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It Feels So Good When I Stop by Joe Pernice
The hilarious and irreverent debut novel about a modern Everyman struggling to learn how to love, choose, and commit on his own terms, from the highly acclaimed singer and songwriter. From the first moment he met Jocelyn, he knew he would marry her or destroy his life trying. He didn't count on being the lucky bastard that got to do both. It's October 1996 in Cape Cod. Our hero a narrator so ordinary that he remains nameless is a talented but floundering musician-turnedwaiter who has hightailed it out of a volatile day-old marriage in New York and further into his own ever-deepening mess. With no job, no apartment, no wife, and a six pack of beer, he's looking for a clean slate. For years he's been dodging life's extremes, stuck somewhere between responsibility and freedom, love and obsession, obligation and desire, apathy and success. Now he's seeking sanctuary at the home that his sister abandoned, along with her marriage, so that he can sort out something in his life what, he's not quite sure. Looking for distraction from his memories of the hot-blooded Jocelyn, who is still refusing to return his calls, he agrees to look after his two-year-old nephew. Together, the unlikely pair catches the attention of Marie, a young woman in the neighborhood with a troubled past of her own. As they get to know each other, our hero ventures into unknown territory, where his affection for a damaged kindred spirit just might shock him awake and shake him to the core. By turns hilariously irreverent and unpredictably affecting, "It Feels So Good When I Stop" is a disarmingly fresh love story and coming-ofage novel that refracts with pristine clarity what it's like to grow up, and to fall and stay in love in the real world.
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First published July 23, 2009
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March 22, 2012
Not the Dimmest Star in the Universe
This first novel wasn’t that bad. I just wanted to like it a smidgen more than I did.
I wanted to be able to say that it warranted five stars, not three or four.
I wanted to quote Joe Pernice’s lyrics.
I wanted to say that the novel had an Amazing Glimmer, an Amazing Glow, that it made me Lightheaded and Shaken Baby, that the protagonists made me feel like I’d been Blinded by the Stars, that they all Heightened Everything, that it all wasn’t a Flaming Wreck or just a Pisshole in the Snow.
I wanted to look on the Bryte Side, not hobble around on a Bum Leg.
I wanted to turn up at the best restaurants in town and dine without reservations.
In the end, I’d probably rate it 3 ½ stars, but I’ll raise it to four, out of a spirit of generosity and gentle encouragement.
What Does Joe Pernice the Musician Have Going for Him?
Joe Pernice is an indie musician who works a rich vein somewhere between Singer/Songwriter Troubadour and Power Pop.
I’ve got five Pernice Brothers albums and one supposedly solo album (“Big Tobacco”).
I’m listening to them now, thinking nice thoughts about Big Star and Badfinger.
He has great taste in music, as does the anonymous narrative voice of his novel.
They namedrop Lou Barlow, the Chills, the Dream Syndicate (I’ve got Joe doing a nice solo version of “Tell Me When It’s Over” live on KEXP).
What Does Joe Pernice the Novelist Have Going for Him?
Joe Pernice comes across as a slacker gentleman on the page.
His writing has a beautiful, elegant, gentle tone about it.
He is economical with his description, he focuses on people and their interactions, he gets their conversations down pat.
Not one word or expression jumps off the page and shouts, “I shouldn’t be here”.
He has good manners, you can’t imagine him deliberately hurting anyone.
Nevertheless, his twenty-something protagonist (I’ll call him “Joe”) does hurt people and he gets hurt.
He does all the things I did at his age, and his friends do all the things that my friends did, usually with and to each other.
The novel hovers between Boston and Brooklyn and Cape Cod, sometimes indistinguishably.
“Joe” drifts between Jocelyn and Marie, learning about them, learning about himself, learning about relationships and learning about life in the process.
Joe Novelist captures all of this word-perfectly, as you would expect a consummate lyricist to do.
What Doesn’t Joe Pernice the Novelist Quite Pull Off?
By which question I mean, apart from the masturbation scenes?
My fear is that one or other Joe is just a little too gentlemanly, too polite, too reactive for his own good.
“Joe” Character would never be the first to suggest that we get up to some mischief, though he might be a responsive sidekick if you came up with the idea first.
Joe Novelist is a good portrait painter, he gets the look right, he pays attention to the detail of the static image.
However, I sense that he is less comfortable with verbs and dynamism and drama.
While his characters have shared bad experiences in the past, we hear about them retrospectively, we don’t witness the disputes, the arguments, the tragedies.
They are already distant nouns by the time we learn about them.
We aren’t party to any of the break-ups, nor are we there for all of the make-ups.
Show Me Your Private Parts
It’s not that he writes about these issues ineptly. It’s just that he doesn’t write about them at all or enough.
He censors them, as if it would be impolite to enter the bedroom and spy on his protagonists.
Only, an author’s characters aren’t supposed to have any privacy.
Their right of privacy is fictitious.
We want to see bad things happen to them, only so that we can invest in them and see them prevail.
Twenty-Something Loop
“Joe” Character seems to be trapped in a twenty-something loop that pushes and pulls him between two cities and two girls, between commitment and non-attachment, between celibacy and “so-called celibacy”, between loneliness, friendship and family.
Surely, the point of the novel is not that this lifestyle can go on forever, that the song remains the same, that you can keep regurgitating the same album?
Surely, he has to grow up, or turn 30, or do (or experience) something dramatic and life-changing?
Like “get a life”.
Surely, it must feel so good when you stop?
Then again, is this review just the rant of a Post-Thirty-Something who wouldn’t mind flitting idly between Boston and Brooklyn for a few years?
My Me-Something, pretending to be on my own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone?
Then I realise, ha ha, it’s just my imagination running away with me!
Whose Novel is It Anyway?
Ultimately, however, my dilemma as a reader is a product of Joe Novelist’s artistic choice, not his artistic failure.
He chose to write his novel this way, and he wrote the novel in his head very capably.
Nevertheless, I want him to do another novel, I want him to hone his skills, I want him to grow as an artist, I want him to finally "discover a lovelier you".
I don’t want him to have Zero Refills in his pen.
So, this work is worth exploring before he delivers that difficult sophomore novel.
This Review is All Over, Bar the Shouting
I want to meet Joe Pernice one day, shout him a bourbon and tell him I’ve got everything he’s ever done, even his first novel.
