A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities

Quirky Essays for Quirky People

By: Barbara Venkataraman

Narrated by: Carrie Lee Martz

At 8,000 words, this collection of humorous essays explores such quirky topics as: disastrous home repairs, ("A Trip to the Hardware Store"), an unfortunate dinner party ("Dinner is Served"), the truth about lazy people ("Lazy Bones"), the weird life of a debt collector ("Your Account is Past Due") and obsessions with gadgets ("Gadget Girl"). Other essays examine how surreal the aging process is ("Where Did the Time Go?"), why you shouldn't judge a person by their job ("Beyond Belief"), and how to complicate simple transactions ("High Finance"). Like the author's first work, "I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course...," these essays will give your spirit a lift and leave you smiling.

©2013 Barbara Venkataraman (P)2014 Barbara Venkataraman

Wonderful!

If you could sum up A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities in three words, what would they be?

Fun, calamitous, truth

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities?

The matter of the "slight" remodeling necessary in the Trip to The Hardware Store... Understatement of the year!

Which scene was your favorite?

The dining room re flooring...

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did listen all in one sitting. We had a long car trip, and managed to finish it.

Any additional comments?

This was a commpendium of wonderful short stories, which were hilarious and believable. I think, based on some things I've read, that these are based on real life occurrences for the author. The narrator, Carrie Lee Martz, is once again phenomenal and wickedly versatile. Each story had it's own 'voice'. She is a tremendously talented lady!

Fun Listen

This was a fun, enjoyable listen. Listening to it felt like having a friend with a great sense of humor along for the ride, telling me some of her favorite stories.
While there were none that were particularly complex, it was still quite entertaining, in the way that personal stories often are.
The narrator was really good.
It's a collection of really authentic sounding, down to early stories that are believable and down to earth. I think my favorite passage was about the debtors - how she loved her debtors. I remember a landlord friend telling me one time that the late debtors were just his favorite - that they always paid more and were funny to listen to. This story reflected that experience.
It's family friendly, and should be great for a long commute or to take on a vacation. It's very personable, and funny in a easy, relaxing way that doesn't require total concentration.

Life Observations Reminiscent of Erma Bombeck

Any additional comments?

A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities is a collection of short essays of life's observations that are very reminiscent of Erma Bombeck. All of the stories were well written and moving ~ some of them were extremely funny.

Carrie Lee Martz did a great job narrating and contributed to my enjoyment of this short audio book.

At almost one hour, it's the perfect length for my commute to and from work. I can't wait to listen to Barbara Venkataraman's next collection of short essays!

Funny!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it's funny.

What about Carrie Lee Martz’s performance did you like?

I've heard two of her performances and she does a good job.

Any additional comments?

I received a free copy of the audiobook for an honest review.

This book has several funny stories in which the author pokes fun at herself and members of her family but the stories are ones we can all relate to. When I listen to an audiobook, I listen in my car on my commute to work. I found myself laughing often as I drove.

My favorite story was “A Trip to the Hardware Store.” Although it was extreme, it reminded me of my dad in a lot of ways.

What a fun book! Anyone who has a sense of humor would enjoy it. When I have time, I plan on getting the first book in the Quirky Essays of Quirky People series, I’m Not Talking about You, of Course…

Cute and Quaint, Random and Real

If you could sum up A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities in three words, what would they be?

Cute/Quaint, Random, Real

Who was your favorite character and why?

NA - This is a nonfiction book, so there is the narrator/speaker (presumably the author) and her husband, the lady's 3 sisters, and a slew of random people she knows.

What does Carrie Lee Martz bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator has a smooth reading voice that makes this a quick, enjoyable experience.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

My favorite stories were the dinner party and hearing about the collection duties.

Any additional comments?

Well done project.