I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

A hilariously funny, touching, and revelatory book from one of America's preeminent humorist. In his plays, his screenplays, and his writing for The New Yorker and Premiere, Paul Rudnick has established himself as a comic master whose talents transcend genre. Now, in I Shudder, he trains his wickedly perceptive eye on everything from his New Jersey family to Hollywood to demented alcoholic Broadway stars waving swords.

At his Uncle Rudy's funeral, Rudnick's beloved Aunt Lil put one hand on her husband's coffin and her other hand on Rudnick's shoulder and said, "Your Uncle Rudy always loved you. He never understood why, in your writing, you had to use that kind of language, but he loved you."

Charming and touching, I Shudder is rendered in Rudnick's gorgeous, zinger-laden prose and reminds us of the need to keep our tongues sharp in the midst of life's many obstacles and absurdities. Here is one of the most accomplished collections in years, from a writer who ranks with David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs as one of our most gifted and hilarious social observers.

A HarperAudio production.

1103371592
I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

A hilariously funny, touching, and revelatory book from one of America's preeminent humorist. In his plays, his screenplays, and his writing for The New Yorker and Premiere, Paul Rudnick has established himself as a comic master whose talents transcend genre. Now, in I Shudder, he trains his wickedly perceptive eye on everything from his New Jersey family to Hollywood to demented alcoholic Broadway stars waving swords.

At his Uncle Rudy's funeral, Rudnick's beloved Aunt Lil put one hand on her husband's coffin and her other hand on Rudnick's shoulder and said, "Your Uncle Rudy always loved you. He never understood why, in your writing, you had to use that kind of language, but he loved you."

Charming and touching, I Shudder is rendered in Rudnick's gorgeous, zinger-laden prose and reminds us of the need to keep our tongues sharp in the midst of life's many obstacles and absurdities. Here is one of the most accomplished collections in years, from a writer who ranks with David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs as one of our most gifted and hilarious social observers.

A HarperAudio production.

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I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

by Paul Rudnick

Narrated by Paul Rudnick

Unabridged — 10 hours, 2 minutes

I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

I Shudder: And Other Reactions to Life, Death, and New Jersey

by Paul Rudnick

Narrated by Paul Rudnick

Unabridged — 10 hours, 2 minutes

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Overview

A hilariously funny, touching, and revelatory book from one of America's preeminent humorist. In his plays, his screenplays, and his writing for The New Yorker and Premiere, Paul Rudnick has established himself as a comic master whose talents transcend genre. Now, in I Shudder, he trains his wickedly perceptive eye on everything from his New Jersey family to Hollywood to demented alcoholic Broadway stars waving swords.

At his Uncle Rudy's funeral, Rudnick's beloved Aunt Lil put one hand on her husband's coffin and her other hand on Rudnick's shoulder and said, "Your Uncle Rudy always loved you. He never understood why, in your writing, you had to use that kind of language, but he loved you."

Charming and touching, I Shudder is rendered in Rudnick's gorgeous, zinger-laden prose and reminds us of the need to keep our tongues sharp in the midst of life's many obstacles and absurdities. Here is one of the most accomplished collections in years, from a writer who ranks with David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs as one of our most gifted and hilarious social observers.

A HarperAudio production.


Editorial Reviews

People

A hilarious, often touching hodgepodge. . . . It’s the literary equivalent of the tchotchke, at least as [Paul Rudnick] defines it: ‘Something peculiar which you don’t need, and which has no discernible purpose or value, but which you can’t live without.’” (Four out of four stars)

Daily News

[A] smart, dishy and very funny essay collection.

Asbury Park Press

A laugh-out-loud pleasure to read...[Rudnick] writes with glee and unjudgmental warmth about the bohemian people and places of late 1970s and ‘80s.

Newsday

[A] lovable and astute collection of humor pieces...breezy and giddy with zingers, all handcrafted to make their good-natured defiance seem easy...[a] deceptively sweet and droll collection.

New York Times

Uproariously self-deprecating essays of a gay, Jewish life in Manhattan, Hollywood and suburbia.” (Editor’s Choice)

Modern Tonic

Piscataway, N.J. and Hollywood don’t usually have much in common, but writer Paul Rudnick finds absurdity in both.

Entertainment Weekly

The witty, sardonic playwright (Jeffrey) and screenwriter (In & Out, Addams Family Values) delivers an acerbic and entertaining memoir about his experiences as a child in New Jersey and an adult in showbiz.

New York Times Book Review

Uproariously self-deprecating essays about being gay and Jewish in suburban New Jersey and downtown Manhattan...The vignettes that give the book its title offer...irresistible screeds against the indignities of modern urban life.

David Sedaris

Paul Rudnick is a champion of truth (and love and great wicked humor) whom we ignore at our peril. There’s no book wiser or half as funny as I Shudder.

Steve Martin

I Shudder is filled with deeply funny musings and adventures that elevate Paul Rudnick to the highest level of American comedy writing.It should be noted that I would be at the highest level of American comedy writing if I had had Paul’s early advantages.

People Magazine

"A hilarious, often touching hodgepodge. . . . It’s the literary equivalent of the tchotchke, at least as [Paul Rudnick] defines it: ‘Something peculiar which you don’t need, and which has no discernible purpose or value, but which you can’t live without.’" (Four out of four stars)

Product Details

BN ID: 2940173428738
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 11/15/2019
Edition description: Unabridged
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