Review: I Hate Chicago by Nick Vandermolen

ISBN #: 978-0-9842458-2-6

Page Count: 107

Copyright: 2008

About the Author:

(Taken from last pages of book)

Nick Vandermolen still lives in Chicago.  He is single, working as a teaching assistant at a therapeutic day school, and owns a small publishing company called Nan Bu Nan Publishing.  He has yet to learn his lesson.

Synopsis:

(Given to me by the author)

The true story of young mans first three months in the Chicago, where he slept on the floor, using a towel for a blanket and a sweatshirt as a pillow.

My Review:

To start off my review, I would like to take a moment to correct a misconception.  I read a review somewhere concerning I Hate Chicago where the reviewer stated this book was nothing but the author's rants.  That is not the case.

What this book consists of are essays written by the author about his first three months of living in Chicago.  Yes, he hated (hates?) Chicago, but the essays are not rants.  He might have gotten passionate in some areas, but they are fundamentally persuasive after an eye-opening three months in a new and strange city.  In fact, they are very thought-provoking and sarcastically humorous.

While this book is not on my list of favorites, it is one of those I found enjoyable.  It's not often that I'm able to read a book that is entirely made up of various essays ... well written ones I might add.