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Suburgatory: Twisted Tales From Darkest Suburbia Hardcover – October 11, 2011

by Linda Keenan (Author)
3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 37 ratings
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Suburgatory lampoons the absurdities and contradictions that Linda Keenan has witnessed since leaving New York City, where she was a thoroughly urban CNN news producer for seven years, and settling down as a hapless stay-at-home suburban mother. The original proposal for this book was picked by Warner Brothers in 2010, and you can see their imagining of Suburgatory on the ABC show of the same title this fall.

Keenan was forced by the man in her life to leave her beloved New York City for a supposed suburban utopia. Instead she found herself trapped in a place where conformity is king, and where she often felt like she had been taken hostage by an adult Girl Scout troop. So Keenan decided to train her twisted reporter's eye on the strange inhabitants of this new foreign land. Thought of as a local town newspaper or website, Suburgatory includes “news stories” (Mom Plans School Auction During Dreary Sex) that go after the tiger moms, breastfeeding nazis, frustrated swingers, crypto-racists, barely-there dads, and power-mad principals..

In addition to the irreverent news stories, Suburgatory features faux op-ed "Shout Outs" (Let’s Do that Key Party Right the Next Time), witty advertisements (Briarcliff Academy—Educating the Stupid Rich Since 1903), and an over-the-top totally toxic advice columnist: Dr. Drama. .

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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Skirt!
  4. Publication date
    October 11, 2011
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0762780193
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0762780198
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Linda Keenan is the smartest, sassiest girl you know times ten, after two shots of tequila.  Her brazen, ballsy look at  life in the suburbs is more than laugh out loud—Subugatory will make you shoot milk out of your nose, then immediately re-up the lease on your townhouse in the city.” —Karen Karbo, author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel and How Georgia Became O’Keeffe

“What life might be like if Sarah Silverman moved to the burbs. A sexy, saucy, hilarious romp.” —Bill Diehl, ABC Entertainment Correspondent

“‘Hilarious.’ ‘Insightful.’ ‘Genius.’ People are always saying these words to me. Now, finally, I can say them about someone else: specifically whoever wrote this book. Linda somebody." —Robert Carlock, Executive Producer of NBC's 30 Rock

 

“Linda Keenan is the only person I know who can write about hard-core public policy and salacious suburbanites with the same wit and insight.” —Janine Wedel, author of Shadow Elite: How the World's New Power Brokers Undermine Democracy, Government, and the Free Market

“Wow this book's hilarious but it's so edgy, blurbing it might get me in trouble.” —Anonymous Top Network News Producer

 

From the Inside Flap

Suburgatory is a book that lampoons the absurdities and contradictions that Linda Keenan has witnessed since leaving New York City, where she was a thoroughly urban CNN news producer for seven years before settling down as a hapless stay-at-home suburban mother. The original proposal for this book was picked up by Warner Brothers in 2010, and their imagining of Suburgatory can be seen on the ABC show of the same title.
Tessa, the teenage character created by ABC’s Suburgatory, was forced by the man in her life—her dad—to leave her beloved city life for this supposed suburban utopia. Keenan followed the same trajectory, as a new mom, with no job, no friends, and not much more than a prescription for Zoloft to keep herself afloat. She found herself trapped in a place where conformity is king and where she often felt like she had been taken hostage by an adult Girl Scout troop. So Keenan decided to train her twisted reporter’s eye on the strange inhabitants of this new foreign land. 
Thought of as a local town newspaper or website, Suburgatory excoriates—through satirical local “news stories” (Mom Plans School Auction During Dreary Sex; Woman Shops at Walmart to Feel “Pretty,Thin”; Dog Fed Better than Scholarship Child, Says School Nurse)—the mostly upper middle class American pieties and parenting obsessions that surround raising the perfect child amid the anxiety of an America in decline. The book uses laugh-out-loud humor to target racism, homophobia, submerged suburban sexuality, class warfare, willful ignorance, and the all-around bad behavior raging underneath the surface of those obsessively tended suburban lawns and bikini lines. Suburgatory parodies the tiger moms, breastfeeding nazis, frustrated swingers, foreskin-loving “intactivists,” barely there dads, “anti-vaxxers,” and power-mad principals.
In addition to the irreverent news stories, Suburgatory features faux op-ed “Shout Outs” (Let’s Do that Key Party Right the Next Time), witty advertisements (Briarcliff Academy—Educating the Stupid Rich Since 1903), and an over-the-top totally toxic advice columnist: Dr. Drama (“When life hands you a problem, let’s make it more interesting!”).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Skirt!; First Edition (October 11, 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0762780193
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0762780198
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 37 ratings

