Wow, No Thank You.: Essays

Irby writes each essay in the first-person and consistently uses autobiographical references to set the stage for the topics she wants to discuss. This is obviously the case when she talks about her childhood experiences in “Hysteria” and her culture shock in “Country Crock.” Her self-references are more subtle in “Lesbian Bed Death,” where she appears to be speculating about events and concerns that might disrupt a romantic encounter, though the reader may quickly surmise that Irby is reflecting on her own experiences. She writes, “Sure, sex is fun, but have you ever called your wife by the wrong name?” (131).

These separate autobiographical narratives ultimately add up to a larger story. A novel typically has a cohesive storyline that runs from beginning to end, while a short-story collection may have multiple plot lines perhaps with a common thread. Essays in a collection, on the other hand, often diverge greatly, with authorship appearing to be the sole connection. At first glance, this may appear to be the case with Wow, No Thank You. However, in this case an overall narrative arc does emerge from the collection as a whole, with Irby emerging from a difficult background, with no all-encompassing goals, and finding a

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