The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal by Laurie Notaro

The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal Reviews

• 
  thefourthvine

  I admit it. I picked this up only and solely because it was available for free on the Kindle from Amazon. And this probably biased me pretty heavily - to say my expectations were lowered (especially after some of the other books I've gotten for free for the Kindle) is really understating things.
  
  And yet. This book had me truly, helplessly laughing out loud on several occasions, and for that, four stars are basically guaranteed.
  
  I'm not saying it's perfect. Notaro's voice has strong echoes of Erma Bombeck, and while Bombeck was great, her voice was never her strong suit. And I could have lived with slightly fewer fat jokes and a lot fewer self-deprecations (oh, I'm so dumb, I'm so fat, I'm so bad at this). And there are essays in here that just did not work for me. But then, when are there not? David Sedaris isn't great because he's always funny - he's really, really not - but because when he's on, he's really damn funny indeed. Even Thurber wasn't funny all the time. Notaro isn't Sedaris, let alone Thurber, but when she's on, she's genuinely funny.
  
  I enjoyed this book a lot - enough that I'm going to pay for another of her books, just to see what else she's got.
• 
  Caitlin

  When I read "I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies)" I found myself near tears with laughter on more than one occasion. Naturally, I've been waiting to read another book by Notaro, and so I was delighted to find "The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death" at B&N on sale for $5. Unfortunately it seems that I got exactly what I paid for. "Idiot Girl" comes accross as overblown and formulaic--almost unbelievable at times. Most vignettes are centered around what should (rightly) be unnotable events, (eg when Notaro observes an overweight family out to dinner)which are exaggerated by Notaro's overactive imagination to the point of absurdity (she believe's the family is a gang of criminals--equipped with a gun concealed in a walking cane--and commences on spying on them for the rest over her vacation). Granted, part of Notaro's charm is her active imagination and ability to make a ten page story out of a trip to Costco, but the problem in this book is that the scenarios are so overly cotrived and her reactions so eccentric that it feels like reading a work written for a third grader.
  
  Despite this, if I had sat down and read the book in the few hours it should take instead of over a few days, the crazy antics probably wouldn't have seemed so drawn out and that may have saved the reading experience a little bit. This may have the possibilty of being a decent brain-cany read if done very quickly.
• 
  Elevate Difference

  The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death is a strong anthology of essays, which Laurie Notaro presents with an utterly unique sense of humor and insight. What may initially appear to be a random collection of humorous and unrelated anecdotes soon unfolds to expose a thoughtful and revealing look at the larger emotional and social issues that underpin the lives of people in general, and women in particular. Notaro treats each of these personal narratives with a biting and self-deprecating wit that makes her life and her work both accessible and personal.
  
  What makes this collection most compelling, perhaps, is Notaro’s willingness to own her flaws and, by relaying them with honesty and side-splitting hilarity, transform them into mere loveable quirks. She does this best while painting vivid scenes that hint at larger social issues in which she often sets herself up as the amusing court jester. This is best displayed in the piece “Love Thy Neighbor,” in which Notaro and her husband receive notice that a sex offender has moved into a house across her street.
  
  If the collection has a single flaw, it is that it seems sometimes self-consciously aware of its need to maintain a certain amount of levity. Interspersing humorous essays on serious topics – like “Love Thy Neighbor” – with trivial (yet still thoroughly entertaining) pieces like “Death of a Catchphrase,” Notaro appears to be testing the waters, wading into serious territory only briefly before returning to the old standards (many in the style of Steve Martin’s classic Cruel Shoes). This is a safe choice that keeps the book readable and light, but you may find yourself craving more substance.
  
  All in all, The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death is a thoroughly entertaining and fun read. Notaro has a near pitch-perfect voice that is in turns evocative, curious, and hilarious.
  
  Review by K. Gabert
• 
  Nora aka Diva

  Oh wow, I haven't "seen" anyone whine so much since my kids where toddlers. Yikes this woman whines like a 2 year old needing a nap but who can't find her blankie. I disapointingly didn't see the humor in any of this book. Where is the humor in unfortunate family also wanting to have a meal, oh well Ms. Notaro was there to laugh at their disabilities and malformities. what is wrong with the world when that's exceptable? Taking her dog to a dog birthday party? funny? Not sure how. It's not that I don't have a sense of humor, I just don't think this fits my sense of humor or anyone else's I know of personally. This was like reading a blog in book form, but not a very good blog at that. I say skip it. Hey there are plenty of blogs out there you can read for FREE!!
• 
  Rebecca

  While I did fully delight in Laurie's quick quips and razor sharp humor this book is not for everyone. She is far far from politically correct and those more sensitive readers will be easily offended. I, myself, am not easily offended and had some guilty laughs (a lot of laughs actually) over these short stories. Remember, the title of the book is "The Idiot Girl" and you may come away agreeing, I simply came away snickering. :-)
  
  Just a couple of personal note:
  
  In the chapter titled "Ready or Not" I was so engrossed I couldn't put the book down despite my bath water getting cold. I sobbed and sobbed and when it was done, had a good breather, a few quiet moments of reflection, and then dunked myself into the tepid water. I am came out feeling renewed, the way I always do after a really good cry.
  