And he’ll chuckle and say, “Yeah, first novels are always a bit embarrassing, aren’t they?”
And I’ll respond, “It wasn’t that bad. I just wanted to like it a smidgen more than I did”.
And he’ll say, “You’re such a gentleman.”
Then, some girl, maybe his partner, will come up to him and say, “Ready for bed, Joe?” and they’ll disappear into the night.
I’ll have one more rum (I hate bourbon) and I’ll wander off to my imaginary mansion on the hill.
This first novel wasn’t that bad. I just wanted to like it a smidgen more than I did.
I wanted to be able to say that it warranted five stars, not three or four.
I wanted to quote Joe Pernice’s lyrics.
I wanted to say that the novel had an Amazing Glimmer, an Amazing Glow, that it made me Lightheaded and Shaken Baby, that the protagonists made me feel like I’d been Blinded by the Stars, that they all Heightened Everything, that it all wasn’t a Flaming Wreck or just a Pisshole in the Snow.
I wanted to look on the Bryte Side, not hobble around on a Bum Leg.
I wanted to turn up at the best restaurants in town and dine without reservations.
In the end, I’d probably rate it 3 ½ stars, but I’ll raise it to four, out of a spirit of generosity and gentle encouragement.
What Does Joe Pernice the Musician Have Going for Him?
Joe Pernice is an indie musician who works a rich vein somewhere between Singer/Songwriter Troubadour and Power Pop.
I’ve got five Pernice Brothers albums and one supposedly solo album (“Big Tobacco”).
I’m listening to them now, thinking nice thoughts about Big Star and Badfinger.
He has great taste in music, as does the anonymous narrative voice of his novel.
They namedrop Lou Barlow, the Chills, the Dream Syndicate (I’ve got Joe doing a nice solo version of “Tell Me When It’s Over” live on KEXP).
What Does Joe Pernice the Novelist Have Going for Him?
Joe Pernice comes across as a slacker gentleman on the page.
His writing has a beautiful, elegant, gentle tone about it.
He is economical with his description, he focuses on people and their interactions, he gets their conversations down pat.
Not one word or expression jumps off the page and shouts, “I shouldn’t be here”.
He has good manners, you can’t imagine him deliberately hurting anyone.
Nevertheless, his twenty-something protagonist (I’ll call him “Joe”) does hurt people and he gets hurt.
He does all the things I did at his age, and his friends do all the things that my friends did, usually with and to each other.
The novel hovers between Boston and Brooklyn and Cape Cod, sometimes indistinguishably.
“Joe” drifts between Jocelyn and Marie, learning about them, learning about himself, learning about relationships and learning about life in the process.
Joe Novelist captures all of this word-perfectly, as you would expect a consummate lyricist to do.
What Doesn’t Joe Pernice the Novelist Quite Pull Off?
By which question I mean, apart from the masturbation scenes?
My fear is that one or other Joe is just a little too gentlemanly, too polite, too reactive for his own good.
“Joe” Character would never be the first to suggest that we get up to some mischief, though he might be a responsive sidekick if you came up with the idea first.
Joe Novelist is a good portrait painter, he gets the look right, he pays attention to the detail of the static image.
However, I sense that he is less comfortable with verbs and dynamism and drama.
While his characters have shared bad experiences in the past, we hear about them retrospectively, we don’t witness the disputes, the arguments, the tragedies.
They are already distant nouns by the time we learn about them.
We aren’t party to any of the break-ups, nor are we there for all of the make-ups.
Show Me Your Private Parts
It’s not that he writes about these issues ineptly. It’s just that he doesn’t write about them at all or enough.
He censors them, as if it would be impolite to enter the bedroom and spy on his protagonists.
Only, an author’s characters aren’t supposed to have any privacy.
Their right of privacy is fictitious.
We want to see bad things happen to them, only so that we can invest in them and see them prevail.
Twenty-Something Loop
“Joe” Character seems to be trapped in a twenty-something loop that pushes and pulls him between two cities and two girls, between commitment and non-attachment, between celibacy and “so-called celibacy”, between loneliness, friendship and family.
Surely, the point of the novel is not that this lifestyle can go on forever, that the song remains the same, that you can keep regurgitating the same album?
Surely, he has to grow up, or turn 30, or do (or experience) something dramatic and life-changing?
Like “get a life”.
Surely, it must feel so good when you stop?
Then again, is this review just the rant of a Post-Thirty-Something who wouldn’t mind flitting idly between Boston and Brooklyn for a few years?
My Me-Something, pretending to be on my own, with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone?
Then I realise, ha ha, it’s just my imagination running away with me!
Whose Novel is It Anyway?
Ultimately, however, my dilemma as a reader is a product of Joe Novelist’s artistic choice, not his artistic failure.
He chose to write his novel this way, and he wrote the novel in his head very capably.
Nevertheless, I want him to do another novel, I want him to hone his skills, I want him to grow as an artist, I want him to finally "discover a lovelier you".
I don’t want him to have Zero Refills in his pen.
So, this work is worth exploring before he delivers that difficult sophomore novel.
This Review is All Over, Bar the Shouting
I want to meet Joe Pernice one day, shout him a bourbon and tell him I’ve got everything he’s ever done, even his first novel.
And he’ll chuckle and say, “Yeah, first novels are always a bit embarrassing, aren’t they?”
And I’ll respond, “It wasn’t that bad. I just wanted to like it a smidgen more than I did”.
And he’ll say, “You’re such a gentleman.”
Then, some girl, maybe his partner, will come up to him and say, “Ready for bed, Joe?” and they’ll disappear into the night.
I’ll have one more rum (I hate bourbon) and I’ll wander off to my imaginary mansion on the hill.
June 4, 2017
Es triste terminar un libro y pensar que casi has perdido el tiempo...
No llego a comprender qué es lo que han encontrado interesante para publicarlo. No tiene trama, no ocurre nada, no hay ningún giro que te mantenga en vilo, no está especialmente bien escrito... Incluso, en bastantes ocasiones, el lenguaje y el comportamiento de los personajes es grosero y, un poco, machista.
