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Twenty-one Truths About Love
Daniel Mayrock's life is at a crossroads. He knows the following to be true:
1. He loves his wife Jill... more than anything.
2. He only regrets quitting his job and opening a bookshop a little (maybe more than a little)
3. Jill is ready to have a baby.
4. The bookshop isn’t doing well. Financial crisis is imminent. Dan doesn't know how to fix it.
5. Dan hasn’t told Jill about their financial trouble.
6. Then Jill gets pregnant.
This heartfelt story is about the lengths one man will go to and the risks he will take to save his family. But Dan doesn’t just want to save his failing bookstore and his family’s finances:
1. Dan wants to do something special.
2. He’s a man who is tired of feeling ordinary.
3. He’s sick of feeling like a failure.
4. He doesn't want to live in the shadow of his wife’s deceased first husband.
Dan is also an obsessive list maker; his story unfolds entirely in his lists, which are brimming with Dan’s hilarious sense of humor, unique world-view, and deeply personal thoughts. When read in full, his lists paint a picture of a man struggling to be a man, a man who has reached a point where he’s willing to do anything for the love (and soon-to-be new love) of his life.
1. He loves his wife Jill... more than anything.
2. He only regrets quitting his job and opening a bookshop a little (maybe more than a little)
3. Jill is ready to have a baby.
4. The bookshop isn’t doing well. Financial crisis is imminent. Dan doesn't know how to fix it.
5. Dan hasn’t told Jill about their financial trouble.
6. Then Jill gets pregnant.
This heartfelt story is about the lengths one man will go to and the risks he will take to save his family. But Dan doesn’t just want to save his failing bookstore and his family’s finances:
1. Dan wants to do something special.
2. He’s a man who is tired of feeling ordinary.
3. He’s sick of feeling like a failure.
4. He doesn't want to live in the shadow of his wife’s deceased first husband.
Dan is also an obsessive list maker; his story unfolds entirely in his lists, which are brimming with Dan’s hilarious sense of humor, unique world-view, and deeply personal thoughts. When read in full, his lists paint a picture of a man struggling to be a man, a man who has reached a point where he’s willing to do anything for the love (and soon-to-be new love) of his life.
339 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2019
171 people are currently reading
13921 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Dicks
16 books1,146 followersMatthew Dicks is the internationally bestselling author of the novels Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, Something Missing, Unexpectedly, Milo, The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs, and the upcoming novels The Other Mother and Cardboard Knight, as well as the nonfiction Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Art of Storytelling. His novels have been translated into more than 25 languages worldwide.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend was the 2014 Dolly Gray Award winner and was nominated for a 2017 Nutmeg Award in Connecticut. Matthew was also awarded first prize in 2016 and second prize in 2017 in the Magazine/Humorous Column category by the CT Society of Professional Journalists.
He is also the author of the rock opera The Clowns and the musicals Caught in the Middle, Sticks & Stones, and Summertime. He has written comic books for Double Take comics. He is a columnist for Seasons magazine and has published work in Reader's Digest, The Hartford Courant, Parents magazine, The Huffington Post, and The Christian Science Monitor. He was awarded first prize for opinion writing in 2015 by the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists.
When not hunched over a computer screen, Matthew fills his days as an elementary school teacher, a storyteller, a speaking coach, a blogger, a wedding DJ, a minister, a life coach, and a Lord of Sealand. He has been teaching for 20 years and is a former West Hartford Teacher of the Year and a finalist for Connecticut Teacher of the Year.
Matthew is a 35-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 5-time GrandSLAM champion whose stories have been featured on their nationally syndicated Moth Radio Hour and their weekly podcast. He has also told stories for This American Life, TED, The Colin McEnroe Show, The Story Collider, The Liar Show, Literary Death Match, The Mouth, and many others. He has performed in such venues as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Wilbur Theater, The Academy of Music in North Hampton, CT, The Bynam Theater of Pittsburgh, The Bell House in NYC, The Lebanon Opera House, Boston University, and Infinity Hall in Hartford, CT.
He is a regular guest on several Slate podcasts, including The Gist, where he teaches storytelling.
Matthew is also the co-founder and creative director of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization that produces shows throughout New England. He teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals, corporations, and school districts around the world. He has most recently taught at Yale University, The University of Connecticut Law School, Purdue University, The Connecticut Historical Society, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Miss Porter's School, The Berkshire School, and Graded School in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Matthew is the creator and co-host of Boy vs. Girl, a podcast about gender and gender stereotypes.
Matthew is married to friend and fellow teacher, Elysha, and they have two children, Clara and Charlie. He grew up in the small town of Blackstone, Massachusetts, where he made a name for himself by dying twice before the age of eighteen and becoming the first student in his high school to be suspended for inciting riot upon himself.
Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend was the 2014 Dolly Gray Award winner and was nominated for a 2017 Nutmeg Award in Connecticut. Matthew was also awarded first prize in 2016 and second prize in 2017 in the Magazine/Humorous Column category by the CT Society of Professional Journalists.
He is also the author of the rock opera The Clowns and the musicals Caught in the Middle, Sticks & Stones, and Summertime. He has written comic books for Double Take comics. He is a columnist for Seasons magazine and has published work in Reader's Digest, The Hartford Courant, Parents magazine, The Huffington Post, and The Christian Science Monitor. He was awarded first prize for opinion writing in 2015 by the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists.
When not hunched over a computer screen, Matthew fills his days as an elementary school teacher, a storyteller, a speaking coach, a blogger, a wedding DJ, a minister, a life coach, and a Lord of Sealand. He has been teaching for 20 years and is a former West Hartford Teacher of the Year and a finalist for Connecticut Teacher of the Year.
Matthew is a 35-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 5-time GrandSLAM champion whose stories have been featured on their nationally syndicated Moth Radio Hour and their weekly podcast. He has also told stories for This American Life, TED, The Colin McEnroe Show, The Story Collider, The Liar Show, Literary Death Match, The Mouth, and many others. He has performed in such venues as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Wilbur Theater, The Academy of Music in North Hampton, CT, The Bynam Theater of Pittsburgh, The Bell House in NYC, The Lebanon Opera House, Boston University, and Infinity Hall in Hartford, CT.
He is a regular guest on several Slate podcasts, including The Gist, where he teaches storytelling.
Matthew is also the co-founder and creative director of Speak Up, a Hartford-based storytelling organization that produces shows throughout New England. He teaches storytelling and public speaking to individuals, corporations, and school districts around the world. He has most recently taught at Yale University, The University of Connecticut Law School, Purdue University, The Connecticut Historical Society, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Miss Porter's School, The Berkshire School, and Graded School in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Matthew is the creator and co-host of Boy vs. Girl, a podcast about gender and gender stereotypes.
Matthew is married to friend and fellow teacher, Elysha, and they have two children, Clara and Charlie. He grew up in the small town of Blackstone, Massachusetts, where he made a name for himself by dying twice before the age of eighteen and becoming the first student in his high school to be suspended for inciting riot upon himself.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,314 reviews
May 22, 2019
I was going to create my own list comprised of twenty-one truths about this book, but I realized I only needed one:
I loved Twenty-one Truths About Love!
