What I Read On Vacation Part II:

Posted on December 5, 2024 at 6:31 am by Gene Ambaum

These are the “new” books I finished during my trip.

Comedy Book by Jesse David Fox.

My favorite book on standup comedy ever. Go listen to past episodes of Jesse David Fox’s podcast Good One — if you enjoy those (he mostly talks to comedians about a single joke of theirs) you’ll likely love this. No one thinks about comedy as much as or as thoughtfully as Fox.

Dog Days by Keum Suk Gendry-Kim

A nonfiction graphic novel in which Gendry-Kim moves to the country and adopts multiple dogs, plus helps take care of a few others. It’s personal but less heavy than Grass and The Waiting, though it still has cultural significance and may help folks understand South Korea a little better. Gendry-Kim made me love her dogs Potato and Carrot, as well as others who appear in the book. (sample page below)

Jimmy’s Elbow by James Kochalka

I needed a dose of silliness, and young Jimmy’s adventures with the talking spirit of his elbow — it comes to life after he whacks it on something — fit the bill. Gloriously ridiculous. (sample page below)

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. And three of its sequels:
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, and The Gate of the Feral Gods.

These books are also ridiculous, and light reading in the best way. Aliens destroy human civilization and open doors into an underground dungeon across the globe. Those who enter become contestants in a deadly RPG-like reality show that involves magic, combat, leveling-up, convoluted storylines, sponsors, off-world royalty, and a lot of Earth culture that has been appropriated and adapted in the name of making a buck (for our new alien overlords). At the center of it all are Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Donut, whom you’ll love if you hate dogs (or just like cats who aren’t afraid to shit-talk them to their faces). So much fun.

I’ve kept reading the series since returning home, and I’ve finished the 5th book. I plan to read book six and the newly released book seven soon. (Thanks for the recommendation, Mike!)