Care to Make Love in That Gross Little Space Between Cars?: A Believer Book of Advice

With contributors like Louis C.K., Dave Eggers, Bob Saget, Weird Al, writers for The Onion and Saturday Night Live, and "Miscellaneous Canadian Rock Musicians," it's astonishing how few laughs this book actually generates. A sequel to 2010's You're a Horrible Person, But I Like You, this collection of fake advice columns is modeled after Amy Sedaris' original "Sedaratives" in The Believer magazine. In fact, her contributions here, including suggestions for how to "take care" of hermit crabs, are among the few humorous highlights. Musician, puppeteer, writer, and director Liam Lynch, in a rare laugh-out-loud piece, offers an unexpected option to a motorist and bicyclist with anger issues, while original SNL cast member Laraine Newman attempts to serve up semi-relevant advice regarding iPod playlists, fear of buttons, and malodorous genitalia. But Louis C.K. comes off as mean and juvenile, Nick Hornby falls short of expectations, and Eggers and Kristen Schaal disappoint. Even the piece by George Saunders%E2%80%94a response to a question about which book to read on the subway in order to make friends (from which the title originates)%E2%80%94tries too hard to be clever and cute. Such a book might be fun to page through with friends at a party, but as a cover-to-cover read, this is advice no one needs. (Mar.)