[.ca] A Fistful of Fig Newtons (ISBN 0385188439)

Not his best, but still better than anybody else.:
Four stars out of five? By what standard? Well, anything by Shepherd is a five star read, but when judged against "In God We Trust" and "Wanda Hickey", "A Fistful of Fig Newtons" doesn't quite rise to his own very high standards. Still, don't let this turn you off to this fine little book. While the stories (some are really essays) are not as consistantly good as some of his earlier efforts, "Lost at C" is as good (and funny!) a short story as has ever been written. All of us can identify with the poor slobs stuck in the back row of the classroom, (the "alphabetical ghetto") struggling to comprehend algebra. "The Whole Fun Cataloge of 1929" is a brilliant essay which nails American culture better than any Harvard sociologist ever has. Jean illustrated this book with his own excellent and charming line drawings...another talent not many people knew Jean had. So, for dedicated Shep fans, by all means read "Fig Newtons", and for anyone interested in a funny book, you won't be dissapointed.

Good bye, Indiana. Hello, New Jersey.:
Only the fertile mind of humorist Jean Shepherd could have thought of it. His Hoosier alter ego Ralph Parker reminisces on past events in his life once again, but this time against the backdrop of a rush-hour traffic jam in the famed Lincoln Tunnel connecting New York and New Jersey. In "A Fistful of Fig Newtons", Ralph's memories are not limited to any particular period in his life, as was the case with "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash" (childhood) and "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories: And Other Disasters" (adolescence). Rather, he spans a wider field including summer camp, his first day of high school, Army life, and college. The reader will also enjoy a "critique" of the legendary Johnson Smith novelty catalog plus an amusing look at New Jersey. While still very witty and entertaining so as to earn a 9, "A Fistful of Fig Newtons" is more caustic and saltier than Shepherd's previous two books, mainly when Ralph's adult life is profiled. This book holds its own well as a work by a master satirist. Coming soon, my review of the fourth and last installment in the "tetralogy" of Shepherd books: "The Ferrari in the Bedroom".

Everybody likes Fig Newtons:
12 hilarious stories about common catastrophes, humiliating experiences, picking on toddlers and tailgating on the Jersey Turnpike. A testimonial for virtually every teen growing up in America today. Not as good as Shepherd's first two books, but entertaining nonetheless.