When I was in the third form at St. Andrew's School I made an amazing discovery; there was a sixth former named Phil Persinger who was the funniest guy I had ever encountered. I considered him to be a comic genius.
Many years later I learned that Phil had started publishing books. His most recent one, "Tools of the Trade," is the funniest book I have read this year. It is freaking hilarious. In this interview Phil describes how this novel simply poured out of him. He was on a roll and this book reads like that. His wit is rapier quick, the chapters fly, and Phil's whirling comedic onslaught is rambunctious, impeccably paced, and completely current.
As he lampoons pop culture he also skewers the plutocrats. Two of the main characters are Woody, the second richest man in America, and Ivan, the third richest man in America. The central theme of the novel is masculinity. The author explains that this book could be considered to be the male counterpart to "The Vagina Monologues."
I'll leave the critical analysis to others. If you are looking for a good laugh, actually, lots of guffaws, and huzzahs, and titters, too, then this is the book for you. Phil Persinger's wit is sharper than ever. Don't miss this one.
The Book Nook on WYSO is made possible by six local library systems in southwest Ohio: the Greene County Public Library, Washington-Centerville Public Library, MidPointe Library System, Clark County Public Library, Dayton Metro Library, and Wright Memorial Public Library.
