He Died With a Felafel In His Hand
September 1st 2007 12:18
I can honestly say that I have never watched an episode of the following programs. Big Brother, Australian (or any other country) Idol, Survivor, Popstars or any other "reality" TV show.
But I HAVE read He Died With a Felafel With In His Hand. It's weird to consider why I read it. I saw it on my younger brother Dominics shelf and thought "You know, I've heard that's a funny book. I might read that." And yes, it is a damn funny book. The reason it is funny is because it is lot like the aforementioned programs (more like Big Brother than anything else) except for the fact that the author is not pushing any kind of product on the reader. He isn't trying to win any competitions, he isn't trying to make how he lived glamourous either. Which is kind of refreshing.
He writes about real people in their real lives. They weren't acting for a script, they weren't acting for the approval of any kind of judge. Actually, the interesting thing about them was not that they were especially crazy (a few were really out there insane) but they were not really any crazier than any of us when we know that on one is watching. For example, he is studying law and has lost all the notes and question sheet for his first assignment. He goes beserk. When I say beserk, I mean truly yelling, screaming, shouting, running around the house with a golf club smashing things loco. And the people he is living with? They do nothing. They sit and watch. A couple of them even go to the fridge and get a beer to enjoy while they watch the show.
The book doesn't end with any kind of moral, though it does end with a death. But throughout the book I was reading about the lives of the narrator and those around him. I won't write about the beauty of the comraderie of the damned (I don't mean they're going to hell or anything, I just mean that their lives were fairly bleak in periods). I won't write about the tragic state of people that have so little to call their own. What I will write about is that each of our lives, at any time, is quite crazy. Or at least, it should be.
Life without insanity is like life without oxygen. You can do it for awhile but you can't do it forever.
JZ
But I HAVE read He Died With a Felafel With In His Hand. It's weird to consider why I read it. I saw it on my younger brother Dominics shelf and thought "You know, I've heard that's a funny book. I might read that." And yes, it is a damn funny book. The reason it is funny is because it is lot like the aforementioned programs (more like Big Brother than anything else) except for the fact that the author is not pushing any kind of product on the reader. He isn't trying to win any competitions, he isn't trying to make how he lived glamourous either. Which is kind of refreshing.
He writes about real people in their real lives. They weren't acting for a script, they weren't acting for the approval of any kind of judge. Actually, the interesting thing about them was not that they were especially crazy (a few were really out there insane) but they were not really any crazier than any of us when we know that on one is watching. For example, he is studying law and has lost all the notes and question sheet for his first assignment. He goes beserk. When I say beserk, I mean truly yelling, screaming, shouting, running around the house with a golf club smashing things loco. And the people he is living with? They do nothing. They sit and watch. A couple of them even go to the fridge and get a beer to enjoy while they watch the show.
The book doesn't end with any kind of moral, though it does end with a death. But throughout the book I was reading about the lives of the narrator and those around him. I won't write about the beauty of the comraderie of the damned (I don't mean they're going to hell or anything, I just mean that their lives were fairly bleak in periods). I won't write about the tragic state of people that have so little to call their own. What I will write about is that each of our lives, at any time, is quite crazy. Or at least, it should be.
Life without insanity is like life without oxygen. You can do it for awhile but you can't do it forever.
JZ
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Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Have been meaning to read felafel for some time. Must get onto that. After I watch Next Top Model reruns...
Michaelie
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Like Michaelie I have a few tv addictions like Next Top Model...but I do read quite a bit too. I enjoyed the book and actually saw a theatre production of it a few years ago which was disappointing. The book is so much better.
Byeee
Comment by JoshZ
We all have our guilty little pleasures. I like to play with my Wii.......
At the moment, Tiger Woods Golf has my attention.
Felafel was hilarious in parts, mainly because you don't have to imagine it is if it might be real, you simply know it is.
Glad to see you,
JZ
Comment by JoshZ
I've only read the book. I thought about getting the movie out but my younger brother said it was strange.
I'm probably going to stick with the book. I don't want to watch a movie about it. The book wasn't supposed to have a plot, it was just about a few years in a man's life.
Good to see you here Tracy,
JZ
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I just remembered that I saw the film and was disappointed with that as well. Sorry to be the bearer of such discouraging news...
Tracy