Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish: A Novel Hardcover – Illustrated, July 16, 2013

When I heard David Rakoff's book was written entirely in verse,I thought to myself, "Could there be anything worse?"Trying to ascertain plot from each rhyming couplet,Would it be good enough to be worth all that trouble?" ItSeemed an idea that was rather pretentious,And struggling with verse can be rather contentious.But the critics they raved, hailing the book's success,Saying this was Rakoff at his very best.The glory of this triumph was somewhat diminished,By the fact that Rakoff died shortly after it was finished.But now that I've read it, and allayed my fears,I can say it amused me and moved me to tears.The writing insightful, the characters complex,And it amazed me how well their stories intersect.It was a quick read, 'though I savored each word,I can't believe I ever thought this idea was absurd.I loved the way these characters' lives unfolded in stages,A novel's worth of plot and emotion in just a few pages.So if, like me, you're skeptical about this book,I can assure you it's definitely worth more than a look.It's a book you'll want to recommend to your crowd,And it's infinitely more fun if you read it aloud (even to yourself).Don't worry if poetry's not your idea of fun,You'll feel tremendously fulfilled when you're all done.I really loved this, and I'm completely sincere,When I say it's one of the best I read this year.So thank you for enduring my attempts at a tribute,Clearly rhyming is not my strongest suit.Ahem. I couldn't resist.This is a phenomenally written, emotionally compelling book, one of the most unique I've ever read, and I loved every minute of it. David Rakoff has created a masterpiece of interconnected stories-in-verse about characters in some sort of emotional flux. Some of the connections come as an utter surprise, but the emotions they generate are truly genuine. As the title suggests, Rakoff's characters are involved with all of those verbs in some way, and I only wish he had lived, because I'd love to read more about them.Believe me, I was truly skeptical of this concept, but I am so glad I gave it a shot. And you should, too.

I have just finished listening to the audiobook version of LDMDCP, and am wiping the tears from my eyes. All I can say is, thank you, Ira Glass, for helping Mr. Rakoff complete this work in the last weeks of his life, and for making it possible for his fans and friends to hear this book the way it needs to be heard. For a particular group of us, David Rakoff became over the years,a patron saint of sorts. He provided us with the validation that yes, we could be sarcastic, ironic and at times a bit indignant, without simultaneously forsaking our humanity. He proved that these competing qualities could indeed find a comfortable home within ourselves, and that we needn't chose to be either completely bitter or 100% virtuous. We could in fact, be both, and somehow work it all out into a cohesive package. David Rakoff framed the dichotomy of the human condition better than any other writer of our time.Regarding the controversy of the delivery method of this final work, written in anapestic tetrameter (two unstressed syllables, followed by one stressed); it's a form of rhyming used by Dr. Seuss, Clement Moore, Lord Byron and Eminem, so how "inaccessable", or off-putting can it really be? As I listened, the power of the story overtook the conceit, and the analysis provided by his editor, Bill Thomas, in an interview with the New York Times was borne out:"What is so special to me about the book," Mr. Thomas said, "is that it is the purest distillation of David's belief that we live in a world that is essentially cruel and indifferent, but there are remedies for that. And the remedies are kindness and beauty. It's very clever and erudite, and it's very, very funny, as David was, but fundamentally it is a brief for kindness."David Rakoff was truly one-of-a-kind, and he was our kind. His voice, and the depth of his humanity will be forever missed.

I love verse but it is hard to find good verse, never in the form of a novel. I was hoping after reading some of his prose that I would be amused but this or even like it, but I was overweled by the beauty of Rakoff story, characters and verse. I wanted more and am all to sad that Rakoff has passed and will not give us more.The verse is very good and not a distraction (I am a classist I read a lot of long works in verse.) It fits what Rakoff wanted to do and he succeeded in his aim. I think this was a labor of love that needed to be finished before he died but it has no sense of being unfinished or incomplete. All that is needed is there and with good verse there is little extra unneeded on the page.The book is phyiscally beautiful and a pleasure to sit back and read.Rakoff read all of his own books and this is maybe the gem of the lot. His reading voice is weaker because of the cancer that is doing him in but the love and passion for the book comes out so well as he reads it. I know from his reading that Rakoff answered his question of what is worth doing in your last days. For Rakoff it was making sure this book existed in a form that would satify the reader and the listener.I recommend all his books.Half Full is my second favorite of his works.

Beautiful book. I read this book twice, once by myself and the next time out loud with my girlfriend. I'd recommend doing the second way if you can, it's got a great melody to it. A post-reading recommendation is to read it slowly, it sounds much better at that cadence.But the stories are beautiful. It's one of those books where many plots intertwine by the end, and it's really well-done. Moving and funny, if you're looking for a book written in a unique fashion, you're at the right place.There's also an audio-version of this read by the author himself, in the month before he died of cancer. It's more moving than you'd think to listen to him.

Absolutely wonderful. Makes me miss David Rakoff even more.

Great condition, beautiful book.

Such a cleverly written book! Cannot even begin to imagine how he did it.

This book is genius.

Very unique writing style. He speaks in prose and it is delightful. I found myself thinking in prose for a while after listening to this.