Does this story sound like it'd tickle your funny bone? Judd Foxman and his wife Jen lost a baby during the last months of her pregnancy. A year later, he catches her in bed with his boss, a crude radio shock-jock. Months after that, Judd doesn't have a job and is living in a crappy apartment when he gets the news that his father finally died after long battle with cancer. Just then, Jen drops by to let him know that she's pregnant. Judd's even more shocked to learn that his father's last request was that a traditional shiva be done for him so he has to go home and spend 7 days dealing with his family that has years of pent up frustrations and grudges with each other. 
 I'll bet you're laughing already, ain't ya? 
 Even thought the plot doesn't exactly sound like a knee slapper, and the book often has a sad and angry tone, it's got a lot of great lines and situations that made me laugh out loud more than once. My favorite part was Judd's retaliation when he discovers his wife and his boss in bed, and he has a birthday cake with lit candles in his hands. Hilarity ensues. 
 There's nothing particularly groundbreaking about a story of a dysfunctional family having to gather for an event and deal with some of their old hang-ups as their current lives are turning to crap, but I did enjoy this book. Tropper does a nice job of making all the characters a little fucked-up but basically likeable people. He also walked the razor's edge of humor and melancholy perfectly.