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Linda Keenan

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Customer reviews

3.4 out of 5 stars
37 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers have mixed opinions about the humor in the book. Some find it hilarious and amusing, while others find it silly and not funny in a good way. The writing quality is also praised by some readers, with a sharp wit and fresh style. However, others feel the book lacks flow and repetitiveness. There are differing views on the reading pace - some find it light and entertaining, while others consider it too intense for a single sit-down read.

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HumorWriting qualityReading pace
11 customers mention "Humor"6 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed reviews about the humor in the book. Some found it humorous, amusing, and a fantastic satire of suburban life. However, others felt it was silly and the humor wore thin quickly. They were also put off by frequent profanity, name calling, and trash talk.

"This book is so funny! It's a collection of short stories like you get on the Onion, but all focused on Suburban life...." Read more

"...I also was put off by the frequent profanity...." Read more

"...All together it was an amusing read that does not demand ones continued attention." Read more

"...Mommy angst." Having lived that experience, the novelty and humor wore thin quickly." Read more

8 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed views on the writing quality. Some find it sharp and fresh, with a wickedly funny satire. Others feel the book lacks flow, is repetitive, crude, and not their kind of novel.

"...Aside from the humor, the writing is also very good...." Read more

"This book is so repetitive, that after a few chapters I found myself saying "Forget this". I am someone when I start a book I will finish it...." Read more

"...I like the author's fresh style and her wickedly funny satire." Read more

"...Though definitely not a coffee table book, nor one that I would share with those offended by curse words and sex (like my mother), if you are like me..." Read more

7 customers mention "Reading pace"3 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the book's reading pace. Some find it light and entertaining, keeping them busy during downtime while running errands or at work. Others find it too intense for a single sit-down read, difficult to keep interested, and boring.

"...makes the stories even more funny, considering the book is poking fun at affluent, refined, suburbanites...." Read more

"...Really quite boring, quit reading half way through. *yawn*" Read more

"Light and entertaining reading that kept me busy in moments of downtime while running errands or at work. Word required." Read more

"I found it difficult to keep interested in this book. It did not flow, and was just not my kind of novel . I did not finish it." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Solanum
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Satire of Life in Suburbia
    Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This book is so funny! It's a collection of short stories like you get on the Onion, but all focused on Suburban life.

    It is very fresh and current compared to the Suburgatory TV show. I actually enjoy the show because Cheryl Hines is fantastic, but feel like I have to endure the sucky, tired, trite screenwriting just to see the acting. But the book, instead, is much more fresh and current. For example, there is a lot of satire of the post-9/11 racism that is around in America now. e.g. one story is about a Seik gynecologist that is having trouble drumming up business because he wears a turban. This versus the TV show satirizing the - wait for it - mall.

    My favorite chapter was the one about the vegetarian mom that was vexed when her kid got fed meat and took a real liking to it. Something similar happened in my own life.

    Aside from the humor, the writing is also very good. The book would have been worth reading just with the humor, but, even though each story is only a page or two long, Keenan still manages to give each character an individual voice so that they don't all blend into one another.

    The book that I've read recently that I think is closest to it is "This is a Book". If you've read and liked that you'd probably like Suburgatory too. If you like the TV show, you'll probably like the book even better, but it's probably directed at an older audience than the show. And it's much, much raunchier than what you can do on network TV. So be warned before you buy it for your 12 year old daughters!

