{"product_id":"9781250031846","title":"Tasteful Nudes : ...and Other Misguided Attempts at Personal Growth and Validation","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Dave Hill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I run into Dave Hill all the time at the coffee shop in our neighborhood. He's always unshaven and badly hungover, with some 16-year-old groupie from Cleveland in tow—and he's just as funny then as he is in \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e. He is my idol.\" —\u003cb\u003eMalcolm Gladwell\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Dave Hill speaks, rocks, and now writes with a voice so powerful and funny and compelling that I'm pretty sure he's channeling some weird god from another dimension. Basically, this dude is a comedic Cthulhu, and when you read this book, you will either go COMPLETELY MAD or BECOME A SLAVE TO HIS MAD GENIUS. Pray for the latter.\" —\u003cb\u003eJohn Hodgman\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"This book should affirm Dave Hill's rightful place as a major American humor writer. You will laugh.  Buy two and brighten a friend's life as well.\" —\u003cb\u003eDick Cavett\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the Book Jacket:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDear ridiculously attractive person who just so happens to be holding \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e in his or her soft and supple yet commanding hands,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHi. My name is Dave, and this is my very first collection of essays. As you can probably imagine, it pretty much has everything. In fact, if you like stories about stolen meat, animal attacks, young love, death, naked people, clergymen, rock 'n' roll, irritable Canadians, and prison, you have just hit a street called Easy because my book talks about all that stuff and a bunch of other stuff, too.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGetting back to that prison thing for a second—I can think of almost no better place to read my book than from within the confines of a correctional facility. For starters, you will definitely have the time. Also, cozying up with a good book in front of your fellow inmates is a great way to show them a softer side that for some reason no one ever wants to hear about in the yard. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFear not, though, non-convicts, my book makes for a solid read outside of prison, too. At the beach, on the subway, while whitewater rafting, during couples counseling, under local anesthesia—I have personally seen to it that my book is totally readable in all these scenarios, as well as in most other scenarios out there today. It will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even think so much that you will forget all your problems while simultaneously creating a few new ones. In limited instances it has been known to cause severe dehydration and the occasional groin pull, but honestly I don't know what that's about. That said, it's probably not a bad idea to keep a glass of water handy and really stretch things out before strapping yourself in for a literary thrill ride you will want to experience again and again until you are either dead or your eyesight fails completely, whichever comes first. In fact, if I end up being wrong about any of this stuff, you can kick me right in the privates. Also, I will send you a nice ham (serves twenty). In short, you really can't lose on this one. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYour man,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDave Hill\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Comedian Hill trades in mock braggadocio, following each punch with a tickle. To wit, \"Scar or not, I realize at this point in my book there's probably no question in your mind as to whether or not I'm one of the biggest badasses that ever walked the face of the planet. (Author's note: I am.).\" Over the course of these 17 short autobiographical essays, the rhythm grows familiar enough that it could become cloying, but it doesn't because Hill is just so funny, observant, and likable. Whether he's riffing on adolescent affairs of the heart (\"Loving You Is Easy Because You Live Pretty Close to My Parents' House\"), the thrill of playing Santa Claus (\"Northeastern Ohio Velvet\"), or his brush with rock 'n' roll stardom (\"Big in Japan\"), Hill has a knack for hitting the high points, eliciting some laughs, and then offering a poignant twist that reminds the reader there's no two-drink minimum. Essays about depression (\"A Funny Feeling\") and his mother's death (\"Bunny\") treat their subjects humorously without being glib. Well worth a read.” —\u003ci\u003eKeir Graff, Booklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Dave Hill speaks, rocks, and now writes with a voice so powerful and funny and compelling that I'm pretty sure he's channeling some weird god from another dimension. Basically, this dude is a comedic Cthulhu, and when you read this book, you will either go COMPLETELY MAD or BECOME A SLAVE TO HIS MAD GENIUS. Pray for the latter.” —\u003ci\u003eJohn Hodgman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This book should affirm Dave Hill's rightful place as a major American humor writer. You will laugh.  Buy two and brighten a friend's life as well.” —\u003ci\u003eDick Cavett\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I run into Dave Hill all the time at the coffee shop in our neighborhood. He's always unshaven and badly hungover, with some 16-year-old groupie from Cleveland in tow--and he's just as funny then as he is in \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e. He is my idol.” —\u003ci\u003eMalcolm Gladwell\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We have Dave Hill on our radio show as much as we can because he's so winningly funny, and it's thrilling to see how well his sense of humor translates to the page. I've never seen a comedian quite like him: full of unjustified bravado, but also amazingly vulnerable. There's something very bare through all these stories that are so full of jokes and brags. He's a rocker who shreds his way through mindblowing solos while somehow also communicating to you that maybe he thinks the whole thing is just a little much. I don't say that as a metaphor, I've actually seen him do this. I enjoyed the hell out of this book.” —\u003ci\u003eIra Glass\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“First of all, Dave Hill is a pathological liar, a fantasist, egoist, and unlicensed podiatrist. I cannot confirm the veracity of anything in this book, but my feet have never felt better. And as Dave always says, when you have your feet, you have everything. ” —\u003ci\u003eJaneane Garofalo\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If you want to get inside Dave Hill's head, then you have to go for it. Throw caution to the wind. Jump into the icy waters. Speed across the Bonneville Salt Flats. Trek the Himalayas. Take a solo flight around the globe. Or just read his new book, \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e, the most dangerous way to get there. ” —\u003ci\u003eSandra Bernhard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This book, in addition to being a hilariously fun read, is exactly the kind of book that will get Dave Hill totally laid.” —\u003ci\u003eAndy Richter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Not only did \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e take me on an emotional journey through the seedy underbelly of Dave Hill's life, but it also introduced me to a whole new slew of colorful and imaginative euphemisms for my pud. For this, I shall forever be in Mr. Hill's debt.” —\u003ci\u003eChris Elliott\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“There's a good chance that Hill is one of the funniest people alive who also happens to be a really great writer. I had to go and reread certain parts again because I wanted to make sure it wasn't the sun + tequila that was making me laugh so hard. ” —\u003ci\u003eThe Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“His skill as an effortlessly charming and fascinating storyteller makes the book hard to put down.