Davy Rothbart

A break-up letter written on an airplane barf bag, longing letters sent from jail, photos of happy celebrations, lots of very talented doodles and one deflated balloon with a wish tied to it that said "I wish I won't flunk sixth grade!" The book is filled with objects sent in to the author because of his Found magazine. It's a homage to humanity. Misspelled but heartfelt declarations of love and lust, notices for unusual lost items, musicians looking for a band, angry back and forths between show more teenagers in class, a couple that are clearly suicide notes, and notes left on windshields of people who can't park. All the mess that humans can put on paper. show less

I have been a fan of Davy Rothbart's Found Magazine and This American Life for a long time, and Rothbart himself has always come across as a really introspective, funny, and compassionate guy. This impression was continued in his collection of fiction, "The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas," but it is in this collection of personal essays and memoir by Rothbart that shows him to be a keen observer of the human condition. I picked up "My Heart Is an Idiot," when Rothbart was in Minneapolis show more (along with a few more issues of Found) and, after listening to him narrate one of his intimate, tender-hearted stories, I was looking forward to reading the collection. The autobiographical essays follow the restless Michigander around the United States as he struggles with the complexities of relationships, meets a diverse cast of characters from all over the American spectrum, makes friends, and gets into scrapes. Whether tracking down literary scam artists on the Internet, going on roadtrips with people he has just met, or interviewing people trapped on a bus to NYC after 9/11, he writes of his own personal joys and foibles and the strange, tragic, exciting tapestry of American life. In particular, his stories "Human Snowball" and "Shade," offers an insightful self-examination coupled with explorations of what it means to be alive. I could really identify with a lot of Rothbart's experiences and found myself feeling right along with him. Rothbart has a great storytelling voice and, after this, I will certainly stay tuned to his next project. show less

This book is kind of amazing. Yes, it's filled with assorted found items (mostly handwritten notes), but what gets me is how it looks like the whole thing was laid out by hand and photocopied, like a higher-quality version of a zine. It's also not the sort of thing you can just casually flip through. I found myself repeatedly sucked into the stories of these strangers, at times sad and hilarious and maddening - sometimes simultaneously. It's inspired me to look down from time to time to see show more what treasures lay at my feet. I also have a couple things I may yet send in. show less

Ever since coming across this book, I’ve been obsessed. The hilarious, the horrifying, and the heart wrenching accounts of the wonders of everyday life, fresh from the streets where they were abandoned has struck some kind of cord with me, and now I frequent the Found Magazine website, have searched out back issues of Found Magazine, and am amassing my own collection of unique documents left by who knows who (Who IS Steve? one asks, and no answer is given). I can really say that this book show more has helped look at other people in a new light, giving me a new sense of empathy towards humanity. Everyone loves, everyone feels pain, and this collection provides a perfect way to view the human condition. show less