‘One More Thing’ offers everything for its reader (Review)
“You can’t judge a book by it’s cover”: B.J. Novak’s debut is more than what meets the eye.
March 11, 2014
B.J. Novak is a jack of all trades: he is an actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, and now, an author.
Released on February 4, 2014, Novak’s debut fiction collection features over 50 stories, and there is certainly something for everyone; his humor pieces are exceptional, and when sad, they hit hard.
Arguably, one of the saddest vignettes in the collection is “Missed Connection: Grocery spill at 21st and 6th 2:30pm on Wednesday,” wherein Novak mocks a Craigslist Missed Connection page.
The story is about a woman who meets a man at a grocery store and develops a special connection with him, but it is short-lived. Shortly after they meet, he abandons her.
“I know this sounds crazy to say after one encounter but I kind of fell for you pretty hard & it has been forever since I’ve connected to anyone like this & my heart is kind of broken in a million pieces,” the woman narrates in the vignette.
Novak’s biggest strength is his voice; in each story, it profoundly differs yet simple connections bind all of his stories together. His characters speak so powerfully that they almost seem as if they are real.
Another particular favorite is “‘Rithmetic,” which is about a principal of an elementary school, who decides to abolish any higher learning of mathematics courses. While this would never happen in real life, it is an exceptional humoristic piece.
“[The principal] put his Sharpie at the beginning of the word […] ‘I think the problem,’ he said, squeaking a line through it, ‘is ‘Rithmetic’,” Novak writes.
The New York Times acknowledged that Novak’s role as Ryan on The Office influenced many of his stories, stating that “[The vignettes] have similar formulas for most of the sketches.”
In spite of this, each story is a breath of fresh air, and while they all vary, there is something for everyone.
That’s not to say that Novak’s debut is perfect.
A weak point to One More Thing is Novak’s one-page vignettes; they lack depth and are too vague. For example, “Marie’s Stupid Boyfriend” is only four sentences long and is written choppily.
However, the best part of One More Thing is that it is a light read, but there is so much substance. It is an enjoyable read and Novak’s mere dedication “to the reader” makes his debut even more personal.
Bri Hendriksen • Apr 1, 2014 at 12:24 pm
I always look forward to reading your book reviews because they are always so informative about a good book to read. After reading this article I definitely want to read One More Thing. Good Job Spencer!
Jennifer Schaeffer • Mar 14, 2014 at 8:47 am
From the moment I saw this book in Spencer’s hands I told him that it looked like it would be amazing! The cover actually caught my eye which is rare for a plain white book. I am ecstatic to hear that it is everything that I thought it would be and I cannot wait to hear more!