LIZ: BOOK #39

Under Observation: Life Inside the McLean Psychiatric Hospital by Lisa Berger and Alexander Vuckovic

288 pages

Completed 10/15/10

A combination of clinical reports and patient activity and the life of a doctor inside a psychiatric facility, Under Observation was more dated than I had hoped. As a student of psychology, I am always drawn to case studies and daily interactions with disturbed patients. However, much like the real world of psychology, the bureaucracy surrounding these patients and the McLean facility bored me.

A lot of medical advances have occured since this book was written, and new findings studied. If I had read more carefully, a book chronicling the treatment of patients in 1995 would not have drawn my interest. However, as a glimpse into a psych wing - albeit a very small window - this book could be considered telling to those simply interested in the accounts of one doctor.

As for myself, I would not recommend this work. Exhausting to the point of repetition, I wonder if I had viewed it differently as an outsider who has never experienced working with this population. I did, however, heartily appreciate the follow-ups on the patients provided at the conclusion of the book.

LIZ: BOOK #38

Assholes Finish First by Tucker Max

416 pages

Completed 10/11/10

The follow-up to Max's successfully hilarious, yet completely chauvinistic, "I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," "Assholes Finish First" provides more amusing escapades of Max. One of the rare female fans of Max, I was really looking forward to this book; IHTSBIH literally had me laughing out loud, crying it hurt so badly because the stories were THAT good.

I was curious to see how Max's adventures would change with fame - the answer is that there was less of a chase, and more skanky girls just offering themselves up to him, leading to less amusing endings. Two arrests, and the inevitable lack of amusement about being a man in his thirties chasing barely-legal girls just wasn't as hysterical this time around.

This was a quick read, and somewhat disappointing. Don't get me wrong, there were some laugh-out-loud moments, but not the side-splitting humor I had come to love from Max. I was pleasantly surprised at the end, however, as he revealed another book - perhaps two - will follow next year. Hopeful some more of the hysterical anecdotes will step it up.