Twenty-one Truths About Love is a humorous, quirky, and endearing read about one man’s fears, anxiety about impending fatherhood, feelings (mostly of inadequacy), and the minutiae of daily life all detailed in the lists that he makes constantly throughout the day and night.
Dan makes lists. Dan writes lists mostly about: his financial problems, failing business, lying to his wife Jill about his business and their finances, Jill’s first husband whom Dan feels he will never live up to, his father who walked out when he was a child, Little Debbie Snack Cakes, and books, amongst other tops. Dan’s lists reveal that he is a lovely person who loves his wife and family and will do whatever it takes to make them happy, even if it means robbing a bunch of senior citizens at Bingo night.
When I first started reading Twenty-one Truths About Love, I was a little upset when I flipped through the book to see that the entire book is made up of lists. I made some faces and grumbled a lot about how I wasn’t going to like this book, and then started reading. And I read and read and read. Before I knew it, I was ¾ of the way through and enjoying every minute of it. Somehow, through these lists, Dicks creates a multidimensional character in Dan--he is flawed, lovable, and relatable. Dan stumbles a lot but through his ups and downs, he offers up bits of wisdom about life and love. This book is filled with humor, heart, and lots of love. I recommend for a light, fun read!
I won a copy of this book through a GoodReads giveaway!
I loved Twenty-one Truths About Love!
Twenty-one Truths About Love is a humorous, quirky, and endearing read about one man’s fears, anxiety about impending fatherhood, feelings (mostly of inadequacy), and the minutiae of daily life all detailed in the lists that he makes constantly throughout the day and night.
Dan makes lists. Dan writes lists mostly about: his financial problems, failing business, lying to his wife Jill about his business and their finances, Jill’s first husband whom Dan feels he will never live up to, his father who walked out when he was a child, Little Debbie Snack Cakes, and books, amongst other tops. Dan’s lists reveal that he is a lovely person who loves his wife and family and will do whatever it takes to make them happy, even if it means robbing a bunch of senior citizens at Bingo night.
When I first started reading Twenty-one Truths About Love, I was a little upset when I flipped through the book to see that the entire book is made up of lists. I made some faces and grumbled a lot about how I wasn’t going to like this book, and then started reading. And I read and read and read. Before I knew it, I was ¾ of the way through and enjoying every minute of it. Somehow, through these lists, Dicks creates a multidimensional character in Dan--he is flawed, lovable, and relatable. Dan stumbles a lot but through his ups and downs, he offers up bits of wisdom about life and love. This book is filled with humor, heart, and lots of love. I recommend for a light, fun read!
I won a copy of this book through a GoodReads giveaway!
May 3, 2020
Twenty-one truths about this book:
1. It’s often hilarious
2. Except when it isn’t
3. I LOVE lists
4. But an entire book written in list form gets annoying after a while (maybe like this review?)
5. Read it as you would a book of essays and set it down in between.
6. My husband wasn’t annoyed when I read some of the items on the list out loud, and actually chuckled
7. Dan loves his wife
8. Dan’s wife is pregnant
9. Dan’s wife is sweet
10. Dan is jealous of his wife’s dead husband
11. Dan doesn’t share with his wife that they are in financial dire straits, however….
12. Dan can’t be all bad because he loves reading and books...AND....
13. Dan owns a bookstore ❤️
14. However, Dan doesn’t like their dog which makes me not like Dan
15. Dan’s friend Bill is delightful
16. Dan comes up with a ridiculous and unethical plan to get out of financial trouble which makes me want to smack him
17. Dan is an idiot
18. Dan is annoying
19. Dan is weak
20. A whiny man is an unattractive man
21. I had to speed read through the boring lists
The End
* I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
1. It’s often hilarious
2. Except when it isn’t
3. I LOVE lists
4. But an entire book written in list form gets annoying after a while (maybe like this review?)
5. Read it as you would a book of essays and set it down in between.
6. My husband wasn’t annoyed when I read some of the items on the list out loud, and actually chuckled
7. Dan loves his wife
8. Dan’s wife is pregnant
9. Dan’s wife is sweet
10. Dan is jealous of his wife’s dead husband
11. Dan doesn’t share with his wife that they are in financial dire straits, however….
12. Dan can’t be all bad because he loves reading and books...AND....
13. Dan owns a bookstore ❤️
14. However, Dan doesn’t like their dog which makes me not like Dan
15. Dan’s friend Bill is delightful
16. Dan comes up with a ridiculous and unethical plan to get out of financial trouble which makes me want to smack him
17. Dan is an idiot
18. Dan is annoying
19. Dan is weak
20. A whiny man is an unattractive man
21. I had to speed read through the boring lists
The End
* I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
November 1, 2019
The premise of this book intrigued me - a book made up completely of lists. But what sounds good in principal didn’t quite live up to its potential.
Despite being told purely in the form of lists, it doesn’t take long to get the gist of the story. 1) Dan has left teaching to open a bookstore. 2) The bookstore is losing money and they’re on the verge of going broke. 3) Jill doesn’t know this. 4) Jill wants a baby and becomes pregnant. 5) Jill is a widow. 6) dan writes lists about every idiot thought he’s ever had.
Why I dislike Dan...1 ) I don’t care about 90% of what Dan writes. 2) Dan not only hides their financial condition from Jill, but doesn’t seem to have any meaningful communication with her at all. 3) he dislikes Jill’s dog. 4) Dan is a total wimp. 5) Dan is a complete Idiot when it comes to thinking of ways out of his financial difficulties. 6) I like thank you notes.
I think one of the few things that Dan and I agree on is that The Alchemist is a horrible book.
It’s an extremely fast read. Parts are funny, although not as many as I would have liked. My final thoughts on the book… 1) it’s hard to really like a book when you think the main character is an idiot. 2) the lists format got old and started irritating me. 3) I couldn’t believe that a real person would be writing so many damn lists especially while doing other things. 4) I loved Bill Donovan and wish I had a friend like him.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
Despite being told purely in the form of lists, it doesn’t take long to get the gist of the story. 1) Dan has left teaching to open a bookstore. 2) The bookstore is losing money and they’re on the verge of going broke. 3) Jill doesn’t know this. 4) Jill wants a baby and becomes pregnant. 5) Jill is a widow. 6) dan writes lists about every idiot thought he’s ever had.
Why I dislike Dan...1 ) I don’t care about 90% of what Dan writes. 2) Dan not only hides their financial condition from Jill, but doesn’t seem to have any meaningful communication with her at all. 3) he dislikes Jill’s dog. 4) Dan is a total wimp. 5) Dan is a complete Idiot when it comes to thinking of ways out of his financial difficulties. 6) I like thank you notes.
I think one of the few things that Dan and I agree on is that The Alchemist is a horrible book.
It’s an extremely fast read. Parts are funny, although not as many as I would have liked. My final thoughts on the book… 1) it’s hard to really like a book when you think the main character is an idiot. 2) the lists format got old and started irritating me. 3) I couldn’t believe that a real person would be writing so many damn lists especially while doing other things. 4) I loved Bill Donovan and wish I had a friend like him.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.
July 28, 2019
We lie most often to the people we love. Time passes, lies multiply, and arguably a situation worsens. Case in point, Dan Mayrock's expenses which are outpacing his income at the bookstore he opened after leaving teaching. Jill, his pregnant wife, is being kept in the dark, led to believe the bookstore is profitable. Financial disaster is looming on the horizon.
