The lines are good most of the time, but the caustic, mean-spirited sarcasm does wear thin after a while. This guy's father is definitely not the kind of parent I would have wanted to grow up with,not to mention that I am feel extra fortunate my father was nothing like that asshole. Yes, you do have to label Halpern senior for the asshole that he is. Does he have some good folk wisdom? Sure, he does have his moments, but the overall meanness did have some very unsettling moments and at least one or two examples of him breaking promises to the kid, which I found upsetting. It was upsetting because I grew up on the notion that you do not give your word lightly, but if you do, you do not break it. I thought the book would be funny, and it has its funny moments, mostly in the quotes. The memoir segments vary, but pretty much bring down the funny one-liners. I am hoping they mellowed it out somehow for the upcoming sitcom, which I noticed that William Shatner is playing the elder Halpern role. If they go for the cranky old guy portrayal, it may work. But if they go for the caustic, spiteful, mean old guy in the book, it won't work. To be honest, I don't quite get what the hype is around the book. Stick with reading the one-liners on Twitter.