No llego a comprender qué es lo que han encontrado interesante para publicarlo. No tiene trama, no ocurre nada, no hay ningún giro que te mantenga en vilo, no está especialmente bien escrito... Incluso, en bastantes ocasiones, el lenguaje y el comportamiento de los personajes es grosero y, un poco, machista.
February 14, 2018
Este libro tiene una edición preciosa, frases elogiosas de autores de la talla de Nick Hornby, George Pelecanos o William Gibson en la introducción y en la contraportada, y una premisa sugerente. Quizá por estos motivos la decepción que me ha supuesto me ha sentado peor de lo que esperaba.
¿Tiene cosas buenas? Sí, las tiene. Joe Pernice es músico y letrista, y de hecho el disco que acompaña al libro (disponible en Spotify) es muy bueno, mucho mejor que la lectura. Es capaz de escribir una buena frase, de articular un diálogo con chispa entre sus personajes. Elige un escenario interesante y nostálgico, un pueblo costero en Cape Cod fuera de la temporada turística, y sitúa la acción en el 96, poco después del apogeo del grunge en la primera mitad de los 90, pero con frecuentes flashbacks.
¿Cuál es el problema? Su carencia de una estructura al servicio de un propósito. Durante 120 interminables páginas se dedica a pintar una polaroid desvaída del momento, del lugar y de su innominado y pusilánime protagonista, sin que pase apenas algo digno de mención. Los frecuentes flashbacks muestran pinceladas de su vida y relaciones anteriores, pero sin que parezcan tener un propósito o un sentido respecto a su situación actual que haga avanzar la trama. Cuando finalmente se decide contar algo interesante, apenas restan cuarenta páginas, y es entonces cuando nos da 30 páginas buenas, que a esas alturas sólo causan frustración, y remata con un final que no resuelve los conflictos que tenía, pero que no ha acertado a desarrollar.
Podía haber sido un relato corto excelente si se hubiera quedado con la autenticidad de esas treinta páginas buenas, pero desperdicia su potencia guardándolas hasta que realmente ya no te importa lo que le pase a un personaje egoísta e inmaduro, que nos ha contado muchas veces que la música le encanta (con abundante name-dropping), pero que no transmite pasión ni una sola vez. Creo que es lo peor que puede pasar en un libro así: mucho contar y poco mostrar. Sin la nostalgia de haber vivido esa época y esa escena, este libro tiene poco que aportar.
¿Tiene cosas buenas? Sí, las tiene. Joe Pernice es músico y letrista, y de hecho el disco que acompaña al libro (disponible en Spotify) es muy bueno, mucho mejor que la lectura. Es capaz de escribir una buena frase, de articular un diálogo con chispa entre sus personajes. Elige un escenario interesante y nostálgico, un pueblo costero en Cape Cod fuera de la temporada turística, y sitúa la acción en el 96, poco después del apogeo del grunge en la primera mitad de los 90, pero con frecuentes flashbacks.
¿Cuál es el problema? Su carencia de una estructura al servicio de un propósito. Durante 120 interminables páginas se dedica a pintar una polaroid desvaída del momento, del lugar y de su innominado y pusilánime protagonista, sin que pase apenas algo digno de mención. Los frecuentes flashbacks muestran pinceladas de su vida y relaciones anteriores, pero sin que parezcan tener un propósito o un sentido respecto a su situación actual que haga avanzar la trama. Cuando finalmente se decide contar algo interesante, apenas restan cuarenta páginas, y es entonces cuando nos da 30 páginas buenas, que a esas alturas sólo causan frustración, y remata con un final que no resuelve los conflictos que tenía, pero que no ha acertado a desarrollar.
Podía haber sido un relato corto excelente si se hubiera quedado con la autenticidad de esas treinta páginas buenas, pero desperdicia su potencia guardándolas hasta que realmente ya no te importa lo que le pase a un personaje egoísta e inmaduro, que nos ha contado muchas veces que la música le encanta (con abundante name-dropping), pero que no transmite pasión ni una sola vez. Creo que es lo peor que puede pasar en un libro así: mucho contar y poco mostrar. Sin la nostalgia de haber vivido esa época y esa escena, este libro tiene poco que aportar.
April 17, 2009
It's not every novel that can make you laugh out loud in the grimmest of settings--the L train at 9:30 a.m., or waiting for the doctor in a purple paper gown, to take two examples from last week. Pernice is hilarious, and his sentences are marvels of wit and compression. On the downside, this novel has about as much structure, plot, and form as a puddle of melted ice cream. 200 pages go by, and nothing happens and nothing changes. But melted ice cream is still ice cream, right?
July 11, 2017
No me ha gustado nada, ni me parece original, ni me gustan los personajes, es pretencioso, un poco irreverente y bastante caótico... No sé si he sido yo que no he sabido cogerle el "punto" o simplemente no es un buen libro.
July 11, 2017
Pues no, no me parece que sea "la mejor canción sobre corazones rotos que vas a leer jamás", como indica una de las opiniones de la contraportada. No sé por qué, pero tengo la impresión de que de un tiempo a esta parte está de moda un tipo de personaje que bajo mi punto de vista ya deja de ser creíble. El del joven atormentado, inseguro, que no sabe lo que quiere... eso mezclado con un poco de lenguaje de mal gusto, alcohol y rock and roll (sexo poco)... y novela lista. Creo que "El guardián entre el centeno" ha hecho mucho daño. La historia no me gusta, fundamentalmente porque no hay historia; el argumento es totalmente plano, no sorprende en ningún momento y a mi al menos me deja bastante (muy) indiferente. Aún así, resalto dos puntos positivos:
- la forma en que está escrito. Me gusta la manera de estructurarlo, el ritmo que se consigue combinando "el antes" y "el después". Lo reconozco, siento debilidad por ese recurso (no lo ha inventado el autor, desde luego, pero al menos lo utiliza correctamente). Si no hubiera recurrido a esta estructura, es muy probable que no lo hubiera acabado, por puro aburrimiento
- la ternura y sensibilidad que se desprende de la relación entre el protagonista y su sobrino, relación que se construye prácticamente desde la nada en el libro y que en mi opinión es lo más bonito de la obra y probablemente lo único rescatable
Le doy dos estrellas (puntuación máxima 1.5) por los dos puntos anteriores, pero no es un libro que recomiende en absoluto.
- la forma en que está escrito. Me gusta la manera de estructurarlo, el ritmo que se consigue combinando "el antes" y "el después". Lo reconozco, siento debilidad por ese recurso (no lo ha inventado el autor, desde luego, pero al menos lo utiliza correctamente). Si no hubiera recurrido a esta estructura, es muy probable que no lo hubiera acabado, por puro aburrimiento
- la ternura y sensibilidad que se desprende de la relación entre el protagonista y su sobrino, relación que se construye prácticamente desde la nada en el libro y que en mi opinión es lo más bonito de la obra y probablemente lo único rescatable
Le doy dos estrellas (puntuación máxima 1.5) por los dos puntos anteriores, pero no es un libro que recomiende en absoluto.
August 25, 2017
"Si quiero seguir viviendo, no puedo evitar el dolor."
Joe Pernice es músico. Indie al parecer. Al parecer porque jamás había oído hablar de él ni del 99,9% de músicos que menciona en su novela. De hecho, solo he conocido a uno, a Del Shannon, y por roce.
No sé si existe el término de novela indie pero supongo que ésta podría serlo. El protagonista es un tío deprimido que ha dejado tirada a su esposa recién estrenada en Nueva York y se ha marchado a Cape Cod con su sobrino bebé, Roy, y su antiguo cuñado, James. Allí conoce a gente pintoresca. Y hasta aquí.
El protagonista es un listillo. Todos sus diálogos son inteligentes, rápidos, chispeantes. Todos sus pensamientos también. Él es un desgraciado un pelín misógino. Pero tierno. Folla. Y si no lo hace lo piensa. Todo honestidad.
Lo único que tiene de original esta novela es lo que no parece impostado. Pero engancha igualmente. Porque una vez dentro de la dinámica yo quiero ser como él. Alguien que se emociona una noche y, al día siguiente, cuando le dan la patada, tiene la capacidad de cabrearse con pensamientos brillantes y diálogos llenos de tacos. En la próxima pruebo, a ver si duele menos.
Joe Pernice es músico. Indie al parecer. Al parecer porque jamás había oído hablar de él ni del 99,9% de músicos que menciona en su novela. De hecho, solo he conocido a uno, a Del Shannon, y por roce.
No sé si existe el término de novela indie pero supongo que ésta podría serlo. El protagonista es un tío deprimido que ha dejado tirada a su esposa recién estrenada en Nueva York y se ha marchado a Cape Cod con su sobrino bebé, Roy, y su antiguo cuñado, James. Allí conoce a gente pintoresca. Y hasta aquí.
El protagonista es un listillo. Todos sus diálogos son inteligentes, rápidos, chispeantes. Todos sus pensamientos también. Él es un desgraciado un pelín misógino. Pero tierno. Folla. Y si no lo hace lo piensa. Todo honestidad.
Lo único que tiene de original esta novela es lo que no parece impostado. Pero engancha igualmente. Porque una vez dentro de la dinámica yo quiero ser como él. Alguien que se emociona una noche y, al día siguiente, cuando le dan la patada, tiene la capacidad de cabrearse con pensamientos brillantes y diálogos llenos de tacos. En la próxima pruebo, a ver si duele menos.
September 28, 2009
The guys in the book were just too vulgar and dickish for me to root for. Which sort of surprised me, having been a big fan of Joe Pernice's music, which tends towards the sensitive and heartbroken. I guess you could give him extra points for writing about people (hopefully) not like him. But the book doesn't really get moving until the end, when the protagonist finally engages with someone - only then does he seem like a decent guy. But it's too late.
That said, the soundtrack that Pernice put out that includes tunes mentioned in the book rules.
That said, the soundtrack that Pernice put out that includes tunes mentioned in the book rules.
June 9, 2017
Sigo buscando la canción, aunque el libro tiene muchas melodías.
August 18, 2019
El tono, las referencias musicales, hasta los personajes, me han gustado. Tiene un aire indie interesante. El problema de la novela es que se queda ahí. Es como una novela hípster : un aspecto impecable pero un fondo vacío.
January 19, 2013
The nameless narrator, having walked out on his rocky and three-days-old marriage in New York, stays at his brother-in-law James’ Cape Cod house that stands empty following James’ own impending divorce from the narrator’s sister. Looking after his baby nephew to make ends meet, tooling around Cape Cod on a rusty, undersize bicycle his sister rode as child, he thinks back to how he and his wife met and the course their relationship took, while in the present he meets a fragile young woman who wants him to help her make a home movie about her dead son. The narrator was in a band that went nowhere, and Pernice, a hip indie singer-songwriter himself, seeps the book in media cool: earnest appreciation of good music in all its forms, from Doris Day and Mel Tormé to the Chills and the Frogs; name-dropping Tom T. Hall, Teenage Fanclub, Todd Rundgren, Ross McElwee, Mudhoney, Errol Morris, Nick Drake. Lou Barlow even appears briefly to meet the protagonist after a show. The narrator’s internal monologue is a peppered with self-deprecating one-liners (“Everything I knew about how fucked up the music business was came from a story about Fugazi I’d skimmed in ‘Magnet’”) and cynical observations (“I poked at the food like I was examining a pet’s stool for an ingested coin”).
I’m probably the exact target audience for this sort of prose, and I found it to be an engaging, if ultimately lightweight, novel. The narrator’s meandering musings on how little he’s done with his life and whether he’s permanently damaged his relationship with his wife are bittersweet and amusing. It’s not exactly the final word on the human condition, but moving in its way.
I’m probably the exact target audience for this sort of prose, and I found it to be an engaging, if ultimately lightweight, novel. The narrator’s meandering musings on how little he’s done with his life and whether he’s permanently damaged his relationship with his wife are bittersweet and amusing. It’s not exactly the final word on the human condition, but moving in its way.
October 29, 2011
Never was a big fan of plot anyhow, and I have a soft spot for indie rock slacker stories. The jumping around in time was fine - each schism triggered by either a word or idea that linked the parts together. There were some real laughs in this book, and some pretty heartbreaking moments too. Lots of drinking and fucking and cussing. Some parts were so crude that Bulkowski himself was evoked, like it said in a blurb, but this was truly surprising for me, since Pernice's lovely pop and earlier country music have been soothing me and many others for twenty years or so... Plus, the man gets points in my system for writing a novella about a Smith's album (which I haven't read yet). Then he moves down the street with his family, hanging out in the coffee shop on the corner and being generally pleasant and neighborly.
August 7, 2017
Esta canción no me ha recordado nada más allá de una noche lúgubre, desperdiciada en un bar anónimo en el que no quieres estar pero del cual no te atreves a marchar. Una narrativa que no lleva a ninguna parte hasta que no estás a punto de terminar el libro, momento en el cual todo parece cobrar un mínimo sentido, aunque no el suficiente.
Prácticamente todos los personajes, menos Marie y Jocelyn me parecieron de lo más insulsos, vacíos, y con cero encanto. El propio protagonista me resultó un aburrimiento, sin que me importara lo más mínimo lo que le sucediera, un mero cobarde sin nada que aportar a la historia.
Solo en las últimas páginas conseguí que la historia me atrajera, ver con Marie la intención tras la historia, pero nada más. Le salva una escritura limpia, pulida y poco más.
Prácticamente todos los personajes, menos Marie y Jocelyn me parecieron de lo más insulsos, vacíos, y con cero encanto. El propio protagonista me resultó un aburrimiento, sin que me importara lo más mínimo lo que le sucediera, un mero cobarde sin nada que aportar a la historia.
Solo en las últimas páginas conseguí que la historia me atrajera, ver con Marie la intención tras la historia, pero nada más. Le salva una escritura limpia, pulida y poco más.
August 20, 2017
Supongo que lo peor que puedes decir de un libro es que no sabes si te ha gustado o no y éste es el caso. A pesar de estar muy bien escrito, la historia no sé si me convence. Al principio me pareció francamente aburrido; pero, poco a poco, fue enganchándome, gracias a algunos pasajes francamente brillantes. No obstante, superada ya la mitad del libro, la historia vuelve a adquirir un tono algo errático e insustancial, convirtiendo su lectura en un intrascendente pasatiempo cotidiano. ¿Es un mal libro? No, pero tampoco podría decir que es bueno.
August 2, 2018
Supongo que esto es lo que sucede cuando tienes los contactos adecuados para que publiquen tu libro y hablen bien de él. Independientemente de lo que trate. La idea es buena, la atmósfera por ratos es muy nostálgica y atrayente.
Algunas viñetas cómicas y tristes realmente funcionan. La música está bien. Pero no hay nada en el fondo. Es intrascendente. Se siente como una oportunidad terriblemente desperdiciada.
Al menos la edición es bonita.
Algunas viñetas cómicas y tristes realmente funcionan. La música está bien. Pero no hay nada en el fondo. Es intrascendente. Se siente como una oportunidad terriblemente desperdiciada.
Al menos la edición es bonita.
March 4, 2018
La verdad es que es un libro que no vende una historia intensa , difícil..me parece una lectura amena , sin más.. la recomiendo para gente que esté con parón lector o quiera coger esa rutina. Eso sí , decir que con menos páginas de introducción también me hubiese gustado un pelín más
September 7, 2009
Too clever for its own good with dialog that should have never left the locker room.
Read
December 4, 2022He leído algo más de 100 páginas antes de decidir dejarlo. No creo que sea un mal libro, simplemente no es para mí, yo no soy su público objetivo.
February 28, 2020
Not my type
November 28, 2009
Joe Pernice (the author) is part of the musical group The Pernice Brothers, who were before that called The Scud Mountain Boys. I should say a few words about what I know about these groups. My impression was that these groups were Americana or alternative country music. When I bought my first Pernice Brothers' CD, I was disappointed. It was too smooth and poppy for me. I was expecting something grittier. Their earlier incarnation, The Scud Mountain Boys was only slightly better.
So I wasn't sure what to expect from this author, but I was happy to read this book.
It's the story of an everyday man / slacker and his romantic life. At the beginning of the book, he had just broken up with his wife of 3 days, and simultaneously, his sister was divorcing her husband who our hero was still friends with. In fact he helps the ex-husband take care of his nephew (the ex's son) though he had never had any responsibility of any kind previous to this.
So our slacker man ( I do remember he was never named in this book so as to give him a feel of everyday man) tells his tale of two times. He tells both what happens to him AFTER the break up and the events that transpire BEFORE the break up. A nice structure, though it was confusing at first.
He describes how he and his future wife get together and then details their life together. Nothing traumatic happens that point to the future break-up but there are signs that there is trouble. His girlfriend seems to circulate in more sophisticated circles than him. She works for a fashion magazine. Though when she is with him, she seems to be pretty down to earth. The narrative eventually leads to the day they break up, but it's not clear why, though we do find out that it was his idea. Was it nerves? A feeling of inadequacy? (they were in Paris - a fancy place for an everyday man). The ending only hints at these possibilities.
Then there is the narrative that follows the break up. He starts to look after his nephew and he meets a woman who has had a tragic event happen. She lost her son (I think he drowned). She wants to make a documentary honoring her lost son. Our hero decides to help her (he is conveniently unemployed - a slacker). During the course of making the video, they learn about themselves and each other. And even though romance does happen, it is certainly doomed from the start, though I think both characters came out better for it. And I think the characters would agree that though doomed, the relationship was worth their time and effort.
So over all the book has a positive, hopeful feeling, which I liked also. I might have to go back to the Cd's and at last listen to the lyrics, even if I didn't care for the music. He clearly knows how to tell a narrative. I be this songs have good narratives too.
So I wasn't sure what to expect from this author, but I was happy to read this book.
It's the story of an everyday man / slacker and his romantic life. At the beginning of the book, he had just broken up with his wife of 3 days, and simultaneously, his sister was divorcing her husband who our hero was still friends with. In fact he helps the ex-husband take care of his nephew (the ex's son) though he had never had any responsibility of any kind previous to this.
So our slacker man ( I do remember he was never named in this book so as to give him a feel of everyday man) tells his tale of two times. He tells both what happens to him AFTER the break up and the events that transpire BEFORE the break up. A nice structure, though it was confusing at first.
He describes how he and his future wife get together and then details their life together. Nothing traumatic happens that point to the future break-up but there are signs that there is trouble. His girlfriend seems to circulate in more sophisticated circles than him. She works for a fashion magazine. Though when she is with him, she seems to be pretty down to earth. The narrative eventually leads to the day they break up, but it's not clear why, though we do find out that it was his idea. Was it nerves? A feeling of inadequacy? (they were in Paris - a fancy place for an everyday man). The ending only hints at these possibilities.
Then there is the narrative that follows the break up. He starts to look after his nephew and he meets a woman who has had a tragic event happen. She lost her son (I think he drowned). She wants to make a documentary honoring her lost son. Our hero decides to help her (he is conveniently unemployed - a slacker). During the course of making the video, they learn about themselves and each other. And even though romance does happen, it is certainly doomed from the start, though I think both characters came out better for it. And I think the characters would agree that though doomed, the relationship was worth their time and effort.
So over all the book has a positive, hopeful feeling, which I liked also. I might have to go back to the Cd's and at last listen to the lyrics, even if I didn't care for the music. He clearly knows how to tell a narrative. I be this songs have good narratives too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 11, 2011
I wish there was .5 stars because I believe that this novel deserves a 4.5 instead of the measly four I bestowed upon it. It exceeded the "really liked it" apex in my opinion and just barely missed the "amazing" factor. If it had been a punch you may not have felt the blow but you would definitely have felt the rush of air pass your face. The only barrier to the full 5 star rating was the ubrupt ending. It was an utter collapse; like a beautiful star imploding upon itself. The author never names his main character. It is an under-utilized tool in the literary world that humanizes the main character and gives him an everyman quality. It could be you, your neighbor, a friend, or co-worker you're reading about. The candidness feels extremely intimate at times. This draws you in and convinces the reader that this is NOT a story but a true account. This does feel like a familiar story.
Boy meets Girl. Boy and Girl fall in love. Insecurities are unmasked. Sabotage, outwardly and internal come into play. Relationship dies. It is perhaps a story that may be over-tread but Joe Pernice manages to infuse hipster culture, some indie name-dropping, and hilarious dialogue to punch up the monotony.
The narrative follows our protagonist as he struggles to find direction after running out on his wife during their honeymoon. He flees to his sister and soon-to-be-ex-husband's house in Cape Cod. They are in the midst of their own divorce but they agree to allow him to crash at the house until it is sold. As part of earning his keep the main character is enlisted to babysit his nephew Roy. The awakening of his awareness of the life he may have had haphazardly thrown away is illuminated as Roy and him grow closer. As their bond grows we are introduced to a quirky, lovable secondary cast of characters that, at the heart of this book, gave the story its legs. Each one has a significant impact on the protag as well as the reader.
As the story continues along a formal linear motion in the Cape Cod setting the reader is also taken back and shown the burgeoning process of the protagonist's former relationship with his girlfriend/wife, Jocelyn. A defining exploration of their love's blossoming and eventual demise is given in candid frame-by-frame snapshots. I imagine this book will resonate with most readers because its context is universal. Love lost is better than love not had. The failings and flaws of the main character are laid bare for the reader to judge for themselves.
July 13, 2014
This was a generally enjoyable story about a guy trying to find his way in life after the breakup of a short-lived marriage. It's the author's first novel, and it shows, particularly at the beginning as he struggles to get a handle on the sometimes jarring decision to swing back and forth in the story's timeline. Things settle down and pick up in the second half. Bonus points for taking place largely on Cape Cod, which added a nice touch of familiarity.
Some memorable passages:
"I couldn't sleep, so I started jerking a disinterested dick towards a distant conclusion. I flipped through the wank bank, finally stopping at a love scene starring me and a Bay State Games bronze-medalist pole-vaulter who was in the same Major British Writers study group as me. I couldn't remember if her name was Catherine or Kathleen, but she went by Cat or Kat, so it didn't matter. Jocelyn kept crashing the vignette no matter how hard I tried to write her out of it. And then I stopped trying. Jocelyn was sitting across from me in an empty bar in Hadley. A torrential downpour was in full swing. It was close to midnight. Our relationship was new. We weren't even on farting terms yet. We planned on walking through the muddy cornfields beyond the back parking lot, but we never made it. "I'm Your Puppet" was playing on the jukebox. Jocelyn was singing along out of tune. She filled her cheeks with Wild Turkey and motioned for my mouth to meet hers in the middle. When she kissed me, she let some of the booze drain into me. As I was coming, it felt almost as good as the real thing. But it had a lonely finish, like a nonalcoholic beer."
"At that moment I definitely wanted to partake in frequent and varied sex acts with her. But way more than that, I just wanted to be around her. It's corny as fuck but true: If someone had told me I could freeze any minute and spend the rest of my life in it, I would have picked Jocelyn and me sitting on that bench in front of the Amherst Post Office. But who the fuck has the power to grant that kind of perpetual happiness? And if they did have it, why would they wield it on my behalf?"
"I addressed the postcard to Jocelyn. I chose the rest of my words carefully: 'There's no one else, by the way.' I dropped the postcard in the first mailbox I saw. I regretted it immediately because I felt like I was giving her the upper hand by being the first to crack. I mean, I knew that even if Jocelyn was under someone else, there was no way she was already over me."
Some memorable passages:
"I couldn't sleep, so I started jerking a disinterested dick towards a distant conclusion. I flipped through the wank bank, finally stopping at a love scene starring me and a Bay State Games bronze-medalist pole-vaulter who was in the same Major British Writers study group as me. I couldn't remember if her name was Catherine or Kathleen, but she went by Cat or Kat, so it didn't matter. Jocelyn kept crashing the vignette no matter how hard I tried to write her out of it. And then I stopped trying. Jocelyn was sitting across from me in an empty bar in Hadley. A torrential downpour was in full swing. It was close to midnight. Our relationship was new. We weren't even on farting terms yet. We planned on walking through the muddy cornfields beyond the back parking lot, but we never made it. "I'm Your Puppet" was playing on the jukebox. Jocelyn was singing along out of tune. She filled her cheeks with Wild Turkey and motioned for my mouth to meet hers in the middle. When she kissed me, she let some of the booze drain into me. As I was coming, it felt almost as good as the real thing. But it had a lonely finish, like a nonalcoholic beer."
