Harold

Stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and film producer Wright’s comedic debut novel captures a surreal day in the life of 1960s-era third-grader Harold. Employing his signature deadpan delivery and offbeat humor, Wright also narrates and offers an understated performance, describing Harold, whose thoughts come to him as birds fly through a small rectangle in his brain. Through a series of interconnected vignettes and absurd situations, Wright explores Harold’s singular psyche—obsessed with classmate Elizabeth, slightly disrespectful to his teacher, and dreamily unmoored as he lets his mind drift throughout the day. He shares wisdom from his beloved grandfather (“Listen to me—don’t ever do what a woman tells you to do”) and is occasionally interrupted by an omnipotent narrator. Harold’s thoughts and words are not always gentle or respectful, and his comments about women are generally negative in stereotypical ways. While Wright’s monotone voice is effective in small doses, listeners may find that it grows tiresome, even though the audio clocks in at a modest five and a half hours.