How I Became Stupid

by Martin Page

Book Overview

Ignorance is bliss, or so hopes Antoine, the lead character in Martin Page's stinging satire, How I Became Stupid--a modern day Candide with a Darwin Award like sensibility. A twenty-five-year-old... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142004952
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.1" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

one day read

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was randomly browsing at my public library and decided to give it a chance after reading the back cover. When I got home I started to read, and once I started, I couldn't stop. I read the entire novel that afternoon. The main character, Antoine, finds himself unable to live as he is, due to his intellect. So he decides to "dumb it down" to see how that goes. I think the reason the book worked for me was because I could relate to the main character. Worried about dropping the cash to buy this book? Go to your local library. Then, if you hate it, you won't feel compelled to tell everyone how much it sucked. Because really, once you get past the self-loathing of Antoine, there is much to be said about the mechanics of society in this short novel.

How much pain live in the soul?

How many devils live in great brain? This question is answered in each page of this book, but it is solved with a comic way. This book discloses the history of a young guy that give a class in university, he is considered one of most import brain of the place but he isn't happy. Few friends, no money, no girls, and a big pain in the soul, in this way he decide chance his life and became a normal guy. The most comic scene of book is the time that he go in the Macdonald', to eat a hot dog. He describe that some weeks ago had a plan to put a bomb in the store because don't like of it. Other great point of the book is the moment that he decided became a stupid, so invite all friends in a night club and make a wonderful speech, were explain all things that became a chubby sad, the line of attack of the word in this paragraph is amazing. In the new life, he gets a new job, this time in wall street, this job bring a lot of money but not bring the happiness, he know the escorts girls, but in the new world, with a great house life together the "solitude", and just discovery the happiness again when because herself, in her simple but nice life, where has a true friends. I recommend this book to everybody that is a chubby or isn't.

Being an intellectual sure is tough!

This remarkable novel is about a young man who feels his talent in life is his intelligence. He believes he is cursed, and those who are ignorant have it much better. In his case ignorance is bliss. Around ever turn he tries new methods on how to "become stupid" This is a real page-turner and keeps you laughing the whole way! Five Stars For Humor!

How I Enjoyed the Best Book I've Ever Read

How I Became Stupid Was really, hands down, the funniest, and best book I have ever read. But it is definitley not for everyone. More than likely this book is targetted towards fans of people like Chuck Palahniuk, just a lot more lighthearted than most of Chuck's works. I'll compare the feel and moods in this book to movies such as Sideways and Gardenstate so if you liked either of those check this book out. I laughed at least once every page and you really don't see the ending coming. And the title 'How I became stupid' should be changed to 'How the reader of this book will become the smartest man alive'.

Wonderful existential journey

"How I became stupid" is a gracefully narrated tale of a man afflicted by his intelligence. As the character tries to escape his curse by becoming stupid he learns of his own limitations, the true value of stupidity and the importance of friendship. This type of book teaches philosophy by showing rather than telling, and it does so in a hugely entertaining and funny fashion. At fewer than 200 pages and written in a very straightforward way, the book is a great, great afternoon read.