‘My Heart is an Idiot’: Essays on heartache and humor

Author Davy Rothbart. Photo by Dan Busta
Author Davy Rothbart. Photo by Dan Busta

Brooklyn Eagle recently reported on author Davy Rothbart, who is, without question, a lovable romantic. In the sixteen autobiographical essays that make up his book “My Heart is an Idiot” (Picador; September, 2013), Rothbart wears his heart on his sleeve. In spite of his distasteful practical jokes and ridiculous schemes, Rothbart wins over his readers with his brutally honest and comical retelling of the (mis)adventures that have informed his heartfelt writing.

Beginning with his childhood—when he shamelessly took advantage of his deaf mother, until one day the joke turned on him— Rothbart chronicles his life in eventful snapshots. Several of the stories describe his romantic escapades, whether he was road tripping across the country to surprise a woman he hoped would become his girlfriend or counting, with a lover, the urine-filled bottles he’d acquired.

And though he tends to fall into unrequited love, Rothbart has a knack for recognizing the humor and wisdom he gathers in each of his episodes.

To celebrate the book’s paperback release, the author will appear in Brooklyn on Sept. 25 at DUMBO’s powerHouse Arena (37 Main St.) The event is free and will begin at 7 p.m.

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Davy Rothbart is the creator of Found magazine, editor of the bestselling Found books, and author of the story collection “The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas.” He’s also the director of the documentary film Medora, among others, and a frequent contributor to public radio’s This American Life. He splits his time between Los Angeles, California, and his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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