There were several instances while reading this that I laughed out loud and had to tell my husband about it. There were also several instances where I skimmed pages at a time because I was growing disinterested.

Packed full of ursine-pun-laced schadenfreude, this reads like a cross between a journal article and a standup act. It tells the story of the growth and (inevitable) dissolution of a libertarian settlement in New Hampshire. To put it simply and use a metaphor from Parks and Recreation -- the town would have worked if everyone who showed up was a self-sufficient and industrious Ron Swanson...

...but instead, they got a lot of lazy and entitled Jean-Ralphios. (And hippies and sex offenders.)

In sum: living in a government-free utopia sounds great until you realize that no one is filling potholes, repairing bridges, putting out house fires, or controlling the surprisingly out-of-control bear population.

A fun read that could've benefited from more aggressive editing. Still recommended.

arc received from the publisher for review