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A Comedy of Nobodies: A Collection of Stories
Seinfeld meets Fleabag in A Comedy of Nobodies, the debut story collection from popular internet filmmaker Baron Ryan.
Charlie knows he’s not the main character in his own story. He’s just another schmuck in the Ivy League looking to be somebody. He plays in a terrible jazz band, falls in love too easily, and struggles with the human being business.
Written in a wry, comedic style, A Comedy of A Collection of Stories traces one fall semester in the lives of four typical but unforgettable university students who, as compensation for their existential anxieties, just want to feel understood.
As Charlie tries to find love using the scientific method, babysits a toddler for student financial aid, jumps out a window to escape a jealous football player’s wrath, and enrages a packed hockey stadium by replacing the national anthem with a jazz-trio rendition of “American Pie,” he discovers that the answers to life’s most pressing questions are almost always just more questions.
Charlie knows he’s not the main character in his own story. He’s just another schmuck in the Ivy League looking to be somebody. He plays in a terrible jazz band, falls in love too easily, and struggles with the human being business.
Written in a wry, comedic style, A Comedy of A Collection of Stories traces one fall semester in the lives of four typical but unforgettable university students who, as compensation for their existential anxieties, just want to feel understood.
As Charlie tries to find love using the scientific method, babysits a toddler for student financial aid, jumps out a window to escape a jealous football player’s wrath, and enrages a packed hockey stadium by replacing the national anthem with a jazz-trio rendition of “American Pie,” he discovers that the answers to life’s most pressing questions are almost always just more questions.
179 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 21, 2024
120 people are currently reading
9051 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
June 5, 2024
Imagine an Edward Hopper painting- as a book. That's this book.
The last chapter felt rushed, but perhaps that just goes to show that endings sometimes are, and maybe that's just all part of the nostalgia.
The last chapter felt rushed, but perhaps that just goes to show that endings sometimes are, and maybe that's just all part of the nostalgia.
Want to read
January 14, 2024i have a big crush on baron ryan so of course i have to read his first book
June 27, 2024
Sally Rooney meets comedy.
This recounts a fall semester of Charlie and his social circle - four typical, existential, anxious university students who just want to feel understood.
”I want to die, but I'm so unlucky that if I were reincarnated, I'd probably just come back as myself."
Some stories were semi-relatable, but towards the end, I felt so frustrated at all the friends, especially when it starts getting into a religious pyramid scheme.
Charlie’s fears about never finding love, never being capable of being loved or finding the right one is definitely something that I sympathise with.
However, Charlie is supposed to be twenty years old. I’m 20, and struggled to relate to most of his other actions and thoughts. This made me look up the reviews and now I’m questioning whether I’m the odd, strange 20-year-old who doesn’t think in this way and doesn’t do what he does.
Charlie is witty and nerdy, yet always passed over by each new girl in the story who don’t go for the “nice guy” troupe.
This is a collection of stories all about the same characters so I wasn’t expecting amazing character work. However, I was definitely expecting… more. I had to look up Charlie’s name…
Admittedly, I had no idea who Baron Ryan was when I listened to this and it was only looking up reviews that I found out he is an internet sensation.
I think this will definitely work better for others, but unfortunately I am just left feeling confused and questioning my own normalcy.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me an arc in exchange for a review.
Bookstagram
This recounts a fall semester of Charlie and his social circle - four typical, existential, anxious university students who just want to feel understood.
”I want to die, but I'm so unlucky that if I were reincarnated, I'd probably just come back as myself."
Some stories were semi-relatable, but towards the end, I felt so frustrated at all the friends, especially when it starts getting into a religious pyramid scheme.
Charlie’s fears about never finding love, never being capable of being loved or finding the right one is definitely something that I sympathise with.
However, Charlie is supposed to be twenty years old. I’m 20, and struggled to relate to most of his other actions and thoughts. This made me look up the reviews and now I’m questioning whether I’m the odd, strange 20-year-old who doesn’t think in this way and doesn’t do what he does.
Charlie is witty and nerdy, yet always passed over by each new girl in the story who don’t go for the “nice guy” troupe.
This is a collection of stories all about the same characters so I wasn’t expecting amazing character work. However, I was definitely expecting… more. I had to look up Charlie’s name…
Admittedly, I had no idea who Baron Ryan was when I listened to this and it was only looking up reviews that I found out he is an internet sensation.
I think this will definitely work better for others, but unfortunately I am just left feeling confused and questioning my own normalcy.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me an arc in exchange for a review.
Bookstagram
March 29, 2024
Blackstone Publishing provided an early galley for review.
Sometimes a book grabs my attention just by its cover. That is true with this one. I really like the design work done here by artist Alenka Vdovic Linaschke. It really drew me in.
Ryan presents nine short stories in this collection, with a reoccurring cast and an overarching narrative theme. It is very much episodic fiction - small digestive looks (ranging from ten to seventeen pages in length) in the life of Charlie and his social circle. It is something I find appealing as an alternative to doing a longer form novella or full-blown novel.
Ryan places his characters firmly into the world of Harvard and Cambridge, MA, with locations that actually exist. I am instantly drawn into this world of studies and students. It resonates with my own collegiate years (albeit nearly four decades apart). I also found that I could very much relate to Charlie, whom I am strongly convinced is a fictional avatar of the author himself.
All in all, I came away with a warm feeling after finishing the book and, in part, hoping that someday there might be more exploits of Charlie down the road. But, if there isn't, that would be okay too - for this collection definitely satiated a literary hunger. Thank you, Baron Ryan.
