Synopsis

Myra is in deep trouble, exactly the sort of trouble American teens find themselves in, here in the centerless middle of endless suburbia, of late stage capitalism, driven by longings she cannot control or decipher. In a voice that rises up out of her deepest insecurities and denials, DON’T PITY THE DESPERATE tracks Myra’s progress toward her own truth, or at least a self that is by degrees more survivable, and there is much bravery and beauty in the telling. This deep-hearted, penetrating portrait delivers the thing I want most in any story: the feeling that the writer’s life depended, at least a little, in getting it on the page.

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Praise

“Myra is in deep trouble, exactly the sort of trouble American teens find themselves in, here in the centerless middle of endless suburbia, of late stage capitalism, driven by longings she cannot control or decipher. In a voice that rises up out of her deepest insecurities and denials, Don’t Pity the Desperate tracks Myra’s progress toward her own truth, or at least a self that is by degrees more survivable, and there is much bravery and beauty in the telling. This deep-hearted, penetrating portrait delivers the thing I want most in any story: the feeling that the writer’s life depended, at least a little, in getting it on the page.” –Pam Houston, author of Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country

“From page one, Don’t Pity the Desperate is riveting, encompassing the grief, confusion and, yes, the desperate wanting of a young addict named Myra who has lost her way. Deadpan, darkly humorous and profoundly touching, Moore’s novel is full of knife-sharp insights about rehabs and recovery – and I fear those insights are as true today as they were in the 1980s, when this story is set. Is recovery possible? And what, exactly, are we recovering from? Vivid and evocative, Moore’s story is unforgettable. It lingers in my imagination still.” –Samantha Dunn, author of Failing Paris and Not By Accident: Reconstructing a Careless Life

“An unsparing examination of the kids who use and the imperfect program designed to save them, this novel spares the reader nothing. In prose that is razor sharp yet dazzlingly beautiful, Anna B. Moore probes ‘the spot between feeling and truth,’ stirring hope and compassion for us all. A riveting debut.” —Rob Davidson, author of Welcome Back to the World: A Novella and Stories

“Moore has written a beautiful vault of truths.” —Josh Mohr, author of Model Citizen and Damascus

“In beautiful, harrowing, and often funny prose, Moore’s Don’t Pity the Desperate knits together all the feelings and realities of trying to emerge from addiction– the pathos, the gallows humor, the family difficulties, the regeneration of self – into a compulsively readable novel constructed of lovely sentences and electric scenes. Moore builds the book’s central character, Myra, with a deft hand, with such nuance, delicacy, and believability. Moore’s dialogue and secondary characters pull you from page to page, each remarkably vivid and each its own whole world. You will root
for Myra at every stage of her journey. A truly compelling, moving, and well-crafted look at the complexities of recovery.” —Amy Stuber, author of Sad Grownups

“Moore has written a book that uncannily and stunningly gets inside the mind of a teenager struggling with loss, identity, self-worth, confusion, doubt, and hormones–all while in rehab. As a reader, we are both rooting for Myra and remembering when we were Myra, with all the swirling issues of adolescence on top of life itself. It’s beautiful, tender, and tough all at the same time—mirroring the subject she so deftly writes about.” —J.J. Elliott, author of There Are No Words For This

“Moore’s kaleidoscopic look at the pain and confusion of early recovery is unapologetically raw and unfiltered. In its conflicted portrayal of the teen rehab experience and the challenges of surrender, Don’t Pity the Desperate reflects on absence, trauma, desire, and desperation, all within the fluid and chaotic state of adolescent identity. The center of this novel is a triad of questions every addict has asked: What would it be like to feel less alone? Is there a God? And what would it take to choose life?” —Tara Stillions Whitehead, author of They More Than Burned

“Anna B Moore has the rare, remarkable ability to embody young characters with authenticity and intensity. You open Don’t Pity The Desperate and are instantly immersed, immediately drawn into what is real and true in the lives of these almost-adults. Moore opens a window into the world of teen recovery, a world many don’t know much about, and she writes with precision and compassion. There is such love in these pages, such care for these kids. By the end, I was profoundly changed by Myra’s story, and by all of the complicated people who’d come so alive on the page.” —Hannah Grieco, editor of Already Gone: 40 Stories of Running Away and And If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing:Parenting Stories Gone Speculative 

Review

Myra’s character brings back memories of growing up in the 1980s. Hanging out with “troublemakers,” getting into trouble, and testing the boundaries set down by our parents.

This is a coming-of-age story that is more than just Myra’s abuse of alcohol. It is also her coming into herself, learning who she is, and perhaps reaching out to those around her to improve life. But the fact is that many teens have substance abuse problems, from alcohol to drugs. What drives them to that point? How do they escape the addiction? Or can they?

The story feels raw, and many might see a tiny part of themselves in Myra or even those in rehab with her. There is a variety of characters, some that have a negative outlook, and those that want to get better.

This can be a hard book for some to read, especially if they have gone through what Myra has experienced. But that might make her more relatable to the reader. However, Myra is one that mirrors many people out there.

We give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

Anna B. Moore has published lots of creative nonfiction and a little fiction in places such as American Scholar, Shenandoah, The Offing, Missouri Review, Pembroke Magazine, Pithead Chapel, and Black Warrior Review. Her essay, “Deathbed,” was an honorable mention in Best American Essays 2022. Two others, “That Our Stars Had Become Unmanageable,” and “Jenny Dies by Jet Ski,” were nominated for Sundress Press Best of the Net Awards in 2022.

She lives with her family, two cats, and two dogs in Northern California, where she teaches writing and literature at Chico State–the university mentioned by actress Haley Lu Richardson playing Portia on Season Two of The White Lotus.

Anna is working on her second novel.

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