A Dirty Job

By: Christopher Moore

Narrated by: Fisher Stevens

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Charlie Asher is a pretty normal guy. A little hapless, somewhat neurotic, sort of a hypochondriac. He's what's known as a Beta Male: the kind of fellow who makes his way through life by being careful and constant, you know, the one who's always there to pick up the pieces when the girl gets dumped by the bigger/taller/stronger Alpha Male.

But Charlie's been lucky. He owns a building in the heart of San Francisco, and runs a secondhand store with the help of a couple of loyal, if marginally insane, employees. He's married to a bright and pretty woman who actually loves him for his normalcy. And she, Rachel, is about to have their first child.

Yes, Charlie's doing okay for a Beta. That is, until the day his daughter, Sophie, is born. Just as Charlie, exhausted from the birth, turns to go home, he sees a strange man in mint-green golf wear at Rachel's hospital bedside, a man who claims that no one should be able to see him. But see him Charlie does, and from here on out, things get really weird.

People start dropping dead around him, giant ravens perch on his building, and it seems that everywhere he goes, a dark presence whispers to him from under the streets. Strange names start appearing on his nightstand notepad, and before he knows it, those people end up dead, too. Yup, it seems that Charlie Asher has been recruited for a new job, an unpleasant but utterly necessary one: Death. It's a dirty job. But hey, somebody's gotta do it.

©2006 Christopher Moore (P)2006 HarperCollinsPublishers

Critic reviews

• 2006 Quill Award Nominee

"Moore's enthusiasm and skill make it convincing, and his affection for the cast of weirdos gives the book an unexpected poignancy." (Publishers Weekly)

Really a lot of fun!

I liked this, it was full of deadpan silly humour and a fantastic set of characters. The author must have a very active imagination...

I gave it a four due to the jarring, pointless musical interludes.

Down the rabbit hole!

This was a fun read! My kind of sense of humor. The writer is twisted in my humble opinion. I will be checking out other books by him. Read the book in a day.
The narrator did a good job illustrating the scenarios. I would recommend it if you're not too religious.

Excellent

Fun. Christopher Moore is always a geat read and this story is no different

Hilarious!

I loved the dialogue and banter between the characters. This is extremely funny and totally enjoyable.

I enjoy Christopher Moore

Fisher Stevens does a great job performing this fun humorous novel. Word word word word

Just as funny the fifth time through!

I fondly remember hearing this on CD with my spouse on a long drive when it was new. We shared so many laughs. Some of the humor was fresher then but now has a ring of nostalgia to go along. C.Moore has a great talent for turning a phrase, stretching our imaginations and gently recognising our frailties in a hilarious way.

The negative reviews sadden me. It seems so many people have learned to be offended for so many reasons in the intervening years. Is judgementalism our new religion? If you have to filter what you see and hear and pass judgement on it before you can laugh, you may be missing joy.

Fun, well read, entertaining.

It’s silly, plot turns maybe a little too convenient, but the narrator really brings it alive and makes it a delightful listen.

The Beta Male triumphs

Oh this book is hilarious, there hasn’t been at least once a chapter I don’t laugh out loud from the absurdity of the tale which is the magic of this book.
I’m currently in a book club and this was my months choice and everybody has commented on how fun this book is.
I really thought at the beginning when the author was talking about alpha, male and beta male, I thought it was going to be really bad and kind of cringe worthy and that dealing with a beta male as the lead character the cringe factor was so great. It was hilarious .

Great Listen!

This book was well written and REALLY well read. Is the narrator Fisher Stevens – the actor? It would make perfect sense – this book is so much fun - and the read was a big factor.
I enjoyed the whole experience and would happily recommend you get this one. It is not often the reader will get me to laugh out loud – ( I wonder what the other drivers on the road with me were thinking?) - This is an interesting and silly take on death and the transition of the human soul. If you have ever been a fan of Piers Anthony, you will surely enjoy this romp through the macabre. This author is a more mature writer. Please Note: This book not intended for anyone but an adult audience, so be sure you are not sharing with the kids. There are a few words the kids can wait to learn – at least until after your mother-in-law comes to visit.

A truly inspired bit of lunacy!

This was my first experience with a Christopher Moore Novel and I can't wait to listen to the next one! Part of the enjoyment was the giddiness with which Fisher Stevens read the book. He was having as good a time narrating as I was listening. The previous reviewer must not have been a Beta male. Alpha males are so full of themselves they'd not recognize brilliant humor if they were hit in the back of the brain stem with it! For us Beta males, understanding that we are flawed and forever trying to come to grips with our failings, only helps us to appreciate the humor with which Moore spins his tale!

I was actually disappointed when I was on the last CD to know it was coming to an end soon. I'll miss Ray and Lilly and Charlie and Sophie, now that they won't be part of my daily drives. They're all such great characters and Fisher Stevens brought live to all of them. Especially the "sewer harpies." His voices for those underworld misfits really captured the essence of who and what they are: "Guns suck, I can tell you that!"

So, if you're a Beta male or a woman who just feels pity for Beta males and goes out with them, only to find they are such terrific guys after all, then this book is for you.

It was one of the best audio books I've ever listened to!

I only hope that Tony Roberts narrates The Stupidest Angel with such a flair for the characters and the brilliant comic talents of Christopher Moore.