I found out about this book when the author appeared on Stu's Show, an internet radio program primarily dedicated to classic television. Ken made me laugh out loud several times, so I thought I'd give his book a shot. I'm very glad I did!
Ken came of age during the turbulent 1960s. In retrospect it was one of the most monumental decades of the 20th Century, with major assassinations, war in Vietnam, and triumphs in space, but for Ken it was primarily about living as a somewhat maladjusted suburban teenager trying to survive high school and college. The secret to his story's appeal is that we were all maladjusted teenagers in some respects, just maybe not during such a colorful era. We can all identify with his comic adventures, crushes and (at the time) inexpressible feelings, as well as appreciate his comic take on the music and pop culture of the time. Much of the humor in this book comes from his blunt candor about everything from politics to the desirability of certain babes in sitcoms. He's also not afraid to name names (even if some are changed, as the narrator on Dragnet might say, to protect the innocent). Surprise cameos from people ranging from Ann Jillian and Jan Smithers of WKRP in Cincinnatti to Zsa Zsa Gabor and Moe Howard of the Three Stooges make this even more fun to read.
The only minor drawbacks are perhaps a dozen or so instances of odd punctuation, particularly comma placement (which was a bit surprising in a book from a well-regarded writer), and a few minor spellcheck errors, like the name Ernest Borgnine rendered as Earnest Borgnine, but these are very few and far between. Most readers would probably breeze right by them, but I'm a teacher and reserve the right to pick a few nits. Don't mind me. Buy the book anyway. It's really terrific! Like his history teacher, I'd give him an A.
Not only did I buy the Kindle version, but I also bought it on audio for $1.99 extra to hear Ken reading it. Now I'm enjoying it all over again while I drive. VERY highly recommended. I hope he writes a sequel and takes us through his 1970s.
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gfpete
... book gave a real insight to the 60s - Great.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2014