Okay--I don't know if I've read the wrong books by Tropper in a row (just finished "How to Talk to a Widower"), but they all seem to have the same basic plot: totally irresponsible man who is out of touch with his parents/family and has a youthful person on the scene to interact with to underscore the main character's immaturity AND show that some immaturity is cool. This schmuck has to rise about his own faults to become a better human being. PLOT GIVE AWAY (altho, you will know this also within one second of Wayne's intro into the plot)--add to that the friend with AIDS, and I about came unglued; it just got too manipulative.

The story of a guy who doesn't get along with his family. He leaves town, doesn't go back and writes a tell all book about the people in his small home town. Then, his dad has a stroje and he has to go back. A very light, entertaining read.

The ending made me happy. So if you're worried while reading this, know that there is goodness yet to come.

This was humorous and inspiring. I can't ask much more from a book. I was frustrated at times with Joe because it seemed he ought to know better.

But Joe dishes some classic lines.

I've grown to enjoy Jonathan Tropper's writing style for the most part, but as much as I wanted to get into the story and feel some compassion for the main characters, I couldn't. Quick, easy read, but I found most of the plot predictable and lacking depth.

Way good. I liked the characters a lot. A common theme in this book is high school boys' obsession with sex, which is fine, if you like that sort of thing. It just surprised me, based on who gave me the book...

The Book of Joe was bathetic and maudlin, compared to the similar but superb This is Where I Leave You. Perhaps the interval between reading them both was too short to prevent comparison, maybe I was unlucky in finding a premise similar to but not as multidimensional as This is Where I Leave You.

This was not what I thought it would be. It was pretty amateur and i thought it would be funny. Too bad somebody is wasting time and money turning into a movie.

Liked this story and the characters...wished there was a slightly happier ending but I guess it fits the book. Looking forward to the maybe movie of this. Would definitely read something else of Tropper's.

Joe, a misfit kid from a small town, who doesn't get along with his family moves away after high school. He becomes famous after writing a book about his hometown. There were many people in his past he didn't get along with such as the basketball coach, which is reflected in his writing of "Bush Falls" which infuriates most of the small town residents. When he must return to the town after his father suffers a stroke, it is obviously an awkward situation on Joe's part having to face all of the people he may have portrayed poorly in his best seller.

Joe is portrayed as a narcissistic writer and it seemed no matter what, he has never truly been happy in his life. It's hard to want things to go his way because he seems immature and seems to have no ambition to improve his happiness, or lack of.
I did however really enjoy the character development and story of Wayne the best friend. That was one of my favorite parts of the book.
It was a well written book and worth reading.

I found this book to be very engaging, although it reminded me a lot of a tv show that used to air on abc. Same premise... the prodigal son returns back to his small hometown after crucifying them in his novel. So, that was a little hard to get past. Maybe the tv show was based on this book, I don't know.
Anyway, the characters were compelling and the transformation that the main character goes through when he revisits his past makes me think about my own paast and question whether or not shutting out my own history is a mistake. Maybe reconnecting with people who knew me way back when could be a good thing.