Decadence

by Richard Kelly Kemick

"The genre of memoir is bullshit (as I humbly posit). No one actually lives like they are moving along some grand Freytag’s triangle. Rather, we live within isolated instances, specific struggles and victories, which, when compiled, form a narrative."—Richard Kelly Kemick

In Decadence, Richard Kelly Kemick’s “accidental memoir of a sort,” the author ranges widely through his myriad preoccupations and obsessions—volleyball, municipal landfills, dogs, high-school plays, Christmas villages, love—out of which the shape of a unique sensibility is revealed. Reminding the reader of the three Davids—Rakoff, Sedaris, and Wallace—these essays accrete into a portrait of a man trying to make sense of a world in which there are no goddamn rules; and yet one in which every action has sometimes profound consequences. A book of intelligence and care and kindness and humour and yearning and the occasional epiphany, Decadence gathers up from the odds and ends of living what makes a modern life, quiet and desperate as it may at times be, worth celebrating and living.

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 7, 2026

About the author

Richard Kelly Kemick’s poetry, prose, and criticism have been published in magazines and journals across Canada and the United States, including the Fiddlehead, the New Quarterly, and Tin House (Open Bar).

He has won the poetry prizes of both Grain magazine and Echolocation. He lives in Calgary.

Reviews

[Allan N · Rating 4 out of 5]

A random find in a bookstore in St. Louis. Turns out, it was pre-release copy for a relatively small author. Who knew!

All in all, I quite enjoyed this essay collection. Kemick’s voice is strong and smart and he has a really good idea of what he wants to say. It was a breeze to read, and really provided some interesting insights.

The strongest essays were the very first one (great place to begin) and the ones post-2019. I feel like Kemick’s writing became more defined, and the personage sketched seemed a bit more mature and likable. There were moments in those middle stories where he came across a bit frustrating. But that’s just aging up, isn’t it.

Some of those middle essays struggled, in my view, in their ability to hook a reader and their overall cohesion. They just felt a bit more incomplete and unpolished. But when they felt complete and polished like the ones i’ve pointed out, they were really good.

I’m glad to have read and I did really enjoy. Something fun to distract from the other, less fun things I might be reading at a time. Thanks Leviathan in St. Louis 🙂

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got a finished copy of this book a little ahead of the publication date. Thank you to those friendly Canadians for getting it across the border.

This is a book of essays/short stories/memoir, or put more simply, the quirky life and observances of the author. It begins with Playing God, my favorite Christmas story ever that had me laughing so hard that I was either headed for a hernia or wearing a diaper.

There is a chronology here. Sometimes age leads to maturity, or possibly a new way to defy it. The gut busting humor can turn to new revelations that lead to personal reflection, or simple disbelief that someone could survive the journey. A partner. A dog. A baby.

And you, dear reader, may also conclude that you feel especially lucky not to have lived the same experiences. A toast for this gift of international kindness!

[Shannon A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty & insightful this memoir has a different feel to it than most. It’s a celebration of the quirky nature of life. Through a series of vignettes , Richard shares his observations on an array of topics and reminds the reader that the true nature of life is found in the unexpected.

My favorite quote:

“After all, what is family for other than to constantly disappoint you with their flawed attempts at taking an interest?”
-Richard Kelly Kemick