Assholes do finish first
4/5 Stars
The name Tucker Max is synonymous with drunken depravity, irresponsible sex and hilarious commentary.
In fact, Max describes himself by saying, “I get excessively drunk at inappropriate times, disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging d–head.” Tucker has no qualms about his actions or his status as a rampant womanizer and borderline alcoholic; in fact, he embraces it, which is the not-so-subtle X-factor that makes his writing consistently entertaining.
Max started out as your run-of-the-mill wannabe-internet-celebrity with his website TuckerMax.com, but he shot into stardom with the publication of his first book, I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell and its movie adaptation. Assholes Finish First is the follow up.
The book is separated into two parts, the first being pre-fame stories and the second being post-fame. The epic entry aptly named “Tuckerfest” ties both sections together in a smooth and fluid fashion by detailing a drunken journey, during which Max realizes the life he considered normal is about to change drastically.
I was one of the many who believed there was no way Max would be able to recreate the magic that made I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell so amusing, assuming he would be subjected to the sophomore slump so many other authors experience. However, after reading this book in two days, I can safely say it is a very worthy sequel and in some ways even better than its predecessor.
The components that make this book epically comic and better than the first are ridiculous rhetorical questions, such as: Can you X-ray someone while they are performing fellatio; what happens when you combine copious amounts of hard liquor, a bull horn meant for riot control and a bus full of clowns; and lastly, the wisdom behind the mantra that when it comes to women you have the choice of hot, sane and single, and unfortunately you can only pick two.
I’m sure you get the picture. Another component that makes this book better than the first is Max’s writing. The second time around, Max sounds much more professional, and his writing is less choppy.
However, some say this actually detracts from Assholes Finish First because the reader loses the raw voice of Tucker Max, but I disagree. The story content is all the proof you need that Tucker Max is back and more offensive than ever.
While the feminist in me cringes and gags at his sexual escapades, the subtle technique Max employs to weave his wit and relatively sound logic within his short stories is quite astounding. The greatest thing — and probably what sets Tucker Max apart from every Tom, Dick or Harry — is his acceptance that he’s a dick. He has no delusions about his behavior, and this adds quality to his work. In a culture where fallacies and illusions are widely expected and accepted, Max stands with his blatant honesty, and it is the truth that has put him on the literary map. This book is not for those with a weak mind or stomach, but if you’re tired of literary mediocrity and bogus biographies, Assholes Finish First is as easy it comes (sexual pun intended).
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