The Compulsive Reader reviewed The Happiest Days of Our Lives, and says:
Frequently, I found myself smiling at memories of my own that reading this book evoked. Ah, yes, I remember the weekend-long Dungeons and Dragons marathons with my fellow geeks. I, too, grin like an idiot at the thought of my fictional relationship with the cute girl in 10th Grade that didn’t even know my name. There are few geeks our age that don’t flinch in terror recalling the institutionalized bullying that is dodgeball, with the flying, red-rubber spheres of shame.
Wil’s writing style is very easy-going, almost conversational. He is a master storyteller who takes the ordinary aspects of all our lives, wraps them in nostalgia, and sets them on a dusty shelf in the sun to fill the room with rainbows.
The nostalgia, however, is one of the small weaknesses of this book. While not over the edge, the combination of nostalgia and optimism could get overwhelming in a longer book. Even in the unhappiest of memories, Wil finds elements of hope and beauty.
If you want to get a paperback, you should order now, because the signed, numbered, limited edition hardbacks go on sale at Noon PST, on Sunday November 18.
Because PayPal refuses to address their multiorder shipping problem, and because I know so many people are waiting for autographed books to give as holiday gifts, I've made an executive decision: I will halt paperback orders for one week, or until the limited edition hardback sells out, whichever comes first. This will make it possible for me to ship signed books everywhere, so they will arrive in time for the holidays. I'm still working on a more sustainable long-term solution.
If you have any questions about the hardcover, post them in comments. I'll be chained to the computer for the next two hours or so, and I'll answer as quickly as I can.
