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Bears, Recycling and Confusing Time Paradoxes
Do you want to recycle but aren't sure how? Are you concerned that a potential suitor may be a vampire? Have you attended a job interview only to be greeted by Hideous Telepathic Space-faring Lizardmen in Mansuits? The Guide to Moral Living in Examples educates on these and many more common moral conundrums, offering bite-sized advice for nearly every improbable situation. Fueled by years of unintentional research on the connections between robotic bears, talking tattoos, and the best type of soap to remove irremovable rings, Greg X. Graves gives simple, friendly yet essential guidance on the twisted path to moral life. With an introduction by Brenton Harper-Murray and stunning illustrations by Jeff Bent, this anthology is a must-have for young and old aspiring moralists alike.
168 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 10, 2011
This has to be one of the most bizarre collections of stories I have ever read. When the author contacted me to ask if I would like to review the book, it sounded like it would be a fun, maybe crazy, read. Crazy is an understatement. This book takes crazy to a whole new level. Each story is only a few pages long, and at the end of each page is a moral that, somehow, links to the story. Sounds pretty straightforward right? A kind of Aesop’s Fables for adults, if you will. But then consider that the morals are only very loosely linked to the actual stories. That the morals are, regularly, even more strange than the stories themselves. Oh, and sometimes we have no idea how the moral connects to the story whatsoever. Confused? Yes, I was too.
Confusion, though, gives way to humour in this collection of stories. ‘Serious’ readers need not apply. There has to be a huge level of suspended belief when reading this collection. If you are the kind of reader that can just open a book and go along for the ride, you will love it. After the initial shock at just how strange some of these stories are, the humour starts to shine through and I found myself smiling a lot whilst reading. The author clearly has a vivid imagination and this collection is the perfect showcase of that. The writing was pretty good but I sometims found the plots difficult to follow.
All things considered, it did make me smile, but it wasn’t for me. That said, I think that it would be a good read for those who like light, humourous reads and for fans of speculative short fiction.
Confusion, though, gives way to humour in this collection of stories. ‘Serious’ readers need not apply. There has to be a huge level of suspended belief when reading this collection. If you are the kind of reader that can just open a book and go along for the ride, you will love it. After the initial shock at just how strange some of these stories are, the humour starts to shine through and I found myself smiling a lot whilst reading. The author clearly has a vivid imagination and this collection is the perfect showcase of that. The writing was pretty good but I sometims found the plots difficult to follow.
All things considered, it did make me smile, but it wasn’t for me. That said, I think that it would be a good read for those who like light, humourous reads and for fans of speculative short fiction.
July 16, 2014
A weird, mildly entertaining little book full of short stories only a few pages long each. Not particularly stood out as amazing or anything, but then I don't think the author was going for depth, more weirdness. The odd little morals at the end of every story were probably the best parts.
August 8, 2011
Please humor me as I begin this review with a rather long run-on sentence. It seems the only way to aptly describe how I felt about this book. Are you ready? Brace yourself!
Bears, Recycling and Confusing Time Paradoxes was a book that had me reading fervently, in between bouts of pausing to exclaim "Wait....what????", and then bursting into raucous laughter at the absurdity at was on the page before my boyfriend would look over and demand to know what I was laughing at, to which I could only exclaim "The dragon has wooden teeth! Vampire.....wooden teeth! HA!" and go back to reading.
Each and every story in this anthology is worthy of a very loud and well placed, WTF? What's hilarious to me is that they are all fantastically written. It's as though the book makes fun of itself. The humor is so dry in places that there is nothing to do but just laugh. Your mind is working so hard to try to figure out how that moral, that little gem of information, links to the story that all you can do is laugh. It feels good my friends. It feels good.
Were you ever curious how certain alien races chose their next leader? Why Bigfoot really exists (if he exists at all)? How about what would happen if you were the most unlucky person on Friday the 13th? If these questions have plagued your mind at all, you'll need to pick up Bears, Recycling and Confusing Time Paradoxes. I ask you, what could be better than random laughter?
