Stories I Tell On Dates - Softcover

Shirley, Paul

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0692879854 ISBN 13: 9780692879856

Publisher: Fourth Bar Books, 2017

Synopsis

Everyone tells stories on dates. Sometimes we tell these stories to make people laugh. Sometimes we tell them to make people think. Sometimes we tell them so we can increase the chances we'll see the other person naked. Paul Shirley's stories are about an adulthood spent all over the world: living in Spain, playing in the NBA, and having his heart (and spleen) broken. But they're also stories about growing up in small-town Kansas: triumphant spelling bees, catastrophic middle school dances, and a Sex Ed. class taught by his mother. They're funny stories. They're vulnerable stories. Most of all, they're universal stories, just as the stories we tell on dates should be.

About this title

About the Author

Paul is the author of two humor memoirs. The first, Can I Keep My Jersey?, chronicles three years in his stop-and-start professional basketball career. The second, Stories I Tell On Dates, chronicles an entire lifetime in his stop-and-start dating career. A native of Kansas, Paul now resides in Los Angeles, where he runs a non-profit writing workshop called Writers Blok. Paul has also written for ESPN.com, Slate, Esquire, the Wall Street Journal, and FlipCollective.com, a website for writers he founded.

Review

"Charming. Resonates with anyone who favors introspection and emotional honesty."
- The Chicago Tribune
"Paul Shirley tells great stories--not only on dates but also in this funny and charming collection. I would encourage as many people as possible to date Paul Shirley, read this book, or do both."

- Jonathan Eig, New York Times-bestselling author of Ali: A Life and Luckiest Man
"Funny, raw, sweet, honest, and a pleasure to read."
- The Cedar Rapids Gazette

"If falling in love requires us to reveal who we really are, it's no wonder the brave and funny stories Paul Shirley tells on his dates tell us something about ourselves, too, in all of our ridiculousness and humanity. As Shirley travels the world trying to get both the girl and the NBA team to love him back, we're treated to a hilarious but moving tale of how we find our way to adulthood."

- Lori Gottlieb, New York Times-bestselling author of Marry Him and New York Magazine's weekly advice column, "What Your Therapist Really Thinks"

"I'm sure at some point Paul Shirley--former NBA journeyman--thought he was destined for basketball greatness. He wasn't, and thank goodness. Because his hoops shortcomings brought forth literary genius. This is the most engrossing, honest memoir I've ever read--equal parts hilarious, heartbreaking, cringe-inducing, and triumphant. Simply put: I love this book."

- Jeff Pearlman, New York Times-bestselling author of Showtime, Sweetness, and Boys Will Be Boys

"What I love about this book is how funny and earnest it is. It's not a snarky look at life but instead a celebration of what happens when you deeply wish to invest in something or someone that doesn't necessarily want to do the same."

- Justin Halpern, New York Times-bestselling author of Sh*t My Dad Says and I Suck At Girls

"There's plenty of basketball reminiscing, including the night Scottie Pippen gave Shirley an assist he'll remember forever. But you get the feeling Shirley's life would be just as interesting via his retelling if he were a 6-foot-10 CPA."

- David Aldridge, NBA.com

"Endearing, charming, and very funny, this is a refreshing read from a former jock who's not afraid to cry and not afraid to write about it."

- Gloria Fallon, author and humorist (and sister to Jimmy)

"Unlike most dates, this book is never boring and always leaves you satisfied. Paul's tales are charming, funny, and touching, and they add up to a poignant portrait of a unique life. What I'm saying is: I want to go on a date with Paul."

- Matteson Perry, two-time Moth Grand Slam storytelling champion and author of Available: A Memoir of Heartbreak, Hookups, Love, and Brunch

About this edition

• Publisher: Fourth Bar Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0692879854
• ISBN 13: 9780692879856
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 270