Everyone You Hate is Going to Die
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Daniel Sloss is a standup comedian widely known for his specials Dark and Jigsaw on Netflix and X on HBO. He walks a narrow line, dancing right on the edge before bringing it back with a joke or a pointed observation. In his first foray into print, Sloss stays true to the dark and pointed humor he’s known for. I read the first third or so of the physical book then borrowed the audiobook from my local library. Unsurprisingly, comedian’s humor translates better listening to them than it does on the page. If you’re already familiar with Sloss’s specials you’ll probably enjoy the book. Everyone You Hate covers most of the same material, although in more depth. He shares his thoughts on relationships, kids, holding friends accountable, grief, and more. It's an interesting mix because while Sloss often has excellent takes on various
topics, he is also relatively young and has a stated goal of being edgy. Sometimes this results in well made and thought provoking points; other times it just feels like an attempt at shock humor. There are long asides in the book talking about what he thinks the publisher will or will not let him get away with, as well as footnotes where he talks directly to the audience. It's well done but polarizing - definitely read a couple pages before you buy to make sure you’ll enjoy the style and humor.
I really enjoyed Everyone You Hate; I’ve always appreciated Sloss’s approach to life and this iteration was no different. As good as the writing was though, my favorite part of the book was the easter egg hidden under the dust jacket of the hardcover. It’s perfectly on brand for Daniel Sloss and whoever designed it deserves a raise. The Guinness, I think, is a self-explanatory pairing. I bought it purely for the picture, but turns out I like it more than I remembered. A win-win!
