Dork Whore: My Travels Through Asia as a Twenty-Year-Old Pseudo-Virgin

Great book- great first novel. Entertaining, smart and very funny. 2 thumbs up.

Take David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell and David Rackoff, stuff them together in a pita, give them divorced parents, an American and Israeli childhood, send them to the Israeli Army, and then ship them off to Asia with a journal. Now you almost have Iris Bahr. Iris (pronounced Eeeee-ris) was fresh out of the Israeli Army, age 21, and off to Asia like many other Israeli 20-somethings to trek and backpack. The stories that ensue are funny, slightly insightful, totally soul-baring, and sort of like "travels through Asia in a bad and horny mood." There are many who say that men think with their crotch more than with their brain. Iris is the same. She is desperate to officially lose her virginity, and because Iris' crotch is in control, and because she is chock full of Jewish and other neuroses, she is not the most pleasant travel companion. But what is bad news for her fellow trekkers becomes hilarious stories for her readers. The chapters are very short, which is perfect for subway reading, and every so often she sprinkles in a scene from her childhood, which help to give a foundation for her recurring funny issues with abandonment and love, but overall, who really cares. What is most important are her hilarious episodes across Asia as she deals with prostitutes, men who love prostitutes, men who would break lifelong friendships with best friends for the chance for pleasure or prostitutes, intestinal worms, having the cool backpack, and finding the right balance between individual and group activities

If you enjoy the type of humor found in something like Extras, where you want to turn away from the painful embarassment and yet you can't all the while you're in stitches, then you'll like this book. Bahr can turn a phrase also, and some of the text is almost poetic in the way of a tale told out loud or a good stand-up routine.

When this book arrived, I opened it to the first page to just get a taste of the writing. I truly did not put it down until more than 80 pages later. The story is very engaging and fun. I couldn't help but think I'd love to travel with Iris -- even if I would have to fight her off for men. Ms. Bahr is so honest that you almost feel guilty reading such intimate thoughts. The writing is very smart, but entirely accessible. She's a self-aware narrator, but not in an annoying let-me-hit-you-over-the-head-with-my-self-discovery way. It was the most enjoyment I've had between two covers in awhile. ;) I hope she writes another book soon.

I didn't know what to expect from this book having just seen this woman's brilliant solo show Off Broadway about a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv but I was not disappointed, Dork Whore is extremely funny and well written, her dry wit and neurotic insights made reading it a quick and hilarious experience, i highly recommend it, for anyone who likes to laugh this is the book for you