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Harold

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About this listen

 A uniquely humorous and deeply profound novel from a legendary stand-up comedian that follows the thoughts of a 1960s third grader during a single day at school.

Steven Wright is one of the most significant and influential stand-up comedians in history. Rolling Stone ranked him fifteenth on their “50 Best Stand-ups of All Time” list, while the New York Times has written of his enduring legacy: “If you made a family tree of modern stand-up, he would top one of the few major and expanding branches. The children of Mr. Wright pack the comedy scene today.” Now comes his first novel, which is sure to be unlike anything you’ve ever read.

From the outside, Harold is an average seven-year-old third grader growing up in the 1960s. Bored by school. Crushing on a girl. Likes movies and baseball—especially the hometown Boston Red Sox. Enjoys spending time with his grandfather. But inside Harold’s mind, things are a lot more complex and unusual. His thoughts come to him as birds flying through a small rectangle in the middle of his brain. He visits an outdoor cafe on the moon and is invited aboard a spaceship by famed astronomer Carl Sagan. He envisions his own funeral procession and wonders if the driver of the hearse has even been born yet.

Harold documents the meandering, surreal, often hilarious, and always thought-provoking stream-of-consciousness ruminations of the title character during a single day in class. Saturated with the witticisms and profundities for which Wright’s groundbreaking stand-up has long been venerated, this novel will change the way you perceive your daily existence. To quote one of its many memorable lines: “Everything doesn’t have to make sense. Just look at the world and your life.” Absurdist Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Comedy Fiction Funny Witty Celebrity
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I'm still not 100% sure what this book is about, but I loved every moment of it. The turn of phrase into clouds of imagination kept me hooked on this wonderful book. It was a jot to listen to

A stream of consciousness from a comic genius

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Imagine being a kid with ADHD and an over active imagination. This book doesn't have a plot to speak of but it sure does put you in the mind of a kid with ADHD and an over active imagination.
If you're a fan of Steven Wight's comedy there's a fair chance you might enjoy this, but it's not the same as his one-liner stand up stuff. There's the occasional one liner, but it's more a book about being a kid with ADHD and an over active imagination.
I liked it. Maybe you will too. But I doubt it.

It's about a kid with ADHD and an over active imagination

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I‘m not sure yet, but I think this is my new favorite book. Thank you Steven Wright for letting us take part in your thoughts and your way of questioning our existence.

This is a masterpiece.

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love Steven. The book was not as good as i hoped but i liked it. He has a wonderful mind.

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