Books like Consider the lobster, and other essays

A dizzying, hyper-articulate plunge into the absurdities and moral anxieties of modern American life. These 12 books are the closest matches in mood, pace and themes, with what each one shares with Consider the lobster, and other essays.

intellectually dizzying
neurotic
darkly comic
observant

01
A supposedly fun thing I'll never do again
David Foster Wallace · 1997
A hyper-articulate, deeply neurotic plunge into the surreal and exhausting landscape of American leisure.
Shares:
- intellectually dizzying
- neurotic
- darkly comic
- anxious
02
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
David Foster Wallace · 2001
A dizzying, darkly hilarious plunge into the neurotic, self-justifying minds of profoundly alienated people.
Shares:
- neurotic
- hyper-articulate
03
I was told there'd be cake
Sloane Crosley
A wry and hilarious celebration of well-intentioned haplessness in the modern city.
Shares:
- wry
04
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls
David Sedaris
A globe-trotting masterclass in finding the hilarious, grotesque, and surprisingly tender details hidden in everyday life.
Shares:
- observant
- wry
05
Pastoralia
George Saunders · 2000
A hilarious, heartbreaking funhouse mirror reflecting the soul-crushing absurdities of modern work and life.
Shares:
- darkly comic
06
When You Are Engulfed in Flames
David Sedaris · 2008
A masterclass in turning everyday mortifications and neurotic spirals into sharp, surprisingly tender comedy.
Shares:
- neurotic
- observant
- wry
07
How to Be Alone
Jonathan Franzen
A sharp, introspective defense of reading, privacy, and the quiet spaces of the mind in an increasingly noisy world.
Shares:
- wry
- earnest
08
Consider This
Chuck Palahniuk
A gritty, generous masterclass in storytelling delivered from a barstool by a literary provocateur.
Shares:
- wry
09
Reasons to live
Amy Hempel · 1985
A masterclass in saying everything by saying almost nothing, wrapping profound grief in sharp, brittle wit.
Shares:
- darkly comic
- wry
- absurdity of modern life
10
The Empathy Exams Essays
Leslie Jamison
A rigorous, deeply felt exploration of how we witness and absorb the pain of others.
Shares:
- earnest
11
Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs
Chuck Klosterman
A hyper-caffeinated, wildly entertaining deep dive into the profound philosophical truths hidden inside our trashiest pop culture.
Shares:
- wry
12
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Annie Dillard
A luminous, deeply observant meditation on the terrifying beauty and spiritual mystery of the natural world.
Shares:
- inquisitive

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