Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | My Less Than Secret Life | 2002 | Jonathan Ames | Buy |
| 2 | The Double Life is Twice as Good | 2009 | Jonathan Ames | Buy |
Jonathan Ames’s short story collections blend fiction and memoir into something distinctly his own. My Less Than Secret Life (2002) gathers essays, stories, and columns that originally appeared in the New York Press, covering his adventures in boxing, dating, and general misadventure with characteristic honesty.
The Double Life is Twice as Good (2009) continues in the same vein, collecting pieces that range from laugh-out-loud funny to surprisingly tender. Ames has described his approach as “performing open-heart surgery on himself in public,” and these collections bear that out. Readers who enjoy the confessional tradition of writers like Charles Bukowski or David Sedaris will find a kindred spirit here.