About The Book

Maeve Dunigan has poured a lifetime of effort into seeming effortlessly chill. The results have been … mixed. Nonetheless, Maeve still believes she's one pair of leather pants, one perfect use of the word "bespoke," and one jar of expensive olives away from self-actualization. She'll never stop trying, no matter how bespoke things get (was that right?).

With sharp wit and unflinching honesty, Maeve shares her own misadventures―like the time she quietly endured a ruptured appendix at McDonald's so she wouldn't come off as dramatic―and explores the universal desire to belong. She invites readers into her world of One Direction fanfiction authorship and passive-aggressive yogurt mind games, detailing the anxieties that come with living in an age of constant visibility.

"This book taught me three things: One, I’m not cool. Two, I don’t need to be. Three, Maeve is very funny. And four, I can’t count.” – Eli Grober, The New Yorker contributor and author of This Won’t Help

About The Author

Maeve Dunigan, originally from Baltimore, MD, is a writer, comedian, and frequent contributor to The New Yorker. Her work has appeared on NPR’s Selected Shorts, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Reductress, Mic, and Mountain Gazette.

About The Moderator

Cayla Harris is the obituary writer for The Baltimore Banner. Before coming to Baltimore, she spent four years in Austin, Texas, covering state politics for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. She also previously covered New York politics for the Albany Times Union.

Why join the Banner Book Club?

The Banner Book Club is your chance to meet and speak directly with prize-winning authors about their latest books and connect with a community of fellow book lovers. It’s an opportunity to explore Maryland’s literary heritage and engage with the trusted journalism that drives positive change. You’ll be the first to know of our upcoming book club events. And it’s free!