  The chapter titled "The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death" had me laughing so hard I WAS CRYING. It reminded me a bit the scene in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes where a younger woman steals Kathy Bates parking spot and Kathy retaliates:
  
  [Evelyn is cut off in a parking lot:]
  Evelyn Couch: Hey! I was waiting for that spot!
  Girl #1: Face it, lady, we're younger and faster!
  [Evelyn rear-ends the other car six times:]
  Girl #1: What are you *doing*?
  Girl #2: Are you *crazy*?
  Evelyn Couch: Face it, girls, I'm older and I have more insurance.
• 
  Penny

  This book was less a collection of humorous essays utilizing observational humor and slightly skewed perspective than it was a collection of self indulgent whining and gross exaggerations often peppered with mean spirited descriptions.
  
  Good humor has wit and insight, it pokes fun and exposes our foibles.
  Lazy humor, superficial humor uses vulgarities, stereotypes and meanness in words and action. The author has no problem judging people for their looks, calling them retards and ranting and raving like she's still in pre-school. Yeah, I get it . .. the title should have given me a clue.
  
  I didn't enjoy this book. I finished it, hoping there would be some point of light in there, somewhere...nope.
  
  Would not recommend.
• 
  Adrienne Kiser

  For the most part I found this book a fun read, but in some chapters I found it off-putting that Notaro made jokes about people rather than about situations. While hopefully not intended to be so, a few descriptions came off as mean-spirited and it diminished my enjoyment of the book as a whole.
• 
  Ronald Keeler

  I will always pick novels to read that have provocative titles such as The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death by Laurie Notaro. I am sure that the author intended to punch the reading audience with such a wake-up title and then, to make sure they paid attention, Notaro followed with an explanation of what the novel is about: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal. The novel is listed as non-fiction which I can accept as far as the situations written about. The humorous asides and comparisons in description border on the absurd and take the reader into the world of fiction. Most of the novel is laugh-out-loud humor but there are segments, such as in the life of blind dog Bella, that will be emotional for readers.
  
  Because this is non-fiction, we can know many things about the author from her Amazon Author page. Reading this novel, I can guess that she is a mature woman (not old) who continues to look forward to life’s adventures. Not afraid of trying new things, she is also (cliché alert) the hero of her own story. Reading of her colorful younger years in the several community colleges she attended will make parents of daughters shudder with the thought “I hope my daughter doesn’t turn out like that.” From this account, I believe that is what Laurie’s mother says frequently.
  
  Notaro describes daily life, routines, and the roles stereotypes have in social interaction. She is presently comfortable with her Prius but that would have not been her choice in college days. That doesn’t stop her from engaging in a bit of road rage against insulting younger drivers acting like the Laurie of past years. Notaro comments a lot on concepts of beauty. She describes her occasional swings in weight gain and weight loss as she discusses the value of purchasing extended warranties on a treadmill.
  
  As a person who lives outside the Western culture, I was a little put off by some of the disasters and life situations Notaro had to put up with. They were examples of White Whine. When Bella (dog) was sick, Notaro had to find a Vet in her new residence in Oregon. The Vet had to run tests and the results were not immediately available. Notaro decries the lack of contiguously located laboratory facilities of the type that had been available to her in Phoenix. Nowhere does this “Whine” show up more than on a cruise ship where Notaro disparages the behavior of passengers who tried to save money by renting windowless cabins. Their behavior at the ship’s Buffet made them a class of people apart.
  
  There is not offensive language in this book but the creative way Notaro uses language to describe intimate bodily functions will put off some readers. On the other hand, this is part of the humor. I found the humor of the book outweighed my grumbling about the “White Whine” aspects. This is a four-star (and more if your niche is humor) Amazon read.
  
  
  
  
• 
  Deb

  Very funny. I found myself literally laughing out loudly throughout this book.
  
  I was looking for something just not serious and less than light to end my year of book reading on a fun note. What I got with this book was just about that. I'd say 90%. Which was good. This is a non fiction, a little different for me but hey, life is non fiction and that is what author Laurie Notaro writes about. The random hilarity of life. I really enjoyed it. This book is full of all those random situations we all encounter in life that you just have to laugh at because in hindsight, when real life is not being sad or beautiful, it's technically ridiculously funny and you've got to laugh or you'll crack and end up in a loony bin rocking back and forth and chanting some strange homage to horse head bookends. I digress. Ahem, back on track... This book is pure comedy and minus the chapter I skipped because it seemed to talk sadly about her sick and dying dog (I skipped it because this was not what I signed up for. I signed up for laughs and gosh darn it I was gonna have them.) for the most part this was fun. I do regret that I didn't dog ear any quotes to post. Next time.
  
  Yes I'd recommend this book to anyone who possess a sense of humor and is in the mood for a few cackles and a gut bust. For those humorless individuals I still recommend it because you might wryly think "hmm this quite quirky" (grumble grumble). I've detracted a few points for the existence of the sad chapter and oh one boring chapter I skipped through but for the most part I had a ton of good laughs. Yes, I will read other books by this author when I need to break up the monotony. Good fun!! This is really a 3 1/2 stars it's comedy. It was a breath of fresh air but I do save the high scores for things that are life changing.
• 
  Cheryl Malandrinos

  A funny, light collection of new essays from New York Times bestselling author Laura Notaro fills the pages of "The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death". Her reflections on revenge, germophobis, laser hair removal and more, will have you laughing out loud, and curious onlookers asking what you're reading.
  
  I'm fairly certain if I opted for laser hair removal, my experience would match Notaro's, if not be worse--which is probably why I'll never try it. Oh, and by the way, my primary care physician is equally as attractive as the author's own, Dr Wells; so I especially related to this essay, as I did with the essays about her pets.
  
  "The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death" is a well-written page-turner, but admittedly not my typical style of reading material. Notaro's writing has been described as "gorily specific" and "raunchy". I would definitely agree, which took away from some of the reading experience for me. I was looking for Erma Bombeck, but found a vulgar and obscene Erma filling the pages.
  
  I'm certain many people will enjoy this book, including the legions of Laurie Notaro fans who have purchased her previous installments; it just didn't reach me personally--which is okay because it's still uproariously funny.
  
  
• 
  Jenni V.

  Great title but that's the only positive thing I can say.
  
  My review after reading another one of her books was that I didn't love it but thought it could be because I read it too quickly, so my approach to this book was to read 1-2 essays per day. It didn't help. I guess I just don't find her funny.
  
  It was chugging along to be a 2 star read which for me means I personally didn't like it but think someone else might. Two things ended up pushing me over the line to a 1 star. First, she described people and animals as "retarded" 4 separate times in the book. Nope. Second, her jokes seem to come from harsh judgements, particularly focusing on weight. I found it annoying and not funny when she was talking about herself but the cruise essay did me in when she turned the judgement onto others. Blech.
  
  A Few Quotes from the Book
  "I felt so good.
  So naturally, I couldn't leave it at that and enjoy it. Of course I had to poke at it until it burst."
  
  "We'd worry about hurting men's "feelings", completely forgetting that most men don't typically purchase the biological upgrade package that includes those options..."
  
  Find all my reviews at:
  http://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
• 
  Kate

  This was a free kindle book so I downloaded it to switch to when I've had enough of the Brothers Karamazov. Of course, I've finished this after only a few days. Other reviewers compare her to Sedaris and Rakoff but her stories remind me more of the best kind of personal blog.
  
  I've heard this isn't her best book so I can't wait to download her others. I didn't care for the first stories (in fact, I'm glad I got past the first story b/c I found it kind of offensive) but I was hooked after the dog training story and trying to expose her dog to roughly 1000 random situations. A quick read but I have to stay away from her other books for the time being or I'll get distracted again from the classics.
• 
  Amanda

  Reading this book was like eating that last piece of Halloween candy in March. It wanted to be decadent, filled with all the memories of trick or treat debauchery, but it was a package of sweet tarts. That said, there wasn’t anything disappointing about reading this book. And there were more than a few moments where I felt a personal connection (I, too, am sure that watching discovery health is supporting my hypochondria.). I wanted just that little bit more - a jolly rancher or package of skittles - but in the end, a little candy never disappoints.
• 
  Belinda

  Meh...got this one on my Kindle for free, so I can't complain too much. I know a lot of people lovelovelove this author, and I suspect that this collection isn't one of her best, so I may try something else from her before giving her up. There were moments that had me laughing, and some that resonated with me in a familiar way, but overall I found the tone a bit tiring.
  
  Before now, I hadn't realized how very much "self-deprecating" can be overdone. Sheesh.
• 
  Lori

  Hysterical writer. I have read
  Autobiography of a Fat Bride: True Tales of a Pretend Adulthood and liked it. This next one was a gift :) I truly did laugh out loud at the descriptions of her antics. Just what I needed at the beginning of my vacation. I am going to look for more Laurie Notaro soon.
• 
  Lori

  My favorite of Laurie Notaro's books thus far!! This will be my go to book when I am in the need for emergency laughter. Not the giggling kind either. The I am chortling like a broodmare with ice tea spraying out of my nose and I am traumatizing my poor cat kind of laughter. This book is laughter therapy!! Stressful week? Notaro to the rescue!!
• 
  Marisa

  This book was hilarious. There were some essays that were not as good as others, but the good ones more than made up for it. "Crouching tiger, Hidden Rapist" was one of the best quotes from the book. The author kind of reminds me of a slightly crazier me so that definitely helped me relate. I could totally see me saying and doing a lot of the things that she did/said.
• 
  Bonnie Moore

  When I was younger Erma Bombeck was on of my favorite authors. Laurie Notaro is of a different generation, but she makes me laugh too. I will probably read more of her books, when I am in the mood to be cheered up.
• 
  Jen

  Could not stop laughing!!! Read most of this book outdoors in a park and was laughing out loud. Hilarious!
• 
  Rebecca

  What a great way to start my year!
• 
  Jessica Karakashian

  Wear Your Depends...
  
  ...because you're going to pee yourself laughing. Laurie Notaro hits it out of the park with this hilarious collection of true IG stories!
• 
  Krisanne

  Quirky, funny and ironic observations about life. An enjoyable read on a cold winter day
• 
  Megan

  This was between a 3 and a 4 for me. Some of the essays were amusing and her style reminded me a lot of Jen Lancaster. It was a quick, fun vacation read that sometimes made me chuckle.
• 
  L Y N N

  I'm not huge into short stories/essays, especially of "humor" since I am often not as amused as other readers... However, I do find Notaro's humor enjoyable. There were some excellent laughs in this one, quite a few episodes of nodding my head in agreement/sympathy/empathy, and/or simply chuckling to myself.
• 
  Lori Ray

  Laugh out loud funny. The part about the cruise was the best!
• 
  Carla

  Having read a few of Notaro‘s earlier books, I figured this would be a good mental pallet cleanser of a segue back into actual books. Not as crazy-out-of-this-world as Bon Temps, but also not as serious as reading some Salman Rushdie. I expected to laugh and giggle along with the idiocy that runs through her writing. And as is fitting of a fellow idiot girl, it took me until the 2nd entry to realize I was not reading a novel but a collection of personal essays. Duh me.
  
  Once I wrapped my head around that, two things happened.
  
  First: I remembered how much I love Notaro and authors like her. I’ve said it before, so please bear with me as I say it again. There is something special about books like this. Book that don’t fit in with the typical cannon and the highbrow idea that all literature (which must be said in a snooty British accent) must be dramatic and full of pain and sorrow and loss. That books that get labeled “chick-lit” are nothing more than mindless fluff. IN reality, authors like Notaro, Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella , and Meg Cabot are writing about that it’s like to be an adult woman in the post-feminist post-modern post-Mary Tyler Moore world where women are have more to worry about that finding a husband and raising children.
  
  These are books and stories about the reality of marriage, about what it’s like to freak out that the doctor performing your laser hair removal is handsome, and the sudden realization that you are not as cool as you were in college despite all attempts to ignore the reality of your suburban tendencies.
  
  They are relatable and true and an unflinching view into the minds of educated, independent, insecure and real woman. So while I know some of my professors will want to send the English Department Repo Men (who I imagine show up in tweed jackets and bow ties looking like less sexy versions of Indian Jones) to seize my M.A., I can’t help but loves this genre, and want to thank Mrs. Notaro and these authors, these brave, funny and insightful girls for giving a voice to real women.
  
  And second: as I was reading this collection of essays, essays that detail the frustration of dealing with treadmill repair people, of the absurdity of finding a towel in a hotel room folded into a shape somewhere between a walrus and a vagina, and the abject terror of sitting next to an open-mouthed cougher on a plane, I kept thinking “that’s just like the time I fell to the floor laughing in a Vegas elevator as my drunk friend said our fellow passengers, 2 men of different races, looked like twins but different colors” or “oh man… that’s totally like my code 3 moment!”
  
  My point is, that this book inspired me in a way I have never been before. See, I’ve always wanted to be a writer. But, it’s so hard. Because people always tell you to write what you know… and what I know is pretty boring. I grew up in a perfectly pleasant middle class home with parents who love me and not a hint of a “funny uncle”, hungry stomach, or real drama other than the Jr. High dilemma of begging my mother to let me please god please pluck the uni-brow people keep making fun of.
  
  Because of that, every time I try to sit and write, I draw a blank. But now, now I have ideas. Laurie Notaro reminded me of all my own idiot girl moments. All the times I have made an ass out of myself in public. All those stories I repeat at parties or during the getting to know you stage of new friendships. Those silly instances that get molded into your personal mythology, the stories your friends were there for and remind you of and ask you to tell when you meet their new boyfriends. Notaro made me realize that these are my stories, and they they are what I know... and that they are what I should be writing about.
• 
  Elizabeth

  Funnygirl books just aren't my thing.
• 
  Julie N

  After finishing The Distant Hours, I was in the mood for something completely different. I was feeling like no fiction could ever compare to the beauty of what I had just read, so I picked up another volume of humorous essays by Laurie Notaro. Notaro is one of my favorite humor writers (comparable to Jen Lancaster if you are familiar with her writing) and this book completely lived up to my expectations. Notaro is a writer who can take a story about ridiculous life experience that all of us go through and make them hilarious. She defines herself as The Idiot Girl in an earlier book, and this book includes the story of The Flaming Tantrum of Death, in which she (unsuccessfully) attempts to be bad-ass while driving a Prius. We are also treated to her experiences with laser hair removal, airplane coughers, and the Discovery Health Channel.
  
  Writing/MST3K
  It's really hard to separate the writing quality from the entertainment value in humor. If humor writing is done well, it's entertaining, which I don't think is always the case with other genres. Anyway, my point is that this book is flat out hilarious, which makes it, in my mind, both well written and entertaining. It's humor, so don't expect any deep, life altering revelations, but if you need a laugh this is the one to pick. If you haven't read anything by Notaro before, I suggest you start with The Idiot Girl's Action Adventure Club or Autobiography of a Fat Bride, both of which give a better introduction to the author. My favorite by the author has been We Thought You Would Be Prettier, which is about her experiences on a book tour, but I still think reading the other two first is the best idea.
• 
  Ciara

  more of a 3.5, actually.
  
  i'm glad i gave this book a try. i have read almost all of laurie notaro's books, & i have pretty much hated them across the board. they are like reading a collection of dave barry columns, only not as funny. so i waffled a bit before i checked this one out of the library. finally i justified it because...it's the library. it's not like i was spending any money on it. & it worked out, because it is far & away her best book. she finally addressed her aggravating inability to finish an essay without closing with some horribly labored, contrived punchline better suited to a catskills resort comedian working a little blue circa 1963. she has also managed to strike more of a balance between being funny & bawdy, but not deeply offensive in some way (sex & bitterness don't bother me, but racism & other oppressions do). this book is far from perfect...but it's a big improvement.
  
  my one caveat is that there is a brief essay on people seeking cut-rate elective surgeries in foreign countries, such as thailand. she makes a huge fuss over how she doesn't know how to pronounce phuket, with the cheap & predictable punchline that it must be pronounced like "fuck it," right? um...how could anyone who was an adult when the indian ocean tsunami of late 2004 happened not know how to pronounce phuket? & supposedly notaro worked for many years as a newspaper columnist...a humor columnist, not a foreign breaking news correspondent, but still!
• 
  Kim

  The title was the best thing about this book. Overall, it was really very disappointing. I didn't have one snorfle-out-loud moment while I was reading, and that is unheard of with Laurie Notaro--every time I re-read any one of her previous books, I cackle out loud. Actually I don't think I even smiled while reading this one.
  
  On the other hand, the story about her dog Bella dying was very touching, much like the one about her grandfather in an earlier book. It made me miss Stinkerbelle so much. I don't think the sadness over losing her will ever go away. I wonder where the poem I wrote about her is.
  
  I still love Laurie Notaro, but I think she would have done better to wait a while before putting out another book. I didn't like her novel that much, and this book feels like an half-hearted "well, I guess it's time for another funny memoir even though I don't have much to say" kind of book.
  It seems that's the problem with writing memoirs--eventually the vein runs dry and you need to have some more experiences to have anything worth saying. David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs are the only memoirists that I read who that doesn't seem to happen to. I admire Jen Lancaster for admitting that she thought she probably only had one more book, maybe two, in her.