Book Review: Fact Denounced As Four-Letter Word

Reviewed by Toni Woodruff

A laugh-inducing, thought-provoking collection of aphorisms and unexpected wisdom

This is not a book you’ve read before. Only in the mind of Piotr Bardzik is it possible—this raw collection of notes with sharp criticism and an eye and ear for humor. Bardzik comes with his own set of experiences and skills (as we all do ), but he doesn’t share them. That’s not what this book is about. He writes of what he knows—the insider knowledge and inside jokes—in short snippets of ideas, often one or two lines, aimed either at speaking to the afflicted on a particular subject or making you laugh from recognition. It’s like gaining access to a personal journal—except that journal’s got wisdom you can agree with.

The author is at his best when talking of the various anomalies of the corporate life. He’s chockfull of acronyms and time-savers—sound familiar?—that you wish you heard more of around your water cooler. Only a skilled critic can punch down the office life in one or two sentences like this, and only Bardzik can do it with such biting humor.

“‘We are in the same boat’ – said the CEO from the top deck.”

The humor is ever-present. You never know when a particular subject will be torn to pieces but with the goal, primarily, of making you laugh. So many of these quotes would go great on office bulletin boards, refrigerators, and the privacy of your cubicle.

“The success of a corporation rests often on its ability to neutralize the effects of management’s incompetence.”

With lists, acronyms, ironies, and one-word sections, the book is a breeze to read but a tome to think about, much like the effect of a good poetry collection. You might not get the same stanza breaks and meter you could expect from poetry, but you will get plenty of fresh concepts to ponder long after closing it. It’s something you can read fast but might not want to—a thing to savor.

There are a lot of notes in this collection, which is both a boon and a hindrance. Some of them are weaker than others and dampen the effect of the full collection. This often happens with the one-word sections, meant to inject humor but can sometimes feel like gimmicks and like they could have worked better in-scene. And not all will resonate with all readers of course. It’s incredibly specific and raw commentary from a unique mind.

Fact Denounced As a Four-Letter Word is a reading experience you won’t forget any time soon. You’ll be hearing Bardzik chiming in when you’re stepping into work, sitting in a meeting, or contemplating the current state of politics. For those with adventurous reading tastes and a penchant for one-line philosophies, this is a well-worthy read.

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