*****
William Morrow & Co., 2006
ISBN 0060590270 (ISBN13: 9780060590277)
Charlie Asher lives with his pregnant wife over his thrift shop in San Francisco, generally satisfied with his life. A regular guy, his fortune takes a dark turn the day Charlie’s wife, Rachel, gives birth to their first child. Rachel dies shortly after and Charlie is left to raise his daughter with the help of his eccentric sister and two elderly neighbors.
As people start dying all around him and the names of the dying begin to appear on a notepad on his nightstand, Charlie’s previous identity as a “beta male” is seriously threatened. He is further dismayed to learn that, for some reason, the universe has picked him for a new job: Death.
Hilarious and well written, I thoroughly enjoyed Christopher Moore’s A Dirty Job. Intelligent, satirical, and well crafted, the story pulls the reader in despite the outlandish premise. Both the main and supporting characters are comical, entertaining, and especially endearing. Everyone in the book appears to be a little tragic, but they are all presented in such a comical way that many end up being unforgettable.
Moore presents a funny yet touching perspective of death and dying that makes me want to read more of his books. This is a great beach read, book to take on a plane, or simply a quick, funny read when you just want to be entertained by someone’s wild imagination.
The book is politically incorrect and crude—in the best way. Moore pulls no punches and makes fun of everyone. Maybe the humor is not the kind that everyone appreciates—there are leg-humping hell hounds and a neighbor who cooks dead pets—but I loved it and laughed out loud several times. When I tried to explain some of it to my husband, he just looked at me like I was crazy. You just have to read it.
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