Sometimes a book grabs my attention just by its cover. That is true with this one. I really like the design work done here by artist Alenka Vdovic Linaschke. It really drew me in.
Ryan presents nine short stories in this collection, with a reoccurring cast and an overarching narrative theme. It is very much episodic fiction - small digestive looks (ranging from ten to seventeen pages in length) in the life of Charlie and his social circle. It is something I find appealing as an alternative to doing a longer form novella or full-blown novel.
Ryan places his characters firmly into the world of Harvard and Cambridge, MA, with locations that actually exist. I am instantly drawn into this world of studies and students. It resonates with my own collegiate years (albeit nearly four decades apart). I also found that I could very much relate to Charlie, whom I am strongly convinced is a fictional avatar of the author himself.
All in all, I came away with a warm feeling after finishing the book and, in part, hoping that someday there might be more exploits of Charlie down the road. But, if there isn't, that would be okay too - for this collection definitely satiated a literary hunger. Thank you, Baron Ryan.
April 5, 2024
I really enjoyed this book! I think it really encapsulates the simple/ but also complicated at the same time feelings or realizations that come up during college years specifically. It kinda pulled me back into my own time during my undergraduate years in regards to just learning about people, the world, myself but at the same time still being so naive in some aspects. Also reading this book I felt very present in the moment of all the situations going on and how much they don't really mean anything but also mean the most depending on how you spin it. I really don’t know, I just enjoyed the juxtaposition between how simple or complex an interaction can be when young, sweetfully dumb, seeking connection, and being very impressionable.
July 11, 2024
Baron Ryan — You have got yourself a new fan.
Narrated by Baron Ryan
Audiobook rating : 5 stars
Book rating : 4 stars
I'm fiction over Reality. No apology.
Why?
Because Reality will always break your heart.
So does fiction, the second you close the book.
This was such a good read. Sole purpose of me requesting this book was I was craving some humour and it's so hard to find a book which is funny and yet pleasant in a literary way. Came across a comedy of nobodies, cover was nice , it said Seinfeld meets fleabag. Oh man that's my favourite show. How could I avoid not ordering it??
I'm not disappointed. In my personal opinion, whenever author reads their own book it is always better for the obvious reasons. But author should have some Narration skills too. Baron Ryan obviously does.
This book was a whole package, funny with some philosophical thoughts planted here and there and an easy going prose. A perfectly contemporary setting which one could relate to. The characters which felt very real. I wouldn't say that any characters hold my attention including Charlie but even then I was totally invested.
Thank you very much Blackstone publishing audiobooks, Netgalley and Baron Ryan for a perfectly pleasant audiobook in exchange of an honest review.
some mind blowing quotes that are my favorites from the book
"Good days or bad days, you are living the rented life. All anxieties of the future or hunger for the past, people you fell in love with, phone calls about your car's extended warranty they have expiration dates. You come to be part of what was always there, and when you leave, what was there will always be there as you left it.
---------
World is refreshingly small and we are refreshingly unoriginal inhabitants, our pains are pleasurized from the same sources.
---------
They stare no clocks, no phone no traffic, only naked silence and eye contact. This is what no one else sees, public life requires wearing the attachable face of one's environment. But here the only face they wear is their own, total acceptance of the other.
---------
Everyone is going some place, being young and unafraid is about just that.
Life is a continuous chapter of accidents.
---------
Reality is more fictional than fiction.
---------
Don't toss your insides for the people who drop it.
---------
I don't think many people ever realise that it's the half second details that make us fall in love. One glance, one chuckle, a flick of the hair. In half a second, You go from carry grant to dopey eyed monkey. And I wished forever to happen right then.
---------
Most days are ordinary , like floating in the ocean with no wind But Some days are storm, that take you places. You do nothing in particular the wind takes you wher it wants and to a place that makes it all those other times not matter and you let it.. There will always be people I miss, everyone has them h you write about them and remeber them and finally leave them. No matter where they are in the world of ours too big, I hope that on a sad day they remeber me for a strange Little moment and smile and then go back to their odd little lives.
---------
We are more honest with people we don't like than we do.
---------
Is that fate or chance? Whatever it is, I'm beginning to feel that we pegans are a lot luckier than we think, because amidst all that is wrong in this world , we always find a way to fall in love.
---------
Some laugh a loud favorite moments
Jom is hardly sophisticated, kid convey hospital level emergencies and his boredom in same tone.
--------
The rich could afford to like me. Their money erased the big life problems and in absence of problems , they could afford to be kind.
---------
He is an atheist and she doesn't care what he is. He couldn't stand that.
Also the whole chapter of mail correspondence between professor William and Charlie was hilarious.
Narrated by Baron Ryan
Audiobook rating : 5 stars
Book rating : 4 stars
I'm fiction over Reality. No apology.
Why?
Because Reality will always break your heart.
So does fiction, the second you close the book.
This was such a good read. Sole purpose of me requesting this book was I was craving some humour and it's so hard to find a book which is funny and yet pleasant in a literary way. Came across a comedy of nobodies, cover was nice , it said Seinfeld meets fleabag. Oh man that's my favourite show. How could I avoid not ordering it??
I'm not disappointed. In my personal opinion, whenever author reads their own book it is always better for the obvious reasons. But author should have some Narration skills too. Baron Ryan obviously does.
This book was a whole package, funny with some philosophical thoughts planted here and there and an easy going prose. A perfectly contemporary setting which one could relate to. The characters which felt very real. I wouldn't say that any characters hold my attention including Charlie but even then I was totally invested.
Thank you very much Blackstone publishing audiobooks, Netgalley and Baron Ryan for a perfectly pleasant audiobook in exchange of an honest review.
some mind blowing quotes that are my favorites from the book
"Good days or bad days, you are living the rented life. All anxieties of the future or hunger for the past, people you fell in love with, phone calls about your car's extended warranty they have expiration dates. You come to be part of what was always there, and when you leave, what was there will always be there as you left it.
---------
World is refreshingly small and we are refreshingly unoriginal inhabitants, our pains are pleasurized from the same sources.
---------
They stare no clocks, no phone no traffic, only naked silence and eye contact. This is what no one else sees, public life requires wearing the attachable face of one's environment. But here the only face they wear is their own, total acceptance of the other.
---------
Everyone is going some place, being young and unafraid is about just that.
Life is a continuous chapter of accidents.
---------
Reality is more fictional than fiction.
---------
Don't toss your insides for the people who drop it.
---------
I don't think many people ever realise that it's the half second details that make us fall in love. One glance, one chuckle, a flick of the hair. In half a second, You go from carry grant to dopey eyed monkey. And I wished forever to happen right then.
---------
Most days are ordinary , like floating in the ocean with no wind But Some days are storm, that take you places. You do nothing in particular the wind takes you wher it wants and to a place that makes it all those other times not matter and you let it.. There will always be people I miss, everyone has them h you write about them and remeber them and finally leave them. No matter where they are in the world of ours too big, I hope that on a sad day they remeber me for a strange Little moment and smile and then go back to their odd little lives.
---------
We are more honest with people we don't like than we do.
---------
Is that fate or chance? Whatever it is, I'm beginning to feel that we pegans are a lot luckier than we think, because amidst all that is wrong in this world , we always find a way to fall in love.
---------
Some laugh a loud favorite moments
Jom is hardly sophisticated, kid convey hospital level emergencies and his boredom in same tone.
--------
The rich could afford to like me. Their money erased the big life problems and in absence of problems , they could afford to be kind.
---------
He is an atheist and she doesn't care what he is. He couldn't stand that.
Also the whole chapter of mail correspondence between professor William and Charlie was hilarious.
March 11, 2024
This is an ARC review, so some things may be different!!!
I did it, i finished it. There were parts that worked and some moments i laughed, but overall, to put it simply: this way boring. Its meant to be a collection of stories of “charlie” but i swear charlie is just a self insertion of the author. Hes “witty” and nerdy, and wants a new girl in every story, but they dont go for the “nice guy.” It just felt flat to me and had no point to it. And yes they point can be to just enjoy it for the humor or the simple stories they are, but theyre not even enjoyable in that sense. The way he writes women kinda irked me too.
In one story, the mc is persuing this beautiful and rich woman who is “unattainable” and they have a date set up. A few things go wrong and he ends up have to bring a kid and his bff (who was only in a robe from certain events) to the date. To offer up an explanation, he gives a sob story abt how he really wanted to impress her and then she kinda sticks it to him that the sad guy act wont work on her. Yet, the author uses this as an opportunity for the other woman ( in the bathrobe) to tell her how stuck up she is! (Yes the first girl was harsh, but i think she made valid points.) To me, it just served as an opportunity to call a woman who doesnt take bs a bitch under the guise of having another woman call her that (no harm if the woman character does it!!) oh and then later the second girls boob falls out of her robe in an IHOP (bc what could possibly be more hilarious and a great plot point than a boob working its way out of a robe at an ihop.) so yeah not for me.
There were a lot of references to Friends too. I think it was meant to be ironic and repetitive but it was just so weird. Why do we keep mentioning Friends? Is that the only show weve watched?
I did laugh at a few points and some of the points made were done well, so thats why im giving it two stars. Also, i do think it got a bit better at the end.
I did it, i finished it. There were parts that worked and some moments i laughed, but overall, to put it simply: this way boring. Its meant to be a collection of stories of “charlie” but i swear charlie is just a self insertion of the author. Hes “witty” and nerdy, and wants a new girl in every story, but they dont go for the “nice guy.” It just felt flat to me and had no point to it. And yes they point can be to just enjoy it for the humor or the simple stories they are, but theyre not even enjoyable in that sense. The way he writes women kinda irked me too.
In one story, the mc is persuing this beautiful and rich woman who is “unattainable” and they have a date set up. A few things go wrong and he ends up have to bring a kid and his bff (who was only in a robe from certain events) to the date. To offer up an explanation, he gives a sob story abt how he really wanted to impress her and then she kinda sticks it to him that the sad guy act wont work on her. Yet, the author uses this as an opportunity for the other woman ( in the bathrobe) to tell her how stuck up she is! (Yes the first girl was harsh, but i think she made valid points.) To me, it just served as an opportunity to call a woman who doesnt take bs a bitch under the guise of having another woman call her that (no harm if the woman character does it!!) oh and then later the second girls boob falls out of her robe in an IHOP (bc what could possibly be more hilarious and a great plot point than a boob working its way out of a robe at an ihop.) so yeah not for me.
There were a lot of references to Friends too. I think it was meant to be ironic and repetitive but it was just so weird. Why do we keep mentioning Friends? Is that the only show weve watched?
I did laugh at a few points and some of the points made were done well, so thats why im giving it two stars. Also, i do think it got a bit better at the end.
December 19, 2024
I’m an introspective college student who loves films and short stories. So imagine my delight when my favorite short-filmmaker released a collection of short stories from the perspective of an introspective college student!
This book is simply wonderful. Grab a coffee and spend two lovely hours reading it in one sitting. Prepare to underline every page and reconsider your entire life.
This book is simply wonderful. Grab a coffee and spend two lovely hours reading it in one sitting. Prepare to underline every page and reconsider your entire life.
January 4, 2024
A Comedy of Nobodies by Baron Ryan is a debut collection of short stories written in a wryly comedic style that will be both familiar and appealing to fans of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.
We meet Charlie, an Ivy Leaguer who, along with his millenial friends, tries to negotiate love and life, only to discover more questions than answers along the way. This is a darkly witty read that had me smiling along with many of the sharply observed absurdities of this thing we call life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC.
We meet Charlie, an Ivy Leaguer who, along with his millenial friends, tries to negotiate love and life, only to discover more questions than answers along the way. This is a darkly witty read that had me smiling along with many of the sharply observed absurdities of this thing we call life.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC.
May 21, 2024
THANK YOU to Blackstone Publishing for graciously providing a free copy of this book for review at my request. All opinions discussed are my own and are subjective to myself as a reader.
I had no idea who Baron Ryan was when I requested this title for review - I saw the cover and liked it enough to read the book description, which is what piqued my interest. Actually, to be more specific, it was one line of the book description that did it: "He plays in a terrible jazz band, falls in love far too easily, and generally struggles with the business of being human." I just had to read about Charlie and his college adventures after that!
^ This quote is the best one liner to sum up the entire collection. These stories are centered around Charlie and three of his friends as they navigate their way through their Fall semester at Harvard. I found Charlie endearing and relatable, a lot of his mistakes were also my mistakes in college, just a little less embarrassing.
^ This quote captures the essence of these stories. These kids are stumbling their way into adulthood, desperate to understand themselves and how to choose their path in life. I bet each one of us could point to a story in this collection and say, "This one here, this one is about me."
What I loved most about this collection is that it took me back to my college days, my young adult years. There were several bittersweet moments while reading these stories, but mostly I found them comforting and heartwarming. It was like Baron Ryan was patting me on the back, letting me know that no one has it all figured out at that stage in the game of life - it wasn't just me.
In my opinion, Baron Ryan did an excellent job on his debut. I found his writing style hilarious, insightful and poignant. I will absolutely read more of his work.
*Denotes quotes that were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
If you prefer watching video reviews, I do have a BookTube Channel.
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
I had no idea who Baron Ryan was when I requested this title for review - I saw the cover and liked it enough to read the book description, which is what piqued my interest. Actually, to be more specific, it was one line of the book description that did it: "He plays in a terrible jazz band, falls in love far too easily, and generally struggles with the business of being human." I just had to read about Charlie and his college adventures after that!
"I want to die, but I'm so unlucky that if I were reincarnated, I'd probably just come back as myself." *
^ This quote is the best one liner to sum up the entire collection. These stories are centered around Charlie and three of his friends as they navigate their way through their Fall semester at Harvard. I found Charlie endearing and relatable, a lot of his mistakes were also my mistakes in college, just a little less embarrassing.
"I have this sudden urge to cry out of relief. Despite all that's wrong with life, you can still hold small flashes of joy that fight the dark like fireworks in the night. No matter how completely you foul up your life, somehow these flashes keep you going on the promise you can start over. You can begin again, I think in that moment. You can begin again." *
^ This quote captures the essence of these stories. These kids are stumbling their way into adulthood, desperate to understand themselves and how to choose their path in life. I bet each one of us could point to a story in this collection and say, "This one here, this one is about me."
"If you feel nostalgic, I think that's a good thing, says Mike. It means things have gone well so far. Nostalgia is life's way of saying keep up the good work." *
What I loved most about this collection is that it took me back to my college days, my young adult years. There were several bittersweet moments while reading these stories, but mostly I found them comforting and heartwarming. It was like Baron Ryan was patting me on the back, letting me know that no one has it all figured out at that stage in the game of life - it wasn't just me.
In my opinion, Baron Ryan did an excellent job on his debut. I found his writing style hilarious, insightful and poignant. I will absolutely read more of his work.
*Denotes quotes that were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
If you prefer watching video reviews, I do have a BookTube Channel.
A heartfelt thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for their support towards my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing!
Special thanks to my highest level Patrons: Ev, Amanda L., Sharon, Andrew, Star, Kate, Gail, Amanda F., Lourdes, Tara, John, Ann, Chad K., Ashley E., & Jennifer M.
Read
June 17, 2024Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC/audiobook, in which the author narrates stories that could have sprung from his own life as a poor student. Trying a scientific approach to dating, being in an amateur jazz-band, and showing up at church functions with the sole intent of bringing home tuperware containers of food are all some of his adventures. I shared the story with a lady met on the metro and she says it sounds like fun. Oh it is, I said, Oh, it is!
July 24, 2024
While I liked the book and loved the very funny nature of the writing, I found there to be too much humor, especially at the wrong times. For example, making a joke following the really serious proclamation of the philosophy professor in the final story felt inappropriate and uncomfortable to me. I felt the overall feel of that final piece would have been a stronger piece of writing without the humor, honestly. In other stories though, the excessive humor served well, such as in the story in which the protagonist jumps out a window. That story I actually remember best despite its ridiculous nature, but perhaps that is why- because the humor served in this case despite being highly unrealistic. All in all, I thought the writer had a solid humorous voice, but I think he could have shown more awareness as to where to pull it back. Additionally, I think his plot lines could have been stronger and more developed. I kinda felt like kids in college would have had more going on, but maybe that was the point- to just focus on the fun parts (until the final story). If this was the case, perhaps the final story would have been better as a stand alone piece. Still, I don’t know if I would have read it if it wasn’t in the book, and thus, I am glad it was.