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Huffington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Experience crippling emotional maturity with funnyman (and \u003ci\u003eThis American Life\u003c\/i\u003e contributor) Dave Hill's first collection of essays. We promise you'll LOL IRL.” —\u003ci\u003eDaily Candy\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Call it potty-humor light: David Sedaris, minus the cynicism, but plus an obsession with bodily functions. This type of monologing is likely why the Cleveland native has found success in radio, both on NPR and on his own podcast, \"The Dave Hill Explosion.\" It is also what makes \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e such an engaging read...Exposed and cultivated, \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e is everything its title promises. And it's also pretty funny.” —\u003ci\u003eThe New York Observer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Dave Hill refers to himself as a \"famous writer person\" in the intro to his seriously funny new book, \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes ... and Other Misguided Attempts at Personal Growth and Validation\u003c\/i\u003e -- and we think he's onto something. Unlike many comics, who string a bunch of jokes together with clunky transitions and call it a book, the NYC-based author actually can write.” —\u003ci\u003eNew York Daily News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A fun and illuminating read” —\u003ci\u003ePhiladelphia Inquirer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The pieces vacillate between the purely humorous (taking a naked cruise) to the scarily serious (the death of a parent), but through it all, he retains his signature wit and unflinching honesty. ” —\u003ci\u003eMSN Postbox\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Erupt-with-laughter-in-public funny and hyphen-defyingly touching.” —\u003ci\u003eBookPeople.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Best Humor Writing: \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e presents the best kind of absurd and awkward situations: those you don't have to endure personally. The genius collection details Dave Hill's struggles with life, growing up (he still hasn't) and generally any \"misguided attempt at personal growth.\" If you hate mirth then you might not enjoy stories about \"stolen meat, animal attacks, young love, death, naked people, clergymen…\" well, you get the idea. A riot and a half, this breezy read will have you laughing well into fall.” —\u003ci\u003eGear Patrol\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Anyone who's listened to Hill recount his tales, particularly on \u003ci\u003eThis American Life...\u003c\/i\u003ewill hear the deliciously deadpan delivery of every word.” —\u003ci\u003eNylon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Hill mixes ironic boastfulness with genuine heart.  It's deeply personal material for a guy who specializes in a jokey artifice. Hill's ability to make it work speaks to a talent that goes beyond a quick joke.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Onion AV Club\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“We love Dave Hill. Funny man, musician, writer, friend of the gays, and author of the new book, \u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e. It's a collection of his hilarious essays about everything from rock 'n' roll to stolen meat to irritable Canadians.” —\u003ci\u003eLA Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It's hard not to be seduced by his honesty and humor.” —\u003ci\u003eImpose Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In chapters that can turn from wildly funny to touching and back again on a dime. The book has already been praised by luminaries from John Hodgman and Ira Glass to Andy Richter, Janeane Garofalo, and Malcolm Gladwell.” —\u003ci\u003eNerdist.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Overflowing with humor (both subtle and clever as well as brilliantly random and unexpected), the strength of Hill's literary skill is apparent as he masterfully weaves together stories and reflections from his life...\u003ci\u003eTasteful Nudes\u003c\/i\u003e is a charmingly delightful read that provides insight into the inner works of Dave Hill.” —\u003ci\u003eExaminer.com\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Tasteful Nudes contains not a single page that is not hilarious.  Readers of books will love this one.  As funny as he is on stage, his has an immensely literary gift for elevating the episodes of his life into madcap excitement.  And yes, it is touching too.” —\u003ci\u003eRushfield Babylon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Several times over the past week, I have been the weirdo laughing out loud on my subway commute thanks to Hill's remarkable ability to translate stories from his life–from being hazed by meatheads on his high school hockey team to the time he reported on a nudist group's dinner party on a boat in Sheepshead Bay–into exceptional, expertly understated comedy. ” —\u003ci\u003eBrooklyn Based\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“I laughed a lot reading this book, and laughing is really not my thing. I hate laughing.” —\u003ci\u003eVICE\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If you're in a bad mood, or place, just pick it up! Boom. Problems temporarily solved.” —\u003ci\u003eThe Hairpin\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It is all gold, so much so that I kind of wanted to \"Single White Female\" Dave after reading it. That is to say, get a similar haircut and eventually make an attempt on his life.” —\u003ci\u003eXO Jane\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“At turns hilarious and poignant, blusterous and self-effacing, the book covers some of the misadventures and moments of triumph - after all, we don't all get to tour Japan -- that help form Hill into the irresistibly likable goofball his fans know today.” —\u003ci\u003eMetro\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9781250031846\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"St. Martin's Griffin","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":40637436920014,"sku":"9781250031846","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/getimage_06067d1f-5479-4a9e-9f71-8fd0d9e0d5ad.jpg?v=1639015735","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9781250031846","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}