A review by coric
Figure It Out by Wayne Koestenbaum

4.0

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I requested a copy of this book. I like essays, and I was intrigued by the description. I still have no idea what I’ve gotten myself into and may never know. One thing I like about collections of essays is being able to pick it up and put it down over a long period of time as you explore each stand alone piece of work. Each one provides an opportunity for careful examination and a deep dive into a short work because brevity has nothing to do with depth. This will definitely be a book I keep by the couch to pick up during those unexpected pockets of time when I don’t know what else I want to do. Koestenbaum has an intense stream of conscious style of writing in which he “squirrels” from connection to connection as it seemingly popped into his head. With wide-ranging topics including smells, eyeglasses, punctuation and Madonna and Debbie Harry, you just won’t be able to anticipate what you will encounter when you begin a new piece. If there was ever a book to showcase what it means to be invited into someone’s inner monologue, this might be the gold standard. I may even set a goal for myself to actually fulfill his “Eighteen Lunchtime Assignments.”