Ryan Chapman

Center for Fiction 2019 First Novel Prize Long List “Dark, daring, and laugh-out-loud hilarious, Riots I Have Known is one of the smartest—and best—novels of the year.”—NPR “Chapman establishes himself as a master of wit, satire, and heart.”—Apple Books “[A] gritty, bracing debut.”—Esquire “Dazzling...Supremely mischievous and sublimely written.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) An unnamed Sri Lankan inmate has barricaded himself inside a prison computer lab in Dutchess County, New York. A riot rages outside, incited by a poem published in The Holding Pen, the house literary journal. This, our narrator’s final Editor’s Letter, is his confession. An official accounting of events, as they happened. As he awaits imminent and violent interruption, he takes us on a roller coaster ride of plot and language, determined to share his life story, and maybe answer a few questions. How did he end up here? Should he have remained a quiet Park Avenue doorman? Or continued his rise in the black markets of postwar Sri Lanka? What will become of The Holding Pen, a “masterpiece of post-penal literature” favored by Brooklynites everywhere? And why does everyone think the riots are his fault? Can’t they see he’s really a good guy, doing it for the right reasons? Smart, wry, and laugh-out-loud funny, Ryan Chapman’s Riots I Have Known is an utter gem—an approachable send-up that packs a punch. Alexandra Kleeman, author of You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine, says, “Ryan Chapman has written a rocket-powered ode to literary creation and mass incarceration. Weaving satire and seriousness into a singularly rambunctious monologue, Riots I Have Known is a breath of fresh air.”

Riots I Have Known

Over 350 bits of trivia intended to help start conversations.

trivia worth talking about

Conversation sparks

Jump-start any conversation with this collection of over 350 fascinating, little-known facts. Hand-drawn speech bubbles and a charming conversationalist add personality to memorable tidbits on everything from the number of shipping containers lost at sea (about one per hour!) to now-retired Twinkie flavors (banana cream). Who knew that any month beginning on a Sunday will have a Friday the 13th? Or that there are more cell phones in the world than toothbrushes? Engaging and addictive, this is trivia with character.

Trivia Worth Talking About

Conversation Sparks

Adam Hill

The pun.No word in the history of human language has more power to simultaneously cause so much misery yet so much joy. When executed effectively, the pun has the ability to bring nations together and make enemies friends. When it fails, it can tear families apart. Only the bold dare to engage in this delicate art form, and very few ever triumph over the inevitability of social awkwardness to become a true pun master.Enter Ryan and Adam. These seemingly harmless friends are on a crusade to make the world groan, one bad pun at a time. Their adventure begins with a simple text message, an invitation to write a book on puns, and becomes an epic journey into the very soul of word play. What started as a simple idea would become "The Longest Pun War" - a book which will serve to redefine the most creative, and often misunderstood, type of humor on the planet.Throughout this important piece of pun literature, Ryan and Adam navigate the perils and joys of writing a book, which will test their resolve and have readers on the edge of their seats. Will they ever find a PR firm to handle their marketing? That certainly ads its own challenges. Will they agree on a price? This is one of money obstacles they will have to overcome.The Longest Pun War holds a number of totally fake records that Ryan and Adam completely fabricated, including. -The longest continuous string of puns in the history of literature (take that, Shakespeare!).-The first book drafted entirely from a text message exchange (because obviously books written in a text message format will "cell" well).-Simultaneously the most useful and useless book of all time. Ryan and Adam's pun-based journey over text message will warm your heart, make you laugh, make you groan, feel a little uncomfortable, maybe even a little tired if that's what reading does to you. One thing is for certain, The Longest Pun War will be forever known as the most important piece of literature on puns in human history (we think).

Ryan Chapman

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