Freaks I've Met

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Foreword Review Book of the Year Award Finalist (2015). Spokane, Washington, is nearly perfect for most people, but Jack Fitzpatrick is not one of them. Hours after graduation and armed with his final paycheck from his nemesis, Jack heads for Southern California. Dreams are a dime a dozen in the City of Angels. Broke, barely scraping by, and hating his life as a temp, L.A. is definitely not what Jack expected. But after reading "Best Paying Jobs of 1987" in Time magazine, he decides to go after the only one he thinks he has a shot at: institutional bond broker. Once frustrated that his dazzling lack of experience keeps getting in the way, Jack is ecstatic to land a job at Freedom Capital, a no-name firm with a hire anybody mentality. Pumped to be on his way to his first few million, Jack eagerly engages in the challenged ethics of his new employer. When a series of innocent events lands him in prison, he's sure things can't get any worse. He would be wrong.

Hardcover: 208 pages

Publisher: Donald Jans; First Edition, unabridged edition (April 22, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0578152150

ISBN-13: 978-0578152158

Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches

Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #196,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #36 in Books > Business & Money > Investing > Bonds #135 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Humor > Business & Professional #139 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Humor & Satire > Dark Humor

It is 1987, and in a matter of a few hours after graduation, Jack Fitzpatrick leaves Spokane, and heads for Los Angeles, hoping to find the proverbial pot of gold when he takes a modeling job. Going weirdly awry, the twenty-one-year old hightails it out of Washington, moving in with one of his college roommates. Things go awry once again, and Jack has no choice but to find another job. Various temp jobs go belly up, and cold calling for a stockbroker leaves little hope for cold, hard cash. When Jack’s first bona fide, yet precarious, job selling bonds provides enough skills for him to quit and try for big time investing in San Francisco, Jack has no idea that he is in for the freakiest time of his life.Donald Jans spins a hilarious, laugh-until-you-cry story in his memoir-ish debut novel. Jans’ first person narrative features Jack, an adventurous young man, who is surrounded by the strangest of the strange. Replete with a colorful cast, Jans’ characters fit the stereotype of “freaks”—many which fill deprecating, self-absorbed, sex-driven roles. A few among the flurry of most memorable characters are Mrs. Pohlkiss, Jack’s infamous neighbor; Dexter, his college roommate and best friend; and Fat Wyatt, one of Jack’s co-workers. Of particular interest is the way Jans uses his cast—all foiled characters—to force Jack to ultimately do something substantial with his life. Incorporating one uncomfortable scenario after the other, Jack has to constantly re-evaluate his life choices.Jans’ writing style is laced with irreverent verbiage, which nicely accentuates the off-the-chart, funny scenes. Great examples are found in incidents with Mrs. Manchester’s (Dexter’s mom) pristine white couch, with Rockwell’s computer system, and in the unforgettable elevator scene with Fat Wyatt.

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