Hola Papi - (A Must-Read Memoir) by John Paul Brammer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

LGBTQ advice columnist John Paul Brammer writes a "wise and charming" (David Sedaris) memoir-in-essays chronicling his journey from a queer, mixed-race kid in America's heartland to becoming the "Chicano Carrie Bradshaw" of his generation. "A master class of tone and tenderness." --The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice) "Should be required reading." --Los Angeles TimesThe first time someone called John Paul (JP) Brammer "Papi" was on the gay hookup app Grindr. At first, it was flattering; JP took this as white-guy speak for "hey, handsome." But then it happened again and again...and again, leaving JP wondering: Who the hell is Papi? Soon, this racialized moniker became the inspiration for his now wildly popular advice column "¡Hola Papi!," launching his career as the Cheryl Strayed for young queer people everywhere--and some straight people too. JP had his doubts at first--what advice could he really offer while he himself stumbled through his early twenties? Sometimes the best advice comes from looking within, which is what JP does in his column and book--and readers have flocked to him for honest, heartfelt wisdom, and more than a few laughs. In this hilarious, tenderhearted book, JP shares his story of growing up biracial and in the closet in America's heartland, while attempting to answer some of life's most challenging questions: How do I let go of the past? How do I become the person I want to be? Is there such a thing as being too gay? Should I hook up with my grade school bully now that he's out of the closet? Questions we've all asked ourselves, surely. ¡Hola Papi! is "a warm, witty compendium of hard-won life lessons," (Harper's Bazaar) for anyone--gay, straight, and everything in between--who has ever taken stock of their unique place in the world.

Review Quotes

A 2022 Lambda Literary Award Finalist A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF SUMMER 2021 AS SELECTED BY * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY * OPRAH DAILY * HARPER'S BAZAAR * COSMOPOLITAN * VULTURE * AV CLUB * THE ADVOCATE * BOOKRIOT * PRIDE * LAMBDA LITERARY * NEW NOW NEXT * AND MORE! "A wise and charming book. [Brammer] is such a good writer, and so well rounded."-DAVID SEDARIS "[Brammer] is both kind and piercingly funny, often in the same sentence....Personal and affecting....¡Hola Papi! is a master class of tone and tenderness, as Brammer balances self-compassion with humor. Throughout, Brammer bridges his identities and his sensibilities; he is at once the self-deprecating Papi and the kind sage John Paul. He leaves his beloved reader with the solace that, by practicing kindness in our reflections, we can find lessons for ourselves and teach others to do the same."-NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW (EDITORS' CHOICE) "The next generation's 'Dear Abby'."-MSNBC "[¡Hola Papi! should be] required reading...[Brammer's] writing is incredibly funny, kind and gracious to his readers, and deeply vulnerable in a way that makes it feel as if he's talking to only you."-LOS ANGELES TIMES "An outgrowth from John Paul Brammer's advice column of the same name, ¡Hola Papi! is part words of wisdom, part raucous memoir careening through the misadventures of queer youth. Taken together, that adds up to a warm, witty compendium of hard-won life lessons, ripped directly from the annals of Brammer's own experiences as a biracial gay man."-HARPER'S BAZAAR "The mixed-race Mexican-American writer created the column several years ago and channeled the format into an essay-filled memoir....Expect, above all else, vulnerability....Our advice? Devour whatever Brammer cooks up."-USA TODAY "[An] irreverent and deeply thoughtful book....¡Hola Papi! is a warm and funny read, and an ode to storytelling - to the possibilities it holds for both forgiving and reinventing yourself."-BOSTON GLOBE "Brammer is a maestro of the under-cutting joke, deployed with only the best intentions for advice-seekers. ¡Hola Papi! ... is a study in these kinds of perfect punctures that burst up like wildflowers throughout Brammer's more straightforward advice: They make the whole of it pretty, novel, and worth remembering."-VICE "[Brammer] refracts the anxieties of young queer readers through his own life story...The result is a soulful memoir, each chapter drawing on an episode of his life to glean a lesson that upends advice as you know it, inviting the reader to take hold of their personal narrative."-VOX "Poignant, hilarious, and addictively readable."-AV CLUB "¡Hola Papi!...is sure to have the signature blend of tender, introspective and hilarious that has made his writing so beloved."-AKWAEKE EMEZI, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "[A] moving, funny, and exquisitely written book...Brammer's spot-on humor, emotional and intellectual insight, and storytelling skill converge into essential reading that grapples with the tenuous idea of authority and what it means to forge human connection."-SHONDALAND "Reading [¡Hola Papi!] feels a lot like going to therapy - if the therapist was also your funniest friend. As in his column, Brammer's prose in the memoir-in-essays is notably witty and deeply personal. Yet, it's themes are universal: trauma, identity, heartbreak, and the stories we tell about ourselves."-REFINERY29 "Papi is both empathetic and blunt, validating those who contact him while still seizing opportunities to poke fun at them....Brammer describes Papi as 'kind of like a cartoon character, ' and a persona separate from himself. But with a new memoir, which borrows the column's title, the writer is finally introducing himself to the public."-WASHINGTON POST "[H]ilarious and heartfelt...[Brammer] tackles these tough topics with both humor and honesty. Intermixed within the memoir are Brammer's trademark wisdom and advice."-BUZZFEED "Readers are likely to become addicted to these storie

About the Author

John Paul Brammer is an author, illustrator, and columnist from rural Oklahoma currently living in Brooklyn. He runs the popular advice column "¡Hola Papi!" on Substack. His work, including essays, short fiction, and illustrations, has appeared in The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Catapult, Business Insider, and many more. ¡Hola Papi! is his first book. He runs a print shop where he puts his artwork and designs at HolaPapiShop.com. You can keep up with him on Twitter or Instagram @JPBrammer.