A Funny New Book

This fall, we will receive the mother lode of new books from established big-name authors. It's like the publishing industry decided to release every sure-thing book to shore up its (and our) chances of survival: Eggers, Brown, Gladwell, Kingsolver, Gaiman, Lewis, Irving, Pamuk, Vonnegut, Hornby, Moore, Alexie, Munro, Chabon, Nabakov(!). Perhaps this will get more people into bookstores this fall and winter?

But there's no need to wait until these biggies start to stress our overstock storage areas. And there are worthy books from writers you may have never heard of. I'm here to tell you about a fun new novel that's sure to please: This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathon Tropper. (Those who heard me talk books on KALW's "Your Call" show last week heard pitches for this book from me and from Neil Sofman of Bookshop West Portal).

When our narrator's father dies and he has to sit shiva with his crazy family, at least he has his wife. Oh, wait. He just found her, um, “making love” to his boss. With a set-up like this, this book must either be a schmaltzy family novel of loss and redemption or a nasty guy book, right?

Nope. It’s sweet but wry, with compelling characters, quick pacing, and loads of laughs. Just the right book for, well, anyone who likes to read fiction.

Above all, it’s that rarest of treats: the truly funny novel.

I'm new to Tropper's fiction, but other independent booksellers I know swear by him as a reliably funny and thoughtful writer.

We have signed copies in the store. It's even discounted 20% to convince to you to take a chance.