So Far Gone

This book is chaos—in the best way. So Far Gone is a fast, funny, deeply human novel about losing the thread and finding your way back (or at least somewhere close). It's Jess Walter doing what he does best: handing you a story that makes you laugh out loud, then cry a little, then text someone you haven't talked to in a while.

The story kicks off with Rhys Kinnick, a washed-up journalist who has what can only be described as an epic Thanksgiving breakdown. He punches his son-in-law (who may or may not be a QAnon guy—and 100% deserved it), throws his phone into the woods, and disappears for seven years. Totally normal behavior. Then, just when he's settled into life as a hermit in the Pacific Northwest, his grandkids show up—whom he doesn't recognize at first—and they promptly get kidnapped by a right-wing militia. Naturally, Rhys goes after them, roping in an ex-cop with a mood disorder and an ex-girlfriend with zero patience to help.

It's bonkers, but also tender and sharp and sneakily hopeful—the kind of novel that reminds you how hard (and hilarious) it is to be a person right now. Jess Walter gets it and writes it all with the kind of heart that leaves a mark.

If you're in the mood for something weird, warm, and uncomfortably accurate about America today, this is your next read. Buckle up. It’s a ride.