Glory Days - by Simon Rich (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

THE BEST COMEDY BOOK OF 2024

A hilarious collection of stories about millennials entering the abyss of middle age--from Thurber Prize-winning author Simon Rich.

"one of the funniest writers in America" --NPR

Simon Rich returns with a batch of can't-miss stories in which Super Mario turns forty and is forced to "take-a stock" of his life and how "messed up it's-a become." Goliath struggles to control the media narrative in the lead-up to his death match against David, a small, beloved child. And a long-discarded participation trophy reminisces about the glorious field day in 1993, when he wound up in the arms of a jubilant, asthmatic Simon Rich.

High-stakes and heartfelt, Glory Days mourns the death of youthful innocence and hails the beginning of something approximating wisdom.

"laugh-out-loud" --People

Review Quotes

"There's nobody who does it better than Simon Rich." -Vulture (The Best Comedy Books of 2024)--Vulture

"His most mature effort yet.... What I found most impressive about his comic writing is what he does after the twist: managing a degree of pathos within a concise frame that you rarely see outside a Sondheim musical."--Jason Zinoman, New York Times

"In this laugh-out-loud millennial-bait story collection, an aging Super Mario 'takes-a-stock' of life, a cast-off participation trophy reflects on the good days, and more."
--People

"Thoughtful and revelatory...I marveled at Rich's ability to juxtapose a really off-the-wall idea with a tender-hearted ending...He's always been this good."--Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Despite the hilarity of these premises, Rich isn't just a funnyman.... Readers will laugh, then nod, then shed a tear, finally doing all three at once. For a humorist, there is no higher praise."--Booklist

"Always hilarious"--Washington Independent

"The travails of an aging Super Mario, the media battle between David and Goliath, and the workplace woes of the foul-mouthed Tooth Fairy are among humorist Rich's latest concoctions....His follow-up to New Teeth is clever fun."
--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Simon Rich is a frequent contributor to The New Yorker. He has written for Saturday Night Live, Pixar, and The Simpsons and is the creator of the TV shows Man Seeking Woman and Miracle Workers, which he based on his books. His other collections include Ant Farm; Spoiled Brats; Hits and Misses, which won the Thurber Prize for American Humor; and New Teeth. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.