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Dreaming of North Beach
Dedicated to all of those staring at the clock waiting for lunch…
“Gell deftly takes down corporate culture in this incisive collection… An astute, entertaining appraisal of the daily grind.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Tired of the corporate grind and yearning for something more?
Why readers can’t put this book down:
• A sharp, satirical takedown of corporate life — perfect for burned-out professionals and anti-establishment souls alike
• Wry, raw, and brutally honest poems set in the fluorescent glow of the office and the after-hours haze of San Francisco’s North Beach
• Conversational and emotionally direct — a poetic voice that’s as accessible as it is cutting
• For fans of Bukowski, Brautigan, and the Beats, reimagined through the soul-draining reality of modern capitalism
Dreaming of North Beach (from Corporate America) is a bold debut poetry collection that captures the slow unraveling of identity inside a job that looks “good on paper.” With biting humor, Deno Gell lays bare the strange contradictions of work-life in late capitalism, where ambition fades, middle managers push forward, and even burnout feels like a privilege.
These mostly free verse poems blend barroom candor with literary edge, navigating themes of disillusionment, aging, creative longing, and the brutal ache of being human in a system that flattens everything. From gut-punch confessions to laugh-out-loud satire, you'll meet hungover prophets, broken promises, and the fleeting magic that only happens at 3 a.m.
For anyone who’s ever stared at a spreadsheet and wished they were somewhere else, this book is a window…or maybe a way out.
“Gell deftly takes down corporate culture in this incisive collection… An astute, entertaining appraisal of the daily grind.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Tired of the corporate grind and yearning for something more?
Why readers can’t put this book down:
• A sharp, satirical takedown of corporate life — perfect for burned-out professionals and anti-establishment souls alike
• Wry, raw, and brutally honest poems set in the fluorescent glow of the office and the after-hours haze of San Francisco’s North Beach
• Conversational and emotionally direct — a poetic voice that’s as accessible as it is cutting
• For fans of Bukowski, Brautigan, and the Beats, reimagined through the soul-draining reality of modern capitalism
Dreaming of North Beach (from Corporate America) is a bold debut poetry collection that captures the slow unraveling of identity inside a job that looks “good on paper.” With biting humor, Deno Gell lays bare the strange contradictions of work-life in late capitalism, where ambition fades, middle managers push forward, and even burnout feels like a privilege.
These mostly free verse poems blend barroom candor with literary edge, navigating themes of disillusionment, aging, creative longing, and the brutal ache of being human in a system that flattens everything. From gut-punch confessions to laugh-out-loud satire, you'll meet hungover prophets, broken promises, and the fleeting magic that only happens at 3 a.m.
For anyone who’s ever stared at a spreadsheet and wished they were somewhere else, this book is a window…or maybe a way out.
102 pages, Paperback
Published August 18, 2025
About the author
Deno Gell
1 bookDeno Gell is a poet and the founder of Gell Studio Presents, an emerging platform for poetry and lyrical expression.
His debut collection, Dreaming of North Beach (from Corporate America), draws from years spent straddling two worlds: the corporate halls of the tech industry and the dive bars, backstreets, and poetic after-hours of San Francisco. Shaped by music, burnout, and the city itself, his voice explores the absurdity, ache, and dark humor of modern life.
Originally from Chico, California, Deno has lived and worked in San Francisco since 2010.
His debut collection, Dreaming of North Beach (from Corporate America), draws from years spent straddling two worlds: the corporate halls of the tech industry and the dive bars, backstreets, and poetic after-hours of San Francisco. Shaped by music, burnout, and the city itself, his voice explores the absurdity, ache, and dark humor of modern life.
Originally from Chico, California, Deno has lived and worked in San Francisco since 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 13, 2025
Sharp, witty, and darkly humorous, Dreaming of North Beach (from Corporate America) is a literary takedown of the maddeningly pervasive culture of Corporate America.
You don't have to work in tech to recognize the absurdity captured in these pages. The author pulls back the curtain to give readers a front-row seat to the dissonance behind the shiny allure of coveted FAANG positions, and the heavy toll that chasing the golden carrot exacts on the human spirit.
Amid sardonic observations tinged with melancholy and rage, there are surprising glimmers of hope woven throughout the poems. They deliver a clear-eyed critique of a culture unmoored, yet also reveal a profound love for a city that provides the author respite...even as it becomes the very stage upon which this corporate spectacle plays out.
The result is a collection that is as searing as it is poignant: a portrait of modern work, modern life, and the uneasy compromises we're forced to make along the way. A highly entertaining read!
You don't have to work in tech to recognize the absurdity captured in these pages. The author pulls back the curtain to give readers a front-row seat to the dissonance behind the shiny allure of coveted FAANG positions, and the heavy toll that chasing the golden carrot exacts on the human spirit.
Amid sardonic observations tinged with melancholy and rage, there are surprising glimmers of hope woven throughout the poems. They deliver a clear-eyed critique of a culture unmoored, yet also reveal a profound love for a city that provides the author respite...even as it becomes the very stage upon which this corporate spectacle plays out.
The result is a collection that is as searing as it is poignant: a portrait of modern work, modern life, and the uneasy compromises we're forced to make along the way. A highly entertaining read!
August 6, 2025
Admittedly, the narrator isn't the type of guy I'd like to hear from. He seems egocentric, immature, and arrogant. He's a bit unhinged. Yet I know that plenty of these words are coming from a place of disillusion, disappointment, and cynicism that is hard to deny when it comes to current college education and corporate culture standards.
Especially the hypocrisy that runs rampant within both.
I'd have liked if the poems dove deeper into imagery and metaphor. I also understand that not every book has to have that, but it'd have raised my rating a bit higher for this one.
Dreaming of North Beach from Corporate America must have been cathartic to write and to let loose into the world. It speaks to the bitterness of "making a living" in North America. I can only imagine how these poems would sound ten years from now. Perhaps they will carry a strange nostalgia with them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Especially the hypocrisy that runs rampant within both.
I'd have liked if the poems dove deeper into imagery and metaphor. I also understand that not every book has to have that, but it'd have raised my rating a bit higher for this one.
Dreaming of North Beach from Corporate America must have been cathartic to write and to let loose into the world. It speaks to the bitterness of "making a living" in North America. I can only imagine how these poems would sound ten years from now. Perhaps they will carry a strange nostalgia with them.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 21, 2025
4.5 stars! I actually really liked this! I wasn’t expecting to, but it was awesome— exceeded my expectations, literally. Deno is so real and raw, showing what life is like. i’ve had a bunch of the same thoughts, and it was nice to see them on paper.
i had so many emotions while reading this book, even though it’s so small! i felt seen, sad, happy—i laughed multiple times. i actually loved seeing the rage shown in this book, it was fun to read about it and see Deno’s thoughts. such a great book!
i had so many emotions while reading this book, even though it’s so small! i felt seen, sad, happy—i laughed multiple times. i actually loved seeing the rage shown in this book, it was fun to read about it and see Deno’s thoughts. such a great book!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews