The boring boring boring boring by Zach Plague — A Long View

There's a certain kind of book that you hand to exactly the right person and watch their face light up. Zach Plague's 'boring boring boring boring boring boring boring' is that kind of book. It's not for everybody, and it knows it — but if it's for you, you'll probably read it twice.

I came across this one while digging through small-press titles, and the title alone made me stop scrolling. Seven repetitions of the word 'boring' is either a terrible marketing decision or a brilliant one, depending on your sense of humor. Turns out it's the latter. The book leans hard into its own absurdity and delivers something that's actually the opposite of what the cover promises.

What Plague does well is blend two things that don't always play nicely together: genuine emotional storytelling and visual art-making. The collage-style illustrations throughout aren't just filler — they carry meaning, mood, and sometimes the punchline. It reminded me a little of reading a graphic novel, except the balance tips more toward prose. It's a hybrid thing, and hybrids are tricky, but this one works.

For gift-givers, this is a strong pick for the art school grad, the zine collector, the person who has a stack of McSweeney's on their nightstand. It's the kind of book that says 'I actually know what you're into' rather than 'I grabbed something from the front table.' At its price point, it's a low-risk, high-reward gift.

The bottom line: if your reading life has started to feel a little same-y, 'boring boring boring boring boring boring boring' is a good antidote. It's weird, it's quick, and it's the kind of thing that sticks with you in a quiet way. Sometimes the most interesting books are hiding behind the strangest titles.