Author: Cameron Straughan

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2020-07

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13: 0968698115

A wild, hilarious account of one man's absurd quest for enlightenment, inner peace and a really good pair of trousers. These twenty-three interconnected short stories dissect the chaos of modern life with a unique brand of off-the-wall humour. Anthony Zen pokes fun at the idea that our bosses can be pigs, our parents can be embarrassing and absent-minded, time is relative, justice is blind, and the foundations of our relationships might not always pass the inspection of a team of geologists. In Anthony's world, the mundane becomes fantastic. EVERYTHING is a target for satire. Are these illustrated stories just a good laugh - some silly fun - or do they deep dive into the minutia and machinations that manipulate our daily existence? YOU decide! Here's how readers describe "The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen" ... "Very funny." "A fun read." "Fantastic read!" "I haven't laughed so much reading a book in quite a while." "My roommate came into the kitchen and asked what I was laughing at [while I was reading it]." "The book was truly a joy to read." Need some fun? Craving a good laugh? Brain needs a stretch? ESCAPE! Dive into the world of Anthony Zen! Reviews "Reminded me of 'Rhinoceros' - Ionesco. A commentary on the absurdity of the human condition made tolerable only by self-delusion. Shows struggle of individual (Anthony) to maintain his integrity and identity alone in a world where others have succumbed to 'beauty' of brute force, natural energy and/or mindlessness." -- Colette Stevenson "Your stories reminded me of a cross between Lewis Carroll and Richard Brautigan" -- Larry Logan SATIRE - THE JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY SATIRE "North American authors, with the exception of a few (Kurt Vonnegut Jr., et al.), have very little sense of the absurd, something you've been cultivating, I think." -- C.F. Kennedy DRIFT/NECESSARY PRESS "We like the character and the writing." -- The Editors BLOOD AND APHORISMS "I enjoyed reading all four of your submissions [including the Anthony Zen stories 'Anthony Has Some Fun' and 'Another Day at Work']. You obviously have a well-developed sense of humor." -- Lisa B. Neuberger AMAZING STORIES "I [found] your Anthony Zen stories funny. In fact, I really enjoyed them. You obviously have a flair for nonsense, and a knack for turning cliches on their heads. The ability to find comic potential in the everyday mundanities of life is pretty rare, and the stuff that good comic writers are made of. I think it's obvious you have this same type of funny bone." -- Tim Bowling FLASH MAGAZINE "When the book begins with poor Anthony being harassed by his ringing cat, being late for work, and rushing out the door forgetting to put on pants, you know you're in for a treat. Anthony is a likable character with a good sense of humor. His friends, Harry and Chubby, had me laughing out loud when they were prank-calling Anthony. When Anthony explains that he enjoyed prank-calling the kids in the neighborhood, telling them that "he saw Bear Gryls climbing up onto their roof and disappearing down their chimney," I had a good chuckle. That was a creative and a well-thought out scenario that you wouldn't think of when he first mentioned prank calls. All 23 short stories have the same theme, mainly the "how-to" deal with a work/life balance, dealing with family, and maintaining the kid spirit that exists in all of us while living an adult life. The Surreal Adventures of Anthony Zen is a great book if you are looking for a quick read." -- Danielle Watkins THE BOOK SMUGGLER'S DEN "The author is a gifted writer. The author's writing prowess is immaculate. Incorporated a lot of themes and literary devices. Light-hearted and fun to read. It was hilariously genius. The writing style and humor are perfect. The hilarious jokes are executed very well." -- Eunice Geres