August 11, 2024
I picked up “A Comedy of Nobodies” expecting a collection of unrelated short stories, but I was pleasantly surprised by its memoir-like vibe. Each story is different but revolves around the same character, Charlie, and the central theme of love. Set during Charlie’s undergraduate years at Harvard, the scenes and scenarios might not be entirely relatable, but the overarching goal and message are. The book explores Charlie’s perception of love through his various encounters.
The comedy is witty relying on the characters’ interactions and responses to shine. While some stories were less engaging, the final story, which attempts to wrap up Charlie’s time at Harvard and his journey to find the right person, felt rushed. Perhaps that was intentional by the author.
I will say that these stories did make me want to listen to Chet Baker again and now I’m listening to Jazz a lot more frequently than before picking up this book.
The comedy is witty relying on the characters’ interactions and responses to shine. While some stories were less engaging, the final story, which attempts to wrap up Charlie’s time at Harvard and his journey to find the right person, felt rushed. Perhaps that was intentional by the author.
I will say that these stories did make me want to listen to Chet Baker again and now I’m listening to Jazz a lot more frequently than before picking up this book.
November 20, 2024
I loved it. It took me back to The Sun Also Rises and The Beautiful and The Damned. Debut novels that get into the psyche of the young being lost in adulthood.
Excited to see what he does next.
Excited to see what he does next.
June 25, 2024
It is imbued with all the things I love most about his videos. The stories are a warm frolic through friendship, romance, existentialism, and a charming heavy hand of nostalgia. It is a beautiful debut collection of short stories broken up into episodic chunks, ideally consumed over bowls of soup at lunch and melatonin gummies at night.
'Looking for love in a loveless world', 'what's up god?', and 'the story behind this story' were my favorites :)
'Looking for love in a loveless world', 'what's up god?', and 'the story behind this story' were my favorites :)
August 20, 2024
I really enjoy Baron Ryan's short form videos, so I assumed I would get a kick out of his book as well. For his first attempt, he did an admirable job, but he left a lot wanting. His style in video media is well developed, like a modern take on Woody Allen - heavily insecure and neurotic, but charming, earnest, and cozy. In print, he seems to struggle to find his voice, relying too much on the reader's knowledge of pop culture and big-band era jazz acts. The stories, while loosely connected, fail to bring home any sense of closure (although that may be intentional), and the characters all feel underdeveloped, each bearing a similar voice to to Charlie (Ryan). They each are allowed their philosophical perspectives, but none of them are able to differentiate themselves from Ryan's voice.
I trust that with experience, practice and a good editor, Ryan will continue to improve as a writer, and I really hope that he gains exposure in the film industry, as that is the area I believe he really shines.
I trust that with experience, practice and a good editor, Ryan will continue to improve as a writer, and I really hope that he gains exposure in the film industry, as that is the area I believe he really shines.
June 14, 2024
Witty and melancholic.
His keen awareness of fleeting moments. While he never discusses mortality it is innate in his stories and imagery.
We can never relive a moment. Our memory of it, most likely, outshines the moment itself. But, that awareness in the moment and in every small moment is the poetry of our existence.
Love and awareness of all things.
There is an expiration date to all of this. I don’t have to tell you that none of us is permanent. We’re just passing through. Here and gone and then somewhere else.
The world is just a rental.
His keen awareness of fleeting moments. While he never discusses mortality it is innate in his stories and imagery.
We can never relive a moment. Our memory of it, most likely, outshines the moment itself. But, that awareness in the moment and in every small moment is the poetry of our existence.
Love and awareness of all things.
There is an expiration date to all of this. I don’t have to tell you that none of us is permanent. We’re just passing through. Here and gone and then somewhere else.
The world is just a rental.
April 2, 2024
Even though this book was only 170 pages it was a STRUGGLE to get through. The MMC Charlie tried to be funny? Maybe I just don’t understand the humor (big fan of Fleabag, not of Seinfeld). Every story was focused on a girl but in a “nice guys finish last” kind of way that gave me the ick. Idk, this kinda fell flat for me and I didn’t care about the characters at all.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
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May 27, 2024There is a certain closeness that comes with subscribing to newsletters and reading on the lives of people, those who lay their chest bare and share their sincere (even if heavily curated) thoughts, different to the aesthetic (albeit important) ones that I would forget in three seconds. @americanbaron is one of those sincere ones who I give my time to and the people who share the space, that he has created, give me the solace that I am not the only one tackling the hyper-philosophical mysteries on love and life.
Charlie is looking for answers to love and life. And it is written for those that relate to that feeling of finding their loved one - the person who they're supposed to share their life with. Especially for those who have not found them yet.
if you can't relate to that, you won't enjoy the book
This is laugh out loud funny at times, full of meta-commentary on relationships, and filled with life lessons on what you want to be.
Mind you, I have not found my exception, certainly not for a lack of trying, perhaps because of the overthinking, or the anxiety, or the underthinking, but the book is for those people who long, crave, and want that exception.
I like how it ends on a happy note.
I like how the book doesn't go into the popular rhetoric that is to better yourself and the relationship that you want will come to you, as if love is a reward awarded for those who have done their work in the therapy - alone by themselves.
This is for those people who can't seem to get it right (Charlie is 20). I believe that finding the person who cares enough to grow into the relationship is, by far, the hardest part. This is not to say that maintaining the relationship is easy, but finding the person that you're compatible with who you trust enough to "play catch with" is laborious.
