Cbr16bingo Smash (this book was invented because once upon a time a man did some mansplaining and a lady clapped back)
I debated on if I should review How to Piss Off Men: 109 Things to Say to Shatter the Male Ego by Kyle Prue. There were no surprises to what was presented. Afterall, what the title says is what you get. It might be a funny gift for the right (or wrong depending on your needs) person, but there will not be “staying power” as this is a theme that has been done, and will be again.
Perhaps things are slightly new with the fact it is a male writer (something he lets you know that he is aware of from the start), but the vibe is what you know. I cannot say the book is bad, but I cannot say it is good either. It is a nice middle collection of barbs. Hence the three out of five rating. There are several disclaimers (these things are not nice, they can be hurtful, etc), but then again, if you read the title, you can assume that you are not going to learn how to make friends and influence others.
Maybe illustrations would have jazzed things up, but then again, maybe not. Afterall, what can you use as images to illustrate the sheer devastation you are hoping for/assuming will happen? However, there is a terrible amount of white space due to the lack of imagery and that can be distracting. The comments themselves take up very little actual space and it feels like a waste. They might have explanations, such as Prue letting us know: *The advice in this book has been thoroughly tested for effectiveness. Even on the author, bless his heart.* (from the publisher description). Also everything is fairly quick to read and focuses on the actual insult(s). There is an introduction with a disclaimer about a few things.
Due mid-September, I read via an online reader copy.
