Description
“The genre of memoir is bullshit (as I humbly posit). No one actually lives like they are moving along some grand Freytag’s triangle. Rather, we live within isolated instances, specific struggles and victories, which, when compiled, form a narrative.”—Richard Kelly Kemick
In Decadence, Richard Kelly Kemick’s “accidental memoir of a sort,” the author ranges widely through his myriad preoccupations and obsessions—volleyball, municipal landfills, dogs, high school plays, Christmas villages, love—out of which the shape of a unique sensibility is revealed. Reminiscent of the three Davids—Rakoff, Sedaris, and Wallace—these essays accrete into a portrait of a man trying to make sense of a world in which there are no goddamn rules; and yet one in which every action has sometimes profound consequences. A book of intelligence and care and kindness and humour and yearning and the occasional epiphany, Decadence gathers up from the odds and ends of living what makes a modern life—quiet and desperate as it may at times be—worth celebrating.
Praise for Decadence
“An opening piece about his ongoing relationship, begun in teenagehood, with his miniature Christmas village sets the tone for this whimsical, Sedaris-esque collection of autobiographical essays.”
—Emily Donaldson, Globe and Mail
“In Decadence, a collection of autobiographical essays by Richard Kelly Kemick . . . sadness is mixed with cautious optimism. He has a way of noticing odd details and meaningful moments that pass us by when we are with those closest to us.”
—Bill Paul, BC Review
“Funny and poignant . . . Kemick’s wit and curmudgeonly self-regard is offset by his palpable adoration of his partner, Litia, evoking the work of David Sedaris. It’s a weird and rewarding ride.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Are they short stories? Essays? Vignettes of a life? This collection is amazing. Page turning in its funny, heartfelt, real, beautiful way. An absolute gem of a read.”
—Erin Chervenock, Village Books (Bellingham, WA)
“What an unexpected delight. This ‘accidental memoir’ is packed with some of the most poignant and hilarious essays I’ve ever read. The author’s ability to elevate the mundane is masterful, and more than once I found myself cackling out loud when reading this in public. I’m so glad I picked this up, and I can’t wait to share it with more readers.”
—Becca Naylor, Bookmarks (Winston-Salem, NC)
“Witty and insightful, this memoir has a different feel to it than most. It’s a celebration of the quirky nature of life. Through a series of vignettes, Richard shares his observations on an array of topics which reminds the reader that the true nature of life is often found in the unexpected.”
—Shannon Alden, Literati Bookstore (Ann Arbor, MI)
“Is it a memoir or is it essays? YES, on both counts. Essays because it is written in pieces. Memoir because it comes from the author’s memories of life. But whatever we choose to call it, this is a wondrous set of ‘short stories’ about events, people, and conversations. It is written in the humorous, insightful style of an author who has garnered a loving set of followers—those who, when they pick a new book by Kemick, expect only the best—and know they will get it. My favourite of these stories is ‘The Young Taxidermist of Alberta’ (Canada), but you’ll likely have your own favourite once you’ve consumed these pages. I envy you the discovery!”
—Linda Bond, Auntie’s Bookstore (Spokane, WA)
