Inspiration Porn: Essays

From Emmy-nominated writer and creator of the Netflix series Special , hilarious essays about being a Millennial in the social media era, and learning to live with a disability in order to enjoy a fully gay life

For years, Ryan O'Connell tried to ignore his cerebral palsy, and hoped others would ignore it too. Growing up outside Los Angeles, he was desperate to fit in, even though he struggled to crack an egg in his physical therapy sessions, his dad had taken off for greener pastures, and his alcoholic mom packed him lunches that resembled science projects. The one thing he enjoyed was writing, and so he set out to “construct the narrative of my life before anyone can construct it for me.”

In essays that range from the poignant to the side-splitting, Ryan takes us along as he quits drugs and alcohol, navigates the early days of writing for online media in NYC, and uses his voice to gain entrance into the cutthroat world of Hollywood—where he becomes a sought-after writer and creator. In other essays, he celebrates the joys and the miseries of having straight friends, the dangerous allure of constructing an aspirational online identity, and the healing power of Provincetown that celebrated gay summer mecca. Finally, Ryan writes about opening up his committed relationship and embracing his desire to have sex without emotional attachments, only to learn that some limitations make life more meaningful.

In the tradition of writers like Samantha Irby and Scaachi Koul, Inspiration Porn is a candid and often raunchy look at a life lived without apologies. View Less