Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)?
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
In this debut collection of essays, lists, musings, and quips, New York-based comedian Zach Zimmerman delicately walks the fine line between tear-jerking and knee-slapping, and does so with aplomb.
In this laugh-and-cry-out-loud, memoir-esque exploration of selfhood, Zimmerman dives into the pros and cons of retiring a Bible-Belt-dwelling, meat-eating, God-fearing identity in exchange for a new, metropolitan lease on life—one of vegetarianism, atheism, queerness, and humor. Whether learning to absolve instilled religious guilt or reminiscing over Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, this book is a candid and hysterical look at one person's journey toward making peace with the past and seeking hope in the future.
HILARIOUS WRITING: The stories featured in this collection are an uproarious read with a strong and established tone of voice. Featuring pieces that were originally published in the New Yorker, Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)? is a literary gem.
RELEVANT AND INCLUSIVE: Zimmerman navigates obstacles in the queer community with essays that are not only humorous and heartfelt, but also act as guiding anecdotes for young, queer community members.
ESTABLISHED AUTHOR AND COMEDIAN: Zimmerman has written dozens of New Yorker humor pieces and essays, a Billboard Top Ten comedy album that debuted at #1, and has been featured in New York Magazine, The New York Times, TimeOut, Vulture, and more.
Comedy and humor fansLiterary enthusiasts and fans of comedy writing like David Sedaris and Gary JanettiShort story and essay collection readers
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In his cheeky debut, comedian Zimmerman charts his path from "conservative, Southern Baptist carnivore" to "gay vegetarian atheist" and his life struggles along the way. Raised in a deeply religious family, Zimmerman was taught from a young age that homosexuality was a sin. But at Princeton he found "the place... to explore my identity and passions," and when a close high school friend died in the Virginia Tech shooting, Zimmerman began questioning his faith. This led to a reckoning with his mother, who quasi-accepted his gay identity while asking "can we not make this the discussion of the weekend?" His blossoming life as a gay, irreligious man in the hipster set of Chicago and New York City leads to the memoir's more raucous scenes, including a date that goes horribly wrong (the chapter title sums it up: "The Twink on the Fire Escape"). More poignant segments deal with his relationship with an ex, who after years living together breaks up with Zimmerman on the plane during what was supposed to be a romantic trip to Europe. He later experiments with meeting men at the sauna, but ultimately decides he's looking for something more lasting, even though he can't be sure if his parents would attend his wedding. The tonal changes can occasionally feel abrupt, but Zimmerman's good humor makes this slice of modern life a charmer.
