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At the heart of Guiaşu’s work is a free-spirited nature that is meshed with a penchant for humor en route to tackling pertinent topics. An academic through and through, the author has included works that span the spectrum of his educational journey from elementary school to his doctoral experiences and professorship. In each of the short stories, the signature humor is only complemented by the uncanny relatability that pervades the work, beginning with “A Good Day,” which is rooted in an exploration of the immense challenges that career academics have in finding a job after earning their doctoral degree.
In stories like “A Good Day” and “Submission Guidelines,” Guiasu depicts the “bleak prospects”—and the ensuing anguish—with pinpoint precision and the unnecessary loopholes one must jump through to even have a chance to reach their goal. The downright harrowing and recurring nightmares of failing your high school physics exam, especially when you are a full-fledged Ph.D,, are revealing of the chaotic remnants of one’s formative years. “You haven’t lived enough” opens up the compilation with the wise Jake assuming the role of the wise Obi-Wan, imparting to the doe-eyed speaker how foolhardy his aspirations of a writing career are, ensuring him that imagination without life experience is worth “rat droppings.” Ironically, the perfect dose of comedic humor is injected into when Jake finishes recounting his unbelievable life experiences, and is then asked by the speaker why he himself doesn’t write. “I never learned how to write, anyway” is the perfect chicken/egg example and is an evergreen revelation to audiences to simply seize the moment.
When the narratives shift from experiences within academia, readers will be privy to themes like enduring friendship. Nothing brings people quite together—or breaks them apart—like a trip where everything that can go wrong does, especially when on a mountain in treacherous weather. Subtle details that would normally go unnoticed become magnified and are a source of annoyance, yet it is this ability of the author that makes readers feel like they have a personal stake in his stories. For instance, when the duo comes face to face with a bear, and one of them thinks immediately to run away and up a tree, it is simultaneously comical and comprehensible.
From writing a letter skewering the fictional character of Dr. John Hammond amid his befuddling decisions to set up Jurassic Park where he did, practically inviting catastrophe to his door, to neighbors tattling on the speaker for getting groceries during the Covid curfew, the stories possess a unique blend of relevance, reflection, and humor—even self-deprecating humor—that transcends simple comedy and makes audiences think at a deeper level. The work is punctuated with the “Life Lessons You Probably Won’t Find in Self-Help Books,” where he delves into concepts of blame, procrastination, and charity in his usual comedic, tactful tone. Ultimately, Guiaşu’s extensive experience communicating within various academic settings has allowed him to be unafraid to use his voice. More importantly, he knows exactly how to utilize comedic timing to hold important and meaningful conversations in a lighthearted setting while ensuring his message gets across. This uncanny ability is to the delight of readers as the compilation is both entertaining and introspective, letting readers look inside and outside and simply absorb what Guiaşu has to say.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review