Harold revolves around the thoughts of a 1960s third grader during a single day at school

Deadpan American stand-up Steven Wright has written his first book.

Harold is described as ‘a uniquely humorous and deeply profound novel that follows the thoughts of a 1960s third grader during a single day at school’.

Publishers  Simon & Schuster say the novel – which will be published next Tuesday – is ‘saturated with the witticisms and profundities for which Wright’s groundbreaking stand-up has long been venerated’.

Wright, 67, has also recorded an audiobook version of the title. He has performed stand-up for more than four decades and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and two Grammys (for his albums I Have a Pony and I Still Have a Pony)

According to the blurb, Harold ‘documents the meandering, surreal, often hilarious, and always thought-provoking stream-of-consciousness ruminations of the title character.’

It adds: ‘From the outside, Harold is an average seven-year-old third grader growing up in the 1960s. Bored by school. Crushing on a girl. Likes movies and baseball - especially the hometown Boston Red Sox. Enjoys spending time with his grandfather.

‘But inside Harold’s mind, things are a lot more complex and unusual. His thoughts come to him as birds flying through a small rectangle in the middle of his brain. He visits an outdoor cafe on the moon and is invited aboard a spaceship by famed astronomer Carl Sagan. He envisions his own funeral procession and wonders if the driver of the hearse has even been born yet.’

It is available to order now from Amazon:

Published: 8 May 2023