"At that moment I definitely wanted to partake in frequent and varied sex acts with her. But way more than that, I just wanted to be around her. It's corny as fuck but true: If someone had told me I could freeze any minute and spend the rest of my life in it, I would have picked Jocelyn and me sitting on that bench in front of the Amherst Post Office. But who the fuck has the power to grant that kind of perpetual happiness? And if they did have it, why would they wield it on my behalf?"
"I addressed the postcard to Jocelyn. I chose the rest of my words carefully: 'There's no one else, by the way.' I dropped the postcard in the first mailbox I saw. I regretted it immediately because I felt like I was giving her the upper hand by being the first to crack. I mean, I knew that even if Jocelyn was under someone else, there was no way she was already over me."
February 5, 2012
It feels so Good When I stop
By Joe Pernice
This book was a pleasant surprise-- a book I had never heard of (that I found accidentally while browsing through the “P“ section of the library) that nevertheless proved to be absolutely delightful to read.
This is set in Cape Cod in the 1990’s, but unlike another recent book I read that took place in that decade (whose name escapes me at the moment) the setting is not used to milk the reader’s sense of nostalgia--it simply serves as a way to set the action apart from the current reality--reflecting a dream-like state or maybe even a vacation from reality.
The novel reads like a memoir, or maybe a confession, an almost heartbreaking coming of age story about a man who has recently separated from his wife of one day. He leaves her in New York to crash at his sister’s place in Cape Cod. His sister has also just gotten out of a marriage that had produced a child, Roy, with whom this character (who is unnamed throughout the novel) forms a bond. This bond attracts the interest of Marie, a local filmmaker who is dealing with the loss of a son roughly the same age as Roy. The man rides his bike around town, which becomes symbolic of his slow journey through life that is as aimless as it is difficult.
I loved this book, and actually hated to see it end. It does end somewhat abruptly after the climax, after following a narrative structure that alternates between past and present, between ex-wife/girlfriend and current love interest/girlfriend.
Minor quibbles: I usually hate clever narrative techniques and gimmicks that distract from the telling of a story, such as the fact that the narrator is never given a first name. But I got over this one, and I’m glad I did. The musical references were not over the top or annoying like they could have been, like I have seen in other books of this sort of retro 90’s nostalgia genre. It helps that I actually like the bands mentioned.
The writing style itself was in 1st person with frequent shifts in time, which was not difficult to follow--it was kind of like reading someone else’s journal--addictive and very readable.
I am a big fan of this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
By Joe Pernice
This book was a pleasant surprise-- a book I had never heard of (that I found accidentally while browsing through the “P“ section of the library) that nevertheless proved to be absolutely delightful to read.
This is set in Cape Cod in the 1990’s, but unlike another recent book I read that took place in that decade (whose name escapes me at the moment) the setting is not used to milk the reader’s sense of nostalgia--it simply serves as a way to set the action apart from the current reality--reflecting a dream-like state or maybe even a vacation from reality.
The novel reads like a memoir, or maybe a confession, an almost heartbreaking coming of age story about a man who has recently separated from his wife of one day. He leaves her in New York to crash at his sister’s place in Cape Cod. His sister has also just gotten out of a marriage that had produced a child, Roy, with whom this character (who is unnamed throughout the novel) forms a bond. This bond attracts the interest of Marie, a local filmmaker who is dealing with the loss of a son roughly the same age as Roy. The man rides his bike around town, which becomes symbolic of his slow journey through life that is as aimless as it is difficult.
I loved this book, and actually hated to see it end. It does end somewhat abruptly after the climax, after following a narrative structure that alternates between past and present, between ex-wife/girlfriend and current love interest/girlfriend.
Minor quibbles: I usually hate clever narrative techniques and gimmicks that distract from the telling of a story, such as the fact that the narrator is never given a first name. But I got over this one, and I’m glad I did. The musical references were not over the top or annoying like they could have been, like I have seen in other books of this sort of retro 90’s nostalgia genre. It helps that I actually like the bands mentioned.
The writing style itself was in 1st person with frequent shifts in time, which was not difficult to follow--it was kind of like reading someone else’s journal--addictive and very readable.
I am a big fan of this book and look forward to reading more from this author.
June 17, 2018
Fuck me if I can figure out how to write a review of Joe Pernice’s debut novel, “It Feels So Good When I Stop.” I’ve been a huge fan of his music for decades now, which I suspect puts me in familiar company with just about everyone who’s read this book — and which means there’s a tremendous amount of goodwill, perhaps even more than usual, between reader and writer. I’m not sure Pernice has ever penned a bad song, and I’m of the opinion that every Pernice Brothers album is practically perfect from start to finish. Despite all that, none of them have ever felt like stone-cold classics. That’s an important distinction — one I hadn’t realized until now — and, I suppose, it’s the bridge between talking about Pernice the musician and Pernice the author.
“It Feels So Good When I Stop” demonstrates that Pernice can write prose as ably as he can lyrics. It drops plenty of references to bands and artists and songs that lie just enough outside the mainstream to satisfy the music nerd in me. Page for page, it has as many laugh-out-loud moments as any book I’ve read. Its construction isn’t entirely innovative, but it’s a successful conceit that keeps things moving in a story where nothing really happens. It’s a fun read. It’s a quick read. It’s an easy read. Like any Pernice Brothers album, it feels both familiar and new at the same time. Like any Pernice Brothers album, it’s practically perfect without being a stone-cold classic. And like any Pernice Brothers album, it does what it does wonderfully — it just doesn’t aim high enough to be truly wondrous.
“It Feels So Good When I Stop” demonstrates that Pernice can write prose as ably as he can lyrics. It drops plenty of references to bands and artists and songs that lie just enough outside the mainstream to satisfy the music nerd in me. Page for page, it has as many laugh-out-loud moments as any book I’ve read. Its construction isn’t entirely innovative, but it’s a successful conceit that keeps things moving in a story where nothing really happens. It’s a fun read. It’s a quick read. It’s an easy read. Like any Pernice Brothers album, it feels both familiar and new at the same time. Like any Pernice Brothers album, it’s practically perfect without being a stone-cold classic. And like any Pernice Brothers album, it does what it does wonderfully — it just doesn’t aim high enough to be truly wondrous.
