Publishers Weekly
Kling's short but sweet recording is a collection of autobiographical tales relating events of his past with an ear for everyday themes such as friendship, death and disability. His writing is earnest but real and often hilarious; his reading follows suit. The self-deprecating Kling is always looking to draw a laugh from his listeners, but never ignores the message behind each tale. Listeners of all ages will find themselves lured into Kling's ceaselessly funny tales as he expounds on everything from taxidermy to wearing socks with sandals just to annoy people. A Borealis Books hardcover (reviewed online). (Sept.)
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Library Journal
As a playwright (Fear and Loving in Minneapolis), humorist, and commentator on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, Kling is well known for his ability to find comedy in whatever life sends his way, first a birth defect, then a motorcycle accident that has limited his use of both arms. The title piece in this debut collection refers to a fight between Kling's cat and dog that causes his voice-activated computer software to respond by typing "How, how, why, why." Many of these 29 autobiographical tales recount childhood escapades with his father as they flew model airplanes or traveled on family car trips. "Dad's Day" shares the mixed-up phrases a neighbor, Mr. Sloan, creates to dispense wisdom, e.g., "It ain't rocket surgery, for crying outside." With Kling's frequent childhood visits to the emergency room, his father offered this wise instruction as Kling went on wild go-cart rides: "Don't get killed just because you know how." The tales range from a long line of family members who have survived lightning strikes to a third-generation farmer who decides to plant a field of sunflowers because he knows he will never be able to afford a Van Gogh. Recommended for all Minnesota libraries and for literary collections in larger public libraries.
—Joyce Sparrow
From the Publisher
"Having grown up in Minnesota, Kling can evoke frigid temperatures in a sentence or two; he's similarly skilled at emotional gear-shifting, drawing laughter just a few paragraphs before eliciting tears in essays like 'Prayer' and 'Rio.' Kling's collection will please any fan of his radio home, or of sister Public Radio programs 'This American Life' and 'A Prairie Home Companion'."—Publishers Weekly
Minnesota Public Radio
"His compelling stories can be just the jolt you need while waiting in traffic."—Minnesota Public Radio
DECEMBER 2008 - AudioFile
Kevin Kling's a fine storyteller. His Minnesota accent makes it impossible not to compare him to Garrison Keillor, but, really, they don't have that much in common. Kling's stories are more personal. He takes his own life experiences, hones and embroiders them, and shares them with listeners. He's often funny, but not usually laugh-out-loud funny. Listeners are more likely to smile and nod in recognition. One of Kling's stronger qualities is that he doesn't force stories to any specific length, or even to false resolutions. Some stories are very short, and some are simply bright snippets he wants to share. He stays mostly on the personal topics—family, boyhood mischief, food—but these occasionally bump up against politics and a changing society. G.T.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