Yes my dear readers. That about sums it up. Greg X. Graves has compiled a set of short stories that is nothing less than confusing and brilliant, at the same time. Think of it as an utterly random, tongue in cheek, tribute to the fables of old. After all, each story does come complete with a moral! I admit that this isn't going to be for everyone (definitely not man suit wearing lizard people) and I'm okay with that. You have to have a certain kind of weird in your brain to appreciate this brilliance. Am I calling myself weird? Why yes I am. Thank goodness there are authors like Greg X. Graves out there who can cater to people like me.
Bears, Recycling and Confusing Time Paradoxes was a book that had me reading fervently, in between bouts of pausing to exclaim "Wait....what????", and then bursting into raucous laughter at the absurdity at was on the page before my boyfriend would look over and demand to know what I was laughing at, to which I could only exclaim "The dragon has wooden teeth! Vampire.....wooden teeth! HA!" and go back to reading.
Each and every story in this anthology is worthy of a very loud and well placed, WTF? What's hilarious to me is that they are all fantastically written. It's as though the book makes fun of itself. The humor is so dry in places that there is nothing to do but just laugh. Your mind is working so hard to try to figure out how that moral, that little gem of information, links to the story that all you can do is laugh. It feels good my friends. It feels good.
Were you ever curious how certain alien races chose their next leader? Why Bigfoot really exists (if he exists at all)? How about what would happen if you were the most unlucky person on Friday the 13th? If these questions have plagued your mind at all, you'll need to pick up Bears, Recycling and Confusing Time Paradoxes. I ask you, what could be better than random laughter?
Yes my dear readers. That about sums it up. Greg X. Graves has compiled a set of short stories that is nothing less than confusing and brilliant, at the same time. Think of it as an utterly random, tongue in cheek, tribute to the fables of old. After all, each story does come complete with a moral! I admit that this isn't going to be for everyone (definitely not man suit wearing lizard people) and I'm okay with that. You have to have a certain kind of weird in your brain to appreciate this brilliance. Am I calling myself weird? Why yes I am. Thank goodness there are authors like Greg X. Graves out there who can cater to people like me.
May 16, 2011
I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this, and it definitely wasn't what I thought. I was pleasantly surprised. It was laugh-out-loud funny.
When your family comes to investigate the source of your raucous laughter, you know it's good stuff.
Here's the thing: the stories are COMPLETELY ridiculous. There's not a shred of logic in this book. That's definitely a part of its appeal. Seriously hilarious.
I mean really, who HASN'T worried about Lizardmen wearing Mansuits?! Who HASN'T wondered what they do when they sleepwalk?!
This book answers those questions and more...all with a moral.
Seriously, this is hilarious. Pick it up for a great, quick laugh.
(side note: if you're sensitive, you'll need to watch for some language about halfway through)
When your family comes to investigate the source of your raucous laughter, you know it's good stuff.
Here's the thing: the stories are COMPLETELY ridiculous. There's not a shred of logic in this book. That's definitely a part of its appeal. Seriously hilarious.
I mean really, who HASN'T worried about Lizardmen wearing Mansuits?! Who HASN'T wondered what they do when they sleepwalk?!
This book answers those questions and more...all with a moral.
Seriously, this is hilarious. Pick it up for a great, quick laugh.
(side note: if you're sensitive, you'll need to watch for some language about halfway through)
April 24, 2011
Didn't finish.
[edit: That's not to say it's atrocious, it's just not for me. Imagine a short story, fairly well-written (though some could have used an editor) and typically fantastical. This tale lives for three or four pages, wraps up in an abrupt end, and then the reader is given a "moral" that's technically somehow relevant to the story but absurdist in nature.
Repeat that until you've finished the book.
The humor, or whatever it was, just didn't sit or flow with me, and that's fine. I can envision some people loving this book. I'm not one of them.]
[edit: That's not to say it's atrocious, it's just not for me. Imagine a short story, fairly well-written (though some could have used an editor) and typically fantastical. This tale lives for three or four pages, wraps up in an abrupt end, and then the reader is given a "moral" that's technically somehow relevant to the story but absurdist in nature.
Repeat that until you've finished the book.
The humor, or whatever it was, just didn't sit or flow with me, and that's fine. I can envision some people loving this book. I'm not one of them.]
May 13, 2011
Crazy, bizzar, silly adult version of Aesop's Fables. Several short stories that all end in interesting morals.
