Overview

Shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize 2025 'This novel is sweet, sexy, sad, articulate, and funny' Vogue Cherry Hendricks might be down on her luck, but she can write the book on what makes something funny: she's a professional clown who creates raucous, zany fun at gigs all over Orlando. Her life is a mess, but she's always hustling. Cherry's luck changes when she meets Margot the Magnificent - the most successful entertainer on the circuit. By pursuing Margot's mentorship and connections, Cherry is certain she can take her act to the next level. Plus, Margot is sexy as hell. But it's not long before Cherry must decide how much she's willing to risk for Margot, and for her own explosive new act. What kind of clown does she want to be under her costume? 'Unique, weird as anything, but it's also so much deeper . . . While this book will make you laugh, the story is guaranteed to pull at your heartstrings too' Daily Express 'As much heart, humour, and gritty realness as can fit between two covers' People 'A funny and heartfelt tale of one woman grappling with grief, love and how to move forward' New York Times

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9781472159137

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Reviews

'[Kristen Arnett] really outdid herself this time, and Stop Me If You've Heard This One is a certified banger. Can't wait to force it into the hands of everyone I ever meet' -- Samantha Irby * New York Times bestselling author of Quietly Hostile * 'Is there any more brilliant and singular talent than Kristen Arnett? I cried laughing and ached at the zeniths of tenderness its tragicomic brilliance achieves. This may be the best book I've ever read' -- Alissa Nutting * author of TAMPA * 'Arnett paints an irresistible portrait of the artist as a clown... despite, or perhaps due to, its absurdity and bittersweet undertones, Cherry's story makes a powerful case for pursuing one's art authentically and fearlessly. It's a riot' * Publishers Weekly * 'This book seems destined to be known as ""the sexy clown novel,"" but it's so much more than that. To be sure, the links that Arnett draws between clowning as an art form and queerness as an identity are strong: Some people will innately dislike you because of the way you move through the world, and the trick is to avoid them. The heart of this novel is the conflicted and unyielding stance of its protagonist, Cherry, who turns to clowning to try to hang on to the memory of her brother after he passes and soon learns more than she could have hoped for from an older woman with experience in the genre. This novel is sweet, sexy, sad, articulate, and funny' * Vogue * 'Though the novel dips into the absurd, Arnett grounds the characters and relationships beautifully through her signature style of humor and heart. Her writing is particularly strong when exploring the ways we show up for ourselves and our communities-as well as the sacrifices we should and shouldn't make for our art. A funny and tender novel about life's best and worst punchlines' * Kirkus Reviews * 'This is a hilarious and ingenious novel for anyone who's ever felt like a misfit' * NBC today * 'A tender and funny novel about getting unstuck in making art and living life' * Booklist * 'Brilliant on the relationship between comedy and suffering, and on the bravado and vulnerability of performance...A dazzling, sexy, and hilarious triumph' * Laura van den Berg, author of THE THIRD HOTEL * 'One of the funniest books I've ever read' * Jami Attenberg, author of A REASON TO SEE YOU AGAIN *

Author Information

Kristen Arnett is the queer author of With Teeth (2021) which was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and the New York Times bestselling debut novel Mostly Dead Things (2019) which was also a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in fiction and was shortlisted for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award. She was awarded a Shearing Fellowship at Black Mountain Institute, has held residencies at Ragdale Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, the Millay Colony, and the Key West Literary Seminar (upcoming 2024), and was longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize recognizing mid-career writers of fiction. Her work has appeared at the New York Times, TIME, The Cut, Oprah Magazine, Guernica, Buzzfeed, McSweeneys, PBS Newshour, The Guardian, Salon, The Washington Post, and elsewhere. She has lives in Orlando, Florida.

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