I Drink for a Reason

By: David Cross

Narrated by: David Cross

Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

The star and creative force behind Mr. Show and Arrested Development pens his "first and final book, chronicling his meteoric rise and abysmal fall in the literary world."

After a decade spent in isolation in the Ugandan jungles thinking about stuff, David Cross has written his first book. Known for roles on the small screen such as "never-nude" Tobias Funke on Arrested Development and the role of "David" in Mr. Show with Bob and David, as well as a hugely successful stand-up routine full of sharp-tongued rants and rages, Cross has carved out his place in American comedy. Whether deflating the pomposity of religious figures, calling out the pathetic symbiosis of pseudo-celebrity and its leaching fandom, or merely pushing the buttons of the way-too-easily offended PC left or the caustic, double standard of the callous (but funnier) right, Cross has something to say about everyone, including his own ridiculous self.

Now, for the first time, Cross is weaving his media mockery, celebrity denunciation, religious commentary, and sheer madness into book form, revealing the true story behind his almost existential distaste of Jim Belushi ("The Belush"), disclosing the up-to-now unpublished minutes to a meeting of Fox television network executives, and offering up a brutally grotesque run-in with Bill O'Reilly. And as if this wasn't enough for your laughing pleasure in these troubled times, some of the pieces splinter off with additional material being created online in exclusive video and animated web content created solely for the book - a historical first (presumably)!

With a mix of personal essays, satirical fiction posing as truth, advice for rich people, information from America's least favorite Rabbi and a top-10 list of top-10 lists, I Drink for a Reason is as unique as the comedian himself, and cannot be missed.

©2009 David Cross (P)2009 Hachette

Critic reviews

"One of the funniest books I've ever skimmed!" (Paul Rudd)

"It is inappropriate for me to write a 'blurb' for Mr. David Cross, as he is rightly a legend - utterly fearless, absolutely brilliant, and a longtime inspiration to me. My endorsement would be like the weed endorsing the sun, which is to say: I live in the dirt and require David Cross (plus water) to live. But I can grow right through sidewalks, so that's something." (John Hodgman, Daily Show resident expert)

"David's writing in this audiobook for the eyes is every bit as funny, honest, and observant as the man himself-and, oddly, twice as smart. It's surprising and funny dot dot dot, a triumph!" (Mitchell "Arrested Development" Hurwitz, co-creator, The Ellen Show)

Couldn't take any more of him

What did you like best about I Drink for a Reason? What did you like least?

I was expecting more humor but instead he just drags on and on about boring little anecdotal stuff. The first couple of chapters were funny and I was patting myself on the back for another good purchase. But then he ran out of material. The bulk of the book felt like he was just babbling into a recorder to fill up the rest of the book. Sure, anyone that writes a book like this is already a little self centered but he pushed right past that into totally self indulgent and self centered. I don't care about the little crap that is bouncing around in your head or the reason you do the things you do. I'm here for COMEDY and HUMOR. After about 1/3 of the book I honestly couldn't listen to him any more.And why in the world would you berate people for listening to the audiobook ON THE AUDIOBOOK?

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something humorous

Would you listen to another book narrated by David Cross?

Never

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Never

Oh, David

I've purchased David's albums and sought out his performances on tv, film and at live venues. I've sympathized with him when he complained that Fox failed to promote Arrested Development and when he complained that Patton Oswalt had unfairly picked on him for taking soulless gigs like Alvin, even as he peddled his relentlessly pedantic anti-corporate point of view. I love and believe everything David does, says...is. No, wait - sorry, not everything. I don't dig it when he sh*ts on his audience, repeatedly, for choosing to listen to, rather than read, his book. Specifically, I despair a bit when a guy who has made his living doing stand up and voice over work in kid flicks like "Kung Fu Panda" and "Alvin and the CGI Money Things" berates his audience for wanting to hear, rather than read, his book. It is an amusing book - some great stuff. What David fails to appreciate, however, (perhaps willfully) is that his delivery brings something unique to his work. Wait, did I say work? Sorry, I meant shtick...or bits. David's bits are so inexorably tied to his delivery, I can't imagine reading his work. Like Sedaris, it loses around, I don't know...half? Let's say half the entertainment value. When Sedaris does his Billy Holiday impression in his story about confronting homosexual bigotry while taking guitar lessons as a teen, the content is elevated by the performance. So too when Cross did his gay black assistant to OJ Simpson bit back on Joe Frank's show (long time ago). Neither would have translated well to the printed page. Hey, did I mention I paid for this audiobook? Yeah, I did. Did I mention that I read more books than the two to which I listen on a monthly basis? I do. Did I mention that many folks listen to books on their commute, trapped in their cars or crammed into subway trains? Have you ever tried to read a hardback on an NYC subway during rush hour? No? Well, try it, I'll wait...Way to lose a fan, jerk.

I would love a refund.

I have enjoyed David Cross' comedy in the past and I did/do enjoy Arrested Development. This ...book, in my opinion is not worth a moment of anyone's time. I can't decide if the author honestly thinks that this stuff is the same quailty as his past work or if this is just his way of cashing in on the fans he has made.

sad face

normally i enjoy David's work, but i couldn't finish this one. comedy is subjective, I just can't subject myself to any more. :(

ugh!!

this guy is just an unfunny jerk. I tried to make it all the way through but he's just self important and smug. I wish I could get my money and time back.

enough to drive me to drink

Chalk up my second unfinished audible title. My mother told me if you cant say anything nice don't say anything at all so my review follows...


"I drink for a reason" is ...

Lazy? audio book listeners

David Cross is brilliant and often hilarious. But this book feels disjointed.
Just an FYI, people who listen to audiobooks are typically multitasking. We are driving a car, folding laundry, walking a dog, or working out at the gym. Listeners are not lazy, as Cross states over and over during the audio version. We also buy books to read when we have time for the luxury of sitting around. Calling us lazy is ironic because in “I Drink for a Reason” Cross chronicles a lot of the very unproductive uses of his time.
I respect his jaded irreverence while offering up a view from the trenches.

Ups And Downs

David Cross is very funny. He has excellent comic timing and knows what to say.

There are a few odd things about this audiobook, though. First is that he brings (several times) how stupid and lazy he feels the listeners are who did not buy the actual book. He does not understand, apparently, why people bought the audiobook. He never explains why he is, himself, narrating the book. If he really feels all that passionately about it, he probably should have just not put out an audiobook and only took the money of the people who bought the paper copies.

The second thing that I found a little odd and off-putting was the hacky, local radio-inspired skits where he is bringing people in from "outside" and supposedly pulled into the audio booth for one reason or another.

I know it sounds overly critical of me. But I am REALLY a fan of David Cross. He is so incredibly funny... and I did laugh a lot in this book, but I was just a little turned off by these two elements.

Very disappointing

I am a David Cross fan but this was fingernails on a chalkboard. There was no organization to this. It just seemed to be stream of consciousness. I listened to the whole thing, but I was constantly checking to see when the pain would end.