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CAD : Confessions of a Toxic Bachelor
Shy and cosseted, I developed a wide-eyed attraction to anything exciting or damaged. I idolozed women with those qualities but was ill-equipped to deal with them. I didn't even butter my own toast until I left home for college. No wonder, I became a magnet for women who threw toast. And a magnet he to every neck-snappingly beautiful nutcase in sight. The story begins with Elizabeth, his ex-wife and the woman who wore Kabuki-style white make up. Martin never saw her without it...and she kept all her hair trimmings in a suitcase under the bed. Eventually, she leaves him for his 29th birthday sends him a copy of "American Psycho" with a "I hope this doesn't happen to you". The result is a descent into a rakish experience of sexual manoeuvring. Brilliantly written, with an easy, self-deprecatory charm, we see Martin work his way through various madwomen until Ilene, who totally has his number...and makes him a better man again.
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First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 20, 2007
(The most interesting about this book was the Amtrak ticket to Boston I found within its pages and a Walgreen's receipt for Krazy Glue, Hershey's Kisses, and some kind of code scribbled on the back about "beautiful celebs" Emily [the name on the ticket], I hate you. Mr. Marin [the "author"], I'm sorry I saved your book from the trash.)
April 29, 2013
Ok.... well I thought this might be a bit of laugh but I had my reservations when I saw that the writer of Sex and the City endorsed it.
The book really doesn't flow. The chapters all come across as though they are missing something. The book was hard to get through as it was quite boring. Writing about famous people they have interviewed in itself does not make the writer/book interesting, particularly when all he can think about is how he could get them into bed!
The guy really comes across with all the worst attributes in a man. Honestly, confronted with this guy I think I would run a mile in the opposite direction. He discusses a few times in the book how he is looking for his next "wife" and yet finds the most superficial reasons to break up with the multiples of women he has been with. I did however, like the Ilene character I think he met his match with her.
by the by.... this must be where Horatio from CSI Miami got his idea with the glasses......
The book really doesn't flow. The chapters all come across as though they are missing something. The book was hard to get through as it was quite boring. Writing about famous people they have interviewed in itself does not make the writer/book interesting, particularly when all he can think about is how he could get them into bed!
The guy really comes across with all the worst attributes in a man. Honestly, confronted with this guy I think I would run a mile in the opposite direction. He discusses a few times in the book how he is looking for his next "wife" and yet finds the most superficial reasons to break up with the multiples of women he has been with. I did however, like the Ilene character I think he met his match with her.
by the by.... this must be where Horatio from CSI Miami got his idea with the glasses......
November 26, 2021
Really? Women actually put up with him? How could a real person get away with all that? The SOG wanted to be a SOW? REALLY? Were these real people? I find that very hard to believe. He's just such an unbelievable a-hole and if he were that good looking, he'd be a movie star. No. Those women have such low self esteem I pity them. Horrible book all around. Who are these people? Please leave my city at once!
January 2, 2018
By the time the narrator is redeemed by his love for a decent woman and a family tragedy, my opinion of him was so low it was too late. Cad is the perfect title for his memoir; it makes me miss the sugary silliness of Candace Bushnell.
July 13, 2018
An interesting perspective with no feelings spared! I lent it once to a real life CAD and he never returned it, I then bought a new copy and lent it to another CAD, again it was never returned. I won't be going for the hat trick in the man or the book. Good read though!
December 2, 2020
I read /Cad: Confessions of a Toxic Bachelor/, by Rick Marin.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
"Ninety-nine percent of men give all the rest a bad name."
Reasonably amusing and/or entertaining from time to time.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/200...
"Ninety-nine percent of men give all the rest a bad name."
Reasonably amusing and/or entertaining from time to time.
November 26, 2018
This book...has not aged well. Gave up after 150 pages that felt like 500. From the writing, most people are caricatures without any humanity. Ugh.
February 21, 2025
huh. i liked it
December 3, 2008
Being a recently married man, I thought this book would probably be the closest I would get to bachelorhood again. Needless to say, I was very fired up to read about Rick Marin's life and crazy hijinx.
Unfortunately, the haphazard chapters and seemingly unrelated stories began to blur into one another. My interest in Rick's adventures quickly waned. Does this mean I've matured for the worse, or was the book's writing to blame? I am certainly hoping it is the latter, because the thought of it being the former is too much for me to stomach right now.
I suggest looking elsewhere for a titillating tale of male bachelordom.
Unfortunately, the haphazard chapters and seemingly unrelated stories began to blur into one another. My interest in Rick's adventures quickly waned. Does this mean I've matured for the worse, or was the book's writing to blame? I am certainly hoping it is the latter, because the thought of it being the former is too much for me to stomach right now.
