Waiting for the Punch: Words To Live By from the WTF Podcast

Maron is a stand-up comic, actor, and author, but his excellence as host of the WTF with Marc Maron podcast has thrust him into the spotlight. In this collection, he shares the most revealing, heartfelt moments from that (R-rated) podcast, which has featured a long list of celebrities from many walks of life. Amy Poehler, Patton Oswalt, Terry Gross, Bruce Springsteen, Judd Apatow, and Lena Dunham are but a few of the many luminaries Maron has interviewed. Each chapter begins with a brief meditation on a single topic—"Growing Up," "Sexuality," "Relationships," "Parenting," etc.—and then divides further with the name of the podcast guest above their most raw anecdotes on that topic. Some interviewees are included several times within each chapter, so that their anecdotes build to a suspenseful, evocative climax; the punch provided by the last piece of the story. Shining through each one is Maron's ability to coax honest and gut-wrenching responses from his guests, whether it's Amy Schumer discussing her sexual experiences or Barack Obama explaining the evolution of his identity.