Zach Zimmerman struggles with long-term commitment. After dropping out of the University of Southern California and moving to Peru for seven months, Zach ultimately discovers that, in every respect imaginable, he’s broke. No money. No plans. No purpose. Of course, if he were normal, this is the point when he’d beg his parents for a flight home. Instead, Zach decides this is the appropriate time to venture alone into one of the deadliest and most unpredictable regions of the planet: the Amazon rainforest.   See, according to some guy Zach met in the south of Peru—a guy with a distinct fondness for psychedelics—there exists a spirit of the jungle, and this spirit has a name: Lady Ayahuasca. Local legend holds that Lady Ayahuasca is a divine mother, an omnipotent presence that guides all those who seek her counsel to their true, enlightened paths. Zach, a devoted skeptic, puts little stock into the proposed existence of jungle spirits, yet is nevertheless intrigued by their growing popularity, particularly among New Age travelers, and expects at the very least to find some level of excitement in a land of such great unknown.   What Zach doesn’t expect to find is the tarantulas and alligators and shamans and native Amazonian tribes and pretty Chinese girls and eccentric characters that, chaotic and random and dangerous as they may appear, all seem to be leading him somewhere, until, in the end, Zach discovers (well, let’s not leave any spoilers here).   Though at its outset, In Search of Lady Ayahuasca is a humorous examination of the abstract, seemingly incredulous beliefs we humans are drawn to, at its heart it’s about a young man struggling to find his own way in a world of beaten-down paths. Zach Zimmerman’s guile and self-deprecatory humor make his journal hard to put down, and his insightful stream of consciousness regarding the nature of skepticism and spirituality will have you reflecting inward as you laugh outward.   Plus, it’s only like a hundred pages.

In Search of Lady Ayahuasca: An Ill-Conceived Quest Through the Peruvian Amazon

Travel

Zimmerman, Zach

South America

Z Publishing

In this debut collection of essays, lists, musings, and quips, New York-based comedian Zach Zimmerman delicately walks the fine line between tear-jerking and knee-slapping, and does so with aplomb. In this laugh-and-cry-out-loud, memoir-esque exploration of selfhood, Zimmerman dives into the pros and cons of retiring a Bible-Belt-dwelling, meat-eating, God-fearing identity in exchange for a new, metropolitan lease on life--one of vegetarianism, atheism, queerness, and humor. Whether learning to absolve instilled religious guilt or reminiscing over Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, this book is a candid and hysterical look at one person's journey toward making peace with the past and seeking hope in the future. HILARIOUS WRITING: The stories featured in this collection are an uproarious read with a strong and established tone of voice. Featuring pieces that were originally published in the New Yorker, Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)? is a literary gem. RELEVANT AND INCLUSIVE: Zimmerman navigates obstacles in the queer community with essays that are not only humorous and heartfelt, but also act as guiding anecdotes for young, queer community members. ESTABLISHED AUTHOR AND COMEDIAN: Zimmerman has written dozens of New Yorker humor pieces and essays, a Billboard Top Ten comedy album that debuted at #1, and has been featured in New York Magazine, The New York Times, TimeOut, Vulture, and more. Perfect for: <ul> <li>Comedy and humor fans</li> <li>Literary enthusiasts and fans of comedy writing like David Sedaris</li> <li>Short story and essay collection readers</li> </ul>

Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)?

Biographies & Memoirs

Chronicle Books+

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Books by Zimmerman, Zach