The Average American Male

I think a thread has been devoted to this, but I'm not sure and far too lazy to find out.

I liked it. It wasn't amazing or anything, but I've loaned it out to a few people.

I liked the writing style. I found it pretty entertaining.

Style wise I really liked it. But I wish the story would have gone more places.

I read the first chapter on Amazon 'Read it Now' and was hooked. I've got on order at my local bookstore. It seems sort of similar to "Apathy and Other Small Victories", which I thought was great. The lack of story didn't bother me hugely, I just loved the voice and style.

Anyone know of similar books? ('Slacker Lit' seems to be what they're calling it lately)

A similar book? Ha. His second book, The Lie, while entertaining, is basically just like AAM.

I read The Lie a while back and it is entertaining. It's not exactly a deep meaningful story but entertaining none the less.

When I read it in a Starbucks I was laughing aloud at moments that I could personally relate to every few pages.

It was clever to keep the narrator nameless because it really is supposed to be everyman. By the time I realized I never knew his name it didn't matter because I inserted myself in his place.

Some of the scenes were excellent. The high conflict ones where the ex-girlfriend spills a life changing secret to the new girlfriend at the mall. I said "You c@@t!" out loud to the chagrin of my fellow coffee house patrons.

Chad did an outstanding job capturing and showing us the human condition (in all of his characters) in a way that more experienced or "polished" authors often miss. When creating this main character there is a temptation to write in a way to make him likable as opposed to real. Or worse, telling the reader (passing judgement) about characters and robbing the reader from unpacking the details and drawing his/her own conclusions.

That reminds me. He used some great subtext about the narrator looking into his future by observing older (middle aged) men in the novel. The first girlfriend's dad is introduced carrying all the bags, the second girlfriend's dad baby talking his wife. He did this without saying "Hey! This is your future". Well done.

Ditto with the two babies in their first boy meets girl encounter.

At first I read a work of fiction with a critical eye as I'm going through it. It's a sign of a well written book if I can stop analyzing the craft and get lost in what's going on.

The is a solid entry in next generation of Dirty Realism. While I personally would not rate it as the Great American Novel it certainly rates above merely "good". It's very good. I got shades of Bukowski's Women, and this could be this generation's version. I'm impressed.

I completely agree with you Tyler, within pages I had inserted myself as the male character without realizing it. For some reason I stopped laughing out loud nearly half way through the read. I think, much like a Kevin Smith movie, the use of foul language & crude references lost any minor shock value & eventually took away from the story.
Regardless, I picked up The Lie this evening. Chad's ability to "write as if your parents are dead," has me hooked. I have a standing agreement with my older brother to remove all my writing from my house if I am ever found dead. I'm hoping his books have given me the courage to not worry what my mother will read.