Vacationland True Stories from Painful Beaches

“I love everything about this hilarious book except the font size.” —Jon Stewart

When fake news became everyone’s routine, comedian and author John Hodgman found himself stripped of his signature weapon: invented facts. What remained was something far more unsettling—the truth about being an aging white guy with questionable facial hair, wandering through the landscapes that shaped him.

Vacationland is Hodgman’s sharp, surprisingly tender memoir that maps three interconnected wildernesses: the hills of Western Massachusetts where he came of age, the treacherous beaches of Maine (which he insists are actively plotting his demise), and the metaphorical haunted forest of middle age that connects them all.

This is Hodgman at his best—wildly funny yet unexpectedly poignant. You’ll learn about the existential threat of freshwater clams, the evolutionary significance of mustaches, and which Maine animals deserve pets versus poison. There’s practical advice on surviving potential sacrifice to coastal deities, and honest reckoning with what it means when bright potential gives way to the wisdom (and weirdness) of middle age.

Perfect for readers who appreciate humor laced with heart, Vacationland captures that universal moment when we stop pretending to be who we might become and embrace who we actually are—creaky bodies, dubious decisions, and all. It’s a love letter to New England, a meditation on aging, and a reminder that the most ridiculous truths are often the most profound.

A must-read for fans of David Sedaris, anyone navigating their forties, or those who’ve ever felt personally victimized by a beach.

Additional information