general

• quick summary -
• key themes - queerness, body image, young adulthood, 1980s-1990s nyc gay scene, self-discovery

interests

• what i found interesting - amidst all the references to 80s and 90s pop culture I had no idea about, I found myself relating to gary a lot. I know a thing or two about working shitty jobs while you "try" to follow your passion, feeling behind everyone else in your life (ha ha). the feeling of loneliness of growing up queer, the first rush of understanding you are attractive to other people, and the wish to have the spotlight on you. the reflections on body image and the importance he gives on being young made me uncomfortable, because I don't what to think this is the hottest I will ever be and how I will cope with that when I'm older. the last pages on the aids crisis were a beautiful reflection; I loved how despite the snarkiness and humor of most essays, they all ended almost in a very serious and honest note.
• what i learned - don't cry for me argentinaaaa
• fav quote -

rating

• 3.25/5 - first of all, the title is misleading! I thought the essays were a collection of reflections on things that annoyed him. anyway, it's hard to give it a higher rating because I had no idea who this man was. I only read the book because I was told it was extremely funny — I wouldn't say extremely, but some sentences did make me laugh out loud in the train. the references to tv shows and musicals that I did not know did not help me understand who the author was as a person, and I feel only part of him was explored in this memoir; good thing for me it is a part that I can deeply relate to at this phase of my life (a two-year old 24 year-old!). it feels a bit incomplete, perhaps too short. or maybe I shouldn't read memoirs by people I don't know. I read a review mentioning the author's narcissism, but I appreciate the honesty. I also feel like that at times, and I am happy someone wrote about themselves in that way, even if it is obnoxious for other people. there were many other things I couldn't relate to, such as the experience of being a gay *man*, and I think I overall give male authors a lower rating because I cannot relate to the male gender the same way. it did leave me feeling entertained, a bit hopeful about my future, but also like I wouldn't remember much of his shenanigans in a month or two