Personalized copy of the 2024 International Book Awards Finalist
What in the heck is adulthood?
"All I know is that one day I wasn't ordering off the kids menu anymore, even though I still wanted chicken fingers and fries," explains author Patrick Lombardi.
At some point, unbeknownst to him, Patrick began doing adult things: getting jobs, paying taxes, starting a family. Still, he felt no more mature than he did as a teen, when he discovered *67 for prank phone calls. Where's the line in the sand dividing adolescence from adulthood?
This collection features nearly two dozen embarrassingly true stories seeking to answer these questions. With a blend of self-deprecating humor and heartfelt reflection, Patrick hilariously explores the nuances of family dynamics, the absurdities of the workplace, and the joys and tribulations of embracing adulthood. Patrick pokes fun at his past decisions and delusions, all while celebrating those who've consistently kicked him back to reality.
Clear As Clay is not a memoir--it's a relatable, riotous journey that reminds us it's okay to laugh at ourselves and at life, even when we're not quite sure what the heck is going on.
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All copies come with complimentary bookmarks and stickers. If you would like your copy unsigned, please indicate in inscription field.
For more information about Patrick Lombardi and his books, visit PatrickLombardi.com.
Clear As Clay: Provoking Life's Moldable Moments
"Whether lampooning a mother’s clumsy love, reliving dreaded wedding planning, crafting a scatological paean to empathy, or lauding the benefits of a safety coffin, Lombardi’s essays reveal the transformative potential of the trivial, the wonder that is a meatloaf dinner or an oil change. Deftly interweaving humor and grace, the absurd and the sober, his free-ranging recollections read like Norman Rockwell moments sketched by R. Crumb." — David R. Roth, award-winning author of The Femme Fatale Hypothesis
"In Clear as Clay, Patrick Lombardi skillfully mines the mundane for fodder for well-crafted essays on adulthood. Lombardi has turned seemingly innocuous moments—from waiting in line at an ice cream shop to calling a plumber as a new homeowner—into a side-splittingly funny book. You’ll root for Lombardi as he fumbles through this phase of his life, and you might see yourself in it—especially if you also happen to be from New Jersey." — Kerri Sullivan, New Jersey Fan Club and founder of Jersey Collective
"Patrick Lombardi’s essays are full of insight, heart, and humor. You will be touched and moved, and you will laugh out loud. Highly recommended!” — Dr. Lise Deguire, Psy.D., award-winning author of Flashback Girl: Lessons on Resilience from a Burn Survivor
“Patrick Lombardi brings a storyteller’s eye to the everyday, elevating ordinary experiences into tales we can all relate to with wit, grace, and humor.” — Nancy Norbeck, Follow Your Curiosity podcast
“Patrick Lombardi has found a way to turn humor into a tool. Like a hot knife flawlessly cutting through butter, his sardonic wit uses the force of osmosis to quickly permeate skin, tissue, and nerve to hit the funny bone—and hard! Get ready to lose your¬self in story and find yourself again feeling a little lighter, and who doesn’t need that? The reason to get Clear as Clay is clear as glass.” — Marc Kaye, comedian, musician, and author