This is a diverse collection of thirty-six humorous short stories focusing on a wide variety of topics: from growing up under a dictatorship, to the challenges of academic life, hiking in the mountains, exploring nature, encountering bears, analyzing the perils associated with trying to save a little known endangered fish, life on a desert island, the requirements for a successful writing career, cautionary tales of dentists and other health care providers, dinosaurs, running bulls, wild cats, elephants in your home, how to get your own equestrian statue and stand up to bullies, and many more.
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: A Good Day is a witty collection of 36 short stories dealing with topics ranging from the everyday to the more surreal. Guiasu's vignettes are sharp and convincing, with a fair amount of honest and thought-provoking personal observations.
Prose: Guiasu's text is confidently written and his everyday observations are rendered in a clear, concise, and often satirical manner. The short stories are simple, effective, easy to read, and benefit from a likable and engaging writing style.
Originality: A Good Day is a humorous collection of short stories largely focused on education and academic matters. Ideal for dipping in and out of on a whim, Guiasu's consistently witty and wry sense of humor is endearing and enjoyable.
Character/Execution: The variety of characters contained in this collection of short stories are vividly realized and relatable. Guiasu's charisma shines through in many of these tales, and his observations on life at educational establishments in particular is impressively realized.
Date Submitted: August 08, 2024
Guiasu's dry humor—and pontification of the most mundane rights of passage—is delivered with the familiarity of old school mates reminiscing about days gone by. In "The Basement," workers in "the country's largest museum" are placed on a mandatory lockdown until a SWAT team can come and capture a rabid squirrel who has turned the tables on a German Shepherd; in "The Day the Bear Came," two friends on a weekend getaway to the mountains become embroiled in conflict until a hairy encounter with a wild bear restores their camaraderie; and "In the Wilderness, Reading Hemingway," finds Guiasu playing with structure, making use of short, punchy sentences and word play that infuses the text with an appealing rhythm.
With funny memos from human resources, stories that feature primarily dialogue, and random lists, like "Twenty-Five Reasons Why the Chicken Crossed the Road" (to protest feather dusters is one amusing motive), readers are guaranteed some laughs—and sparse moments of deeper reflection, as in “Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow,” where Guiasu analyzes the dynamics of bullying, relating how, rather than fear, he felt “exhilarated and emboldened by an unquenchable thirst for revenge” after being victimized. Humor is the main weapon here, though, and Guiasu wields it to the max.
Takeaway: Eclectic, entertaining collection that probes life’s lighter moments.
Comparable Titles: Chuck Palahniuk's Make Something Up, Beth Lisick’s This Too Can Be Yours.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
A Good Day
And Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists
Radu Guiaşu
FriesenPress
(216pp)
978-1-03-919494-6
Clarion Rating: 4 out of 5
Celebrating idiosyncratic lives with satire and wit, A Good Day is a diverse and enjoyable short story collection.
Radu Guiaşu’s peculiar and humorous short story collection A Good Day combines dialogues, emails, letters, and lists to intriguing effect.
These stories focus on characters who lead dynamic, determined, and kooky lives. A writer speaks with a man who claims that, to write well, you have to lead an interesting life; an angry letter is written to character John Hammond about the inception of Jurassic Park; and an “honest” rejection letter is penned through a standard form. Elsewhere, an HR representative asks “how being ‘really good with a Frisbee’ is relevant for this office job.” Here and elsewhere, people think and speak their truths, for better or worse.
In settings including Bucharest, the Carpathian Mountains, and decrepit US cities, people’s idiosyncrasies emerge: embassy employees’ handshakes are weak, an eighth-grade bully is called the Cyclops, and someone retains the memory of the smell of a bear from a singular zoo trip. A list of twenty-five reasons the chicken crossed the road appears; so does a rundown of the similarities between a turnip and Bob. In one entry, a narrator recites the reasons they may give a one-star review to a book on Amazon. Some stories are drenched in irony: a self-proclaimed “reasonable man” wishes for an equestrian statue three times the natural size; an apology letter demeans and insults its recipient.
