Wow, No Thank You.: Essays

Irby gives detailed descriptions of the music she loved from her days as an early adolescent, noting that she still has those recordings and wishes to share them with her readers. What impact did music have in her life? Why did she find it so important?

In her essay “Love and Marriage,” Irby says that there is no one true love for each soul, that this is a myth propagated by “romantic comedies.” Is this observation realistic, an intentionally humorous comment, or perhaps cynicism? What in her own life prompts Irby to hold this position?

What is the meaning of the title of Irby’s essay “Lesbian Bed Death?” How does her list of questions in the essay address the title?

In “Are You Familiar With My Work?” Irby sets out to find friends by actively courting individuals she perceives as having specific traits she sees as desirable in a friend. This seems at odds with the spontaneity Irby describes in other aspects of her life. What are the effects of this unusual approach to friendship?

In moving to Kalamazoo from Chicago, Irby not only experiences culture shock but also a great deal of fear. How does she learn to navigate a social environment that sometimes treats her with hostility because of her identity?

Given that Irby says very little about her wife, Kirsten, what clues can readers pick up that speak to what sort of person Kirsten is?

Both a famous TV personality and, later, a Hollywood agent pursue Irby, hoping to work with her in turning her first book, Meaty, into a television show. How does Irby respond to this unexpected attention, and how does it impact her opinion of herself and her work?

How does Irby seek to change the way that characters with obesity are depicted on television, and how does this relate to larger concerns around representation as they manifest themselves in this book?