The Bottom of the Mug

I haven't had this much fun inside of a book in years! I.J. Schecter is truly one of Canada's fastest rising literary stars - someone, I hope, is paying attention to this kid. There's everything in here: sex, violence, terror, romance, giggles, blood curdling screams and belly laughs.

I.J. Schecter's first piece of work, The Bottom of the Mug is a real page turner. Every story is imaginitive and revealing. I found so many of the stories to touch something from my past. Schecter has the ability to grasp at something from within the reader's own experiences and put the appropriate words to it. Its a tremendous mix of humour, love, youth, and the unknown. You literally never know what you'll get next, but I guarantee you won't be dissapointed.

I've never read a book so funny and so warped at the same time. Many of the stories had me laughing out loud, while a few also kept me chilled for days. I read a lot of different writers, and Schecter's voice is completely unique from anything else I've seen. His characters and plots are original. His style is fluid and clean. God as a camper! Sleepwalkers on jumbo jets! Two hundred pushups to prove one's love! I don't know where he gets his ideas, but they're wonderful! After finishing the last story, I was wishing for fifteen more. Buy this book!

I.J. Schecter's debut collection is a brilliant mix of funny characters, fresh dialogue, zinging wit, and a page-turning style. The stories in this book all have amazing pace and acceleration. It's difficult to read just one at a time. Without revealing too much, let me say that my favorite story is the one about God as a 10-year-old camper. I also loved the one about the bumbling gangsters in Kansas. Skip the books about politics, the economy, and self-help. The Bottom of the Mug offers a refreshing change of pace from a dazzling new author. I can't wait for I.J. Schecter's next book!

Found most of the stories in this collection to be on the Stephen King side of writing. The story about the children at the beach was particularly fascinating. The writer seems to have a thing for death and baseball, in a whimsical sort of way.Judging by the gentleman's photo, he seems like a normal sort - but I'm not sure I'd want to meet him in person. Quite bizarre!