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Shut Up, You're Welcome

Thoughts on Life, Death, and Other Inconveniences

About The Book

From the author of Happy Birthday or Whatever, an outright hilarious and heartfelt collection of personal essays about everything from underwear to musical theater.

ANNIE CHOI HATES MUSICAL THEATER. SHE THINKS SANDWICHES ARE BORING. She likes camping, except for the outdoors part. At fifteen, her father made her read the entire car manual before allowing her to sit in the driver’s seat. Her neighbor, who has no cur­tains, is always naked. And she once chased down a man who stole her handbag.

All this is to say that Choi is one part badass and one part curmudgeon, with a soft spot for savage bears. Mostly she wants to ask the world: WTF?!

Written in Choi’s strikingly original and indignant voice, Shut Up, You’re Welcome paints a revealing portrait of Annie in all her quirky, compelling, riotous glory. Each of Choi’s personal essays begins with an open letter to someone (babies) or something (the San Fernando Valley) she has a beef with. From the time her family ditched her on Christmas to her father’s attach­ment to the World's Ugliest Table, Choi weaves together deeply personal experiences with laugh-out-loud observations, all of which will delight and entertain you.

About The Author

Photograph by Perri Pivovar

Annie Choi is the author of Happy Birthday or Whatever. Her work has appeared in White Zinfandel, Urban Omnibus, and Pidgin Magazine, among others. She received her BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and her MFA in writing from Columbia University. She loves animals that eat other animals and hates musicals. Choi was born and raised in Los Angeles but now lives in New York. Visit her website at AnnieTown.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Gallery Books (July 9, 2013)
  • Length: 288 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781451698404

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Raves and Reviews

“Choi’s witty and fresh voice will charm you and make you hope she brings you home to meet her parents.”

– Valerie Frankel, author of Thin is the New Happy

"At one point in this fabulously funny book, Annie Choi's mother says to her: "You not normal. You crazy." Call it what you want. Annie's descriptions of family life make David Sedaris's clan look downright stuffy."

– Celia Rivenbark, New York Times bestselling author of You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl

"This book should come with a warning: Use caution when reading in public! Laughter will occur. Annie Choi's wryly hilarious reflections on lost luggage, musical theater, her lovingly pushy parents, and other natural disasters will keep readers highly entertained. Her fresh, relatable voice and exquisitely polished prose have me convinced: Annie Choi is one of America's best new humor writers."

– Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and the Heather Wells mystery series

"Annie Choi strikes the perfect balance between humor and heart. You'll laugh so hard at her family, you'll wish you were part of it."

– Jane Borden, author of I Totally Meant to Do That

“Choi’s baffled, exasperated love for her family is at the heart of every anecdote. Even though they did leave her behind on Christmas by mistake.”

– Publishers Weekly

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