Jerry Stahl has written 10 books, including the bestselling memoir Permanent Midnight, made into a movie with Ben Stiller; the essay collection O.G. Dad; and six novels, including Pain Killers; I, Fatty; Perv; and Bad Sex on Speed. His work has appeared in Esquire, Vice, and The New York Times, among other places. His credits for film and TV include HBO’s Hemingway & Gellhorn, Bad Boys II; the cult classic Dr. Caligari; and the series CSI. In September 2016, Stahl embarked on a two-week trip across Poland and Germany that included a guided group tour of Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Dachau. He had his reasons for Holocaust tourism. His depression was at an all-time high – an out-of-control sadness, regret, and fear, not just for himself but for the entire United States – and his career and personal life were at an all-time low. The idea was to confront personal and historical demons with deep despair and savage humor. In Nein, Nein, Nein!: One Man’s Tale of Depression, Psychic Torment, and a Bus Tour of the Holocaust (Akashic Books), Stahl weaves global and personal history as he takes us from gang polkas and tour rash to Auschwitz’s truly disturbing snack bar. It is a raw, surreal, and redemptively hilarious tale.
