I'll Be Here All Week

by Ward Anderson

Falling in love is like stand-up comedy. You have to be crazy to do it... Spence is a stand-up comedian whose claim to fame is a one-time appearance on The Late Late Show. Eight years ago. Since then, he's been living on the road, working in clubs like The Comedy Crib or The Funny Farm or The Laff Shack-if he's lucky. More often than not, his agent lands him gigs in country western bars. On a good night, he gets free drinks; on a bad night, he offends the audience with dirty jokes. Spence's ex-wife thinks he should find a nice girl and settle down. His ex-wife's husband thinks he should stop having his mail sent to their house. What does Spence think? That trying to have a relationship on the road is no laughing matter. Especially when he meets Sam... She's smart, she's beautiful, and she's Canadian-but she's not putting up with his schtick. Sam wants Spence to drop the jokes and be himself, which is hard for a man who's funny for a living. But the closer they get, the more successful Spence becomes. Can a stand-up comic live happily ever after with the girl of his dreams...without it ending in a punchline? "I'll Be Here All Week does more than offer a window into the life of a stand-up comic. Any reader would feel like they are actually on that stage, living the life and hoping that they'll get out alive. Underneath it all is a love story that is sweet and funny." --Ophira Eisenberg, stand-up comic and author of Screw Sleeping My Way to Monogamy

Genres: Romance

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read. As an avid fan of stand up comedy I was immediately drawn into the premise of this story. I think this book does a great job at showing the behind the scenes life of comedy, and how it's not as glamorous as one might think. I loved the main character, although at times his self destructive behaviour really got on my nerves.

I also really enjoyed the Q and A at the back of the book. This is pretty uncommon in novels, but I really appreciated that it was questions answered by the author and not just "book club discussion questions" which I usually find condescending and obvious.

This book was pretty depressing for the majority, although it was depressing in a good way. I don't know how else to describe it. This book reminded me a lot of the show Louis starring Louis C.K, which I love. If you like that show I am confident that you will like this book. Great writing, great characters, great lines. This book is a keeper.

[Janet R. Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story and good ending.

[CeCe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. I was hoping for something different with the characters. Sam, the heroine, was described as smart and someone who was not putting up with Spence's schtick, but that is not at all the impression she left with me. She did not put up with the schtick for about 5 minutes of meeting Spence, but after that she pretty much did. She was the one more or less contacting him. He may have thought about it, but he never acted.

Small spoiler
There was one part in the book that I am 99% Spence would have cheated on Sam because he kept saying that they never discussed a relationship, but something happened and well the opportunity of cheating faded. Even when Sam got a call that Spence was in a situation, she ran and pretty much did not question his actions. She was upset for a few minutes and that was the end of that.

I love these type of stories...struggling comedian finding love especially told in male POV, but I love when the hero loves the heroine more than vice versa. In my opinion, no matter what the hero said about being attracted to the heroine and liking her, she would always love him more and she would be the one trying to make it work. Actions speak louder than words.

[Rahul Kanakia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it alot (disclosure: I got a galley from the publisher off of NetGalley). The plot seemed a bit predictable (due to the author's own biography and career progression, you know basically what's going to happen to the main character), but the main character was very engaging. And, you know, there's something to be said for a book that portrays a world very vividly. I really enjoyed seeing the standup comedy world, seeing its strange economics and the loneliness and the thrills. I loved the author's very odd abusive relationship with his agent. And I liked seeing how someone could be, in some ways, very magnetic for women, while also being a loser in other ways. Well worth a read, particularly if you're looking for something voice-driven and fun (think Nick Hornby or Carl Hiaasen or Dave Barry's novels).

[Rebecca Tollingworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an advance reader's copy at work, and the cover appealed to me. It was simple and to the point, but with a hint of romance. Plus, it had a quote from Aisha Tyler at the top. Okay, I'm in.

The book is about a stand-up comedian who's nearing forty and still hasn't hit the big-times. He tours all over the country, driving himself and crashing in cheap motels along the way, if he can afford them. He was on the Late Late Show back when Craig Kilborn was the host, and that's his biggest credit to date. He loves stand-up, but it's slowly killing him. He needs a change, but can he?

I want to talk about it more, but I'm basically just telling you what happened. I really enjoyed the book. I loved following Spence's story, his ups and downs.

