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The Full Ridiculous: A Novel Kindle Edition
Equal parts hilarious and painful, this compelling novel delves into the difficulties of family, love, and the precarious business of being a man. Mark Lamprell’s extraordinary debut examines the terrible truth: sometimes you can’t pull yourself together until you’ve completely fallen apart.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSoft Skull
- Publication dateApril 21, 2014
- File size1285 KB
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The writing is clean and hilarious, and the second-person narration feels intimate . . . A hilarious, high-speed summer read." —Shelf Awareness
"The Full Ridiculous will appeal to readers of quirky, contemporary fiction such as The Rosie Project or The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. It reminds us that sometimes, to really appreciate the beautiful highs of life, you need to hit rock bottom first." —Bookseller and Publisher
"A lovely coming-of-age story about a middle-aged man who hurts, despairs, heals and comes to understanding. A very funny and truthful novel." –Kirkus Reviews
"Lamprell debuts with a first-rate novel [and] manages to temper sentimentalism with a tonic wryness." —Publisher's Weekly
About the Author
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
The blue sedan.
It’s less than a body length away, and it’s not stopping.
Time slows, just like in the movies, which is ironic because you work in the movies. Well not in the movies, around the movies; you write about movies, clever’ features poking fun at filmmakers who may not be creative geniuses but
at least they’ve had a go which is more than you can say for some joggers
which is why you have this self-loathing thing going
which is why you overeat
which makes you overweight
which gives you borderline high blood pressure
which is why you’re jogging.
Milliseconds pass.
The blue car moves closer.
You recall a conversation with a stuntman during the making of the latest Mad Max movie. He’s talking about a sequence where he gets run down by one of those reptilian-looking, post-apocalyptic vehicles but you’re not really listening because you can hear an actor in the wardrobe tent complaining about his costume. He’s not really complaining; he’s just fussing about how heavy it is, but in your piece for Cinema Australasia you say he’s complaining because it adds tension.
This stuntie says the important thing is to go over the car when it hits. You go under, most likely you get stuck on some sticky-outy bit of the engine, dragged along and de-skinned, then kidney-squishingly, eye-poppingly, brain-squeezingly, run over by one or more wheels. You go over, at least you’ve got a chance if you land right.
You don’t know how you remember all this in a millisecond but you do. You even remember the stuntie sensing he doesn’t have your full attention so he gives a demonstration. You remember him lifting himself off the ground, a little jump just before the vehicle hits.
On the crossing, you are not afraid. You feel not one moment of fear. There is no time for metamorphosis so you perform an act of instantaneous transcendence. You are no longer a person. You have become a living thing with a singular objective: to remain what you are: alive.
You start to turn to face the blue car but you can’t turn far in a millisecond.
You can think a lot but you can’t do a lot. You do, however, manage to raise yourself off the road a little before the car drives into your left thigh,
still in slow motion.
You feel no pain.
And that’s all you remember.
Product details
- ASIN : B00GL9T2VC
- Publisher : Soft Skull (April 21, 2014)
- Publication date : April 21, 2014
- Language : English
- File size : 1285 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 240 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,751,518 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #719 in Humorous Dark Comedy
- #1,141 in American Humorous Fiction
- #1,186 in Australia & Oceania Literature
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Mark Lamprell is an acclaimed novelist, screenwriter and film director. His novels and children's books are published in sixteen countries twelve languages. They include the novels, Things I Need You To Know, The Secret Wife, The Lovers Guide to Rome, and The Full Ridiculous. He co-wrote Babe: Pig in the City, and directed the award-winning movies My Mother Frank, Goddess, A Few Less Men and Never Too Late. Mark divides his time between Sydney, Australia and Valencia, Spain.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book entertaining and witty. They describe it as an easy read that is relatable. The pacing is described as unique and enjoyable.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the book's humor. They find it entertaining and witty.
"...Very humourous in places, this was a fun read...." Read more
"It's funny. It's touching. And it is so relatable for anyone who may ever have had even the inkling of a mid-life crisis...." Read more
"...Quite humorous. Very realistic. I recommend this book to anyone after an entertaining read." Read more
"I enjoyed this story, very witty. Would make a great screenplay and movie woth the vivid characters, lives spiralling out of control" Read more
Customers enjoy the book's readability. They find it an easy and enjoyable read with vivid characters that are relatable. The novel is described as unique and well-crafted, making it a great screenplay or movie idea. Readers appreciate the author's honesty and poignancy.
"...And, did I mention it's funny? Plus I'll take bets it will make a great movie in the not too distant future with either George Clooney or Matt Damon..." Read more
"The full ridiculous is an easy read, but one i thoroughly enjoyed. i was worried the narrative would district from the story but it complimented it...." Read more
"Great book , easy to read . Narrator talking in the third person was a little distracting , but overall I enjoyed it" Read more
"...Nearly everything was easy to relateto." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it relatable and well-crafted, with humor and honesty. The story is described as realistic and enjoyable. It's an excellent debut novel from an Aussie writer.
"...An excellent debut novel from an Aussie writer." Read more
"It's funny. It's touching. And it is so relatable for anyone who may ever have had even the inkling of a mid-life crisis...." Read more
"This is the story of life. Guaranteed ups and very low downs...." Read more
"...Quite humorous. Very realistic. I recommend this book to anyone after an entertaining read." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2014The Full ridiculous describes a year in the life of Michael O'Dell. The year starts badly when he is hit by a car while out jogging and lands up in hospital and from there it's all down hill. He has given up his job as a movie reviewer for a major paper to write a book on Australian cinema but after his accident develops PTSD and depression and finds he can't write. His normally well behaved teenage daughter has inexplicably attacked another girl at school and faces expulsion and he finds a bag full of drugs in his son's bedroom. Add in Michael's attempts to help his son make a film and an over-zealous policeman and Michael's life starts to spiral out of control.
Very humourous in places, this was a fun read. Michael is so hapless and his wife so incredibly patient and forgiving (but has his measure, no doubt about that). The style of the writing may bother some people as it is written in the second person as if the author is directing an actor. I think it was a technique used to put the reader in the situations that Michael faced and for me that worked well but I suspect some readers might not be so comfortable with it. An excellent debut novel from an Aussie writer.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014It's funny. It's touching. And it is so relatable for anyone who may ever have had even the inkling of a mid-life crisis. The Full Ridiculous is heart-felt and heart-wrenching calamity that begins with our hero foolishly going for an early morning jog only to be skittled by a car. Will our hero's life continue to spiral out of control? Will his family continue to fall apart? Will his wife stick by him? Will you continue turning the pages to find out? Yes you will. And, did I mention it's funny? Plus I'll take bets it will make a great movie in the not too distant future with either George Clooney or Matt Damon as the star.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2025This is the story of life. Guaranteed ups and very low downs. I felt sorry for the main character but loved that his wife didn’t give up on him but stayed and loved him. :) love is the best
- Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2014The full ridiculous is an easy read, but one i thoroughly enjoyed. i was worried the narrative would district from the story but it complimented it. The central family are flawed and a bit lost and you can't help but root for them. Quite humorous. Very realistic. I recommend this book to anyone after an entertaining read.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2013I enjoyed this story, very witty. Would make a great screenplay and movie woth the vivid characters, lives spiralling out of control
- Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2014I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it is an easy and entertaining read with very real, likable characters and their very human problems. Very funny and also very moving at times.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2014Great fun and so reflects life!
- Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2016A thoroughly engrossing and uniquely crafted novel, replete with delicious self-deprecating humour, honesty and poignancy. An extraordinary tale about ordinary life.
Top reviews from other countries
- LamppuReviewed in Canada on May 13, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't stop chuckling
This book is a riveting riot from start to finish. The bureaucracy, the political correctness rant is all spot on. Everyone simply MUST read this. Now.
- Amazon CustomerReviewed in Australia on March 23, 2014
4.0 out of 5 stars I bought this book by accident!
I clicked Buy Now instead of Close, but I read it and loved it. Funny and refreshing and I found I could relate to so much of it. Being written in the 2nd person made it more interesting. It reminds me of the Benny Hill theme song in Novel Form, without the girls in lingerie, just a poor guy running around with domestic calamities befalling him lol
- Dementia29Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 16, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Hysterically funny and sadly true
I adore this book, it is so well written ,so funny, so witty, so real, such an honest and hysterical account of true life and the crazy challanges one faces in daily life. I do hope to see another novel soon by Mark Lamprell I wanted it to be triple the size ! Fabulous holiday reading!!!
- lyssaReviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2015
3.0 out of 5 stars Meh.
Having read other favourable reviews I thought I'd buy this for holiday reading.It offered so much but the potential was never really fully exploited. Left me feeling a bit 'meh' - one for the boot sale rather than the bookshelf I'm afraid.
- salthegalReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing and surprising look into the mind of an ordinary man
Loved this book! It's so unusual to read a novel that delves into the male psyche and to see how a traumatic event can affect the mind hidden underneath the facade.