With his new book getting reviewed all over the place and Bookslut wholeheartedly recommending him, thought it was time I checked out Auslander.
Really funny, sarcastic, biting religious humor. Some of the stories were really really hilarious, particularly if you know anything about Judaism. If you don’t, some of the specifics might just go over your head. Some weren’t quite as funny, or perhaps it’s better read not all in a row as it’s a little one-note. If you’re not into mocking religion, then you wouldn’t be interested.

As I may have mentioned, a somewhat philosophical story about a girlhood friendship gone wrong. Cameron is extremely guarded and close with her secrets; she’s also honest and heartbroken and afraid it will happen again. Sonia is exactly the kind of best friend who drives you nuts and makes you crazy while also making you treasure her. As with so many relationships, things get tangled up in insecurities and secrets and lies.
Really inviting tone, easy to get emotionally involved here. I wouldn’t call it chick lit, and I was surprised to see one reviewer on Amazon say “Teens will appreciate…” Teens? I don’t see Teens being interested in this kind of brutal honesty about how things fall apart (it would have hurt too much to read then and think ‘oh no this might happen to my friendship with x or x’), or understand the little lies going on here that turn out to not matter so much in the end. This is a book for adults, if you ask me.