Dan is overwhelmed and anxiety ridden. His former therapist suggested that he "log" his feelings. Dan does so in the form of "obsessive lists". Everything, even the minutest occurrence, is on some detailed list. Dan and Jill met at a school faculty meeting. He thought Jill to be the most competent teacher ever. He didn't think he was skilled as an educator. Leaving teaching behind, he opened a bookstore. Realistically, Dan found it difficult to turn a profit. "Watching great books go unread and terrible books sell like hotcakes" was disheartening.
Dan could not believe that Jill "blindly accepts me for exactly who I am". Jill was a widow when they met. "There will always be a part of Jill's life that will remain a secret to me because you can only tell your second husband so much about your previous life with your dead husband...I feel...so insecure." Will he ever measure up to Peter? Desperate times call for desperate measures. Reading through Dan's lists, it is clear that he waffled while creating a ridiculously, outlandish plan to procure money quickly.
"Twenty-One Truths About Love" by Matthew Dicks was written in a unique style. Read the lists and discover Dan's resolutions. Dan's anxieties, feelings of abandonment, failure and desperation are palpable. I enjoyed meeting Bill at the Bingo Hall and Clarence, the labradoodle. Dan's outlook was changing, but, in what ways?
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Twenty-One Truths About Love".
Dan is overwhelmed and anxiety ridden. His former therapist suggested that he "log" his feelings. Dan does so in the form of "obsessive lists". Everything, even the minutest occurrence, is on some detailed list. Dan and Jill met at a school faculty meeting. He thought Jill to be the most competent teacher ever. He didn't think he was skilled as an educator. Leaving teaching behind, he opened a bookstore. Realistically, Dan found it difficult to turn a profit. "Watching great books go unread and terrible books sell like hotcakes" was disheartening.
Dan could not believe that Jill "blindly accepts me for exactly who I am". Jill was a widow when they met. "There will always be a part of Jill's life that will remain a secret to me because you can only tell your second husband so much about your previous life with your dead husband...I feel...so insecure." Will he ever measure up to Peter? Desperate times call for desperate measures. Reading through Dan's lists, it is clear that he waffled while creating a ridiculously, outlandish plan to procure money quickly.
"Twenty-One Truths About Love" by Matthew Dicks was written in a unique style. Read the lists and discover Dan's resolutions. Dan's anxieties, feelings of abandonment, failure and desperation are palpable. I enjoyed meeting Bill at the Bingo Hall and Clarence, the labradoodle. Dan's outlook was changing, but, in what ways?
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Twenty-One Truths About Love".
November 19, 2019
!! NOW AVAILABLE !!
4.5 Stars
Seven years ago I read Matthew Dicks ‘Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend’ and loved it, so I was anxious to check out his latest, ’Twenty-one Truths About Love.’
While the idea of a novel written entirely in lists sounds a bit out of the ordinary, the reality is that this one allows the reader to slowly get to know Daniel Mayrock, his personal insecurities about his marriage to Jill, the potential success (or failure) of his bookshop, bills – that are now more imposing since he left his teaching position, as well as his outlook on life and the way we often fail at maintaining the love and life we had envisioned for ourselves and those we love. And, of course, he makes lists of the way he feels he’s failing. And then, when he sees their bank accounts draining away, and feeling guilty over their pending financial disaster from crashing their dreams, Jill’s dream of having a baby is just beginning to come true. Of course, this sends Daniel into somewhat of a tailspin, questioning his worth as a husband, future father, especially since his father abandoned him as a child. Adding to this is the specter of Jill’s deceased first husband, whose presence is strongly felt, and to whom Daniel is sure he can never measure up.
More charming than this is sad, there are moments of humour throughout, and characters that enter into Daniel’s life add some much needed, fatherly moments of advice that remind him that after all, what truly matters is love.
Pub Date: 19 Nov 2019
Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press
4.5 Stars
Seven years ago I read Matthew Dicks ‘Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend’ and loved it, so I was anxious to check out his latest, ’Twenty-one Truths About Love.’
While the idea of a novel written entirely in lists sounds a bit out of the ordinary, the reality is that this one allows the reader to slowly get to know Daniel Mayrock, his personal insecurities about his marriage to Jill, the potential success (or failure) of his bookshop, bills – that are now more imposing since he left his teaching position, as well as his outlook on life and the way we often fail at maintaining the love and life we had envisioned for ourselves and those we love. And, of course, he makes lists of the way he feels he’s failing. And then, when he sees their bank accounts draining away, and feeling guilty over their pending financial disaster from crashing their dreams, Jill’s dream of having a baby is just beginning to come true. Of course, this sends Daniel into somewhat of a tailspin, questioning his worth as a husband, future father, especially since his father abandoned him as a child. Adding to this is the specter of Jill’s deceased first husband, whose presence is strongly felt, and to whom Daniel is sure he can never measure up.
More charming than this is sad, there are moments of humour throughout, and characters that enter into Daniel’s life add some much needed, fatherly moments of advice that remind him that after all, what truly matters is love.
Pub Date: 19 Nov 2019
Many thanks for the ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press
October 23, 2019
Things I enjoyed about this book:
1. The fact the book was written entirely in lists was really creative.
2. Amidst everything that went on in the book, it’s really a story about love, fear, and family.
3. Many of Dan’s thoughts are surprisingly on par with mine.
Things I didn’t enjoy about this book:
1. The list format started to wear me down.
2. There was one particular plotline that I found really irksome.
3. Darned book made me cry...
Dan left his teaching job to run a bookstore. It wasn’t as easy or profitable as he thought it would be. (Of course, he thought teaching would be easy, too, but...) He's afraid to reveal the extent of his financial struggles to his wife, Jill.
Much of Dan’s life is characterized by running away from his problems. He’s the master of not saying what needs to be said. He has feelings about his father, who is suddenly trying to reconnect with him after years of estrangement. He has feelings about the specter of Jill's first husband, who died, hanging over their heads.
When Jill gets pregnant he knows he must do something to get money or he’ll lose her—but his idea is a desperate one. He struggles with the reality of the situation and every possible solution, but he keeps coming back to the least-certain and riskiest one. And he knows the ramifications of his actions may be worse than his current situation.
Twenty-one Truths about Love is a poignant, sometimes scattered, sometimes disturbing look into the mind of a man who is struggling in so many ways. While some of the lists in the book illustrate where Dan's heart and mind are, some are a little quirky and bizarre. And some are downright funny.
Matthew Dicks is a great writer (his Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend still haunts me). I loved the concept and the heart of this story. It’s just, the list thing dragged the story down a bit, to the point where I skimmed through the lists when the subject seemed extraneous. (Some of the lists ran way too long, too.)
Despite my ultimate weariness with the lasting power of this concept, this was a really creative twist in storytelling and I’ll think of this book for a long while.
NetGalley and St. Martins Press gave me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
The book will publish on November 19.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
1. The fact the book was written entirely in lists was really creative.
2. Amidst everything that went on in the book, it’s really a story about love, fear, and family.
3. Many of Dan’s thoughts are surprisingly on par with mine.
Things I didn’t enjoy about this book:
1. The list format started to wear me down.
2. There was one particular plotline that I found really irksome.
3. Darned book made me cry...
Dan left his teaching job to run a bookstore. It wasn’t as easy or profitable as he thought it would be. (Of course, he thought teaching would be easy, too, but...) He's afraid to reveal the extent of his financial struggles to his wife, Jill.
Much of Dan’s life is characterized by running away from his problems. He’s the master of not saying what needs to be said. He has feelings about his father, who is suddenly trying to reconnect with him after years of estrangement. He has feelings about the specter of Jill's first husband, who died, hanging over their heads.
When Jill gets pregnant he knows he must do something to get money or he’ll lose her—but his idea is a desperate one. He struggles with the reality of the situation and every possible solution, but he keeps coming back to the least-certain and riskiest one. And he knows the ramifications of his actions may be worse than his current situation.
Twenty-one Truths about Love is a poignant, sometimes scattered, sometimes disturbing look into the mind of a man who is struggling in so many ways. While some of the lists in the book illustrate where Dan's heart and mind are, some are a little quirky and bizarre. And some are downright funny.
Matthew Dicks is a great writer (his Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend still haunts me). I loved the concept and the heart of this story. It’s just, the list thing dragged the story down a bit, to the point where I skimmed through the lists when the subject seemed extraneous. (Some of the lists ran way too long, too.)
Despite my ultimate weariness with the lasting power of this concept, this was a really creative twist in storytelling and I’ll think of this book for a long while.
NetGalley and St. Martins Press gave me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!
The book will publish on November 19.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
December 2, 2019
Told entirely in list form, Matthew Dicks manages to flesh out a fallible but entirely endearing main character in Dan, owner of a failing bookshop and soon-to-be dad. The love he has for his wife is felt palpably, even through the lists, and so are all of Dan’s feelings; his anxiety and his robust sense of humor.
While at times I wished for some traditional narrative, I was in awe of all I felt about the characters and how connected I was to this story. Overall, I was grateful for this depiction of a man with a simple, straight forward life, and so much love and goodness in his heart.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
While at times I wished for some traditional narrative, I was in awe of all I felt about the characters and how connected I was to this story. Overall, I was grateful for this depiction of a man with a simple, straight forward life, and so much love and goodness in his heart.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.
Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
October 29, 2019
When I read the publisher synopsis for this one, I instantly was intrigued. The entire story is told by lists the male protagonist, Dan, has written. Yes, lists. At first glance when you flip thru the pages, it sure doesn't look like a typical story. But give this one a chance as somehow the author manages to pull off a pretty decent story while doing so in an unusual way.
Dan loves his wife Jill and he can't entirely figure out what an amazing woman like her is doing with a regular ol' guy like him. He quit teaching awhile back to fulfill his dream of owning a bookstore. Unfortunately things aren't going so well and he is basically hemorrhaging money. He knows he needs to tell his wife he has been dipping into their savings but he's ashamed and feels like a failure. So what is Dan willing to do to turn things around?
Frequently when I first start a book it takes awhile before I have a good feel for the characters and what is going on, and that certainly was the case here. It helped tremendously that the lists are like journal entries, in that they are in chronological order so eventually it really does feel like a typical story. List by list, I started to feel like I got Dan and understood him. I definitely didn't agree with many of his actions especially the whole keeping things from his wife stuff. However, while he could be frustrating, he certainly felt realistic.
The humor is one of my favorites aspects of this book and I definitely had a few laugh out loud moments. And while I definitely liked the story, it got a bit messy towards the end when it became pretty outlandish. However, the author manages to turn things around and there truly are some good moments at the end. So I guess you could say it was almost worth it to read the kinda unbelievable stuff in order to get to the real heart of the story. This might not necessarily be a perfect read, but I finished the book with a smile on my face which is always a good thing.
I do recommend this one for anyone who appreciates it when writers switch things up a bit and try something different.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending me an advance reader's copy! I was not obligated to post my review here and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
Dan loves his wife Jill and he can't entirely figure out what an amazing woman like her is doing with a regular ol' guy like him. He quit teaching awhile back to fulfill his dream of owning a bookstore. Unfortunately things aren't going so well and he is basically hemorrhaging money. He knows he needs to tell his wife he has been dipping into their savings but he's ashamed and feels like a failure. So what is Dan willing to do to turn things around?
Frequently when I first start a book it takes awhile before I have a good feel for the characters and what is going on, and that certainly was the case here. It helped tremendously that the lists are like journal entries, in that they are in chronological order so eventually it really does feel like a typical story. List by list, I started to feel like I got Dan and understood him. I definitely didn't agree with many of his actions especially the whole keeping things from his wife stuff. However, while he could be frustrating, he certainly felt realistic.
The humor is one of my favorites aspects of this book and I definitely had a few laugh out loud moments. And while I definitely liked the story, it got a bit messy towards the end when it became pretty outlandish. However, the author manages to turn things around and there truly are some good moments at the end. So I guess you could say it was almost worth it to read the kinda unbelievable stuff in order to get to the real heart of the story. This might not necessarily be a perfect read, but I finished the book with a smile on my face which is always a good thing.
I do recommend this one for anyone who appreciates it when writers switch things up a bit and try something different.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for sending me an advance reader's copy! I was not obligated to post my review here and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
December 28, 2019
Matthew Dicks is a genius. Who could conjure a thought-provoking novel composed exclusively of lists? Matthew Dicks, that’s who. I’ve enjoyed novels which use emails as a method of furthering a story. To use lists only, is a remarkable feat.
Our protagonist is Daniel Mayrock who quit being a teacher and opened a bookstore instead. Through lists, the reader learns of why he did that and also his constant questioning of his career move. Daniel is also hiding the book store’s financial health from his wife, who he loves beyond measure. Through his lists, and the timing of his list-making, the reader experiences Daniel’s angst, guilt, joy, and fears.
Daniel has a lot of baggage, like us. His lists are hilarious, and familiar. It’s amazing that a novel comprised of lists creates complex characters, hilarious situations, and a provocative story. This is a fabulous read.
Our protagonist is Daniel Mayrock who quit being a teacher and opened a bookstore instead. Through lists, the reader learns of why he did that and also his constant questioning of his career move. Daniel is also hiding the book store’s financial health from his wife, who he loves beyond measure. Through his lists, and the timing of his list-making, the reader experiences Daniel’s angst, guilt, joy, and fears.
Daniel has a lot of baggage, like us. His lists are hilarious, and familiar. It’s amazing that a novel comprised of lists creates complex characters, hilarious situations, and a provocative story. This is a fabulous read.
December 10, 2019
This will be a very short review because, well, I’ve never read a book that consists entirely of “lists” before and I honestly don’t know the best way to go about reviewing this one. On the one hand, I applaud the author Matthew Dicks’ creativity in telling Dan’s story entirely through the lists he compiles in his journal, where he talks about candidly about everything happening in his life from his anxiety towards impending fatherhood to his insecurity with his marriage and not being able to measure up to his wife’s dead first husband, to his regrets over the various decisions he’s made, etc. I liked the premise, though didn’t like the characters very much (with the exception of Bill Donovan – loved that guy!), however I do feel that Dicks did a good job in the way he was still able to strike an emotional balance to the story (some parts made me laugh and some parts had me near tears) despite the lack of actual narrative prose. On the other hand though – after a while, the “list” format became way too much, to the point of being overkill; also, some of the lists were way too long and were about things I was not even remotely interested in, such as “rules of gunfighting” and “Newton’s list of sins” and the complete (I think?) lyrics to a song named Code Monkey, etc. – I actually skimmed a lot of these sections, as my mind was already starting to wander after just reading one or two bullet points. I was interested in Dan’s story, but I felt some of these longer lists (ones that I felt weren’t all that necessary) detracted from the story.