I suggest looking elsewhere for a titillating tale of male bachelordom.
March 26, 2010
This book had it's moments, and could be entertaining at times with the famous people names being dropped here and there (Moira Kelly, Vanilla Ice, Marissa Tomei. Early 1990's stars etc), but mostly I found this book to be kind of boring. The main guy, Rick Marin, seems to be annoying as he breaks up with girls for the dumbest reasons. I haven't dated for about two years, but apparently all you need to do is get a pair of glasses, take them off slowly, and say, "Yeah, I don't like to talk about it." "It" being your last relationship, or marriage in this case. Are you serious? Rule NO. 1--don't do that.
November 5, 2007
Bubble gum - enjoyable but not really the kind of thing that sticks with you.
Prose is overly affected to be clever and funny, which isn't necessarily bad but reads like trying too hard here. Occasionally hits one out of the park with humor. Characters flash by without much depth, and sometimes this works well as synecdoche, as in the case of describing his wife.
The death of his father is handled gracefully and powerfully, which is why this book gets three stars instead of two. Not maudlin but still raw.
The ending still feels too pat to me overalll; there's a forced sense to it.
Prose is overly affected to be clever and funny, which isn't necessarily bad but reads like trying too hard here. Occasionally hits one out of the park with humor. Characters flash by without much depth, and sometimes this works well as synecdoche, as in the case of describing his wife.
The death of his father is handled gracefully and powerfully, which is why this book gets three stars instead of two. Not maudlin but still raw.
The ending still feels too pat to me overalll; there's a forced sense to it.
March 29, 2008
Lisi and I both had such high hopes from this book. We'd expected it would somehow be a combination between Sex in the City from a man's perspective and another book we'd read called "Tommy's Tale" which actually was hilarious and amazing. Unfortunately, it was neither. It was simply the mundane diary of a man looking for his next wife in NYC, dropping names and spouting mindly entertaining anecdotes.
December 3, 2007
My friend Karen gave me this book and it has been passed around. It's usually seen on my bookshelf, someone remarks on how stupid the book must be. I encourage them to borrow it, they read it in a couple of hours and call to tell me how they laughed so hard. It's light, it's fun, but sometimes that's what a book should be.
November 18, 2009
I like how they refer to this book as "mildly entertaining". There was a lot of name dropping of famous actors and scenes of dating that made one want to cringe. (This book definitely would make one not want to date ever.)
I did find myself laughing on a couple of scenes in the book when he was dealing with the women whom he was (unfortunately) dating.
I did find myself laughing on a couple of scenes in the book when he was dealing with the women whom he was (unfortunately) dating.
April 20, 2014
I found it hard to relate to this story. The author attracts a lot of women but can't find the one that is just right for him. To me, it was like listening to a rich guy complain about not being able to find the perfect yacht. I give it 3 stars, though, because he is a witty and clever writer.
April 11, 2007
EGOCENTRICALLY FUNNY!
May 17, 2007
Pretty good, but not a HUGE page turner like some other memoirs are. I tried to read it nearly all in one sitting on a train and it didn't hold up to that. But I still did find enjoyable.
September 18, 2007
well, its one of my unfinished reads...
Just wasnt getting into it,
shows the ugly side of men....
Didnt need to read about that, i see it every day.
Ho-Hum
Just wasnt getting into it,
shows the ugly side of men....
Didnt need to read about that, i see it every day.
Ho-Hum
January 15, 2008
Thoroughly enjoyed every word of this book! :-)
June 9, 2008
Finished it yesterday and it is already fading from my memory. Enjoyable enough but nothing I'd recommend.
June 17, 2008
What I learned from this book:
the phrase "the fashionable 'sewing machine repair district'" and how annoying brunch at Isabella's can be, long before I ever ate there.
the phrase "the fashionable 'sewing machine repair district'" and how annoying brunch at Isabella's can be, long before I ever ate there.
February 11, 2009
i did not realize it was a biography until more than halfway through the book. the story line is interesting, but even more so when it is true. this book was worth my time.
November 2, 2009
Stories about one man's tales of bachelorhood, post-divorce. Bits of humor intertwined with romance and the sometimes trivial struggles between man and woman.
August 13, 2011
The title should be douche bag because Mr. Martin is a complete and total douche.
Read
February 7, 2013Did not read this. Wrong book listed.
August 21, 2007
Very mildly entertaining, in direct ratio to how caddish Marin actually seems to be.
September 4, 2007
I hate men.... Ok, not all men. Just the ones like this.
January 19, 2008
I need to read this again now that I'm in NY.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews