A Dirty Job

Well, though I am not proud it has taken me this long, I finally finished the comedic novel "A Dirty Job" by Christopher Moore. This book was a humorous and thoughtful look at death and dying, told through the story of a hapless thrift shop owner who the universe ends up choosing to become a purveyor of items that contain the souls of those who treasured them during their lifetimes. Along the way he is forced to battle mythical creatures, raise a daughter and avoid run ins with the police as he attempts to steal items from the recently departed. Anyway, it was set in San Francisco, so filled with all sorts of nostalgic references to places I have been and at times made me laugh, though rarely out loud. All told, it was an enjoyable piece of humorous fiction with some witty one liners and an interesting topic. It perhaps transitioned me from the state of great depression and anguish my string of weighty novels had put me in, but just to be sure I am starting a David Sedaris collection of essays next. Of course, I have heard most of these stories on This American Life, but there are a few new stories to me and of course I have mostly only heard excerpts anyway. After Sedaris ... who knows? However, I have a whole shelf of weighty literature waiting for the return of the serious scholar in me.