cashier at 7-Eleven Lorenzo
A witty and heartfelt exploration of modern love and the search for meaning.”
sandwich maker at Jimmy John’s Kaitlyn Kuch-Ly
Funny, thought-provoking, and utterly charming. Baron Ryan captures the ‘I get misty’ aspect of love and friendship.”
second assistant accountant on Barbie Benjamin Holden
Brilliantly captures the absurdity of life right before ‘real life’ happens.”
crew member at Trader Joe’s Heather Robertson
A college-era coming-of-age with an existential chuckle.”
manager at Aldi Kyle Dunstan
This short book is an irresistible blend of humor and humanity that will make you laugh, cry, and then leave you smiling.”
financial analyst at wastewater treatment facility Erica Zito
An earnest romp through the trials and tribulations of what we ought to do with ourselves—a true gem.”
Library Journal
05/01/2024
DEBUT Humorist Ryan's debut short story collection follows four friends, Charlie, Mike, Ted, and Nora, over the course of a semester at Harvard, as they go on bad dates, take advantage of free church brunch, and evade bullies and Russian mobsters. The quartet soak in every experience they encounter, often at their own peril, and refuse to stay inside their comfort zones. They hit numerous highs and lows, as in "The Last American Pie," when they work up the courage to play "American Pie" instead of the national anthem at a hockey game and are immediately booed out of the arena. The friends never cease to find the humor in a bad situation, meeting each challenge with a wryness reminiscent of Larry David. The stories are loosely connected through plot, but each has its own theme and wraps up nicely in a sometimes heavy-handed moral. The dialogue is fast-paced and quippy, with all the romance and pretensions of youth. VERDICT With their energetic narrative and relentless humor, Ryan's stories are both entertaining and thought-provoking, making this book endlessly quotable and hard to put down. Fans of Ryan's observational TikTok shorts will enjoy the same irreverent humor in this longer, immersive format.—Cate Triola
