Mess
One Man's Struggle to Clean Up His House and His Act
Published on 21. August 2015
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-0-393-24177-8 (ISBN)
Description
Millions of Americans struggle with severe clutter and hoarding. New York writer and bohemian Barry Yourgrau is one of them. Behind the door of his Queens apartment, Yourgrau's life is, quite literally, chaos. Confronted by his exasperated girlfriend, a globe-trotting food critic, he embarks on a heartfelt, wide-ranging, and too often uproarious project-part Larry David, part Janet Malcolm-to take control of his crammed, disorderly apartment and life, and to explore the wider world of collecting, clutter, and extreme hoarding.
Encounters with a professional declutterer, a Lacanian shrink, and Clutterers Anonymous-not to mention England's most excessive hoarder-as well as explorations of the bewildering universe of new therapies and brain science, help Yourgrau navigate uncharted territory: clearing shelves, boxes, and bags; throwing out a nostalgic cracked pasta bowl; and sorting through a lifetime of messy relationships. Mess is the story of one man's efforts to learn to let go, to clean up his space (physical and emotional), and to save his relationship.
Encounters with a professional declutterer, a Lacanian shrink, and Clutterers Anonymous-not to mention England's most excessive hoarder-as well as explorations of the bewildering universe of new therapies and brain science, help Yourgrau navigate uncharted territory: clearing shelves, boxes, and bags; throwing out a nostalgic cracked pasta bowl; and sorting through a lifetime of messy relationships. Mess is the story of one man's efforts to learn to let go, to clean up his space (physical and emotional), and to save his relationship.
Reviews / Votes
"A fascinating read by a hoarder about the psychology and culture of hoarding." -- The New York Times "My favorite Bohemian unpacks his life, and his heart. I will never look at clutter the same way again. I love this book!" -- Gary Shteyngart, author of Little Failure "Terrifically funny.... What can we say: Hoarders seem to be hot." -- USA Today "Droll, engaging." -- Wall Street Journal "An absorbing look at a mysterious compulsion." -- People "Barry Yourgrau is America's Kafka, if Kafka were hysterically funny, weirdly relatable, and had just a little bit of a hoarding problem. Mess is a total Yourgrau feast-I wept with laughter (but then why couldn't I throw away my Kleenex?)." -- Sandra Tsing Loh, author of The Madwoman in the Volvo "A funny, smart, and moving memoir about the accumulation of STUFF: what it means to us, why we keep it, and how we deal with our personal 'collections.' (Great book, btw.)" -- Roz Chast, author of Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? "If Richard Pryor and Lydia Davis shared a hoarder's body, this is the memoir of that wild gorgeous being. A great literary mind gathers the whole world into his apartment and then, like a Grimm's witch, tries to make it disappear." -- Clancy Martin, author of Love and LiesMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Dimensions
Height: 218 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
357 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-393-24177-8 (9780393241778)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2015
W. W. Norton & Company
€14.49
Available for download
Person
Writer-performer Barry Yourgrau is the author of acclaimed books of brief fiction, including Wearing Dad's Head and The Sadness of Sex, in whose film version he starred. He's appeared on MTV and NPR, and written for the New York Times, Huffington Post, Paris Review, and Vice, among others. Born in South Africa, he lives in New York and Istanbul.