"A worthy successor to Crosley''s well-received debut, I Was Told There''d Be Cake .Most of the book is funny, some of it even laugh-out-loud, but her literary gifts go well beyond easy laughs. The humor flows naturally and subtly from characters and situations, as if these were real-life short stories. ''An Abbreviated Catalog of Tongues,'' which initially seems to be a perfunctory pet essay, yet turns revelatory in a number of directions, addressing everything from sibling relationships to her parents'' religion.Perhaps the finest essay is the final one, ''Off the Back of a Truck,'' a clever, challenging piece from which the book takes its title. Initially about wanting what you can''t afford, it transforms into an exploration of receiving what you want that you can''t afford, through means that you''re only partially willing to admit are pretty shady. Ultimately, though, it becomes a meditation on a romance that forces Crosley to come to terms with a truth she''d suspected and the lie she was living. It''s the least humorous of the collection, but the most unflinchingly true.

Confirmation of the promise shown in the author''s bestselling debut." - Kirkus , starred review "In her first collection of essays, I Was Told There''d Be Cake , Crosley revealed herself as the kind of writer with whom readers could be friends. You could exchange travel stories or compare descriptions of the odor of a NYC taxicab, and you could probably make her laugh, too. In Crosley''s new book, she maintains her humor but inflects it wit ha sense of melancholy. In the manner of David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell, Crosley tells us about European vacation disasters, the inexhaustible nuances of life in New York, and playing the role of bridesmaid.in Alaska. Here even more personal and reflective than in her prior writing, Crosley saves the best for last with the beautifully layered ''Off the Back of a Truck,'' which also contains the inspiration for the books title.Her ability to be at once so familiar and still surprise us is really showcased here.

Smart, clever, and frank, Crosley''s stories are as intimate, and embarrassingly eccentric, as the thoughts we keep to ourselves." - Booklist , starred review "How sure footed and observant Sloane Crosley is. How perfectly, relentlessly funny. If you needed a bib while reading I Was Told There''d Be Cake , you might consider diapers for How Did You Get This Number ." -David Sedaris.