BOOK REVIEW :
ANT FARM (and Other Desperate Situations) - By Simon Rich
Sure. Part of me hates Simon Rich. It's pure jealousy.
The guy is hilarious. He just released his second book. And he is 23.
I read about the release of Rich's new work, "Free-Range Chickens," and became intrigued. I searched his back catalogue and found "ANT FARM," a book that isn't old itself, having been released in April of 2007.
It seems Rich comes from a long line of the literary-minded. His dad Frank is a columnist for the New York Times. And Simon himself spent a portion of the college career he just finished as the president of the Harvard Lampoon. And that is from where a large portion of ANT FARM comes from.
If the book is to be described, it is best to think of it as the imagining of the ultimate of "what ifs?"
Rich takes an absurd question - i.e. "What if a boyfriend tried to redeem love coupons his girlfriend gave him - after they had already broken up? What would that conversation sound like?" - and then spends the next few pages creating the awkward dialogue that might take place.
Some of these comedic explorations are winking - "What was the conversation like between Abraham and Isaac after their near-sacrifice experience?" Some are downright clever - "What do kids imagine grown-ups talking about?" And some are biting - "Do animals actually realize if they are being treated cruelly?"
Regardless of tone, though, Rich's brief glimpses into the absurd are always enjoyable. And the read is easy. Few pieces exceed three pages and the whole book finishes in less than 150.
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