The Hipster Reading List - Roy Jerden's Blog

In the interest of equality, after my previous blog knocking Amazon's "100 Books to Read in a Lifetime" reading list, I thought it only fair to publish a hipster reading list, for those interested in this lifestyle. Of course we all know the effort is self-defeating because real hipsters are too cool to actually pay attention to a reading list... it's so mainstream, dude.

Actually there are two lists. The first one is a list of books. As a hipster, you are not actually required to buy them. OK, you might need to buy one (better if you can borrow), but it's just to carry with you to the coffee joint to show off. Place it casually on the table you plan to hog for 4 hours, so the title is well visible. You might want to read the dust cover in case of questions, but you can always say that you just got it, to avoid embarrassing details.

The other list just below you need to remember, at least 4 titles. These are recent books by cool authors no one has probably heard of, at least non-hipsters. As soon you find two people who have heard of one, remove it from your hipster reading list immediately. Never actually say you have read any of these. Memorizing the list serves merely to ask someone else if they have read any of them. You of course have to practice several reactions to the likely negative answer.  First, assume the standard hipster bored look. If queried about the author, the hipster answer de rigeur is "Oh, it's someone you've never heard of", followed by a sigh. Look away and roll your  eyes. If queried again, say the author's name, then say "But their earlier work was better". This should cement your non-mainstream coolness.

1. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
2. All the Living by C.E. Morgan
3. American Genius, A Comedy, Lynne Tillman
4. Beat the Reaper by Josh Bazell
5. Big Machine by Victor LaValle
6. Dear Everybody, Michael Kimball
7. Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr.
8. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
9. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Kim Cooper
10. Lowboy by John Wray
11. Magic For Beginners, Kelly Link
12. Marlon Brando, Pocahontas, and Me by Jeremy Deller
13. Notable American Women, Ben Marcus
14. Oblivion, David Foster Wallace
15. Pastoralia, George Saunders
16. Perfect Rigor by Masha Gessen
17. Rising Up and Rising Down, William Vollmann
18. The Ask by Sam Lipsyte
19. The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis, Lydia Davis
20. The Collected Stories, Amy Hempel
21. The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry
22. The New Valley by Josh Weil
23. The Possessed by Elif Batuman
24. The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez
25. This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper
26. Varieties of Disturbance by Lydia Davis
27. We Did Porn by Zak Smith
28. Why Did I Ever, Mary Robison
29. Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

OK, now here is your real hipster reading list:

1. addresses on packages
2. billboards
3. emails you receive
4. emails you send
5. Mark Borthwick’s handwriting
6. marquees
7. milk containers
8. text messages
9. titles of Antony and the Johnsons songs while listening to Antony and the Johnsons
10. to-do lists