I, myself, feel like the perennial traveler on a journey and never the destination. Being alone is almost too easy at this point - at 28 years of age - as it doesn't require anything off me. No challenges, no growth. Perhaps a love that lasts is an unattainable dream for me. Or, perhaps, the answer will always be in the attempt.
Charlie is looking for answers to love and life. And it is written for those that relate to that feeling of finding their loved one - the person who they're supposed to share their life with. Especially for those who have not found them yet.
"I just think life is so miserable and full of grief and despair that falling in love is the best chance at fighting misery."
if you can't relate to that, you won't enjoy the book
This is laugh out loud funny at times, full of meta-commentary on relationships, and filled with life lessons on what you want to be.
"Look, Ted, if you want to know the truth, the mission to find someone isn't so noble."
"I don't think so. Only with the wrong people, maybe."
"But there are so many wrong people."
"That's why you have to find your exception."
Mind you, I have not found my exception, certainly not for a lack of trying, perhaps because of the overthinking, or the anxiety, or the underthinking, but the book is for those people who long, crave, and want that exception.
I like how it ends on a happy note.
I like how the book doesn't go into the popular rhetoric that is to better yourself and the relationship that you want will come to you, as if love is a reward awarded for those who have done their work in the therapy - alone by themselves.
This is for those people who can't seem to get it right (Charlie is 20). I believe that finding the person who cares enough to grow into the relationship is, by far, the hardest part. This is not to say that maintaining the relationship is easy, but finding the person that you're compatible with who you trust enough to "play catch with" is laborious.
I, myself, feel like the perennial traveler on a journey and never the destination. Being alone is almost too easy at this point - at 28 years of age - as it doesn't require anything off me. No challenges, no growth. Perhaps a love that lasts is an unattainable dream for me. Or, perhaps, the answer will always be in the attempt.
December 19, 2024
https://revistaechinox.ro/2024/12/iul...
Aptly demonstrating what being an ‘absent practitioner of blind joy’ means, Baron Ryan bursts onto the literary scene and takes a bold chance with his authorial debut, A Comedy of Nobodies. Published in 2024 by Blackstone, the collection of stories marks a terribly exciting attempt to translate a multimodal humoristic tradition into a literary form. Ryan writes as though to mend a personal and universal tendency towards nihilism with the full force of his wry optimism. Deemed by the author to be a tale of ‘people that lack problems’, the book invites a reimagination of the slice-of-life genre, all the while reviving and adapting the form of the postmodernist classic sitcom.
When it comes to plot and structure, the nine character-driven stories center on the intricacies of human connection. Set within a contemporary context, the stories follow a 20-year-old Charlie and his three friends, Nora, Ted and Mike, throughout a Harvard semester’s worth of self-inflicted anxieties and disappointments. The soundtrack to these four Ivy League students’ lives is a cacophony of self-doubts that never stops. We focus primarily on Charlie, who narrates their experiences.
Charlie’s character ultimately follows the classic model of a hopeless romantic, as he starts off as a deeply immature ‘Nice Guy’ that both resents his nature and repents of it. Representing an entire rom-com tradition, he deeply believes that love and heartbreak are the point of life. When it comes to Charlie’s previously mentioned inherent lack of problems, the answer is obviously to create them. Interestingly, this is becoming a central, resurfacing theme in Ryan’s creative endeavours, who keeps exploring the idea that ‘there is something about nothing that makes everything seem okay’.
There is, indeed, comfort in this cyclicity. In this sense, the escalatingly absurd situations that he creates - third-wheeling the date that your crush is on, becoming a present to a Russian mobster or going on a blind date entirely disguised because of the bounty on your head - don’t really matter. The plot of each story manages to remain self-contained, despite the chronological nature of this coming-of-age work. Whatever ‘snag’ Charlie finds himself in, one can always rest assured that he will come out of it alright, although he might now have a broken lip that will soon disappear (much like a cartoon character).
This episodic nature of the events aids the idea that, despite fitting within and benefitting from a culture of digi- and metamodernism, Baron Ryan distances himself from the latest trends in humour. Finding himself on the brink of generations, his influences stem primarily from the heritage of a telecinematic culture. The collection of stories is flush with references to classic formative sitcoms, such as Seinfeld, Friends and more. To this end, Ryan often attempts to beat the reader to the punch and confess to his influence and to the tropes that he is borrowing.
Because of this, the narration becomes borderline uncomfortable as the character seems to wait for the non-existent, nauseating pre-recorded laugh track after each joke. If we were to apply Goffman’s participation framework here, Ryan doesn’t play by the rules, simply letting the reader remain an eavesdropper, but instead turns them into a ratified participant to the conversation. However, this discomfort is intentional, the author alluding to the customs of observational humour in stand up and, at times, relying on the reader’s second-hand embarrassment. The friend group also presents its share of cliches, talking with the distinctive rhythm of conversation customary to 90’s and early noughties sitcoms. It is a bold attempt and yet, it doesn’t entirely function. The literary field and tradition simply cannot support the participation-based model of these humoristic devices, since they can only be conveyed multimodally.
