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The Uber 1%
The Uber 1% by Bob Ford is a satirical short story collection about the wealthy, mostly the “Uber Rich,” with a few ordinary and filthy rich characters mixed in. The book moves through a world of country clubs, affairs, social punishment, vanity, money, and status, often returning to Centerport as its main stage. It is clearly working in the genre of social satire, with short fiction used to expose how ridiculous people can become when image matters more than character.
I liked the sharpness of the writing. Ford likes big personalities. Asher, Isadora, Angeline, Tolova, and the others are drawn with a kind of amused cruelty, but the comedy usually lands because the characters keep revealing themselves without realizing it. That is the fun of the book. People say the wrong thing, chase the wrong prize, marry for the wrong reason, and then act shocked when the bill comes due. Some scenes feel almost like gossip overheard at a club lunch, polished just enough to become fiction.
The book leans into exaggeration. At its best, the excess feels intentional. The names, the brands, the clubs, the houses, the affairs, all of it builds a world where money buys comfort but not wisdom. Sometimes the satire is broad, even blunt, but I think that bluntness fits the target. These are not quiet interior portraits. They are comic takedowns of people who have confused wealth with worth.
I would recommend The Uber 1% to readers who enjoy social satire, linked short stories, and fiction that pokes at privilege with a grin rather than a whisper. Fans of sharp, class-conscious comedy and country-club absurdity will probably have the best time with it. It’s a funny, biting look at people who have almost everything, except self-awareness.
Pages: 307 | ASIN: B0GTF4KYRT
The Lights of Sheridan Square
![The Lights of Sheridan Square by [Bob Ford]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/5181LhQL2rL.jpg)
Bob Ford’s The Lights of Sheridan Square is an evocative and compelling novel that details Jay Carraway’s involvement in 1950s film production as well as his budding relationship with the beautiful Joanna. Throughout many years, Jay not only builds his rapport in the industry with both likable and morally skewed businessmen but also endures the highs and lows of falling for someone and what it means to experience true love for the first time.
Ford’s writing and descriptive imagery of the environment had me completely engaged. The hustle of both New York City and its inhabitants was palpable and laid a clear image in my head of what being a young adult in such a fast-paced business would be like. Despite Jay sometimes having to perform monotonous tasks, I found that Ford’s quick-paced narrative pushed the story along, leaving me wanting more at the end of each chapter.
Another plus is Ford’s ability to take each character and breathe life into them. While there are many seemingly minor characters involved in this story, each was memorable and complex in a way that provided context to the overall narrative and further evolved Jay and Joanna’s relationship with one another.
I especially loved seeing the trials and tribulations Jay and Joanna experienced together when developing their relationship. Ford’s creation of this couple is not one of fantasy, but of reality, and shows the hard truths couples have to acknowledge when coming together as one. Jay’s consistent need to take care of others combined with Joanna’s past burdens holding her back was an unexpected, yet relatable take on a relationship.
As both a romance and an account of self-discovery in the real world, I found The Lights of Sheridan Square to be transportive, emotional, and a story I will think about for years to come.
Pages: 328 | ASIN: B007C6ZRJE