[Amanda Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a quick and fun read. I gave it three stars because it was a well-written with a distinct style but it just wasn't my cup of tea, since I know next to nothing about comedy so it is through no fault of the book that I wasn't particularly interested in the plot. I can think of no one better to write about a stand-up comedian than a stand-up comedian and I commend the book for its authenticity. Anderson didn't try to sugarcoat the hard life of Spence and all comedians and much of the book is to highlight those very struggles.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I'll Be Here All Week follows the working and personal life of comedian Spence. We get to watch his ups and downs over the course of the book. We also get some fun "__ celebrities are Canadian" throughout.

I wish we could have gotten a look into some of the material of Spence's act, other than his classic opener, but there was still some quality jokes embedded in the character conversations.

[Kathleen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. The author depicts the shady world of stand-up comedy with vivid and realistic details. The leading characters are sympathetic and complex, and you can't help but root for them.

Kathleen Jones, author of Love Is the Punch Line

[Gabrielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Basic predictable love story and with the standard douche bag guy who “discoveries himself” for the pixie girl.

Slightly based off the author’s life as a comedian, the Q&A with him at the end was the most interesting since he points out a 3rd resolving relationship with his agent. Now, this agent STEALS from his client, but the main character keeps him anyway. Eye roll.

For a book about a comedian, I also just didn’t find it funny at all.

[Larry Griggs · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took a while to finish. Maybe longer than it should. I liked the dynamic with Sam and Spence and how she is the one that grounds him. However the part with Beth kind of threw me. It just seem implausible that she would want to work things out after a long period of time even though they both knew it wouldn't work. I laughed a few times but for a book about comedians it's way too much of a drama to be a comedy.

[TreforL · Rating 4 out of 5]

This delightful autobiographical novel provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of the partially successful stand-up comedian, travelling from town to town and gig to gig. We learn about unreliable agents, unsustainable hook-ups and the occasional joys of life on the road. It's funny and well-written, with a compelling voice and a strong story arc, so I've already earmarked it for a re-read.

[Lauren Roennfeldt · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Eh. Probably shouldn’t have read it but what held me there was that it was based around a stand up comedian so that is something different to the usual of what I would read. Some character development was there. And a bit of a twist to turn him around which worked.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy Anderson's stories. The characters are always slightly despicable but human enough to keep you engaged and rooting for them (even the bad guys)! And he tells the best love stories....

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Read as arc.

I am a fan of Last Comic Standing. (Favorite bits: Was she fat when she died?/I don't have jokes, I have problems...) I went to every comedian who visited my college campus. (Shout-out to Mal Hall, who I'm totally still Facebook friends with.) So, picking up this book made sense to me.

I'll Be Here All Week is very much all about the life and problems of a comic: Working clean, comic friends, shady agents, driving gig-to-gig, relationship options and homelessness. I found it all to be incredibly interesting. I did have a few questions about elements I thought were missing, like where's all the social networking--every comic who came to campus wanted us to like him on Facebook; they had sets uploaded to YouTube; they had CDs of his work to sell. None of that here. No mention of Last Comic Standing either--which I know had a big impact on the community, 4-5 of the comics who visited had been on, and I'll Be Here All Week certainly understood the importance of TV credits... But, seeing as Jay Leno is still the host of the Tonight Show in the context of this book, maybe it's not as current as I'm thinking. However, the book was still super interesting and informative, I especially liked the discussion on what job a comedian would have if not stand-up.

Final thought: Don't go into I'll Be Here All Week expecting lots of jokes--this is not Couplehood. What we see of Spence's sets are usually punchlines, if that. (Apparently you shouldn't date Asian women... Why? I may never know.) Still, a good read.

[Dustin Hertel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be somewhat biased as somebody who's done standup (on a far smaller scale than the protagonist, but still) and as such a lot of things spoke to me on a level that I'm not sure if they would someone who hadn't... though I would still recommend they read it.

To my mind, this book does for standup what the movie 'The Wrestler' did for professional wrestling: it takes you behind the scenes of a life a lot of people have preconceived notions about and shows you what it really is, once all the glitz and glamor is stripped away.

But at it's heart, it's a story about a man and his conflicting loves: the job he's passionate about (in spite of how cruel it can be) and the woman that he knows he'll never be able to be with if he continues on his current path: it's a very real dilemma suffered by very real characters.

I cannot imagine possibly being able to recommend this book enough. If you have ANY interest at all in the world of standup, whether as a participant or just as a fan, this is probably the most real an experience as you can get without hopping in a car, hitting the road, and working dive bars in small towns for gas money and a shitty burger. If you like a good love story, Ward Anderson may not be the next Nicholas Sparks but he does know how to make you love these characters and root for everything to work out for them... and even if you don't like either of them, give it a shot. It's that good.

