Filthy Rich

Thanks to lingering popularity of awful reality TV shows - witness the high ratings for Donald Trump's vanity prime-time production-this fun comic novel retains its freshness. The show the book spoofs, Who Wants to be a Millionaire with Regis Philbin,is off-the-air. But its backstage look at the heronine's rise from nobodyhood to instant reality show fame and celebrity is still right-on-target. I really enjoyed this one.

What with stars being made out of absolute nobody's from various reality TV shows and the likes of Kato Kaelin and such, this novel really takes the ball and runs with it. Marcy Lee Mallowitz is a literal nobody "Personal Life Coach" and former closet organizer who gets thrust into the media spotlight for being dumped on national TV. However, since she has such a high Q ratio (likeability factor), the whole world is sending her presents in order to get an interview with her. She is the hottest thing since Darva Conger. You will laugh hysterically and relate to the crazy shennanigans because similar things happen in the newspaper every day. This novel really pokes fun at who becomes a media darling in this country. Let's hope that the author writes quickly. I'm a definite fan.

What a delightfully, wickedly funny book -- and I'm a guy. Elegant turns of phrase, more pop culture references than a Dennis Miller special, and a delightful heroine caught in one contretemps after another. Imagine the humiliation Ben Stiller is wont to suffer (There's Something About Mary, Meet the Parents) and you'll have some idea of the heroine's predicaments as she struggles to maintain a semblance of self-respect.A non-stop hoot.

A good taste of Marcy is just what the world needs right now--a real "feel-good" story with the right elements of wit, humor, and hope for the triumph of the spirit. Dorothy Samuels writes with a good sense of voice and her characters are lively and fun--a laugh-out-loud read that is just right for those wishing to escape reality (or reality TV!) for a few hours.

Hurray for Marcy Lee Mallowitz, the 34-year-old personal life coach who is the appealing heroine of this hilarious page-turner. Marcy becomes a quasi-celeb when dumped on network TV by her doltish orthodontist boyfriend following a disastrous gig as his Lifeline on the game show "So You Want to Be Filthy Rich!" Her world turns upside down as Oprah, Diane and Rosie come knocking, and a mystery man enters her life. With tongue firmly planted in cheek, the author examines contemporary questions of fame, celebrity and personal fulfillment through the eyes of characters who are as memorable for their humanity as for the predicaments that make this book such a hoot. Dorothy Samuels's book is a must-read. And that's my absolute final answer.