine fable/parable things where, like, the generous stoat gets the extra cheese from the lazy badger's picnic or whatever?

Read this. Read it now.

[Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nasty Book is not all the same story it is a veriaty of writting.I enjoyed all of the ones I read.It was a little comfusing at first becasue I thought it was all the same story but it is not.

[Beth Shields-Szostak]

1st edition, signed by author

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

43 short stories taht are nasty in many ways

[Eriele the Mermaid · Rating 1 out of 5]

But then idk why, but it disgusted me. Seriously.
I GOT THIS FOR ONLY 40PHP AND IT HAS A FREAKING AWESOME SIGNATURE OF YOURGRAU! <3

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Silly book of short stories. Some are terrible and others are very clever. A very quick and enjoyable read.

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

what the...???