I honestly think that I would’ve enjoyed this one more if the list thing had been scaled back a bit and perhaps turning it more into a hybrid format with a few pages of narrative pose interspersed throughout so it would feel a little more connected and a little less all-over-the-place.
Overall though, this WAS a fun read (and a quick one of course) and even though it wasn’t necessarily a format I preferred, I did appreciate getting to try something different for a change.
Received ARC from St. Martin’s Press via Edelweiss.
I honestly think that I would’ve enjoyed this one more if the list thing had been scaled back a bit and perhaps turning it more into a hybrid format with a few pages of narrative pose interspersed throughout so it would feel a little more connected and a little less all-over-the-place.
Overall though, this WAS a fun read (and a quick one of course) and even though it wasn’t necessarily a format I preferred, I did appreciate getting to try something different for a change.
Received ARC from St. Martin’s Press via Edelweiss.
November 6, 2019
I think your liking of this book will be largely dependent on if you can read a whole book composed solely of lists. I will admit it got old after a while, but Dan’s quirks and self-actualizations made it worth the read.
Dan reminded me a lot of Don from The Rosie Project and he had me laughing out loud one moment and feeling empathy for him the next. Overall, this was a quirky, touching novel.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Dan reminded me a lot of Don from The Rosie Project and he had me laughing out loud one moment and feeling empathy for him the next. Overall, this was a quirky, touching novel.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
October 14, 2019
What?!? A novel made up entirely of lists?!? That's either extremely innovative or just plain crazy!! Okay...I'm coming down on the side of innovative because you know what? I thought those lists did work to tell this story.
Reason for Dan's lists? He saw a therapist who suggested journaling, which he thought sucked. So list making was a compromise and is now a habit, a way to think things out and make sense of things on paper. But for Dan "a habit is just an obsession that pretends to the intentional and controllable."
Problem #1: Dan is married to the woman of his dreams who is a young widow but somehow her first husband Peter is a wall between them in Dan's mind. How does he measure up? How can you compete with a dead man who can do no wrong?
Problem #2: Dan has quit teaching and opened a bookshop which isn't doing all that well. He lies to his wife about the state of their finances. And every month things get worse...
Problem #3: Dan's father walked out on his family when his wife was unfaithful and hasn't been a part of his two sons' lives for many years. Now he seems to want a relationship but Dan wants no part of that...
Problem #4: Dan's wife is pregnant, which exacerbates a lot of the above problems. Can Dan be a good father when he has had no example to follow?
Yes, lists are limiting in what we learn about what the other characters are thinking and feeling--for instance, does his wife compare Dan to Peter constantly? But the lists reveal a lot about Dan and all his quirks and neurosies.
I haven't mentioned humor yet and I should have because this novel is SO laugh-out funny at times. I came to love Dan as much as his family and friends do--if only he could believe that! Great story about the angst of modern life.
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.
Reason for Dan's lists? He saw a therapist who suggested journaling, which he thought sucked. So list making was a compromise and is now a habit, a way to think things out and make sense of things on paper. But for Dan "a habit is just an obsession that pretends to the intentional and controllable."
Problem #1: Dan is married to the woman of his dreams who is a young widow but somehow her first husband Peter is a wall between them in Dan's mind. How does he measure up? How can you compete with a dead man who can do no wrong?
Problem #2: Dan has quit teaching and opened a bookshop which isn't doing all that well. He lies to his wife about the state of their finances. And every month things get worse...
Problem #3: Dan's father walked out on his family when his wife was unfaithful and hasn't been a part of his two sons' lives for many years. Now he seems to want a relationship but Dan wants no part of that...
Problem #4: Dan's wife is pregnant, which exacerbates a lot of the above problems. Can Dan be a good father when he has had no example to follow?
Yes, lists are limiting in what we learn about what the other characters are thinking and feeling--for instance, does his wife compare Dan to Peter constantly? But the lists reveal a lot about Dan and all his quirks and neurosies.
I haven't mentioned humor yet and I should have because this novel is SO laugh-out funny at times. I came to love Dan as much as his family and friends do--if only he could believe that! Great story about the angst of modern life.
I received an arc from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity.
September 10, 2020
A short and sweet book comprised entirely of lists, longing, and explorations of love. Took a while to get used to the style, but once you fall in love with Dan's neuroses, you won't want to put it down!
November 3, 2019
Dan Mayrock is an ex-teacher that now runs his own bookstore and through lists unfolds his story of not being completely honest to his wife, Jill. The couple are now expecting a baby and Dan has to work through a lot of his issues in order to move on or face some pretty severe consequences.
The list thing did wear on me by the 52% mark, but I still wanted to find out if Jill and Dan were going to have an honest discussion about what he was keeping from her. So that kept me reading and I was quite satisfied with the conclusion of Dan's story.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads review 03/11/19
Publication Date 19/11/19
The list thing did wear on me by the 52% mark, but I still wanted to find out if Jill and Dan were going to have an honest discussion about what he was keeping from her. So that kept me reading and I was quite satisfied with the conclusion of Dan's story.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads review 03/11/19
Publication Date 19/11/19
December 10, 2019
All you list making crazy people like myself have got to read this book. I make lists about everything. So when I heard there was someone as obsessed as I am who wrote a book of nothing but lists I had to get my hands on it. I thought this book was simply hilarious. It's been awhile since I've had a book just make me laugh out loud. This really is an original and unique idea for a book. I didn't know how it would work, but Matthew Dicks manages to pull it off (for the most part, hence the 4 star vs 5 star rating). I will admit there were a few points that the lists got a tad on my nerves and seemed to dragged on. But overall I really did enjoy it.
"Why I'm always writing sh$# down
- my memory is sh$#
Real reasons for lists
- putting things in lists puts them out of my head and let's me sleep"
It's like Matthew Dicks crawled into my head!! I'm really not the only crazy person out there!!!
If I could write a list for Dan here is what I'd say:
Reasons why women don't pee at football games:
1. The bathrooms really are disgusting
2. The line is always too long
3. We really might miss those very important 10 yards.
Things I absolutely agree with:
1. List making is so therapeutic
2. Little Debbie Snacks are the bomb, don't deny yourself
3. Selfie sticks really should be banned. They are stupid.
It's quirky, surprising, funny, sweet, highly inappropriate at times, at other times moving, insightful and different. Get ready to laugh and enjoy yourself.
My thanks to Matthew Dicks, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"Why I'm always writing sh$# down
- my memory is sh$#
Real reasons for lists
- putting things in lists puts them out of my head and let's me sleep"
It's like Matthew Dicks crawled into my head!! I'm really not the only crazy person out there!!!
