While I can definitely relate to the disposing of life-long religious guilt and trauma, as well as molding one's life into something more "you", this memoir is kind of "meh" as far as memoirs go. Zach is humorous and his tales made me smile, but for the most part, I just wasn't interested in what he had to say.

Excellent writing, very intelligent author, hilarious, relatable, interesting. Book was a little short. Would love to see him write something longer or with more depth!

I wish I could be more positive about this book but it just didn't work for me: not the style, not the content, not anything. I am sure there are other readers who are more attuned to Zach Zimmerman's humor.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy the essay format, although it is sometimes hard to review books full of essays because, as with short story collections, it is a very rare occasion when I like all of the component parts equally. Zimmerman has presented a melange, some of which is quite funny and some of which left me a little perplexed. On the whole it was a fun and funny read in bits and pieces. I did find that I couldn't read too many in a single sitting, but that's fairly typical for me and the essay/short story format.

I absolutely adore when memoirs are written in short essay form. It always makes it such a quick, interesting read.

I did lose interest every once in a while and some of the essays were anticlimactic. But such is life.

I definitely recommend!

I don’t always look to reading essays as a “for fun” reading thing to partake in. As I grade essays every week as part of my job, I usually skip this genre for recreational reading. This book is different than most and I’m thankful I was given the opportunity to read it. The author’s dry humor is something that I appreciate, along with taboo subjects. I grew up with zero filter and it still spills into my adult life; I got this vibe from the author as well. Although I did enjoy his writing style, I wish there was more of it. This was a quick read, I was left unsatisfied. I wanted more lists; those seemed to have the most comedy to it. In my perfect world I would rearrange some of the pieces, but that’s not a deal breaker. I connected with the author even though we are from different worlds. I want to be his friend! The title and cover caught my eye right away, nice work!

When my sister introduced me to stand-up comedy in 2019, my life changed. (I became insufferable.) I began quoting Ronny Chieng. John Mulaney's relationship woes kept me up at night. Comedy Cellar videos began popping up on my TikTok. Stand-up comedy is so different from scripted comedy; though both are rehearsed, only stand-up comedy relies on the sole figure on stage, armed with nothing but a mic, a stool, and a trembling glass of water, to leash the crowd and be funny while doing it.

It is that kind of practiced ease with which Zach Zimmerman approaches his debut essay collection Is It Hot in Here? Zimmerman tackles topics ranging from capitalism to his religious upbringing. Favorites of mine include "#2," "The Seven Days of Creation under Capitalism," and "Testimony." These essays are both reflective and determined, subdued and dry.

However, the collection is not perfectly cohesive, and I found some of the essays anticlimactic, especially given how short they are. Given that some of the essays are reprints, however, it's unrealistic to expect perfect cohesion. While I don't think my humor aligns perfectly with Zimmerman's, I admire his enthusiasm; Is It Hot in Here paints a sweet portrait of not only a young comedian but also a young man—and all of the complications that come with that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

His way of describing things absolutely makes you feel like this is someone you know. That you're sitting around a table and hearing stories from a friend or family member. His hysterical view of life and the way he slowly grew into himself and his identity. What it was like growing up in a strict religious household and what that meant for his authentic self. You equally acknowledge his childhood and experience as a gay man in college and beyond and the things he faced. The entire time dying of laughter from his humor and bluntness.

A quick, entertaining read, by turns wryly hilarious and moving, and extremely relatable if you're a gay man of a certain age who grew up with Southern Baptist parents.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. I thoroughly enjoyed Zach Zimmerman's hilarious essays spanning topics such as Olive Garden, ex-vangelical guilt, and even a New Yorker-style interview with satan himself. I mean, what more could one ask for?

'Is it Hot in Here...?' is very funny, but there are also moments that are touching, tragic, and self-reflective. I would love to explore this book a second time if/when it gets an audiobook release, as I am sure hearing it read by Zach would elevate the stories even further!

Favorite line: "Two thirteen is a bad guess for pi and a good time for a nap, but it's not a living wage"

This was a very funny, very quick read. If you are a millennial perpetually having a bit of a crisis due to the world around you, these essays will be deeply relatable. This collection genuinely got some laughs out of me and so many of the topics bridge the gap between funny and reflective.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Love this quick read! So many funny essays and lists. Though he deals with difficult patients, such as strict religious parents who do not support homosexuality, Zach finds a way to make light of it and make jokes with his family about his lifestyle. I surprisingly enjoyed the flow of lists, stories and personal essays jumping around, it actually made me read it faster. The essays are very light, quick, and conversational. Look forward to more from him!

Every gay kid needs to read this book! I was blown away by how funny and raw this book is. I am now a huge fan of Zach! I related to this essays so much.

I really love Zach’s writing and I love that he's a deconstructed former church kid that isn't afraid to grind the axe he has from the pain he’s experienced and talks openly about what the absence of "god" has hilariously and achingly felt like sometimes. He wrestled with his love of his parents, trying to not parent but coexist with them as an adult, and this huge bucket of empathy that his upbringing has left him with to hand out in interesting situations in his adult life. Reading this book felt like being a little less alone, a little more horny, and left a large craving for cheddar bay biscuits.

This was a quick read, I loved every second of it! Being part of a rural conservative town.. having this book offered in our library would be amazing! I felt like I knew Zach by the time the book was over!

I adored this book. It was so hilarious, I laughed out loud several times. There were also parts that were quite poignant and heartbreaking. Zimmerman is a really great writer and I look forward to seeing what he will do in the future.

I've been a huge fan of Zach Zimmerman for a little while now, so I was eager to read and review his book. One of the larger hurdles for a book of this style (memoirs, biographies, essays, etc.) that's been written by a prolific speaker or entertainer is ensuring that the text "sounds" like the author. Fortunately, Zimmerman clears that hurdle on page one. As a standup, Zach is able to go from sweet and wholesome to spicy and wicked at the drop of a hat and he's able to do so in print to great effect. I really liked the disordered way in which the book was presented; jumping around through Zach's life to reflect on the memories that built him. From his childhood in a family defined by their faith to an adult who has cast that lifestyle away to be his true self, the stories Zimmerman tells are touching and sad and funny all at once. I also like that so many of the stories happened to be set around various Thanksgivings. I really can see myself revisiting this book in Novembers to come. My one real complaint about the book was how short it was. Books written by comedians are never doorstops, but this one seemed especially short.

So good! Hilarious from the first page to the last, instantly endearing, and an easy read. Zimmerman writes like your best friend sharing story after story where you don’t want them to stop. A great read!

This was book had some great laugh out loud moments. I am so glad I read this. I am picky when it comes to essays bit this collection was so good and so entertaining.
I just reviewed Is It Hot in Here (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth)? by Zach Zimmerman. #IsItHotinHereOrAmISufferingforAllEternityfortheSinsICommittedonEarth #NetGalley
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Comedian and essayist Zach Zimmerman has written a stunning debut collection of essays and listicles that vacillate between the absurd and the profoundly personal. Mining his life experience as a Gay person from a conservative Christian upbringing, Zimmerman mixes the traumatic with the mundane to offer a colorful and often hysterical account of his life and his outlook on the world around him. This book will break your heart and make you laugh the whole time.

Disclosure: I received a free ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley. My review is my honest opinion.