Apparently, I am the expert on "humorous" books comprised of prank letters. Apparently, I am not amused by them.
Actually, I would not have reviewed another book claiming to be similar to "Consumer Joe," Paul Davidson's book of contrived correspondence with representatives from major corporations, had I not received a letter from a certain Mr. Sterling Huck, requesting that I give his prank book a chance.
With a touch of apprehension I opened "The Sterling Huck Letters" and began reading. Even though I still feel that the prank letter book genre is not for me, I found "The Sterling Huck Letters" to be a much better read than "Consumer Joe."
If you missed the review some weeks ago, Davidson's "Consumer Joe" was an offensive and mediocre book of prank letters written to "household name" companies, published along with the responses they garnered. With the exceptions of some clever ideas and the cooperation of a few corporate representatives, "Consumer Joe" is not worth picking up. "The Sterling Huck Letters" follow the same format with much improvement.
First, Huck signs his real name on his prank letters. After Davidson's clever (but cowardly) inversion of his name for the letters of "Consumer Joe," this simple act lends the book a more genuine air. I was immediately impressed.
Secondly, Huck divides his book in to four parts: "I have this problem...," "Roll Over, Thomas Edison," "Opportunity Knocks" and "The Creative Impulse." These sections organize the letters according to their basic premise: a request, a suggestion or invention, offering a service and touting his creativity. The divisions make "The Sterling Huck Letters" more accessible; you don't have to wade through letters detailing odd diseases or conditions (a vestigial tale that is "not vestigial ... about 26' long and tapered like a fleshy exclamation point") to find correspondence about "the 'inst-American' kit for cabbies" with the Yellow Cab company. Huck's book has a more planned-out feel to it, making it convenient to browse through, which is really the way that the book should be read; I can't envision reading this book straight through.
Most importantly, Huck's letters are not aimed exclusively at Fortune 500 companies. "The Sterling Huck Letters" is not the sarcastic swipe at corporate America that "Consumer Joe" is intended to be. Huck's letters are light-hearted, almost innocent in their requests and suggestions. For example, Huck pens a heartfelt letter to the Chancellor of Germany, inviting him to Huck's fictional son's twelfth birthday. He describes his son as the Chancellor's "number-one admirer" and requests that "if you can't make it to the party ... perhaps you could send a videotaped greeting or some kind of card."
Huck also offers his one man show, "Hindi Hit Parade!," to the nation of India as a whole, promising 90 minutes of reinterpretations of "classic American popular songs with a decidedly Indian Flavor." Show numbers include "Too Darn Mahatma," "The Thrill is Gandhi" and "Whose Sari Now?" Nowhere in his letters does Huck exploit poor mental health for humor (with the possible exception of his suggestion of new and different types of "crazy straws"); he instead exploits ventriloquism and nudity.
Huck's wit and sense of the offbeat shine in this collection of letters, from requesting a patch of grass on which to pitch a tent at a hotel (knowing full well that he will not be able to use the "usual amenities" -- including the continental breakfast) to his confession of a fear of clowns in a letter to Clowns of America. In the course of 186 pages he offers his skills as a "naked old-time fiddler," an "audience finesser" and "court jester." And if that does not convince you of Huck's wit, just "think of Darth Vader in a smoking jacket."
Overall, "The Sterling Huck Letters" is the book to read if you enjoy prank letters. Huck's book is well organized and extremely accessible. Huck is light-hearted, offensive only infrequently and often quite clever in his range of letters to major corporations, nations and celebrities.
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