If I could write a list for Dan here is what I'd say:
Reasons why women don't pee at football games:
1. The bathrooms really are disgusting
2. The line is always too long
3. We really might miss those very important 10 yards.
Things I absolutely agree with:
1. List making is so therapeutic
2. Little Debbie Snacks are the bomb, don't deny yourself
3. Selfie sticks really should be banned. They are stupid.
It's quirky, surprising, funny, sweet, highly inappropriate at times, at other times moving, insightful and different. Get ready to laugh and enjoy yourself.
My thanks to Matthew Dicks, St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2019
Dan Mayrock is an obsessive list maker who has quit his job as a teacher and opened a bookstore. But now he's in financial trouble and afraid to tell his wife, Jill. Jill was previously married and Dan feels he can never quite live up to Jill's late husband. And then, Jill gets pregnant. Now Dan feels even more pressure to be the best he can be for Jill.
The shtick of this book is that it's told entirely in list form. No dialogue, no narrative, nothing. Just lists. It did wear a little thin at times, but it was an interesting way to learn about someone's life. You learn about Dan's finances, feelings, and amazingly, a lot about his past.
For me, what really got me about this book is that I just couldn't warm to Dan. I think most people find this book heartwarming and cute, but I found him--and it--annoying and whiny. He doesn't want to tell his wife about his financial problems with the store, so he concocts some ridiculous scheme to "help" the family instead. It was just too much for me. Man up, tell your wife, and take responsibility for your actions. I didn't find it cute, and if I was his wife, I would have kicked him to the curb.
It's a shame, because a lot of the book was filled with really funny and spot-on observations about life. I especially loved Dan's ruminations on teaching and meetings. They were incredibly true to life. There are a lot of humorous and touching moments in this book, but I could never really push past the fact that he was a spineless liar.
"'Let's start off with an icebreaker' are words no human being has ever wanted to hear."
Overall, I enjoyed pieces of this book, but found myself skimming others. I liked the idea of it, but could never warm to Dan and since the whole book was his lists and life, it was hard to enjoy without liking him. I need a book from the POV of his older Bingo buddy, Bill. Now he was a cool dude.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 11/19/2019.
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The shtick of this book is that it's told entirely in list form. No dialogue, no narrative, nothing. Just lists. It did wear a little thin at times, but it was an interesting way to learn about someone's life. You learn about Dan's finances, feelings, and amazingly, a lot about his past.
For me, what really got me about this book is that I just couldn't warm to Dan. I think most people find this book heartwarming and cute, but I found him--and it--annoying and whiny. He doesn't want to tell his wife about his financial problems with the store, so he concocts some ridiculous scheme to "help" the family instead. It was just too much for me. Man up, tell your wife, and take responsibility for your actions. I didn't find it cute, and if I was his wife, I would have kicked him to the curb.
It's a shame, because a lot of the book was filled with really funny and spot-on observations about life. I especially loved Dan's ruminations on teaching and meetings. They were incredibly true to life. There are a lot of humorous and touching moments in this book, but I could never really push past the fact that he was a spineless liar.
"'Let's start off with an icebreaker' are words no human being has ever wanted to hear."
Overall, I enjoyed pieces of this book, but found myself skimming others. I liked the idea of it, but could never warm to Dan and since the whole book was his lists and life, it was hard to enjoy without liking him. I need a book from the POV of his older Bingo buddy, Bill. Now he was a cool dude.
I received a copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 11/19/2019.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ PaperBackSwap ~ Smashbomb
May 2, 2019
Darn near impossible not to read this all in one sitting. I am a sucker for books that have anything at all to do with bookstores. Entertaining, enjoyable read!
April 23, 2020
Thank you St. Martins for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Twenty-one Truths About Love
By: Matthew Dicks
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆☆
I loved this book! Twenty-one Truths About Love is the story of bookstore owner, Dan, and his mid life mental sort of breakdown. He has a pregnant wife, a bookstore teetering on the edge of closure, a really annoying brother and a half planned plan to rob a bingo hall. Dan relays his neuroses in list format, and I initially had my doubts about this approach. Now, after reading the book, I think the lists are brilliant! This is truly an amazing way to tell a story. Who hasn't made a list or read a list in their lifetime? It's appealing because just about everyone can relate to lists, and the format is eye catching. I was absolutely hooked after the first page, and I used every spare minute to read. I usually don't laugh out loud at books, but I did with this one. Dan has a sense of humor I can understand. He is a neurotic, paranoid, intelligent and somewhat unconventional character whose life is a bit out of control. He constantly plans and schemes various ways, some crazy and some legitimate, to solve his problems. Dan's ideas expand, change and take shape as the story progresses. He learns a lot along the way. At first glance, this book probably seems weird, but give it a chance, and you'll love it. Twenty-one Truths About Love has a different style and unique voice that I found genuine and entertaining. Read it!
Twenty-one Truths About Love
By: Matthew Dicks
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆☆
I loved this book! Twenty-one Truths About Love is the story of bookstore owner, Dan, and his mid life mental sort of breakdown. He has a pregnant wife, a bookstore teetering on the edge of closure, a really annoying brother and a half planned plan to rob a bingo hall. Dan relays his neuroses in list format, and I initially had my doubts about this approach. Now, after reading the book, I think the lists are brilliant! This is truly an amazing way to tell a story. Who hasn't made a list or read a list in their lifetime? It's appealing because just about everyone can relate to lists, and the format is eye catching. I was absolutely hooked after the first page, and I used every spare minute to read. I usually don't laugh out loud at books, but I did with this one. Dan has a sense of humor I can understand. He is a neurotic, paranoid, intelligent and somewhat unconventional character whose life is a bit out of control. He constantly plans and schemes various ways, some crazy and some legitimate, to solve his problems. Dan's ideas expand, change and take shape as the story progresses. He learns a lot along the way. At first glance, this book probably seems weird, but give it a chance, and you'll love it. Twenty-one Truths About Love has a different style and unique voice that I found genuine and entertaining. Read it!
April 27, 2019
Oh my gosh!! I won this book through a Goodreads Giveaway and I read it in ONE DAY. Yes the listing makes it a fast read but I could not stop. I was laughing and crying throughout the whole thing. Amazingly written; I didn't think that through listing there could be such a well developed story but it was! One that I'll forever be recommending.
November 1, 2019
I moved this book up on my list after hearing about it on the Book Cougars- a story about a man, his relationship, and his failing bank account, told completely in lists. It's a fun concept and I think the author (who I know best as a frequent Moth StorySlam winner) thinks in lists, so this was a natural approach for him.
In my reading experience, I found it a bit tedious, if I'm being honest; and it didn't read as quickly as I was in the mood for. The main character is a bit unlikeable and just needs to tell his wife about the finances, and she wouldn't spend $212 on a purse! Also one list basically replicates a portion of his book on storytelling, which was weird to see in two settings.
I had an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and it comes out November 1, 2019.
In my reading experience, I found it a bit tedious, if I'm being honest; and it didn't read as quickly as I was in the mood for. The main character is a bit unlikeable and just needs to tell his wife about the finances, and she wouldn't spend $212 on a purse! Also one list basically replicates a portion of his book on storytelling, which was weird to see in two settings.
I had an early copy from the publisher through NetGalley and it comes out November 1, 2019.
