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Title: Beware of Unoriginal Mediocracy
Review: I purchased this collection with high hopes after hearing Auslander's "The Blessing Bee" (not included in this book) on NPR. ("The Blessing Bee" is one of the most amazing short stories I've ever heard - poignant, heart-breaking, and hilarious all at the same time.) Beware of God, however, is a totally forgettable, rather immature screed against religion and God. While that could have been interesting, the stories are so yowlingly strident that I couldn't help but compare them to what you might imagine a heartbroken 16-year old boy would write about girls after his girlfriend dumps him for another guy. If you're looking for more of the "The Blessing Bee", you'll be sadly disappointed.
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