Witty observation of public rudeness. Danny Wallace doesn’t miss a beat on his experiences and how the public behave.

As observant as this book is it didn’t keep my attention, sadly.

I tried reading this a while ago but had to give up. I was having problems with a bad boss at the time so was putting all the scenarios described in the book against them and reading this was causing me more problems. I really like Danny Wallace so it was a shame I couldn't get further with it.

I love Danny Wallace's books so I always get excited about reading a new one and this was no different. The premise of the book is how rude the world has gotten. It's something I'd probably agree with. We live in a world where people think they can say what they want as long as it's followed by 'I'm just saying', thinking it'll soften the blow when often it doesn't. People are quick to flare up and the internet makes it easy to troll others. Danny talks to all sorts of people to uncover why the world is like this now.

While I did enjoy the book, it felt a bit repetitive at times. I've seen others say that it might have served better as a long form magazine article or two and I could see it working a bit better in that format. There's some similar themes to So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson and I feel like that book is a bit more memorable than this book. While I have reread Danny's other books, this is something that I don't see myself picking up again.

A fab poolside treat that I absolutely raced through. I LOVED #HotdogGate and actually read it aloud to my husband at the cottage whilst snort-laughing at the outrageous rudeness of the server. Danny Wallace can do no wrong for me and I loved this modern take on the way that niceness is so sadly underrated in the world. I will definitely be recommending it to my senior readers and think that they'll definitely love it as much as I did. fabulous and very timely. Well done, Danny.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Passive aggression. Road rage. Snarky tweets. Queue-jumpers. Idiots who are #justsaying. Fat shamers. Victim blaming. Furious waitresses who refuse to sell you a hot dog… We are ruder than we’ve ever been.
In this incisive and very funny book, Danny Wallace investigates the new wave of rudeness that threatens to overwhelm us. He travels the world, visiting our rudest critics, interviewing psychologists, psychiatrists, bell boys, cab drivers, bin men, barristers, politicians, a limo driver called José and at least one expert in cooked meat production. In doing so he uncovers the hidden truths behind what makes us rude, whether it can be caught, and how one small moment of rudeness—like being declined a hotdog—can snowball into disaster.
From the jihadist who launched a blistering attack on the “bad manners” of his fellow ISIS militants, to the mayor in Bogota who recruited an army of mimes to highlight inconsiderate driving—this is a very funny and powerful exploration into the way humans work and why it is surely time for an anti-rudeness revolution.

What a fantastic book. I had no real idea what I was getting myself in for when I started the very first page but by the time I had read about "The Incident" with the hotdog, I was laughing hysterically, but also nodding at the same time as I knew exactly the type of person he was talking about.

While the writing was engaging and hilarious, the author also did some serious research into the topic of 'rudeness', and amid the gales of laughter, I was also keenly interested in all of the studies he examined and the experts he was talking to. Why? Because I don't want to be the hotdog lady. I don't want to become that person. And seeing how my actions affect others is quite the wake-up call I certainly wasn't expecting to find when I began.

Did I mention it was also hilarious?

I think this book could have been quite dry and dull if it hadn't have been for the authors fantastic story-telling style. Also, being British, the author naturally appealed to my sense of humor and I just "got it" from the get-go.

Is this one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read? Absolutely. Is it that good that I would read it more than once? Absolutely.

And that is the best recommendation I can give.


Paul
ARH

I Can't Believe You Just Said That

When I was asked if I wanted to read this book, I thought it sounded really intriguing.

I found the book so entertaining and I could really relate to some of the situations that Danny Wallace found himself in. I can't abide rudeness and it really gets to me when people are rude. This book is addictive, you think you'll just read a few pages, then a few more, and before you know it, you've read half the book, done no housework and it'll be beans on toast for tea! (Or a hotdog!!! ;-))

If you're still in two minds about whether to get this book, my advice would be to go for it! A gripping and entertaining read! 5 stars!

Danny Wallace, comedian and all-round nice guy, has a life changing moment when a fast food server is inexplicably rude to him. Rather than seethe in silence he decides to investigate just what drives people to be rude, is it circumstance or are they born like that?