September 21, 2019
This is an adorably quirky and surprisingly moving book. It is essentially an entire book of lists. At first I thought, this is fun but it's going to get old quick. But no! The author, by varying the length of sentences in each list, manages to get a lot of information across and tell a story. And you see progression. The characters develop, there is a plot, and like a great novel the reader changes along with the protagonist. I want to say this book is like really good poetry but I know a lot of people loathe poetry so I won't...the point is it takes great talent to say something in less words, in sentence fragments even. This book is about one man's experience of loving, forgiving, and accepting but it's also got a lot of wry humor and observances. Highly recommended!
February 22, 2022
I read this a while ago, but I remember loving it so much I read it twice in a row!
It's about a young man trying to sort out his financial problems before his wife has a baby. It's written in like-list form? Very unique format, I liked it (:
It's about a young man trying to sort out his financial problems before his wife has a baby. It's written in like-list form? Very unique format, I liked it (:
May 31, 2019
1. I love lists
2. I love books
3. I loved this unique style of story-telling
4. I love quick reads
5. I thought I knew how the book would resolve
6. I was wrong
7. I didn't enjoy the ending
8. Everything wrapped up in a perfect little bow
9. I did not like how judgmental he was
.
.
.
(Slight spoilers below)
10. I don't appreciate people getting away with things with no consequences
11. SO MUCH White Male Privilege
2. I love books
3. I loved this unique style of story-telling
4. I love quick reads
5. I thought I knew how the book would resolve
6. I was wrong
7. I didn't enjoy the ending
8. Everything wrapped up in a perfect little bow
9. I did not like how judgmental he was
.
.
.
(Slight spoilers below)
10. I don't appreciate people getting away with things with no consequences
11. SO MUCH White Male Privilege
October 7, 2019
Having absolutely loved Dicks' Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend, I was beyond excited for Twenty-one Truths About Love, especially when I saw that Taylor Jenkins Reid blurbed the cover! Unfortunately, this book didn't work quite as well for me as Memoirs did.
A 300+ page book written entirely in lists? Sounds interesting, right? At the onset, the format felt fresh and fun and lent itself to a quick read, but quickly, I realized there was a reason this style hadn't been used before - it's fun and fresh for a little bit - and then I would have liked some traditional chapters. 300+ pages of lists is a LOT of lists. Some of the lists made me laugh out loud and some made me really want to scream at our main character Dan (there's a lot of privilege and complaining with this one). For me, this would have been cute to have each chapter start with a list and then proceed into more of a traditional format after each list, rather than continued list after list.
What I did love: Dan owns a bookstore! How can you not love a protagonist who works around books and talks about books within a book! Dan's friend Bill from bingo was also a really bright spot in this book!
Overall, not my favorite, but open to more from Dicks in the future and really hoping he goes back to more of the vibe I felt in Memoirs!
Thank you to St. Martins for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
A 300+ page book written entirely in lists? Sounds interesting, right? At the onset, the format felt fresh and fun and lent itself to a quick read, but quickly, I realized there was a reason this style hadn't been used before - it's fun and fresh for a little bit - and then I would have liked some traditional chapters. 300+ pages of lists is a LOT of lists. Some of the lists made me laugh out loud and some made me really want to scream at our main character Dan (there's a lot of privilege and complaining with this one). For me, this would have been cute to have each chapter start with a list and then proceed into more of a traditional format after each list, rather than continued list after list.
What I did love: Dan owns a bookstore! How can you not love a protagonist who works around books and talks about books within a book! Dan's friend Bill from bingo was also a really bright spot in this book!
Overall, not my favorite, but open to more from Dicks in the future and really hoping he goes back to more of the vibe I felt in Memoirs!
Thank you to St. Martins for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
December 11, 2019
3.5 stars
Twenty-One Truths About Love is a novel told exclusively in a series of lists. Quite the twist on the epistolary format, it gives a unique structure to the novel. As I approached this book I must admit that I was nervous that this had the potential to come off as a gimmick. But when I delved into Matthew Dicks's novel I was taken in by Dan's humble nature and the vulnerability that Dicks allows him to show as he navigates his way through his fears and failings.
The Story: Daniel Mayrock is a man who has given up his teaching career to open up a bookstore. He quickly realizes that he is running through money faster than he is making it. He attempts to find a way around his dilemma (albeit by questionable means) without alerting his wife to their situation.
The result: Twenty-One Truths About Love is a touching and humorous tale about a man who loves his wife and discovers himself.
Special Thanks to NetGalley, Beatrice Jason at St. Martin's Press and Matthew Dicks for access to this book.
Twenty-One Truths About Love is a novel told exclusively in a series of lists. Quite the twist on the epistolary format, it gives a unique structure to the novel. As I approached this book I must admit that I was nervous that this had the potential to come off as a gimmick. But when I delved into Matthew Dicks's novel I was taken in by Dan's humble nature and the vulnerability that Dicks allows him to show as he navigates his way through his fears and failings.
The Story: Daniel Mayrock is a man who has given up his teaching career to open up a bookstore. He quickly realizes that he is running through money faster than he is making it. He attempts to find a way around his dilemma (albeit by questionable means) without alerting his wife to their situation.
The result: Twenty-One Truths About Love is a touching and humorous tale about a man who loves his wife and discovers himself.
Special Thanks to NetGalley, Beatrice Jason at St. Martin's Press and Matthew Dicks for access to this book.
November 8, 2019
Interesting book. The entire story is told in lists. I never would have thought an entire novel could be written in lists and make any sense but Dicks accomplished this, made it interesting and as a reader I totally understood and felt the story. I felt like the list maker protagonist was OCD though. I enjoyed the book and was intrigued with the innovation. I did sometimes get bored with those lists and some didn't seem relevant to the story. Overall it was a fun read - even though I didn't like Dan, the list maker. He makes too many lists and doesn't even seem to make any progress on the things he makes list about doing.
Thanks to Matthew Dicks and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Matthew Dicks and St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2019
I don’t believe I have ever read a story that is told completely in lists. This book is like being in someone else’s mind 24/7 and knowing their every thought—appropriate or not. In order not to deviate from the list format, I’ll list all the reasons I loved this book.
1. It’s funny and made me laugh out loud quite a few times.
2. It’s wonderful to see how much Dan loves his wife and how he respects her grief over the loss of her first husband.
3. I loved the bookstore atmosphere and the monthly books featured. I also loved Dan’s witty opinions about some of the books—and his opinions of his employees.
4. Dan has some interesting thoughts about the teaching profession. Most were spot-on. Especially his thoughts about meetings.
5. Dan’s friendship with Bill, the widower he met at bingo, was heartwarming. I think I love Bill too! He is my favorite character in the book.
6. Dan’s love for the baby that he thought he didn’t want was proof that he was meant to be a father. Not just a father, but a great father!
This is a really sweet, book that doesn’t take too long to read. It is the perfect read going into the holiday season.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
1. It’s funny and made me laugh out loud quite a few times.
2. It’s wonderful to see how much Dan loves his wife and how he respects her grief over the loss of her first husband.
3. I loved the bookstore atmosphere and the monthly books featured. I also loved Dan’s witty opinions about some of the books—and his opinions of his employees.
4. Dan has some interesting thoughts about the teaching profession. Most were spot-on. Especially his thoughts about meetings.
5. Dan’s friendship with Bill, the widower he met at bingo, was heartwarming. I think I love Bill too! He is my favorite character in the book.
6. Dan’s love for the baby that he thought he didn’t want was proof that he was meant to be a father. Not just a father, but a great father!
