Alan Opts Out

This is a new book. Condition: Brand New.

'A gripping tale of late-stage capitalism, wellness and the compromises we all make to fit in' Stylist

'Bitingly funny' Mail on Sunday

'The eat-the-rich farce we need, from one of our funniest writers' Lit Hub

'Sly, propulsive and painfully hilarious family drama' Caro Claire Burke, author of YESTERYEAR

'Chicken-soup for the late capitalist soul' Steven Rowley, NYT bestselling author of LILY AND THE OCTOPUS

'Vivid, lacerating and funny' Carl Hiaasen, author of FEVER BEACH

'Witty, sharp, and tender, Alan Opts Out skewers late-stage capitalism and material ambition while keeping human hearts - a family of them - at its center' Rachel Khong, author of REAL AMERICANS

'A smart, funny, and all-too-timely tale of Americans on the edge of collapse . . . Maum delivers wry humor without sacrificing compassion' Elizabeth Gilbert

'A brilliant, hilarious referendum on the American obsession with more' Nathan Hill, author of THE NIX

After successful ad exec Alan Anderson bombs the biggest pitch of his career, he has an epiphany. His entire career has been about making people buy stuff that they don't need so they feel perpetually unsatisfied and less-than. After a lifetime of striving for capitalism, Alan is opting out.

He retires to the ridiculously extravagant playhouse in his family's suburban Connecticut garden (a classic example of something the Andersons didn't need), gives up showering, shoe-wearing, and purchases of all kinds. He might even read a book! This is all very upsetting for his wife Vivian, who is on the verge of being accepted into the insanely elite Queen's Anne Club - guaranteed to make all her insecurities disappear and her children popular.

But maybe everyone will want to buy what Alan's not selling? And, in losing his ambition, might he find what we're all looking for?

For anyone who has ever cared more about how it looked than how it felt, ALAN OPTS OUT is a hilarious take on consumerism, capitalism and wellness.

Book details and technical specifications

Format: Paperback / softback
ISBN13: 9781399829182
Published: June 2026

Number of pages: 352
Width: 154 mm
Height: 232 mm
Depth: 30 mm

Publisher: John Murray Press