It should be noteworthy that Baron Ryan initially rose to fame with the comedic, bittersweet short films that he started posting on various short-form media platforms, such as Tiktok and Instagram. Most of these films/sketches encompass some shared anxiety of the world’s, explored by a ‘retired’ nihilist stuck in a never-ending conversation with himself. His background is crucial, as Ryan has established himself first and foremost as a thinker, and second of all as a filmmaker and performer. These internet short films are the crux of his work and his driving force in writing. In this context, A Comedy Of Nobodies attempts to flesh these creative think pieces out and integrate them into wider narratives. Here, Ryan’s writing presents an innate difficulty and an evident need for polishing, as these wider narratives are reduced to mere devices, to filler for what he intends to convey. Through the creation of these contexts so as to allow his characters to wax romantic about life, with the author zigzagging between stand up bits and bittersweet epiphanies, an imbalance is delineated.
All in all, A Comedy of Nobodies gravitates around the lingering could’ve-beens of youth, the kindness of suffering and the aches in discovering a self-awareness that lacks ego. It has the makings of a good debut, despite being permeated by a sense of disjointedness at times. Less biting than David Sedaris and more tender than Nick Hornby, Baron Ryan joins a niche of the comedic literary tradition and stays true to his own ideals and style, while also paying homage to established voices in the community that have shaped his sense of humour, such as Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. His loyalties clearly lie with the postmodernists, his writing abounding in hope, melancholy and irony. The book is endlessly referential, without becoming codified and inaccessible, and also playfully musical, ‘singing’ to a Nola jazz accompaniment.
Aptly demonstrating what being an ‘absent practitioner of blind joy’ means, Baron Ryan bursts onto the literary scene and takes a bold chance with his authorial debut, A Comedy of Nobodies. Published in 2024 by Blackstone, the collection of stories marks a terribly exciting attempt to translate a multimodal humoristic tradition into a literary form. Ryan writes as though to mend a personal and universal tendency towards nihilism with the full force of his wry optimism. Deemed by the author to be a tale of ‘people that lack problems’, the book invites a reimagination of the slice-of-life genre, all the while reviving and adapting the form of the postmodernist classic sitcom.
When it comes to plot and structure, the nine character-driven stories center on the intricacies of human connection. Set within a contemporary context, the stories follow a 20-year-old Charlie and his three friends, Nora, Ted and Mike, throughout a Harvard semester’s worth of self-inflicted anxieties and disappointments. The soundtrack to these four Ivy League students’ lives is a cacophony of self-doubts that never stops. We focus primarily on Charlie, who narrates their experiences.
Charlie’s character ultimately follows the classic model of a hopeless romantic, as he starts off as a deeply immature ‘Nice Guy’ that both resents his nature and repents of it. Representing an entire rom-com tradition, he deeply believes that love and heartbreak are the point of life. When it comes to Charlie’s previously mentioned inherent lack of problems, the answer is obviously to create them. Interestingly, this is becoming a central, resurfacing theme in Ryan’s creative endeavours, who keeps exploring the idea that ‘there is something about nothing that makes everything seem okay’.
There is, indeed, comfort in this cyclicity. In this sense, the escalatingly absurd situations that he creates - third-wheeling the date that your crush is on, becoming a present to a Russian mobster or going on a blind date entirely disguised because of the bounty on your head - don’t really matter. The plot of each story manages to remain self-contained, despite the chronological nature of this coming-of-age work. Whatever ‘snag’ Charlie finds himself in, one can always rest assured that he will come out of it alright, although he might now have a broken lip that will soon disappear (much like a cartoon character).
This episodic nature of the events aids the idea that, despite fitting within and benefitting from a culture of digi- and metamodernism, Baron Ryan distances himself from the latest trends in humour. Finding himself on the brink of generations, his influences stem primarily from the heritage of a telecinematic culture. The collection of stories is flush with references to classic formative sitcoms, such as Seinfeld, Friends and more. To this end, Ryan often attempts to beat the reader to the punch and confess to his influence and to the tropes that he is borrowing.
Because of this, the narration becomes borderline uncomfortable as the character seems to wait for the non-existent, nauseating pre-recorded laugh track after each joke. If we were to apply Goffman’s participation framework here, Ryan doesn’t play by the rules, simply letting the reader remain an eavesdropper, but instead turns them into a ratified participant to the conversation. However, this discomfort is intentional, the author alluding to the customs of observational humour in stand up and, at times, relying on the reader’s second-hand embarrassment. The friend group also presents its share of cliches, talking with the distinctive rhythm of conversation customary to 90’s and early noughties sitcoms. It is a bold attempt and yet, it doesn’t entirely function. The literary field and tradition simply cannot support the participation-based model of these humoristic devices, since they can only be conveyed multimodally.
It should be noteworthy that Baron Ryan initially rose to fame with the comedic, bittersweet short films that he started posting on various short-form media platforms, such as Tiktok and Instagram. Most of these films/sketches encompass some shared anxiety of the world’s, explored by a ‘retired’ nihilist stuck in a never-ending conversation with himself. His background is crucial, as Ryan has established himself first and foremost as a thinker, and second of all as a filmmaker and performer. These internet short films are the crux of his work and his driving force in writing. In this context, A Comedy Of Nobodies attempts to flesh these creative think pieces out and integrate them into wider narratives. Here, Ryan’s writing presents an innate difficulty and an evident need for polishing, as these wider narratives are reduced to mere devices, to filler for what he intends to convey. Through the creation of these contexts so as to allow his characters to wax romantic about life, with the author zigzagging between stand up bits and bittersweet epiphanies, an imbalance is delineated.
