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Inappropriately Human: 21 Short Stories
“We would like to teach your species a type of orgasm that cures cancer.”
So say just some of the aliens and robots who appear in Inappropriately Human. Award-winning comedian Andrew Heaton brings wit and warmth to his vision of humanity, the supernatural, and bureaucrats in his debut short story collection.
Learn the pitfalls of settling resurrected Neanderthals in Detroit, Michigan. Explore the work-life balance of a professional who endures other people’s hangovers. Or the travails of a State Department diplomat posted to a planet with relentless boredom and allergies. Discover the challenges time travel regulators face when everyone tries to kill Hitler.
So say just some of the aliens and robots who appear in Inappropriately Human. Award-winning comedian Andrew Heaton brings wit and warmth to his vision of humanity, the supernatural, and bureaucrats in his debut short story collection.
Learn the pitfalls of settling resurrected Neanderthals in Detroit, Michigan. Explore the work-life balance of a professional who endures other people’s hangovers. Or the travails of a State Department diplomat posted to a planet with relentless boredom and allergies. Discover the challenges time travel regulators face when everyone tries to kill Hitler.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2022
20 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 6, 2023
Great fun.
I'm a fan of at least two of Heaton's podcasts and love how his voice and style show through in the stories and comedic bits. The book is a collection of sci-fi short stories and comedy, a fun read. My only complaint is that some of the stories should have been much longer, I really want to hear what happens next in the zombie story.
I'm a fan of at least two of Heaton's podcasts and love how his voice and style show through in the stories and comedic bits. The book is a collection of sci-fi short stories and comedy, a fun read. My only complaint is that some of the stories should have been much longer, I really want to hear what happens next in the zombie story.
March 7, 2022
Honestly, this is one of the best books I have read in the past several months, and easily the best book of short stories I have ever read. Only a few of these stories deal with sci-fi, horror, or the paranormal, as you might gather from the cover (and the title). A lot of it is how normal down-to-earth people deal with absurdities of life, and sometimes bizarre situations, like the career public official becoming homesick at a US embassy on an alien planet, or a human kid from Toronto and Neanderthal kid from Detroit becoming pen-pals and writing letters about kid stuff. Many of the stories were truly heartwarming, and almost all of the stories made me tear up with emotion or tear up with laughter (the Time Travel Infraction story still makes me smile thinking of it).
I would recommend this book to nearly anyone, and plan to.
I would recommend this book to nearly anyone, and plan to.
February 19, 2023
Please note: I listened to the audiobook.
Excellent narrator, who I did not realize was also the author until the very end of the book. I wondered how someone could have such absolutely flawless delivery of every emotion, character, and concept! It's because he wrote it! Ha!
The stories are varied in their length and subject matter, though most center around sci-fi concepts or delving deeply into the personality of a quirky character. The characters are exceptionally realistic and deal with everyday, real-world problems, even if it is not our world.
Overall a very interesting, entertaining, humorous, and thought-provoking read/listen!
Excellent narrator, who I did not realize was also the author until the very end of the book. I wondered how someone could have such absolutely flawless delivery of every emotion, character, and concept! It's because he wrote it! Ha!
The stories are varied in their length and subject matter, though most center around sci-fi concepts or delving deeply into the personality of a quirky character. The characters are exceptionally realistic and deal with everyday, real-world problems, even if it is not our world.
Overall a very interesting, entertaining, humorous, and thought-provoking read/listen!
September 20, 2023
A few of the short stories I wish were novels, Simulucrum, The Singularity Comes for home office equipment, and the Whistler, among others.
But I also realize that the short punchyness of them is also what gives them the charm.
Some stories I didn't care for but they were still well written. As a whole I would recommend,
I read it in two sittings!
But I also realize that the short punchyness of them is also what gives them the charm.
Some stories I didn't care for but they were still well written. As a whole I would recommend,
I read it in two sittings!
January 4, 2023
This book was absolutely incredible. I did the audio book and can't recommend doing so highly enough. Andrew reading his own stories is great. Some are 3/5 stars, some are 10/5 stars... just a great book all around.
June 11, 2024
Each story was so much fun and so different from the one before and the one after! I would definitely read more by him. A little something for everyone!
it has come to my attention he has a podcast so I can get into that lol
it has come to my attention he has a podcast so I can get into that lol
January 19, 2022
This collection of short stories had me laughing so hard I cried. Multiple times.
April 23, 2022
The most enjoyable short story collection I've read in quite some time. The authors sense of humor is the kind of quirky that somehow manages to push all the right buttons for me.
June 16, 2022
Loved it! A bunch of random stories that felt good together...very much enjoyed!
December 14, 2022
Great series for Audible on a car trip
December 17, 2024
Heaton is great and deserves a much bigger audience. I lol’ed throughout. He’s a great narrator in the audiobook.
October 21, 2025
This was a great collection. I enjoyed every story. Full disclosure: I was a prior fan of Andrew Heaton.
February 22, 2023
My wife and I were listening to this on a train while sharing one of those tables that they have on trains. And the people across from us probably thought we were insane and perhaps a little rude because we couldn’t help but burst out laughing. I also enjoyed the range of genres and themes Andrew was able to use and the whole book was a great experience.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews