Some of Rubin’s rants are amusing, others are more serious (“Not getting quarterly reports telling you what our taxes are paying for.”) His life and career have had him residing in a number of places in America and abroad, and his experiences reflect the international character of irritation. Chapter 23, “Close friends you think you know better than yourself. Until you go on a trip with them,” is a favorite (most likely related to familiarity).
Detailing a European tour he embarked on with a very close friend and the friend’s wife and sister, Rubin tells of a trip in which he said good-bye to lots of cash and a friendship. That sounds rather sad here, but his style evokes the right mix of laughs of indignation.
Rubin’s stories are, in turns, sad, ironic, silly, unfair, or unbelievable (in a very believable way). He has obviously endured the slings and arrows of outrageous rudeness and insensitivity that most members of society endure, but he came out laughing.
Bottom Line: Would I buy I’ll Get Right Back to You and other Annoyances? Certainly. It’s hitting the street September 15; also available for pre-order.
Article comments
1 - Carol Kelly
I'll Get Right Back to You & Other Annoyances makes you laugh and relate all in one breath. I saved this book to read while I worked out on the stair master at the gym because I became so involved in what I was reading that I forgot about the hard workout. Charles Rubin knows how to give "life" to writing about life's annoyances.