Half Empty

Praise

“Writing like this can only be a positive experience for all concerned. . . .  File Rakoff under ‘essayist, brilliant.’” —The New York Times 
 
“Some people believe in the power of positive thinking. The rest of us believe in David Rakoff.” —Daily Candy 
 
“Tough, suave, dry, and very funny.” —The Paris Review
 
“Rakoff wanders among our cultural myths, piercing them with a finely sharpened sarcasm. . . . As Rakoff tenderly probes his fears, he makes clear that for all his detachment, he is part of our tribe. He’s just funnier than most of us.” —The Miami Herald
 
“A pure pleasure to read.” —The Observer’s Very Short List
 
“One of our funniest writers.” —People
 
“Right now, this country is brimming over with kindness—some real, some feigned. It is wit, unfeigned, that is gasping for air. . . . For the sake of the future, come back soon, David Rakoff.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“Full of wit.” —NPR, “Fresh Air”
 
“Rakoff can issue a withering snark with the best of them. But once his rapier wit has sliced the buttons off his target’s clothing, revealing the quivering, vulnerable mass within, his fundamental sense of decency gets the best of him.” —Salon
 
“Half Empty balances its darker aspects with wickedly amusing takes on a variety of subjects.” —The Toronto Star

“If you love the personal essay, you’ll love David Rakoff’s musings.” —The Baltimore Sun
 
“Rakoff is so keenly observant and dead-on with his criticism, you get the impression most of our eyes would cross and cartoon birds fly above our heads before we could make it halfway to the elegant, smart conclusions he draws. . . . A writerly collection to make giddy even the most erudite lover of words. An undisputed KO for negative thinking.” —Booklist
 
“Rakoff manages to make pessimism sexy. . . . While Rakoff seems to revel in his role as a modern-day Thomas Hobbes, it’s evident that he remains responsible in his critique, never trouncing a subject without provocation while simultaneously opening the reader’s eyes to everyday lunacy.” —Kirkus Reviews