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Simon Rich might be the prince of simple writing. It is borderline supernatural the way that he can construct jokes, premises, plot-lines, and characters without a single shred of excess detail, yet never give the impression that he is underdelivering. New Teeth is a jubilee of laughter from start to finish and I have no qualms about recommending it to anyone.

As a writer, there is so much that I learn from Rich’s prose, but the uniqueness of his personality gives me enough distance to ensure that I never fall into the trap of trying to imitate him directly. He is at his best when speaking from the view of inanimate objects or from the perspective of characters that can barely speak English (like a gorilla, a one-year old, or a pirate). He understands that tropes and memes offer an on-ramp for setting up context, but then uses the expectations attached to that trope as material for subversion. In other words, he knows how to set up a scene faster than a Nascar pit crew member can replace a tire. Perhaps most impressive is his ability to create an entire book of short stories that still have a cohesive thematic thread. The thorough exploration of feelings and emotions regarding parenthood and marriage explored throughout the book is a testament to how deeply this man thinks, which provides the piercing insights for his humor. I will absolutely be revisiting this book and look forward to reading more from Mr. Rich.