September 17, 2009
I'm more than usually torn on what to make of this book; I read Meat is Murder with almost no expectations, and was really moved by it. I was raring to go, then, with this, the some sort of follow-up, or at least next book by the same writer. And I love the soundtrack album.
The book itself took more time to warm me up. Really, it was thirty pages before I figured out how to read around the novel's structure (the story of the relationship, in alternating with the story of life after that relationship ends), and for those thirty pages, I felt totally lost-- after I learned how to read it, it went better, but I still can't for the life of me see why the structure is anything but arbitary. Oh well.
What there is in here is some pretty good laddish humor and a lot of indie rock and otherwise references (including some speaking parts for Lou Barlow, in a book that is otherwise at least a little bit roman a clef, maybe? Who is Fifi?). The scenes between narrator and nephew are actually really satisfying, and the way that character grows into his relationship with Marie is also pretty satisfying.
In short, I liked it, but at times in spite of itself. I really thought a book like this would have a lot of evident editing, and in the end, I wondered why it didn't have more. But who am I to judge.
The book itself took more time to warm me up. Really, it was thirty pages before I figured out how to read around the novel's structure (the story of the relationship, in alternating with the story of life after that relationship ends), and for those thirty pages, I felt totally lost-- after I learned how to read it, it went better, but I still can't for the life of me see why the structure is anything but arbitary. Oh well.
What there is in here is some pretty good laddish humor and a lot of indie rock and otherwise references (including some speaking parts for Lou Barlow, in a book that is otherwise at least a little bit roman a clef, maybe? Who is Fifi?). The scenes between narrator and nephew are actually really satisfying, and the way that character grows into his relationship with Marie is also pretty satisfying.
In short, I liked it, but at times in spite of itself. I really thought a book like this would have a lot of evident editing, and in the end, I wondered why it didn't have more. But who am I to judge.
August 17, 2010
I agree wholeheartedly with the ice-cream analogy. Some spots of satisfying writing here, but not a book I'd hand to a plot lover or a non-indie/Americana fan.
There were some great individual moments, but I wanted more structure. Not sure what the purpose of the juxtaposed timelines were. Like other readers, I got it at first, but found the effectiveness withered. Some rewarding prose & dialogue - the scene leading up to the first kiss with Jocelyn, for example. Beautiful enough that I'm alright with not knowing what happens with her. It makes sense to leave things unsettled. However, I think a little more resolution with the other female characters, even if it took the form of a doors being slammed in his face, would've counterbalanced and made for a better story. Things felt unfinished, not in an abstract or poetic way that created longing, but simply in a way that left me scratching my head and wondering whether the printer ink ran out.
I think that, with some editing, this would have made a better novella or short story. With some beefing up, I think it would've made a better novel. As it is, it feels like it's caught in the middle somewhere, like its narrator, not sure whether or not to take the plunge.
There were some great individual moments, but I wanted more structure. Not sure what the purpose of the juxtaposed timelines were. Like other readers, I got it at first, but found the effectiveness withered. Some rewarding prose & dialogue - the scene leading up to the first kiss with Jocelyn, for example. Beautiful enough that I'm alright with not knowing what happens with her. It makes sense to leave things unsettled. However, I think a little more resolution with the other female characters, even if it took the form of a doors being slammed in his face, would've counterbalanced and made for a better story. Things felt unfinished, not in an abstract or poetic way that created longing, but simply in a way that left me scratching my head and wondering whether the printer ink ran out.
I think that, with some editing, this would have made a better novella or short story. With some beefing up, I think it would've made a better novel. As it is, it feels like it's caught in the middle somewhere, like its narrator, not sure whether or not to take the plunge.
Read
July 25, 2011I loved this book. I really did. Usually when I read books featuring characters who can't seem to commit, hold a job or carry on any successful relationship, they tend to be as disappointing as I'd imagine the characters are to their friends and family. But this book really resonated for me. The author, Joe Pernice, is really talented--he and his brother have a band, the Pernice Brothers, and he's a great songwriter as well.
The narrator of this book (you never learn his name, and while I thought that would annoy me, it didn't) has just had yet another break-up with his girlfriend/wife, so he has fled to Cape Cod. In between trying to get back in touch with her, he starts taking care of his young nephew, and builds a bond with Marie, a woman who lives down the street from where he's staying who has issues of her own. The story switches between the current time and the start of the narrator's relationship with his wife. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, everything, except the ending. It was a bit abrupt and left the story feeling unfinished, so maybe that's a sign that Pernice will revisit this story again soon.
The narrator of this book (you never learn his name, and while I thought that would annoy me, it didn't) has just had yet another break-up with his girlfriend/wife, so he has fled to Cape Cod. In between trying to get back in touch with her, he starts taking care of his young nephew, and builds a bond with Marie, a woman who lives down the street from where he's staying who has issues of her own. The story switches between the current time and the start of the narrator's relationship with his wife. I really enjoyed the story, the characters, everything, except the ending. It was a bit abrupt and left the story feeling unfinished, so maybe that's a sign that Pernice will revisit this story again soon.
August 28, 2017
“Como bebedor y fumador conocía el código: si tu provisión está visible -como tristemente era mi caso-, comparte siempre que te pidan“ (Pág. 17)
Joe Pernice. Esta canción me recuerda a mi. @blackiebooks
Tan bueno el título, tan molona la portada, tan sugerente la admiración pública de Nick Hornby, y luego... No. No he sido capaz. No he llegado al final. Ni siquiera a la mitad. No sería el momento. O no yo el lector adecuado. Tal vez en otra ocasión.
Joe Pernice. Esta canción me recuerda a mi. @blackiebooks
Tan bueno el título, tan molona la portada, tan sugerente la admiración pública de Nick Hornby, y luego... No. No he sido capaz. No he llegado al final. Ni siquiera a la mitad. No sería el momento. O no yo el lector adecuado. Tal vez en otra ocasión.
October 1, 2017
First of all, I had listened to Mr. Pernice's music (mostly with the Scud Mountain Boys) before I found out he was a published author. His lyrics are quite poetic. I liked the premise of the book as I thought I could relate to the main character, and I did. The book ended up being very funny. I also knew some of the references (some musical ones) which made it even more enjoyable. It's not perfect, but funny and relatable, at least for me, it definitely is.
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