Comedian Anthony Jeselnik has garnered attention not only for his stand-up comedy but also for his growing literary venture, the Jeselnik Book Club. Launched as an alternative to podcasting during his touring schedule, the book club reflects Jeselnik’s desire to maintain an online presence through a project that aligns naturally with his interests.
Jeselnik described the initiation of the book club as a means to connect with audiences beyond comedy, emphasizing that it grew out of his longstanding habit of recommending books at the end of his podcast episodes. While longtime fans have embraced this shift, others familiar solely with his stage persona have found it unexpected.
The selections featured in the Jeselnik Book Club share notable characteristics. Jeselnik aims to highlight shorter works—typically around 250 pages—to attract readers, particularly men, who he believes often view fiction as a less practical activity. He described reading fiction as an exercise in empathy and likened it to “lifting weights for your brain,” suggesting that cultural perceptions and modern attention spans, muddled by digital distractions, contribute to declining engagement with books.
Among Jeselnik’s preferred authors are a diverse array, including Jim Thompson and Jenny Offill, chosen primarily for their brevity and the genuine enthusiasm he holds for their work. On his personal shelves, he keeps enduring favorites such as Rachel Cusk’s Outline trilogy and Jack Handey’s “Deep Thoughts,” which he reads to help combat insomnia. Jeselnik also spoke of his unique collection of multiple copies of Bret Easton Ellis’s “Glamorama,” gathered in various languages through a friend’s travels.
Jeselnik’s reading habits extend to his ideal environment, which he envisions as solitary moments on a dim airplane with his Kindle, allowing for uninterrupted immersion. He also commented on his intolerance for certain humor writers, naming David Sedaris as someone whose work he does not appreciate, contrasting that with books that have made him laugh out loud, including Charlie Kaufman’s “Antkind” and Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22.”
Most recently, Jeselnik has been captivated by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s “Chain-Gang All-Stars,” a book he praised for its impact and to which he has been asked to contribute a foreword for a new edition. The comedian also highlighted lesser-known works such as Sam Tallent’s “Running the Light,” which he regards as an unparalleled novel about stand-up comedy.
Looking ahead, Jeselnik envisions a literary dinner party with writers Rachel Cusk, Joan Didion, and Emily St. John Mandel—figures he imagines having a contentious yet compelling dynamic.
In describing the spirit of the Jeselnik Book Club, he noted an unofficial motto: “You don’t shoot dogs in Jeselnik Book Club,” a tongue-in-cheek way to distinguish his selections from other high-profile book clubs. Through this initiative, Jeselnik continues to bridge his comedic career with a passion for literature, advocating for reading as both intellectually enriching and accessible.