The book’s humor is at various times subtle, dark, quippy, and laugh-out-loud funny, but its cleverness is consistent. Some of these absurdist character-driven stories oscillate between earnestness and satire, with plenty of space made for them to land securely on one side. And while the stories are not all directly connected to each other, there are hints throughout that they belong in the same universe—piquing allusions that form a curious throughline.
After their sardonic and satirical turns, though, the stories’ conclusions range from thoughtful to merely biting. Indeed, some entries lean too far into their own irony: the plight of a fish called the yellow-bellied scumsucker asks for rivers to be “dirty once again”; a person rats out a neighbor for leaving their house more than once during COVID-19 lockdowns. Still, the themes and character arcs remain clear.
In the whimsical short story collection A Good Day, peculiar characters live in heightened states amid the challenges of the contemporary world.
Reviewed by Natalie Wollenzien
September 11, 2024
Star Rating: 5 / 5
In A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists, Dr. Radu Guiaşu has compiled a collection of thirty-six stories and lists to lift your spirits and bring some much-needed humor to this otherwise dreary life. Guiaşu covers the ridiculousness of everyday life and offers a satirical look at the drudgery of academia, which he can certainly attest to with four university degrees. He brings humor to life under a communist dictator from his experiences living in Romania. Here, you will find short stories, a fake rejection letter, thoughts that go through your mind in different situations, all-dialogue pieces, lists of reasons, and satirical pieces featuring fake submission guidelines and ads for health care. There’s a little bit of everything here. ||To use the author’s own suggestions for blurbs: “this work is not just perfect but actually substantially improves on perfection” and “to call this book the wittiest ever written would simply not do it justice. It is much wittier than that.” I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I laughed out loud at quite a few of the stories. My absolute favorites are: “Logical Flaws and Other Problems with Jurassic Park,” “Trying to Figure Out Which One of My Neighbors Ratted Me Out During the Pandemic,” “Premium Med-Care Express: Your Health is Our Obsession,” “Things That Go Through Your Mind as You Are Taking Part in the Running of the Bulls Event in Pamplona,” What Having the Elephant in the Room Really Means – Some Implications,” “Explaining the Reasons for the 1-Star (Out of 5-Stars) Rating I Gave a Book on Amazon,” “Submission Guidelines,” and “An Honest Rejection Letter.” I loved how Guiaşu could find humor even growing up under a dictatorship. I really enjoyed his dry humor and would have loved having a university professor like him. If you can’t laugh at yourself and how silly life can really be, it can be easy to get discouraged in this life. Guiaşu helps the reader to gain some of that ability back, by finding humor in all situations and pointing out the absurdity of most things (and people). If you need a good laugh and enjoy humor in general, I highly recommend you pick up this book. You will not be disappointed. It’s “an unparalleled tour de force! This will restore your faith in the power of the written word. It is impossible to find superlatives superlative enough to describe how incredibly great this is.” Seriously.
Reviewed by Christina Boswell
“A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists is a series of thirty-six stories about the most random subjects. Author Radu Guiasu uses his real-life knowledge and experiences and twists them into satirical situations that will make readers say hmm as they contemplate life. Creative, sarcastic (at times), and entertaining, this is the perfect book to chuckle at when you’ve had a long day at work.” — Kathryn Dare, Manhattan Book Review
"A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists by Radu Guiasu masterfully turns the seemingly mundane into sources of delight and amusement. This anthology, which spans thirty-six short pieces, draws heavily on Guiasu's rich tapestry of experiences - be it the challenges of growing up under a dictatorship in Romania, the rigorous demands of academic life, or the simple pleasures of exploring nature. Guiasu's collection is not confined to conventional storytelling; it is a vibrant medley that includes prose fiction and innovative literary forms such as all-dialogue stories and hermit-crab pieces. This variety ensures that readers are continually surprised, never knowing what's coming next. I knew I would be entertained from the moment I saw the cover, and I wasn't disappointed. A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists is exceptionally well written, amazingly humorous and completely zany. The humor is intelligent and clean, characterized by Guiasu's wry, satirical voice. Readers and invited to chuckle at the absurdities of life, academia, mosquitoes, and class reunions. Whether through the lens of a beleaguered researcher, a whimsical nature entusiast, or a youth navigating the peculiarities of a dictatorship, Guiasu finds the lighter side of life's challenges. Choosing a favorite is difficult, although the ex-girlfriend's cat story made me laugh so hard I scared my cat. This anthology is testament to Guiasu's talent as a storyteller and humorist. It is a refreshing and enjoyable collection that will leave readers with a smile, eager to see what whimsical tale or witty observation Guiasu has in store next. I, for one, can't wait."