All in all, A Comedy of Nobodies gravitates around the lingering could’ve-beens of youth, the kindness of suffering and the aches in discovering a self-awareness that lacks ego. It has the makings of a good debut, despite being permeated by a sense of disjointedness at times. Less biting than David Sedaris and more tender than Nick Hornby, Baron Ryan joins a niche of the comedic literary tradition and stays true to his own ideals and style, while also paying homage to established voices in the community that have shaped his sense of humour, such as Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. His loyalties clearly lie with the postmodernists, his writing abounding in hope, melancholy and irony. The book is endlessly referential, without becoming codified and inaccessible, and also playfully musical, ‘singing’ to a Nola jazz accompaniment.
May 15, 2025
a safe read to get you out of a reading slump. i think the main character will stay with you for a little while, maybe even longer. his thought process is oddly contagious in the sense that it feels as though you’re one and the same.
the stories are not too short, nor too long. the themes the author deals with are profound, but in a way that resonates at a college student level, so not too heavy to digest, unless you’re emotionally closed off (we all have our moments)
if i were a borderline-agnostic young white man, charlie is exactly who i’d be. so thank god i’m not a borderline-agnostic young white man.
still, charlie makes do with whatever guidelines he has. he’s a good kid. we’d make good friends. safe to say: i liked the book, and that i’ll miss all the characters.
the stories are not too short, nor too long. the themes the author deals with are profound, but in a way that resonates at a college student level, so not too heavy to digest, unless you’re emotionally closed off (we all have our moments)
if i were a borderline-agnostic young white man, charlie is exactly who i’d be. so thank god i’m not a borderline-agnostic young white man.
still, charlie makes do with whatever guidelines he has. he’s a good kid. we’d make good friends. safe to say: i liked the book, and that i’ll miss all the characters.
July 13, 2025
This book captures well the unique feeling, mindset and relationships of being a university student. That period where you experiment with every theory of the human experience, feel on top of the world one moment and lower than hell the next. You’re looking for romantic love but it’s a misguided quest - you’re looking for connection, understanding and fun.
Ryan writes well for a debut.
‘what’s up, god?’ Was my favourite story.
One of my favourite quotes from the book: P.242 ‘what is worse than goodbyes is no goodbyes. I’ll see them again in a few weeks, but the ending of a chapter reminds you that this story must end, too. Sometimes endings just need a few moments of something: silence, one more word, one more kiss — something. Most goodbyes lack just one more thing’
Ryan writes well for a debut.
‘what’s up, god?’ Was my favourite story.
One of my favourite quotes from the book: P.242 ‘what is worse than goodbyes is no goodbyes. I’ll see them again in a few weeks, but the ending of a chapter reminds you that this story must end, too. Sometimes endings just need a few moments of something: silence, one more word, one more kiss — something. Most goodbyes lack just one more thing’
August 23, 2024
Baron writes his debut novel with a sense of philosophical wonder that brings forth a flicker of long forgotten late night conversations from earlier in life that, at once, strike us as irrelevant, but are nonetheless what make us each who we are. His writing is witty, clean, and fresh. The comical is easily woven together with the thought-provoking. The protagonists’ longing for romantic love is coupled beautifully with the love that comes from friendship. Fans of his über popular videos will surely be taken by his written work, as well. I am looking forward to his continued successful emergence as a writer.
August 6, 2025
Life is too hard not to imagine the best is yet to come.
I deeply appreciate Baron's mind and storytelling, and this book feels like a warm hug after one of those long, soul-searching conversations where you realize everything’s kind of fucked, maybe nothing will be okay… and that’s just life. It depicts life's most profound longings - the ones that maybe start at 12 but last a lifetime - in such a clever way! I love the creativity of the stories here, which got me laughing, reflecting, and connecting to.
"Getting there", "The story behind this story" and "Jumping out a window" are true gems.
Can't wait to read more from Baron! This one is witty, beautifully written, and made into my favorites list ♡
July 14, 2024
Incredible. I’m genuinely at a loss to describe the beauty and honesty of this book.
I’ve been an admirer of Baron Ryan for ages. However, when I heard he was writing a book, I was a teensy bit worried. I didn’t want this book to just be a money grab or a piece of silly fiction that an online creator decided to publish in an attempt to relate to the current “trendiness” of reading. But my worries were all for nothing; this book is truly the most genuine and meaningful piece of literature I’ve read in a while.
To me, this book is Ernest Hemingway meets La La Land (2016.) It’s dreams and reality and logic and feeling all mixed up together. It’s love and confusion; it’s the excitement of growing up and the dread of being older. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone; please read it; it’ll change your perspective on life.
I’ve been an admirer of Baron Ryan for ages. However, when I heard he was writing a book, I was a teensy bit worried. I didn’t want this book to just be a money grab or a piece of silly fiction that an online creator decided to publish in an attempt to relate to the current “trendiness” of reading. But my worries were all for nothing; this book is truly the most genuine and meaningful piece of literature I’ve read in a while.
To me, this book is Ernest Hemingway meets La La Land (2016.) It’s dreams and reality and logic and feeling all mixed up together. It’s love and confusion; it’s the excitement of growing up and the dread of being older. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone; please read it; it’ll change your perspective on life.
June 16, 2024
Reading slump over 🙌🏼. The stories read just like his videos. Normally 5 stars are reserved for introspective books which this is, but also greatly timed comic relief
January 2, 2025
Hard to follow. Shallow, whiny characters.
November 5, 2025
I highlight sections of books I read when phrases speak to or challenge me, and this is one of my most highlighted books. Long-time fan of Baron’s content and really enjoyed reading his first book.
June 23, 2024
This was a quick enjoyable book. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed that it was read by the author. The stories were unique and funny at times. It was almost like listening to a friend reminiscing and tell stories.
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