    (Oh, how they'll laugh....)
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Kate Money
    2.0 out of 5 stars NYC snob
    Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I didn't enjoy reading this book, though I suffered through to the end, hoping it would get better. I found it typical of some other NYC transplants, who seem to believe there's no life worth living outside of "the city."

    I also was put off by the frequent profanity. My mother taught me that people use it because they don't know how to express themselves in language that isn't offensive!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Harold S. Levine
    4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Addictive
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    Each little chapter is like a cocaine-laced Dorito. I started reading while having lunch and it wasn't until I finally looked up from my iPhone that I realized everyone at the restaurant was staring at me. It's possible I was laughing just a little too loud. I tried to stop reading and go back to work but I couldn't. Just one more chapter! No really JUST one more and I'm going to stop! This is ABSOLUTELY the last one! Shiksa Bar Mitzvahs! Incestuous lesbian hamsters! Turban-wearing gynecologists! If you grew up in the suburbs, know anyone in the suburbs, or if just the word "suburbs" makes you break out in a cold sweat, this book is for you.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • MMC
    1.0 out of 5 stars Not so great!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This book is so repetitive, that after a few chapters I found myself saying "Forget this". I am someone when I start a book I will finish it. Not this one!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • AvidReader
    5.0 out of 5 stars This Smack Talk Had me Rolling!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    I live in suburbia, and I feel like every single day something happens that makes me want to scream, point, or laugh. I get sick of hearing how "blessed" people say they are, and I have very little patience for standing around talking about diaper bags or summer camp plans. For those who reluctantly moved out to the 'burbs so your kids would have room to run around and you'd have a 2 car garage, this book will have you in stitches. It reminds me a bit of The Onion with chapter titles like, 'Mom "Never Yells" at Kids, Uses Scorn Instead' and 'Dad Pretends IKEA is Child Cultural Enrichment'.

    It's not just for moms, either. My husband took a peek at Keenan's book and I heard quite a few snickers from him as well.

    Hot Pocket Serving Moms of the world unite- this book is for you!
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Peter P. R. Kaupert
    3.0 out of 5 stars Only in the USA
    Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Unusual, mostly weird, in places absolutely crazy. All together it was an amusing read that does not demand ones continued attention.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Frenchriver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Twisted, But Hysterical Tales
    Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2011
    Verified Purchase
    This book points out the many hypocrisies I would like to not-so-subtly scream out to my neighbors but can't. Living in the South, it is especially important to be polite and Suburgatory is anything but polite. The author's sharp, quick wit will shock you at times, but deep down inside, you'll realize you've thought some of the same, nasty things, too.

    It's a good idea to read it like a daily newspaper. I slowed down and found it gave me a laugh fix when I needed it. Though definitely not a coffee table book, nor one that I would share with those offended by curse words and sex (like my mother), if you are like me, you'll want to post sections of it on Facebook because you know your like-minded friends will think it's hysterical.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Mrs AE
    2.0 out of 5 stars Mrs AE
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Even though I am just now reading this book, I find it hard to read. I am an avid reader and usually enjoy any book. This falls into the category of one I just don't like. I am only one-fourth into the book in hopes of it getting better as I read.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Wato20
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great delivery time
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 31, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    All the way from US or Canada to the Uk in a couple of weeks.
    Not sure on the book, was for the wife...
    Sure she'll love it.
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  • S.R.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tolles Buch, aber nicht die Serie
    Reviewed in Germany on February 5, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Tolles Buch ist aber nicht mit der Serie gleichzusetzen, denn es geht hier nicht um eine Jugendliche sonder um eine Mutter die in diese Stadt zieht
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  • DarkDreamer
    2.0 out of 5 stars more like purgatory
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    the real genius is the makers of the tv show who used this to develop the much better series
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  • O. Kessler
    3.0 out of 5 stars Distinctly differenet tone than in the TV-show.
    Reviewed in Germany on June 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Distinctly differenet tone than in the TV-show. I had more lighter humor in mind when I bought this book. (Based on Season 1 of the T-show.)
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  • M. Thomas
    3.0 out of 5 stars A bit repetitive, sensationalist and "first world problems"
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    A bit repetitive, sensationalist and "first world problems"
    Report