As a devout fan of comedian and WTF podcast host, Marc Maron, I took it upon myself during this unending COVID era to read all three of his books: The Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life As a Reluctant Messiah (2001), Attempting Normal (2014), and Waiting for the Punch: Words to Live by from the WTF Podcast (2017).
It's been interesting to see his development as a writer over the years. If you're a Maron fanatic, though, they're definitely worth the commitment. However, I wouldn't recommend his books to a friend who just needs a good book to read. He's not a writer writer.
But I would like to share an excerpt from Attempting Normal that I find beautiful, weird, very Maron-y, and wise.
Crazy Hummingbird Incident
A hummingbird dive-bombs into a window in the back of his house and knocks itself out. Maron had already been connecting on some emotional level with the birds, noting that while they're gorgeous and fascinating, they're actually, 'vicious little bastards'. So when this bird accident occurs, he berates himself for not knowing how to handle the situation.
Turns out that crazy hummingbird knew exactly what to do. When Maron walks outside to see the damage, the bird just flew away.
The Take-Away
Reflecting on the event, he writes: "If you survive your mistake, you must learn from it. Accept that you're fragile, vulnerable, and sometimes stupid. Realize that you're not immortal and you've go to take care of yourself. And then laugh it off and fly away." (141)
Thanks, you old kvetch!