August 2, 2011
Now, I like odd and weird books, but this one really just confused me. Each story was only a few pages long and had a moral of the story at the end. It seemed like the author was trying to write stories with advice that should have been funny in the context of the story but completely missed the boat and simply ended up with morals of the stories that had me scratching my head.
I will admit that there are a couple stories that managed to just barely hit the mark of funny in context, but the rest were so... bad that I almost didn't finish the book despite it only being 168 pages long.
I think the concept could have been very entertaining as the synopsis promised all sorts of strange and silly situations, but it just completely failed to deliver.
First published at Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books
I will admit that there are a couple stories that managed to just barely hit the mark of funny in context, but the rest were so... bad that I almost didn't finish the book despite it only being 168 pages long.
I think the concept could have been very entertaining as the synopsis promised all sorts of strange and silly situations, but it just completely failed to deliver.
First published at Sniffly Kitty's Mostly Books
September 17, 2011
If the brothers Grimm did a collaboration with the Animaniacs something like this would be the result O_o It's a collection of some of the strangest fable-friendly short stories you will ever read.
Sometimes the utter absurdity of each tale kind of gets to you, but by the time you find yourself thinking 'OMG WTF? This person is deranged' you're already at the end. That each story is very short and self contained keeps the WTFtry from burning you out; I put this book down and came back to it several times when I was sick of pretentious ultra serious literary shit ^_^
Scattered throughout the book are nice (and equal strange) illustrations like robots with buzz saw arms ... did I mention that? Buzz saw arms.
Sometimes the utter absurdity of each tale kind of gets to you, but by the time you find yourself thinking 'OMG WTF? This person is deranged' you're already at the end. That each story is very short and self contained keeps the WTFtry from burning you out; I put this book down and came back to it several times when I was sick of pretentious ultra serious literary shit ^_^
Scattered throughout the book are nice (and equal strange) illustrations like robots with buzz saw arms ... did I mention that? Buzz saw arms.
March 13, 2015
I was given this book as an ebook ARC by the publisher for review.
I wasn't 100% sure what to expect when I turned the first page of this book, but in the end I found it an enjoyable read.
The stories are a bizarre and eclectic collection, each only a few pages long and each ending with an amusing "moral".
I liked some of the tales more than others, but I appreciated the overall humour of the piece and found myself smiling as I read, which is always a good sign!
This may not be to everyone's taste, but you'll appreciate it if you are looking for a light-hearted, tongue-in-the-cheek, humourous read.
I wasn't 100% sure what to expect when I turned the first page of this book, but in the end I found it an enjoyable read.
The stories are a bizarre and eclectic collection, each only a few pages long and each ending with an amusing "moral".
I liked some of the tales more than others, but I appreciated the overall humour of the piece and found myself smiling as I read, which is always a good sign!
This may not be to everyone's taste, but you'll appreciate it if you are looking for a light-hearted, tongue-in-the-cheek, humourous read.
September 5, 2011
As short story collections go this one is unique, it is laugh out loud funny and seriously confusing without being annoying. The stories themselves are strangely entertaining with morales that are unique, well thought out, occasionally useful and loosely connected to the story preceeding it. Graves certainly has an original way of looking at the world and this is is a superb glimpse into that view, you will either love this or hate it, either way it's well worth a go.
June 8, 2011
I recieved this book through Good Read First Reads.. Wasn't at all what I was expecting.. I honestly did not enjoy the book, and it makes me feel guilty since I was lucky enough to win a free copy.. Maybe you will like it better
February 7, 2013
Silly nonsense book. I enjoyed it simply because it was funny and different. I thought the morals at the end of each story were great. If you are looking for something to make you laugh this is definitely it.
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May 2, 2011I helped publish this book, so I'm going to avoid rating it. But it's hilarious and you should check it out!
April 4, 2011
Full disclosure: I helped publish this book, but I only did because I thought it was fantastic.
September 7, 2011
I have no idea what brought this book into being. I like odd stuff as much as the next person, but this was just a little too off the wall for me.
May 22, 2011
I received this as a first reads winner and enjoyed it. There were portions that were laugh out loud funny but I especially enjoyed the last moral of the book.
June 27, 2012
The Moral: If you wish to make an apple pie, you must first invent the universe.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews