Let's See Them Poems

by Andrew Shaffer

For fans of SNL'S DEEP THOUGHTS BY JACK HANDEY and BILLY COLLINS, a new book of humor from New York Times bestseller Andrew Shaffer.

In his debut chapbook, bestselling humorist Andrew Shaffer explores alienation in its myriad forms, from cultural ("Don't try to explain Fortnite to me/I don't care") to romantic ("We'll always have that poem about Paris").

Playful, hilarious, and affectingly human, Shaffer's poetry will bring a smile to the face of anyone who has felt like an alien in this world.

Genres: Poetry, Humor

64 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2020

About the author

Andrew Shaffer is the New York Times bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including the Obama Biden Mysteries. He is also the writer and illustrator of the children's book, "Mothman's Merry Cryptid Christmas." He lives with his wife, novelist Meg Shaffer, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Reviews

[Julie Ehlers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who follows my reviews knows that I'm a poetry lover; as such, I'm not really the ideal audience for "joke" poetry. But I read the description of this and thought the poem excerpts seemed amusing, so I went ahead and entered the Goodreads giveaway, and of course I won. This took about 15 minutes to read but I enjoyed the experience. As promised, some of these were only a couple of lines, a la Jack Handey's deep thoughts. Some of those were funny, but my favorites were actually the longer poems, like the one where the narrator ponders why the Planet Hollywood franchise shut down, or the one about the book for Steelers fans. I came away from Let's See Them Poems with the impression that Andrew Shaffer is a funny guy and a good storyteller, so now I'm curious to read one of his novels. Hope Never Dies is on its way to me as we speak.

As I said, I won this in a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks to the author for the book and the stickers. As always, my opinions are my own.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this poem collection from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.


I was eager to read this, the cover looked silly. But before requesting/click the button I wanted to know more about the author and I found out he wrote under Fanny Merkin. And that under that name he wrote that parody of 50 Shades of Grey. Which I loved to bits and am planning on rereading now that I need to ration books.

This book features various poems in all forms from short to long to very very short (like just a few words). I definitely liked that, I am still getting used to reading poetry and I know I tune out when a poem gets too long. So this one held my attention right. The poems are about anything from eating to reading to social media. Sometimes I didn’t have a clue what the poem was about (who is Jonathan Franzen?? Or what is Mike’s Hard Lemonade?? Or Ray Donovan (a show??)). Then again this happens often when I read books set in the US (but also other countries).
But I did like the poems, they were very random just what I need at this moment. Something to distract my mind.

Plus there are random photographs of flowers/nature (????) after some of the poems. No clue why flowers/nature, it definitely added to the randomness of the book. 😛

The book is really short, I wouldn’t have minded more pages!

This poem just fits so well with today’s situation (reading this in April):
“Every day
is a new opportunity
to say, “Fuck it all.”

All in all, I hope he writes more poems and collects them in books. I wouldn’t mind more of this.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will make you laugh during the lockdown. Honesty, I did not know I needed this book, until I read this book. Thank you Andrew Shaffer.

[Kristi]

Y’all, I laughed. Shaffer has a unique sense of humor—smart yet so silly, and quite twisted. It was a brief but much needed escape from all the things right now.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parody is a tough medium in itself, and let's face it, it's easier to mock something like a shitty poem than it is to outdo it yourself. This slim volume of poetry may be rooted in humor, but there are some artful twists that could only be accomplished by a talented writer. Shaffer takes aim at pretty much everything: social media, Steelers fans, Hemingway, aliens, you name it. This is perfect escapism for our dark times, so curl up and have a laugh.

[Edha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

If you are ever kinda bored and are about to refresh Instagram for the 13th time in the last minute and think: man I should read a book instead. Well my friends, pick this book up! I read it in less than 5 minutes. Well rather, did a dramatic reading of every single poem to a friend over a Whatsapp call. Her reaction were either an episode of lmao or just utter confusion.
For a better quality experience, be American. (Some of the jokes are about sports teams or some random person mentioned in their pop culture)
Overall, an enjoyable quick read that leaves you "nose exhaling on the floor" or just ... confused.

