In a PR gambit obviously designed to reel in people like me, Portland publisher Tin House has a tantalizing offer: If you know a maladjusted manchild in need of reform, they will send him a free copy of Joe Dunthorne’s manchild-focused The Adulterants, in the hopes that it will spur self-reflection and long-delayed progress. From their website:
Maybe you’ve dated him, lived with him, or worked with him. Maybe he’s your brother, or uncle, or husband. Maybe he’s somewhere in your rearview; maybe he’s sitting across from you at the dinner table. Regardless: if you answered Yes to any of the above, you’re in the right place.
When we read Joe Dunthorne’s The Adulterants—a coming-of-age story about someone far too old to be coming-of-age—we began to see the Large Adult Sons in our own lives in an entirely new way. In its portrayal of thirty-something Ray Morris, The Adulterants is deeply funny and deeply humane. And the longing it raises, page after page, is probably one we’ve all had: “If only this guy could see himself.”
Well, Tin House Books would like to help you square that circle for your own boyfriend, colleague, or roommate (past or present). Maybe in Ray Morris, he’ll see some uncomfortable semblance of himself. We’re offering to send out twenty free copies of The Adulterants—anonymously—to manchildren in the continental United States. Just fill out this form with a few sentences describing that guy in your life—his bad behavior, lack of self-awareness, or unchecked privilege—along with a good mailing address.
Remember a couple years ago when joking about misandry was the purview of now-defunct niche lady websites and cute “Male Tears” accessories on Etsy? It’s now a savvy marketing strategy. Not that I’m complaining.
Of course, Tin House includes a disclaimer: “We can guarantee delivery, if not reflection or growth.”