What follows is a fascinating, world-wide, exploration of the worrying new trend of rudeness. He talks to everyone from professors, self-help gurus and doctors to waiters, internet trolls and political aides, some believe rudeness is healthy, freeing and honest while others believe it is slowly destroying the very fabric of civilisation. His research covers the effects of having a rude world leader down to how rudeness is perceived in the different sexes, and the results are mind-blowing. It is written with Wallace’s trademark humour, so laughing out loud at inappropriate moments on public transport is to be expected, but what may surprise you is how much you’ll find his research relating to your own life. Everyone can remember a time someone was rude to them, and you may even recall times when you yourself acted a little less politely than usual - this book will go some way to explaining why that was.

At the very least this book will give you something to think (and laugh) about, and at most it may even have a positive impact on how you behave to those around you. One thing is for sure, however, you will never-ever-ever be rude to a doctor again after reading it.

I am fan of Danny Wallace's work because he takes an everyday subject and explores it in his unique way. In this book he looks at rudeness after an incident with Madam Hotdog.

He looks at the psychology and social causes of rudeness with his own wit and humour thrown in as well. I found the book quite thought provoking. I could relate to many things said and it has made me more aware of responses when in public.

Reading this during the General Election was interesting as he touches on why we think our opinion is more important, how rebellion in history repeats itself and how we challenge tradition. It really is fitting for today and I would highly recommend reading it. If you work in customer services then this is a must read.

Fascinating look at rudeness - very funny and had me pondering

We've all done it - not let another driver in, wished ill on somebody who didn't open a door for us - rudeness is all around us and nobody is immune from either giving or receiving it.

Danny Wallace has here done his own 'study' in the wake of a rather brutal encounter with a provider of hot meat products (hot dog seller) and examines both hers and his own behaviour in the light of his findings, as well as including facts and stories from around the world, situations we'll all find familiar.

It's a truly fascinating read, and Wallace has is deft touch with a comic turn of phrase.
"As a man myself, I'm not sure how my testes compare to the national average, but I'd say all three are perfectly normal." Yes, there's a little bit of swearing and fruity language, but those familiar with Wallace would expect no less.

Situations he mentions are brought up again later and in doing so, the reference raises many a chuckle.

It's bang up to do date as well, talking about Donald Trump's election as US President: "rude people get ahead". He doesn't hold back from his own opinions and I found this very refreshing, the target was well-aimed and chosen.

I certainly examined my own behaviours and habits as I went along and do agree with the author that
"we need politeness because it is right" and that "the important thing to realise is that civilisation involves being civilised."

You are likely to read this and form a resolution or two, one of which may involve avoiding a particular fast food seller, another to do with being nicer and more patient with people.

A very witty and erudite book, one we could all do with reading.

With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy, provided for review purposes.

Charmingly crafted with everything you expect from Danny Wallace's writing style, you'll stop and rethink every interaction you've ever had in your life as you read through this account of rudeness in the world. Insightful commentary and excellent research combined with a light humourous styling makes this the most entertaining pseudo study book you'll ever read.

I'd not read any Danny Wallace before but this I liked the style and the topic. Mixing annecdotes with research is great - this could have been overblown and too long but was just fun.

I thought this was an excellent book. I tried it on a bit of a whim, not knowing quite what to expect, and it turned out to be witty, intelligent and genuinely insightful about the things which make people behave rudely, why such behaviour may be becoming more prevalent and, crucially, the damage it does to us both as individuals and as a society.

The great thing about I Can't Believe You Just Said That is that it is extremely readable and entertaining while saying genuinely important things. When my copy first arrived I thought I'd have a quick look at the first few pages and read it properly sometime later. Instead, I was hooked and read the whole thing straight through. Danny Wallace is a very engaging writer who manages to be funny, honest and self-deprecating while describing situations and personal responses to rudeness which everyone will recognise.

The book begins with the Hot Dog Incident, in which a café-owner was staggeringly rude to Wallace who is a customer. As a result, he went off and did a lot of serious research into rudeness, its causes and effects. He commissioned a survey and also talked to a lot of academics and others who have looked into the topic in detail. The results are fascinating – and rather scary. The severe damage to personal performance caused by someone being rude is positively terrifying (this includes medical errors increasing hugely if someone, not necessarily the patient, is even mildly rude to a practitioner, for example, and the effect persists for a long time) and the corrosive effect of general rudeness on groups and entire nations is also disturbing. There are also some uplifting accounts of ways of combating rudeness and some thoughtful (and sometimes very witty) analysis of its origins in all sorts of groups of people.

I can warmly recommend this book. I found it extremely entertaining as well as being very thought-provoking, and I hope it is very widely read.