[Neil Shurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected that these poems would make me smile and maybe even chuckle a few times. I did not expect to literally laugh out loud. A lot. But I did.

Thank you, Andrew Shaffer. I needed that.

I suspect you need this, too.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amusing and quick read. I especially liked the poems Game Over, I Have My Limits, and I Read Your Stupid Chapbook.
I definitely foresee myself seeking out more work from this author in the future.

Let’s See Them Poems will be available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble on May 26th. Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced readers’ digital copy!

[Nicole Bannister · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Enjoyed everything about this book there was nothing I didn't like about the book. I Like the way it was done. I like poems anyway.

[M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Lord Byron would
have
drunk wine from your
skull
you fucking hipster
shit."

Doesn't it say it all? 😂 I liked this one.
Most poems felt more like tweets, though. His longer poems, like "The Hotel Florida", are better in my opinion. And his photos are great.

Thanks a lot to 8th Circle Press and NetGalley for this ARC. :)

[Carlton Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny. It is a quick read but this small book is full of laughter. I am buying more of his books very soon.
After knee replacement in January because I may need lots of laughs after that.
Mr Shaffer's view of the world around him is a bit snarky and who doesn't live love snarky.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ballad of Andrew Garfield is my favourite.

Highly recommend reading this to a friend while on video chat. It's how I first experienced this book and it was great.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, breezy, ironic, often crude, and more often unexpectedly poignant, exactly what you would expect from the author of the Obama Biden Mysteries and Fifty Shames of Earl Grey. These speak to my sense of humor quite well; it's rare for poetry to actually make me laugh out loud! My favorite was 'Eggplant Emoji, Crying Laughing Emoji':

I have never sent a [d***] pic to a romantic partner
because I can never find the right lighting
and also this one time I was drinking at Mahoney's with a buddy
when a girl at the table next to us received a [d***] pic that caused her to shriek
and she passed the phone around to all her girlfriends
and they howled and howled
-and howled and howled -
and howled and howled
with laughter.

We felt bad for the guy -
but not too bad,
because maybe he'd stuck
a couple of googly eyes
on his [p****]
of something fun like that.

**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly Provan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Haters Gonna Hate" was my favourite poem.
'I read some of your poetry on instagram, she said, taking my hand in hers.
Have you ever thought about seeing a therapist?

My first foray into humorous observational poetry, and I dug it to be honest. Good stuff. Giggled a bunch

[Ankur Goyal · Rating 3 out of 5]

What in the world? I will say it again. What in the world? How does the author think about all this. Let's see them poems is a hilarious take on various world matters which interestingly gives us more understanding about each of them. Poems that leave you thinking and at the same time thinking deeply about Time, Space, Aliens, Andrew Garfield, Donuts, Badasses and whatnot.

Author is famous for writing parodies of famous books and these poems go further giving us a glimpse inside his mind which interprets and expresses everything differently,

[Miguel Vega · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excerpt from my entire review which will be posted on VictoriamMedia in two days:

#1 Game Over

Don’t try to explain Fortnite to me.
I don’t care.


That’s it. No, it’s not an excerpt from a poem, it is the poem. That’s the brilliant masterpiece I am choosing to begin this recommendation section of the review with (did I mention that I think Shaffer is a poetic genius worthy of being lauded as one of our greatest? If I haven’t, I stand by this statement and there’s nothing you can do to change my mind).

Personally, I relate to this poem. After working with middle school children for an entire year you will eventually be forced to make some tough decisions - and telling them, nearly every day, that you have no care as to what Fortnite is is one of those choices. Being the third poem in this collection, you might be asking “Miguel, how does this relate to alienation?” and I will remind you that a grown man is saying this, presumably to someone more juvenile. Do we know to whom Shaffer is talking to or about? No, but the image of a grown man yelling “you kids get off my lawn” comes to mind almost immediately; we can get the sense that the feeling of alienation stems from being the “outcast” among the newer, younger generation.

According to Statista, Fortnite is the most popular with younger players. The statistics show how players, ages 18-24, are the majority of the demographic with 62.7 percent, and 22.5 percent being attributed from players ages 25-34.

So what? Well, dear impatient reader, with the game’s popularity stemming from the younger of our fellow nerds, Shaffer’s poem can then be seen as not only a refusal to partake in a popular video game, but also as a refusal to be allowed to find oneself succumbed to the lonely feelings of aging.

Am I, as the kids say, “reaching” here over a poem with only two lines? Probably, but on to the second poem.

[April Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since Shaffer has written parody stuff before, would I be wrong in thinking this is a parody of the glut of insta-poetry books out there? It has that kind of feel to it. Most of the poems are quick, a few lines, a meme's worth of words, that convey a thought that may or may not have a deeper meaning, which honestly, is what a lot of insta-poetry seems like to me, so maybe this is a send-up, idk. Random black and white photos strewn throughout add to this feeling. It's entertaining enough as that, with some laughs- I really enjoyed "The Ballad of Eric Bloodaxe," and several others made me chuckle. This is a book that's more fun enjoyed with others, reading it aloud with friends, I think. It's a bit niche, maybe not quite my niche, but close enough for a quick read.

#LetsSeeThemPoems #NetGalley

[Lizzie J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Personally, I did not enjoy this nearly as much as I would have liked to. I didn't find the poems all that funny, nor did I think they were even really "poems." If the lines weren't broken up like a poem, then the words would read completely normally. There wasn't the same sense of lyricalness or rhythm that I see when reading other books similar to this one.

However, I will say that I gave the book an extra star just for the "Keep Your Clothes On" poem. That made me laugh, and I am still chuckling whenever I think about it. So, the book was worth it for that one poem, I guess.

[Jenna Polan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shaffer's work is always rooted in modernity. He has a quick and quippy style that is unmistakable. This short collection of poems provides readers with the kind of chuckle or brief nasal laugh that often accompanies a good tweet or a mildly amusing joke told at a dinner party, while providing a little more to think about. Shaffer makes excellent use of witty titles in this stylized chapbook, which ultimately succeeds in doing what it set out to do- provide readers with a quick laugh, yet it's pretty forgettable in the long run.

[Maja · Rating 1 out of 5]

I regret paying $1.24 for this. Millenial bullshit ("Don't explain Fortnite to me"), humor-adjacent ("If Alexander Hamilton was such a bomb-ass rapper, why did he even bother with politics?"), straight-up publishing memes ("The Ballad of Andrew Garfield: You either die a hero or live long enough to see the reboot.") Uninspired as fuck

[Fatima Anwar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Name: Let's See Them Poems
Poet: Andrew Shaffer
Genre: Poetry
Review:
I am a fan of poetry, but I don't think I am the right audience for this book. The description did intrigue me, but it was not at all what I expected.
A book that speaks about feeling alienated in a humorous and quirky way. It is a good book, just not for me.
I would like to thank Netgalley for this advance copy of the book.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I most like about this chapbook is that it is one of the most thought-provoking, poignant, and life-changing collection of original poems known to mankind.
Highly recommended, especially for those who are not of the faint-of-heart variety.

[Elizabeth Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this not knowing quite what to expect- I wasn't disappointed! Andrew's poems made me giggle snort on a gray, cloudy day that had dire need for laughter.

[Conehead_86 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a giveaway. It was funny and laughed a few times

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poetry lover’s dream quest. I loved Shaffer’s word play, humor, and truth. A fine collection to invite others to try out poetry.

[Mlyn Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect little read to laugh and escape the nuttiness of life, peering into the witty mind of Andrew Shaffer !

[Nathaniel Darkish · Rating 3 out of 5]

The poetry was decently funny but otherwise wasn't especially impressive. This made for a fun little diversion.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun little romp. And dark, just how I like them.

[Michelle m · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and funny. Def check this one out.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reality bites

Sometimes you need a ridiculous break from reality. One that spans literature and pop culture. This chapbook is here for that.