Hopefully, some of you are familiar with Andrew Heaton. He's probably best known for contributing libertarian content to outlets like Reason and The Blaze. He's also a comedian and an author. I consider him to be one of the most underappreciated content creators today.
I've read each of Heaton's five books and recommend each one without reservation. If you enjoy Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, I think you'll enjoy Andrew Heaton. Also, if you already enjoy Andrew Heaton, I think you'll love his books.
Non FictionNon Fiction
Los Angeles is Hideous: Poems About an Ugly CityLos Angeles is Hideous: Poems About an Ugly City
Heaton made a career move to LA, even though he knew he hated the city. It happened to be just before Covid lockdowns.
These poems are an expression of the many many things he disdains about LA. It's a great coffee table book.
Laughter is Better than CommunismLaughter is Better than Communism
I think this is the first book of his that I read. It's definitely the one I remember least clearly. However, Heaton is a hilarious political satirist. Check out his series Mostly Weekly to get a sense of whether his humor is up your alley.
FictionFiction
Frank Got AbductedFrank Got Abducted
I was a big fan of The X-Files growing up and I also listened to a lot of Coast-to-Coast AM during late night drives. Frank Got Abducted is a goofy sci-fi conspiracy mystery that would fit in perfectly on either of those programs.
Happier as WerewolvesHappier as Werewolves
This is a romance story in familiar horror setting. Like much of Heaton's writing, the story is set in rural Oklahoma. That's where Andrew's from and his descriptions of home are both loving and hilarious.
Inappropriately Human: 21 Short StoriesInappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories
If you enjoyed Vonnegut's short story collections, these are in that same vein: brilliant satire, strange sci-fi settings, but also some real emotional weight.
I really like Heaton. I don't really keep up with what he does but he was a guest on Tom Wood's podcast a couple years ago and I found his explanation of international relations theory fascinating. He did a great job of explaining the different schools of thought and how they interact with each other. He has a master’s degree in international relations and exposed me to the different approaches. Much like economics the different schools of thought have patterns and knowing them helps contextualize these international conflicts from a different angle than you typically get from media and politics. Well worth a listen.
I'm pretty sure I first encountered him on Tom's show as well. He's had several iterations of his own shows and I haven't kept up him for a while now, but I highly recommend his Mostly Weekly series. Those are short comedic videos diving into very specific topics.
Welp, Vonnegut's probably as much of a fave as Bradbury, so I know which one I'm checking out first. Thanks!
Hope you enjoy it
I’ve seen his videos on YouTube. I thought the name was familiar
I feel like you might be able to appreciate his book of anti-LA poetry.
I must check this one out. I lived in LA for three years before escaping. I only recognize his name from Reason, I think.
Law school in California?
No. Before law school.
Reason has an office in Los Angeles but all the editors live in New York.
Thanks for the recommendation. I'm going to check this guy out. Sounds like it is right up my alley.
Glad to hear it! Heaton deserves so much more recognition.
First time I have heard about him. He looks like a great author. Need to check him out. Thanks for recommending him.