And in this corner: yet another middle-aged British Jew with a big pile of neuroses and a healthy sexual appetite. I know there's that old adage to write what you know, but Jacobson is one of those writers who, in my opinion, takes that too literally. He's been rewriting variations on the same novel for years, and this one is no different. ( )

Steeped in carnality (fairly revelling in it), a well-written but often excruciating read. The story of one man's quest for meaning in his (unwelcome) post-relationship, post-sexual life. Frequently very funny, but I found myself, increasingly, from about the middle until its end, dreading taking it up again. ( )

I really enjoy Howard Jacobson's writing and was happy to get this as an early reviewer book. The funny-to-crude ratio here was not exactly in my comfort zone. Also, while reading dialogue from female characters, I often couldn't accept it as believable. Still, I read it in a few hours and had great dreams that night. I wouldn't recommend it to my mother, though. ( )

A well-written book about very unlikeable people. The writing is the only hing that had me coming back to the book. ( )

Howard Jacobson's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" is a story of middle-age crisis. It starts with Frank Ritz's wife kicking him out of the house. Frank takes to the English roads, recounting how he got to this point and analyzing his mixed emotions. He flashes back to significant relationships and incidents, not sparing the graphic sexual content. He details his life as a writer of television criticism, and his wife's as a slow writer of pornographic romances. Frank's road trip focuses on old haunts and friends, and some new twists.

"No More Mr. Nice Guy" was actually written much earlier than "The Finkler Question", although since I didn't read the latter I can't compare the two. I found some of the British-isms tough to understand. The dialogue comes across as very realistic. The sexual content is not for the faint of heart but it does fit with the context of the character. It's an enjoyable read but the many flashbacks can make it somewhat challenging. There is practically no Jewish plot content, short of a smattering of Yiddish. ( )