The Unabridged Pocketbook of Lightning

by Jonathan Safran Foer

A primer for the punctuation of heart disease. First published in the New Yorker magazine, 2002. And [extracts] Extremely loud and incredibly close first Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2005.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, American, Jewish, Contemporary, Literary Fiction

Paperback

First published June 5, 2005

About the author

Jonathan Safran Foer is the author of two bestselling, award-winning novels, Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and a bestselling work of nonfiction, Eating Animals. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Emily B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realised that this was a short story and then the first few chapters of one of his other books (a book I had enjoyed). As a result there wasn’t much new to read. However I did enjoy the short story ‘A Primer for the Punctuation of Heart Disease’ and thought it to be very original

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. You can never go wrong with Foer. My heart feels like it's swelling up when I read him. He always makes me feel things and I think that's the best literature. When you feel something. I hope he writes more things soon so I can feel more.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

no sé si es objetivo y es un poco trampa porque es muy cortito pero tengo el corazón calentito y triste al mismo tiempo

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

My colleague let me borrow his for our train ride and I finished it with an hour to go! Brilliant introduction to an author I will most surely be reading more from.

[Hh · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I thought this would be new material, but it turns out that it is several excerpts from his "Extremely loud and incredibly close" and an essay on symbols for the various inflections and silences of a conversation (both of which I'd read before). So this book is a five because yes, the writings are amazing, but you'd be better off reading his full novels rather than attempting to get your hands on this particular tome. Also, the title is amazing.

Also, I borrowed it on inter-library loan and they shipped it all the way from New Zealand. :)

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can actually read all of it in other places. It is a short story that is available online and then three chapters from Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

[Dancingpaddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can't say I understood everything in this book, but there are some touching father and son moments. Super short book too; only around 50 pages.

[Emily Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting, and shockingly accurate look at the inner workings of family relationships.

[F · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A primer for the punctuation of heart disease" is a witty yet profundly sad short story about intergenerational trauma. (5 stars)
The rest however is just an excerpt from "Extremely loud and incredibly close", a great book, but why would I want to read only fragment of it? I'd say buy the book and look for the short story online.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jonathan Safran Foer. Everything I've read by him is profound. I had already read part of what was included in this book, but it was still so nice. I also read Foer probably more slowly than I read anything else. It feels like every word matters and I love it.

[Malzee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I embarked on this read with some preformed opinions, not expecting or wanting to like him. And I didn’t...but yet I did. There is a hollowness behind the skillful language, a sadness behind the craft. The art resembles life in a way, I guess. #book11 #pocketpenguins #penguin70s

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

A mediocre bit of a short story, which is probably easy enough to find elsewhere for people who need it, and proof that I was right never to pick up 'Extremely Dull and Incredibly Pretentious' in the fifteen years since it limped into my world. One and a half stars.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to this author - I have read a few of his books after reading this.

[John Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice collection of short stories plays with the text on the page in quite a cool way

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small collection contains an author's note, explaining the title of the book itself; a short story ('A primer for the punctuation of heart disease'); and the first three chapters of Foer's second novel, Extremely loud and incredibly close, published shortly after. The short story is a fascinating study of family relationships and what special characters are required to transcribe family conversations fully. The novel's opening reminds me of the excellent braiding of different traumatic histories, impacting upon different generations of a family: the firebombing of Dresden by the Allies in the Second World War, and 9-11. Foer is a remarkable writer, not least for his experiments with form, layout and graphic elements, and deserved a strong and devoted following.

Foer se kortverhaal en drie hoofstukke uit sy tweede roman demonstreer hoe hy familieverhoudings kan analiseer en plaas in 'n boeiende historiese konteks. Hy verdien getroue aanhangers.

[Mary Arkless]

A collection of short stories, I found the first ones rather pleasant and endearing. The stories are all taken from a "different" angle and it takes a little while to comprehend just what is going on. I got a bit put off somewhere along the line and didn't pick up the book to finish it once our road journey (back in December) ended. We've been on the road again, so I finally finished it. I liked the shift in perspective in the last story.

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially a little disappointed that this book did not actually have anything to do with lightning, but the essay and the first three chapters of the novel ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close’ more than made up for it. I am going to have to track down more of this guy’s writing has he has a brilliant and vivid imagination that I think fans of Douglas Adams would appreciate.

[Grace Hardy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first time I encountered Foer and it thrilled and intrigued me probably more than any other little bit of writing I've ever come across. I rushed to the the bookshop to buy the full novel, which was yet to be on sale in my book shop so I picked up the next best thing. Everything is Illuminated. And thus the greatest literary love of my life was born!

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

El primer cuento, Un manual de puntuación para enfermedades cardíacas, es muy bueno. El resto son extractos de Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. A laburar, Jonathan, no vale meter un cuento de 5 páginas y después hacer publicidad de tu próxima novela...

[Celine]

beautiful. 4 short stories.
It made me nauseous as there was a influx of feelings.
New perspective, new ways of describing communications with simplistic and relevant symbols that mean so much more than words can ever try to define.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, but great! So different! A collection of short stories that are a great introduction to this brilliant author.

[Matthew Eaton]

Fair warning... from read other peeps reviews, this is mainly just excerpts from his other works.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short amazing story, with an excerpt from a novel that's on my reading list. After reading this, I want to read that novel sooner rather than later!

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is primarily excerpts from other books, but the find here is the excellent short story: A Primer for the Punctuation of Heart Disease. That story earns a five.

[Sara J. (kefuwa) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Possibly not my cup of tea. Hmm... although I am piqued by the characters am not compelled to go out and get the full novel as yet.

[Joe Ringenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

six stars. that's right.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

2/3 of the book is extremely loud and incredibly close!