Not many books conclude with a sentence like the one found in A Nobody's Nothings: "Daddy, why do you buy so much beer? Do you like to collect bottle caps, or something?". What a riot - that is how Denis Sheehan concludes his book of short stories, poems, brain scribbles and the like. You can tell this is not one of those polished books you see from the big publishing houses. No, A Nobody's Nothings is just that - an independently produced book by a very independent person.
One always has to watch themselves when they begin delving into the world of self-publishing or independently produced books: is the book edited, what about layout, is this just the ramblings of someone who has always wanted to be a writer or do they actually have something to say? All valid questions. Well, in the case of A Nobody's Nothings I'm not sure the author had "anything to say" but he sure says a lot. Similar to The Book of Rants that was reviewed a couple of months ago, this book is the kind you want to carry around with you so that when you get a chance - stuck in traffic, waiting at the dentist, visiting the in laws - you can delve into the interesting world of a nobody's nothings and escape from your current situation.
This is especially true since there are no page numbers in the book. As the author states, "We're already slaves to numbers: clocks, watches, calenders, miles per gallon, and money. I refuse to force you to be a slave of page numbers." When you read that, how can you not already like the author. He takes sides. He has an opinion. He has emotions. A Nobody's Nothings is a book straight from the horse's mouth - in this case a father from the Northeast.
Not written for a young audience (there is some *adult* material in it), I loved paging through the book and reading a short story or brain scribble. The writing was so raw; it didn't sound like it had been worked, and reworked, so that it was overly massaged into an English major's grammatical dream. No, the stuff in this book is written straight from mind-to-paper. These are the real thoughts and experiences of a human being - it does not get much more personal then this. In an overly politically correct world, it is refreshing to read something from someone who does not care how people will react. The writing stands - and it forces the reader to also make a stand.
You wont find the book on Amazon or any other mainstream book seller site. A Nobody's Nothing - true to its purpose - either has to be bought from the author's site, or found in a local used book store. This is the kind of book that slowly develops into a cult book with a small following. If you find a copy consider yourself lucky - there are not many books like this these days. I know I'm holding onto mine.
Visit the Author's Site to get a copy. Otherwise, visit your local used store and find it or another treasure.
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