This is a really sweet, book that doesn’t take too long to read. It is the perfect read going into the holiday season.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
November 18, 2019
Rating: 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 stars
1. The author, Matthew Dicks is a brave man.
2. His new book written completely in lists.
3. I liked it a first, but I soon wanted a meatier story.
4. Told from Dan’s perspective. Dan seems to have either OCD or an anxiety disorder – or both.
5. Dan owns a bookstore. He keeps the true state of the bookstore finances from his wife.
6. Dan’s wife Jill is a widow. Dan fears that he will never measure up to Jill’s first husband.
7. Jill gets pregnant.
8. Dan still doesn’t tell her their financial situation.
9. Dan meets Bill, a crotchety Vietnam Vet at Bingo.
10. Dan and Bill become friends.
11. This book goes on and on this way.
12. It’s a quick read, but the gimmick soon became tiresome.
13. Kudos to the author for trying something new.
14. I’ve really enjoyed Mr. Dick’s previous works.
15. It just didn’t work very well for me.
16. Better luck next time.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, St Martin’s Press; and the author, Matthew Dicks; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
1. The author, Matthew Dicks is a brave man.
2. His new book written completely in lists.
3. I liked it a first, but I soon wanted a meatier story.
4. Told from Dan’s perspective. Dan seems to have either OCD or an anxiety disorder – or both.
5. Dan owns a bookstore. He keeps the true state of the bookstore finances from his wife.
6. Dan’s wife Jill is a widow. Dan fears that he will never measure up to Jill’s first husband.
7. Jill gets pregnant.
8. Dan still doesn’t tell her their financial situation.
9. Dan meets Bill, a crotchety Vietnam Vet at Bingo.
10. Dan and Bill become friends.
11. This book goes on and on this way.
12. It’s a quick read, but the gimmick soon became tiresome.
13. Kudos to the author for trying something new.
14. I’ve really enjoyed Mr. Dick’s previous works.
15. It just didn’t work very well for me.
16. Better luck next time.
‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley; the publisher, St Martin’s Press; and the author, Matthew Dicks; for providing a free e-ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 6, 2020
Omigosh this book was SO UNIQUE! An entire story told in list form? I was like " ummm... how is this possible?" followed by "it cannot be done!" and then "OK, I'm intrigued, this sounds amazing."
And well, Matthew Dicks TOTALLY DID IT. And he made me cry at the end. Because of LISTS.
It's very hard to describe what I just read, basically the entire "prose" is lists. "Things I'm scared of" "Bills to pay" "To do list" - and it's formulated in such an order that it tells a story. And adorable and fun and uniquely sweet story - that frequently had me laughing out loud.
A few of the lists had be me a bit confused - people I didn't know of or things I had no idea what they were... I almost though maybe Mr. Dicks was British and I had just stumbled upon something I didn't know culturally - but that's not the case. I think at times it was just too specific in certain subjects that aren't mainstream so a bit of confusion, but the belly laughs in other parts totally made up for this.
What a fun way to write a story. I'm so glad I read that!
And well, Matthew Dicks TOTALLY DID IT. And he made me cry at the end. Because of LISTS.
It's very hard to describe what I just read, basically the entire "prose" is lists. "Things I'm scared of" "Bills to pay" "To do list" - and it's formulated in such an order that it tells a story. And adorable and fun and uniquely sweet story - that frequently had me laughing out loud.
A few of the lists had be me a bit confused - people I didn't know of or things I had no idea what they were... I almost though maybe Mr. Dicks was British and I had just stumbled upon something I didn't know culturally - but that's not the case. I think at times it was just too specific in certain subjects that aren't mainstream so a bit of confusion, but the belly laughs in other parts totally made up for this.
What a fun way to write a story. I'm so glad I read that!
December 14, 2019
Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Matthew Dicks for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review of Twenty-One Truths About Love. All my thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.
I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this. I had heard that the whole book was a bunch of lists. Didn’t quite know how that was going to work but it really did. These aren’t just lists but more like observations within lists. And they are funny as hell. Completely relatable. Dan is a frustrated writer who has opened a bookstore. A failing bookstore. The funniest observations about customers, the behind the scenes, his expectations of what it would be like compared to the reality is on point. For example he has his “original vision of a bookstore owner” with things like dining with authors and talking about books with smart people compared to his reality which includes teenage girls vaping in the store.
Dan used to be a teacher. It is where he met his wife Jill. As a former teacher, the teaching reflections had me in stitches. Dan didn’t like teaching, his kids didn’t like him, the other teachers didn’t like him and Jill is the ultimate perfect teacher. Jill was married before but her husband died. Dan’s neuroses over comparing himself to the prior husband whether it’s his personality, physique or his bedroom antics. Jill wants to get pregnant. She believes Dan is on board. Of course he has many concerns that he willingly shares with us including how to avoiding getting her pregnant. Dan also hides his failing finances with Jill. He lies and doesn’t let her in on what state things are in. These “lists” are like an inner dialogue of Dan’s fears, insecurities, hopes and dreams. Very similar to my own inner dialogue - hmmm should I be concerned?
Jill does get pregnant. For as cynical as Dan can be, he really is in love with Jill and wants to provide for her. He doesn’t want to be a failure. He has to find ways of cleaning up his life.
I thought it was a clever, insightful, and hilarious book. The format didn’t bother me at all. It lends itself to putting down and picking it up even if you have a few minutes. I didn’t read it all in one shot so I’m not sure what that experience would be like. I always looked forward to reading it. If you need a laugh at life, choose this one!
I didn’t really know what to expect when I started this. I had heard that the whole book was a bunch of lists. Didn’t quite know how that was going to work but it really did. These aren’t just lists but more like observations within lists. And they are funny as hell. Completely relatable. Dan is a frustrated writer who has opened a bookstore. A failing bookstore. The funniest observations about customers, the behind the scenes, his expectations of what it would be like compared to the reality is on point. For example he has his “original vision of a bookstore owner” with things like dining with authors and talking about books with smart people compared to his reality which includes teenage girls vaping in the store.
Dan used to be a teacher. It is where he met his wife Jill. As a former teacher, the teaching reflections had me in stitches. Dan didn’t like teaching, his kids didn’t like him, the other teachers didn’t like him and Jill is the ultimate perfect teacher. Jill was married before but her husband died. Dan’s neuroses over comparing himself to the prior husband whether it’s his personality, physique or his bedroom antics. Jill wants to get pregnant. She believes Dan is on board. Of course he has many concerns that he willingly shares with us including how to avoiding getting her pregnant. Dan also hides his failing finances with Jill. He lies and doesn’t let her in on what state things are in. These “lists” are like an inner dialogue of Dan’s fears, insecurities, hopes and dreams. Very similar to my own inner dialogue - hmmm should I be concerned?
Jill does get pregnant. For as cynical as Dan can be, he really is in love with Jill and wants to provide for her. He doesn’t want to be a failure. He has to find ways of cleaning up his life.
I thought it was a clever, insightful, and hilarious book. The format didn’t bother me at all. It lends itself to putting down and picking it up even if you have a few minutes. I didn’t read it all in one shot so I’m not sure what that experience would be like. I always looked forward to reading it. If you need a laugh at life, choose this one!
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