One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories

Novak’s quirky, humorous short stories translate well to audio. And the author’s dry, deadpan reading—as if all the book’s odd happenings are perfectly normal—makes this audio edition even funnier. The guest narrators perform admirably, with Schwartzman turning in a truly hilarious cameo as a bloodthirsty African warlord on a blind date with a giggly American woman. As the warlord makes small talk with his date, Schwartzman’s jovial, booming voice shifts seamlessly from describing his job of murder, rape, and destruction to a Seinfeldian rant about flourless chocolate cake. Fans of offbeat humor with unexpected punch lines in the vein of Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts” will enjoy this amusing and often insightful potpourri. A Knopf hardcover. (Feb.)