To Rise Again at a Decent Hour

A Novel

By: Joshua Ferris

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

A big, brilliant, profoundly observed novel about the absurdities of modern life and one man's search for meaning, by National Book Award Finalist Joshua Ferris, one of the most exciting voices of his generation.

Paul O'Rourke is a Manhattan dentist with a thriving practice leading a quiet, routine-driven life. But behind the smiles and the nice apartment, he's a man made of contradictions, and his biggest fear is that he may never truly come to understand anybody, including himself.

Then someone begins to impersonate Paul online, and he watches in horror as a website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account are created in his name. What begins as an outrageous violation of his privacy soon becomes something more soul-frightening: the possibility that the online "Paul" might be a better version of the real thing. As Paul's quest to learn why his identity has been stolen deepens, he is forced to confront his troubled past and his uncertain future in a life disturbingly split between the real and the virtual.

At once laugh-out-loud funny about the absurdities of the modern world, and indelibly profound about the eternal questions of the meaning of life, love, and truth, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour is a deeply moving and constantly surprising tour de force.

©2014 Joshua Ferris (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Slow Building, But Worth Sticking With It

If you could sum up To Rise Again at a Decent Hour in three words, what would they be?

Uneven, but worthwhile.

What was one of the most memorable moments of To Rise Again at a Decent Hour?

The story comes alive in the second half of the book.

What does Campbell Scott bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I thought he was competent, consistent, and restrained. He didn't try to show up the words he was reading by "performing."

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. The protagonist is curmudgeonly, and not immediately likable.

Is the performance better than the book?

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is one of those rare audiobooks where the performance is possibly better than the material. Campbell Scott does a perfect reading, understated and funny to match the prose
I would definitely recommend the audiobook for the performance, as well as for the fact that i think Joshua Ferris is a sharp and funny writer.

What other book might you compare To Rise Again at a Decent Hour to and why?

This is a unique writer who defies comparison. His subject matter is modern like Dave Eggars, but he has a sharp wit and a deep cynicism that make his voice distinct and different from any I've read.

What does Campbell Scott bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Campbell Scott simply knows how to do it. He's a superb actor who knows that the art of reading an audiobook is very particular. He underplays, and has enough sense to know that really good prose just needs to be delivered simply, with no unnecessary flourish. He also reads dialogue scenes with an expert sense of rhythm and subtlety that is very unusual in this genre.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Drill, baby, drill!

Any additional comments?

This is the first book I've read in a while that really caught my interest due to eh unique style and gift of the writer and to the expertise of the reader. I recommend it highly, although I believe it may not appeal to all.

Recommended

Any additional comments?

My favorite books take me to a new reality, or identify the reality I know in a stronger, clearer light. This does both. It's funny, sometimes laugh out loud so, and sad, sometimes funny and sad at the same time. And it's very wise. It's as strong and remarkable as And Then We Came To The End, Ferris' previous tour-de-force. Definitely recommended. The performance is spot on.

enjoyed it overall

funny at first, serious thoughts about identity in the end; a lot of religious stuff got me off balance, voice is somewhat monotone. the idea behind the book and the jokes are above average.

Not the right reader

Campbell Scott sets the wrong tone for the first half of the book, not as much for the second, but the mismatch exposes the authors flaws as well. This book is basically two short stories forced into one novel. The first half or quarter is a kind of humorous monologue given by a funny dentist. The last quarter of the book is a sort of Dan Brown like literary religious conspiracy take. Unfortunately the bulk of the book is an awkward and largely uninteresting transition between these two tales, redeemed only by the fact that the plot is easy to follow but you're not sure where the author is taking you. Unfortunately
the main character is so uninteresting in this middle section that it would be easy just to leave the book altogether. White male friends recommended this book to me, and it is very much a white male book. I'd skip this one and listen to Beautiful Ruins instead.

Great book!!

Wonderfully written and full of interesting things
How great to discover Ferros's work
The portrayal of the dentist's life is fascinating

Just okay

Just seemed disjointed.. The storyline was hard to follow and get interested in the book.

Funny, dark, huh

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It is funny in a smart, dark, introspective way.

What did you like best about this story?

Cambell Scott's narration and the clever manner of dialogue and the main character's keen awareness of his obsessive nature and the dark introspection.

Which character – as performed by Campbell Scott – was your favorite?

The dentist. His older assistant.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Sure

Any additional comments?

Reminds me of Fight Club.

Verbally dynamic

The narrator does a tremendous job in taking the listener, no, guiding them through a witty display of the multitude of aspects that create thought and feeling; reminding us to just do. If you enjoy a bit of cynicalism, irony, and just an overall sense of well damn sometimes, its worth the listen. It's a little rocky at first, but develops ever so nicely.

Really, really good reader.

If you could sum up To Rise Again at a Decent Hour in three words, what would they be?

An existential crisis

What did you like best about this story?

I think that this very competent writer handles the themes of depression and obsession and doubt very meaningfully.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the scene where Dr. O'Rourke watches the Red Sox game at his elderly patient's home.