"Often, before I write a book review, and especially when I’ve really enjoyed the book, I research the author. When I hunted down Radu Guiasu, I was delighted to learn he teaches botany at a local university and that his students say he “has the funniest stories to share with his class.” Well, if what he shares with readers in A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists is any indication, I almost wish I could attend university all over again…provided Radu is my lecturer. Whether Radu is sharing his childhood recollection of a class bully who demanded he turn over a prized model car or pointing out why Jurassic Park dinosaurs couldn’t survive in today’s climate, he keeps readers grinning. His clever dialogue piece, The Date, in which a woman is so intrigued by the unambitious date that she wants to get to know him better is an unexpected and delightful twist.
And then there are the “lists” Guiasu has compiled. I enjoyed these best of all. Lists like what not to say at your 40th high school reunion, e.g. “Please don’t feel you have to bring me up to date with everything that’s happened to you since high school.” Or, traits of other species that he admires like “a skunk’s talent for clearing the room” or “a chameleon’s tendency to blend in.” What an incredible wit Radu Guiasu has! I dare other humor writers to come out with so many funny one-liners. Honestly, there is enough material in his lists to keep a stand-up comedian’s audience in stitches. If Radu ever decides to leave teaching, he’d be a hit on Canada’s Got Talent. Speaking of writers, they are the ones who will most appreciate Radu’s “Submission Guidelines” and “An Honest Rejection Letter” which tells hopeful authors that “Sometimes, we encounter promising stories, but yours was certainly not among them.” Dear reader/writer, have you ever gotten a rejection letter like that? I’m trying not to laugh. A wonderful escape if you're having a no-good, horrible, terrible, very bad day!"
"A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists is a collection of short stories and other creative writing pieces by Radu Guiasu. An academic sees a way out of his monotonous everyday life when he finally finds the inspiration to write. A master's student stuck working in the basement of a museum unwittingly gets on the wrong side of his thesis supervisor over some spilled soup. Tired of his frontman's antics, a guitarist breaks up the band with a bang. A man's attempt to camp in the woods and read Hemingway in solitude turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival after an escalating chain of chaotic events. A woman becomes inexplicably intrigued by her blind date, who admits he is a loser. A radio show host struggles to restrain his unruly guest -- a poet suffering from alcohol withdrawal.
Radu Guiasu presents thirty-six hilarious short stories and innovative satirical works in this riveting collection. A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists is a gem of a collection, bound to entertain short story lovers of all tastes. The author covers a broad range of topics and ideas in this book, but one common underlying thread is the humor that flavors each story and piece of this anthology. The short stories aside, this book also contains a few imaginative writing pieces with topics that include reasons for a 1-star Amazon book review, a heartfelt plea for a subscription, submission guidelines for an author, an honest rejection letter, and more. Many of these stories had me in stitches. All in all, short story readers will love this book."
"Radu Guiasu's anthology is narrated with a flair for storytelling and plenty of wit. Some pieces are wonderfully ironic while others almost reflect stream-of-consciousness writing as Guiasu keeps the reader engaged by moving seamlessly from one topic to the next. Many of the stories seem like nonfiction, but some are obviously fictional, like the microchip that took over the actions of its host. My favorite pieces involved lists of reasons the chicken may have crossed the road and a discussion about what may happen if you have an elephant in the room. Individuals who like to read but have very little time to do so can absorb one of these stories as they wait for an appointment or eat their lunch. Readers who enjoy a diverse selection of brief and entertaining pieces will love A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists."
"A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists by Radu Guiasu is a compilation of amusing and engaging tales that delve into various themes like the struggles of recent graduates, comical insights on teaching ethics, the absurdities of modern life, and the peculiarities of human behavior. The author draws inspiration from his experiences in academia, nature, and his upbringing in Romania. Each story or list offers a distinct perspective, ranging from light-hearted encounters with mosquitoes to mishaps during hiking expeditions and a humorous critique of the creation of Jurassic Park. The book also touches on serious topics such as environmental awareness and the decline of traditional media. Through a blend of humor and insight, Guiasu encourages readers to navigate life's complexities with a smile.
A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists is a thought-provoking book covering a wide range of topics. Guiasu uses various literary forms, including prose and creative pieces like all-dialogue stories and a mock rejection letter. His writing exhibits clean, intelligent humor infused with satire, providing readers with an enjoyable escape that highlights the joy and absurdity found in everyday life. The narratives address significant themes, such as dictatorship, oppression, the challenges of modern work culture, and the hypocrisy present in everyday life. Additionally, the book discusses systemic flaws in the education system and health care, while also reflecting on the importance of social skills in an increasingly disconnected world. Through wit and clever storytelling, the author encourages readers to contemplate pressing social issues while providing entertainment. Life can be stressful and disheartening, but finding humor in it has a unique ability to alleviate tension, foster connections with others, and offer a fresh perspective on challenges. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who appreciates insightful social commentary paired with humor."
A Good Day and Other (Mostly) Humorous Stories and Lists
by Radu Guiaşu
FriesenPress
book review by Mihir Shah
"Experience life and take some chances. The will to live really comes through when you’re tested."
At the heart of Guiaşu’s work is a free-spirited nature that is meshed with a penchant for humor en route to tackling pertinent topics. An academic through and through, the author has included works that span the spectrum of his educational journey from elementary school to his doctoral experiences and professorship. In each of the short stories, the signature humor is only complemented by the uncanny relatability that pervades the work, beginning with “A Good Day,” which is rooted in an exploration of the immense challenges that career academics have in finding a job after earning their doctoral degree.
In stories like “A Good Day” and “Submission Guidelines,” Guiasu depicts the “bleak prospects”—and the ensuing anguish—with pinpoint precision and the unnecessary loopholes one must jump through to even have a chance to reach their goal. The downright harrowing and recurring nightmares of failing your high school physics exam, especially when you are a full-fledged Ph.D,, are revealing of the chaotic remnants of one’s formative years. “You haven’t lived enough” opens up the compilation with the wise Jake assuming the role of the wise Obi-Wan, imparting to the doe-eyed speaker how foolhardy his aspirations of a writing career are, ensuring him that imagination without life experience is worth “rat droppings.” Ironically, the perfect dose of comedic humor is injected into when Jake finishes recounting his unbelievable life experiences, and is then asked by the speaker why he himself doesn’t write. “I never learned how to write, anyway” is the perfect chicken/egg example and is an evergreen revelation to audiences to simply seize the moment.
When the narratives shift from experiences within academia, readers will be privy to themes like enduring friendship. Nothing brings people quite together—or breaks them apart—like a trip where everything that can go wrong does, especially when on a mountain in treacherous weather. Subtle details that would normally go unnoticed become magnified and are a source of annoyance, yet it is this ability of the author that makes readers feel like they have a personal stake in his stories. For instance, when the duo comes face to face with a bear, and one of them thinks immediately to run away and up a tree, it is simultaneously comical and comprehensible.
From writing a letter skewering the fictional character of Dr. John Hammond amid his befuddling decisions to set up Jurassic Park where he did, practically inviting catastrophe to his door, to neighbors tattling on the speaker for getting groceries during the Covid curfew, the stories possess a unique blend of relevance, reflection, and humor—even self-deprecating humor—that transcends simple comedy and makes audiences think at a deeper level. The work is punctuated with the “Life Lessons You Probably Won’t Find in Self-Help Books,” where he delves into concepts of blame, procrastination, and charity in his usual comedic, tactful tone. Ultimately, Guiaşu’s extensive experience communicating within various academic settings has allowed him to be unafraid to use his voice. More importantly, he knows exactly how to utilize comedic timing to hold important and meaningful conversations in a lighthearted setting while ensuring his message gets across. This uncanny ability is to the delight of readers as the compilation is both entertaining and introspective, letting readers look inside and outside and simply absorb what Guiaşu has to say.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review
