The Choke Artist: Confessions of a Chronic Underachiever

Missing that last basket in a pick-up game. Chickening out on that perfect first kiss at the last second. Seizing up, again and again, under pressure. The life of a choke artist isn't an easy one, and the mere possibility of disappointment is enough to keep plenty of people from really trying in the first place. David Yoo perfectly captures this cycle of failure and fear in this collection of often cringe-inducing episodes: whether he's wearing four layers of clothing to artificially beef up his slim frame, Spider Solitaire-ing his way through fifty temp jobs, or pining for validation through dating unattainable women, Yoo celebrates and skewers the insecurities of young adults everywhere.

"Yoo (Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before) is a gifted YA novelist and comic writer who, by his own recollection, has spent his entire life purposefully underachieving in important moments. From struggles with popularity in kindergarten, to the delicate social battles of high school, to the development of his writing career, Yoo has repeatedly self-sabotaged while on the cusp of potential success. But just as readers are ready to dismiss him as a perennial screw-up, he deftly brings his experiences back to the rawness of his family struggles and he articulates that rarest of memoir experiences: a truly poignant, unexpected epiphany. Yoo shares his stories with candor, and the range of topics — sexuality, work, sibling rivalry, body image issues, and ethnic identity — means readers will never get bored. The essays are well-paced, the delivery is always punchy, and Yoo makes for a sympathetic protagonist. Though at times the themes feel repetitive, it is really more that (like all things in life) his issues overlap. In exorcising these demons, Yoo has crafted a fantastic memoir that will have readers laughing throughout. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

In this brutally honest collection of often cringe-inducing episodes, David Yoo perfectly captures the cycle of failure and fear from childhood through adulthood. Whether he's wearing four layers of clothing to artificially beef up his slim frame, routinely testing highlighters against his forearm to see if he indeed has yellow skin, or preemptively sabotaging promising relationships to avoid being compared to former boyfriends, Yoo celebrates and skewers the insecurities of anxious people everywhere.