CONGRATULATIONS, THE BEST IS OVER!

The bestselling author of Here for It pens another hilarious and thoughtful essay collection.

In 2017, after 12 years away, writer and comedian Thomas returned to his hometown of Baltimore with his husband, David, a Presbyterian minister. The author clearly has a rocky relationship with the city, but he navigates it with characteristic humor and warmth. As he told his therapist soon after making the move, “Nothing is wrong, but I can’t really get started here, and I feel like I’ve lost the bead on my life. Also, I’m in a toxic relationship with the city of Baltimore, and so I guess I’m seeking couples counseling.” In these amusing and often wise essays, Thomas ranges widely, discussing celebrity eyebrows, mental health crises at the mall, and the terror of moving to the suburbs—especially challenging when faced with “dozens of loud-ass homosexual frogs”—all while reestablishing his relationship with Baltimore. The author wrestles with the challenges of returning home in the phase of life that is “between the best days of life and the worst days of life, between what you thought your life would be and what it is”—a phase he simply calls “the middle.” Throughout, Thomas displays his talent for self-deprecating humor, but he doesn’t shy away from heavier topics. He writes candidly about the experience of being Black in America, his battle with depression, and the loss of his father-in-law. Thomas is skilled at demonstrating that humor and gravitas can go hand in hand, penning many essays that include multiple aspects of both—e.g., an account of a depression-driven visit to his grandparents’ graves that resulted in the discovery of bright balloons bearing the unexpected message, “You Rock,” tied to the headstones with party ribbons: “Here, in the all-encompassing quietude of the cemetery: an exclamation point. The shock of life.” Readers who enjoyed his previous book will love this one.

A funny, poignant, astute collection.