[Debra Komar · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are things about this book that I loved. He does a remarkable job of capturing the less than glamorous life of a stand up and the thrill of being on stage. Any author who has done a book tour will no doubt recognize aspect of the life. I like that he doesn't just reprint jokes - most books by stand ups are just their act on paper. What I didn't particularly like was the lead character himself - a self-absorbed, bitter man. I am not saying all characters need to be likable but I didn't really care what happened to this guy. Also, the relationship is very underdeveloped. I had no idea what she saw in him and there was not much to it beyond a few texts. An interesting but flawed experiment.

[Jjudyfl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book from Goodreads.
Ward Anderson was a comedian (among other things) who has written a book about a character named Spence, an on-the-road stand-up comic.
Finding cheap women is easy. Getting paid fairly for his 'cowboy bar' gigs is harder. Dealing with his ineffective, worthless agent, Rodney, is nearly impossible & finding & maintaining a real relationship IS impossible. He has an ex-wife to remind him of that!
But Sam enters the picture. She somehow makes him feel good - different - right.
What does Spence really want in life?
This book read like non-fiction. Spence was so real. I liked him & disliked him, felt his good & bad days & ultimately rooted for him.
A worthwhile, memorable book...

[Sophia Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is light and entertaining, not unlikely most stand-up comedy. I agree with other reviewers that the main character is a bit of an ass, but I don't feel that it takes away from the book at any point. I also didn't find him to be reprehensible, so... that's good, I suppose. I loved the parts about Canada. Spence's discovery of the differences between Canada and the United States were really a highlight for me. I was really feeling like reading some light fiction and this was pretty perfect. It's a good summer read, for sure.

[Denise Hlavka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The life of a comedian on the road! Spence once had a spot 9 years ago on the Late, Late, Show, and it's his only TV spot on his list of credentials. One night comedy stands, and one night hookups. This was a good insight into a stand up comic.s existence , but slogged a bit mid story. I think that was the point...the job in going from point to point, club to club and gets very tiring and repetipus. Always waiting for the big break. When love finally does enter his life, he starts to look at things differently. Nice ending.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but felt that it focused too much on being an exposé of the typical life of a comedian and not enough on plot and character development. I also felt that the novel would have benefited significantly had it been written in first person narrative. The story pretty much was consistently seen from Spence's perspective so I think it would have read more naturally had we just been in his head the entire time.

[Andrew Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The descriptive prose throughout this story, combined with many shots of humour makes "I'll Be Here All Week" an instant classic. With an accurate portrayal of up-and-coming technology to compliment modern concerns of maintaining an intimate relationship, one can feel like they are right there with Spence and Sam, as they begin the rest of their lives together. Best book of 2014, in the category: "reality fiction", by far.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads and I enjoyed it very much. It was an entertaining easy read. Being Canadian I appreciated the humour (humor to you Americans) in the story. Even though Spence was a bit of an ass- he was still charming and you couldn't hate him for long. I guess I'm getting old because even I remember when Craig Kilborn was host of The Late Late Show......
I liked the Q & A at the end of the book as well.

[Jill Weathers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this book. It was rather boring. After reading the cover I set my expectations too high I suppose. A few times I thought of aborting the rest of the book, but I am glad that I finished it. So if you get halfway through and you are bored to tears, just keep reading. The book does pick up the pace toward the last portion of the book. Thanks for the read!

[Marcia Arberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-written book by a comedian about the life of a comedian on the road. I love books where the character is voicing his humorous private observations about the circumstances and people in his life. This is one of those. The plot moves along nicely too. I will watch out for his next book.

[Eileen Lennon · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok, There are times when I would have been furious, and he's not. There were times when he completely loses it, for no good reason. He sabotages himself over and over, yet is frustrated by his life. Spoiler alert: he lives happily ever after.

[Annice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting look at the lonely and difficult life of a stand-up comedian with a really good love story.

[Carol Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book that I recommend and can't wait to read his next novel coming out soon!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and insightful novel examining the underbelly of stand up comedy. Enjoyed it more than I thought.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of comedy and comedians, but a look at how the sausage gets made was a little depressing. Okay, more 2.5 stars than 3.

[Rieta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope Ward writes quickly because I really enjoy reading his books. Unique characters and stories. Well done.