Official Review: Something Like the Truth by Tom Soter

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 17 Jan 2020, 14:39

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Something Like the Truth" by Tom Soter.]

4 out of 4 stars

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“Life is a big joke – it only hurts if you don’t laugh.” This quote from the book perfectly encapsulates Tom Soter’s explorations of the comical, the tragic, and the mundane. Something Like the Truth is a compilation of essays from earlier titles divided into six thematic sections: “Romance,” “Life… and death,” “Lost causes… and found ones,” “Dogs and cats and schools… and nuns,” “Family and friends,” and “Famous folks and me.”

Soter comes from a family of Greek heritage. He’s had a successful career as a writer and editor, and he’s also been teaching and performing improv for decades. The book introduces the reader to many aspects of the author’s life, from his family, friends, and even pets, to his encounters with celebrities.

Crushes, online dating, funny stories, sobering reflections on death, you name it; the book has it covered. The reader experiences joy, sadness, embarrassment, and much more as they travel through the wide variety of themes in the book. The fourth part, in particular, is masterfully structured: it begins with fun stories about pets, indulges in healthy nostalgia that leaves you with warm feelings, and ends with a heartfelt tribute to a professor and friend.

The book’s tone is casual and friendly, with a few literary sprinkles and a generous serving of humor. If you enjoy sarcasm, you’ll likely have quite a few chuckles at passages such as: “The last addition to the Soter pet family was Coco. I think he was a gift to Effie from the boys, but he might also have been delivered by Satan.”

My favorite essay was definitely the one about the author’s father and his passing. It makes the reader intimately familiar with this interesting and witty man named George Soter, and it’s easy to tell how much the author cherished him. Though we feel sorry for his departure, we also celebrate his vivid personality by enjoying amusing anecdotes:

On an emergency room visit to the hospital, I overheard this exchange between a nurse and a groggy George: “Mr. Soter, you have a temperature.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“You do. I just took your temperature.”
“Well, if you knew, why did you ask me?”

I didn’t dislike anything in particular about the book. The only minor issue is the occasional repetition, as a few essays reference the same events. These occurrences are fairly short and infrequent, however, so they shouldn’t bother most readers.

Something Like the Truth is a wonderful compilation that should please many different audiences. It’s also exceptionally edited, as I’ve only found five minor errors in almost three hundred pages. I confidently rate the book 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to everyone. There are brief instances of profanities and discussions of mature themes, but the book should be suitable for teenagers. You might want to avoid this one if you prefer objective, analytical essays.

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Something Like the Truth
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Wyland · Post by **Wyland** » 26 Jan 2020, 04:56

I like the casual and friendly tone of the book. It sure would also be nice laughing to the various sarcastic references in the book. Nice review.

Roger Glasgow · Post by **Julius_** » 26 Jan 2020, 05:11

I like that the tone of the book is very friendly and humorous. Your review was very well-written and enjoyable to read. Thanks for the review.

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 26 Jan 2020, 13:50

Julius_ wrote: ↑26 Jan 2020, 05:11 I like that the tone of the book is very friendly and humorous. Your review was very well-written and enjoyable to read. Thanks for the review.

Wyland wrote: ↑26 Jan 2020, 04:56 I like the casual and friendly tone of the book. It sure would also be nice laughing to the various sarcastic references in the book. Nice review.

The book's tone is just right and very entertaining indeed. Thanks for the comments!

Nerea · Post by **Nerea** » 26 Jan 2020, 16:58

The story seems to highlight a variety of relevant themes. I like that you mention the emotional effects the book will have on readers. I might give the book a try. Thanks for the review.

Juliet+1 · Post by **Juliet+1** » 26 Jan 2020, 21:11

I've been reading too many memoirs and essays lately, so I think I'll have to give this one a miss. But your review was terrific.

derialist · Post by **derialist** » 27 Jan 2020, 04:09

Coco sounds like a rascal. Thank you so much for this review I'll check it out.

adamgreenrock · Post by **adamgreenrock** » 27 Jan 2020, 09:43

A book that has a compilation of essays? Now that's something I haven't seen that much. I might just give it a read for that. Thanks for your review!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 27 Jan 2020, 10:21

Juliet+1 wrote: ↑26 Jan 2020, 21:11 I've been reading too many memoirs and essays lately, so I think I'll have to give this one a miss. But your review was terrific.

derialist wrote: ↑27 Jan 2020, 04:09 Coco sounds like a rascal. Thank you so much for this review I'll check it out.

adamgreenrock wrote: ↑27 Jan 2020, 09:43 A book that has a compilation of essays? Now that's something I haven't seen that much. I might just give it a read for that. Thanks for your review!

Nerea wrote: ↑26 Jan 2020, 16:58 The story seems to highlight a variety of relevant themes. I like that you mention the emotional effects the book will have on readers. I might give the book a try. Thanks for the review.

Thanks for the comments! If you decide to read this, I hope you enjoy it.

Ellylion · Post by **Ellylion** » 30 Jan 2020, 08:39

Thank you for this review! Sounds like a light and heartwarming read for almost everybody. Would love to give it a try!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 30 Jan 2020, 19:32

Ellylion wrote: ↑30 Jan 2020, 08:39 Thank you for this review! Sounds like a light and heartwarming read for almost everybody. Would love to give it a try!

It has its light moments and its somber moments, but overall, I do recommend it to everybody. If you decide to read it, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the comment!

Roger Glasgow · Post by **Julius_** » 01 Feb 2020, 06:52

A book covering wide range of themes, from crushes to online dating etc. I was particularly excited with your starting quote. Thanks for the review

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 01 Feb 2020, 12:36

Julius_ wrote: ↑01 Feb 2020, 06:52 A book covering wide range of themes, from crushes to online dating etc. I was particularly excited with your starting quote. Thanks for the review

The book does offer a lot of diversity in its themes. Thanks for the comment!

Roger Glasgow · Post by **Julius_** » 02 Feb 2020, 07:35

Tomah wrote: ↑01 Feb 2020, 12:36
Julius_ wrote: ↑01 Feb 2020, 06:52 A book covering wide range of themes, from crushes to online dating etc. I was particularly excited with your starting quote. Thanks for the review
The book does offer a lot of diversity in its themes. Thanks for the comment!

Thanks, I'll take a look at it.