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The Other Shulman by Alan Zweibel
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Alan Zweibel is a funny writer. The Other Shulman is the story of Shulman, overweight and middle aged. His fledgling New Jersey stationary shop requires less time than ever. His wife’s decorating career prospers as Shulman’s customers dwindle to practically none. After a physical during which he is told he is fat, Shulman signs up to raise money for a New Jersey Aids project requiring fund raising, running, and training for the New York City Marathon. The “other” Shulman of the title is Shulman’s alter-ego personified. His purpose in the book, unbeknownst to our hero, is to sabotage and bully Shulman, pushing him to get control of his life—after all, he is middle aged, and life is spiralling out of control. This funny novel, told in 26.2 chapters, has all the drama of a marathon : painful miles during training and in the marathon itself; self discovery and the scary things that happen when one finally takes charge of one's own life; the close and sometimes confusing bond that develops with a training partner not your wife or sister and not the same sex as you; how embarrassing your running clothes can be to your family; and the joy of accomplishment and doing the right thing. Shulman describes his race mile by mile: the bridges, the crowd support, especially coming off the quiet miles of the Queens Borough Bridge, the long miles through the Bronx, Harlem and Central Park, and finally the triumphant fight to the finish. Alan Zweibel has written for "Saturday Night Live" (one of the original crew) and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." His theatre credits include "Bunny Bunny: Gilda Radner — A Sort of Romantic Comedy" as well as "700 Sundays," Billy Crystal’s Broadway hit. Like Shulman, I’m certain he has run the NYC marathon. Review by Sarah Bagby, August 4, 2005
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