Book #38: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

Title: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

Author: Tucker Max

Date started reading: March 15, 2012
Date finished reading:  March 18, 2012

Publish date: September 2009
ISBN: 978-0806532257
Number of pages: 326

Book summary: "My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole. I get excessively drunk at inappropriate times, disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging dickhead. But, I do contribute to humanity in one very important way: I share my adventures with the world." (http://www.tuckermax.com)

Trailer for the movie (I figure it's close enough to the book that it will give everyone a little glimpse of what the book's about):

How I obtained the book: How I obtained the book: Received through the Paperback Swap book club. (I had to pay to mail a book to another member in order to receive a credit to request this book)

Memorable quotes:

•  "If the spotlight is not shining directly on me, I feel small inside." ~ Tucker
• "The problem with oral sex is that it's like writing. When done right, it's amazing, but there are just so many ways it can go wrong, and when it does, it's just not worth it." ~ Tucker
• "When I am bored or unhappy, my behavior becomes akin to an ADD-ravaged toddler until I find something to occupy me." ~ Tucker
• “I needed therapy to bury my anxiety, and alcohol was going to be my counselor.” ~ Tucker 
• "I used to think there was a bright line between a gentlemen's club and a brothel. Now you're telling me it's just gray..." ~ JonBenet
• "I really hope that God has the capacity for forgiveness that Christians claim, because I am going to test the absolute outer limits." ~ Tucker 
• "I hope my daughters date guys like me." ~ Tucker
• “Military guys use very creative curse words. I didn’t even know I had a ‘cock-holster’ or a ‘man-pleaser.’” ~ Tucker
• “That’s the beauty of alcohol: if you don’t remember it, it didn’t happen.” ~ Tucker
• “Well aren’t you just spectacular. I’m glad to see that those ‘Worthless Whore’ lessons turned out well for you.” ~ SlingBlade to random girl
• “I’m a 25 year old socially anxious, pre-mature ejaculator and I’m wearing a Batman t-shirt. Is it really that implausible?” ~ SlingBlade to random girl about how he's single
• “Two girls called me closed minded. I tell them that they are so open-minded their brains leaked out.” ~ Tucker
• “Men will treat you the way you let them. There is no such thing as 'deserving' respect; you get what you demand from people.” ~ Tucker
• “The pen may be mightier than the sword, but I have found that the vagina is stronger than both.” ~ Tucker 
• "Sometimes the contradictions in my personality amuse even me." ~ Tucker
• "There is nothing funnier than provoking idiots." ~ Tucker 
• "For a split second, I honestly thought I'd died and gone to hell, and it was sponsored by Warner Brothers. That was a bit of a shock, because I'd always thought Disney would rule hell." ~ Tucker 
• "Forget an upper management role in hell; I think I have the CEO position in my sights." ~ Tucker
• My favorite scene of the movie was based on McDonald's breakfast sandwich, the McGriddle. In the movie it's called a "pancakewich" instead of McGriddle. I was afraid that the scene was mostly just concocted for the movie, but it's in the book. In fact, the movie takes the whole scene almost word-for-word from a true story within the book. Instead of putting the quote, I'm posting a video of the movie scene below so you can see it for yourself...

My commentary:

• I read all sorts of reviews trashing this book and Tucker Max's writing style. Admittedly most of those reviews were written by women who probably are way more prudish than I am. I decided to watch the movie a while back after I read an interview with the actor who plays Tucker in the movie. The movie (and thus the book which the movie is based on) is very crude and has a lot of really disgusting humor, but I was laughing so hard that I cried. I watched it a second time and still laughed until I cried, so I decided to ignore all those book reviews and check out the book myself. I can handle sex jokes and poop humor better than most people... 
• After reading the book, I'm fairly certain about 70% of the general population would be utterly disgusting with Tucker and his stories that they wouldn't even make it through a third of the book. About 10% would be impressed that Tucker could get away with the things he does and may even be in awe of him. The other 20% would be some mixture of being disgusted and being impressed. I am firmly in the 10% of people who are impressed. Frankly, I'm a little jealous that he was able to take his misadventures, write about them, and make tons of money and become famous
• I don't regret reading this book even a little bit. Screw the other reviewers who said it was not worth reading. It made me laugh so hard so many times that it was beyond worth it.

Buy on Amazon.com: I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell