I love Simon Rich so much, I’m honestly wondering what he could write that I’d give a bad review to. I first was introduced to his writing with a reading on NPR of “Unprotected,” a short story written from the perspective of a neglected condom in a man’s wallet, which was 10000% funnier than it had a right to be. I then went out and bought every book I could find with his name on it.
So when I went to the bookstore to sell my ever growing pile of “I don’t need to keep these” books, I got so very excited to see he had a new book out. This collection has a tale from Paul Revere’s horse reminiscent of “Unprotected,” the play by play of the foosball champions coached by “Coach Simon” who constantly loses to his brother on their big win that may have been influenced by the exchange of Nutter Butters from league commissioner Mom to the other team coach, and my personal favorite, the opener where a writer finds that his wife is expecting…. a writer. The details on that slayed me. The sonogram reveals a pen… or a pencil. Too early to tell at the early stage. The unborn fetus’s manuscript is optioned while he is still in utero, and he emerges from the womb with a pair of Warby Parker glasses.
Lucky for me, I found a few other Rich books have come out since my last binge; I’m ready to add to the unread book pile secure in the knowledge that his books won’t go back to the bookstore from whence they came.
