Neal Pollack Books In Order

Publication Order of Matt Bolster Yoga Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Neal Pollack

American satirist and author Neal Pollack is well-known for his unique brand of wit and humor, getting to the heart of countless different topics. Never shying away from any one subject, his writing is easy-going and hugely popular, as audiences appreciate him from around the world. Completely setting himself apart from other writers, he’s very much in a league of his own, saying something different in the process. Making a name for himself, he’s a hugely gifted writer with something to say, becoming a household name for many worldwide.

Previously writing for a variety of different prestigious publications, he’s created a brand for himself that’s quite unlike any other. Many of his books have become comedy cult classics, speaking to a wide percentage of the population, as many can relate to it. Knowing his readers well at this point, he definitely understands what they’re looking for, while saying just what it is that he wants to say. Taking the comedy format in new and interesting directions, he speaks on subjects that are true to him, making them more than personal.

Dealing with a whole range of different ideas and themes, Pollack takes inspirations from numerous different topics when it comes to writing. Creating countless well crafted characters too, he brings his books to life, giving them a real sense of vitality and richness in scope. Establishing fully three-dimensional personalities in his protagonists as well, he gives his readers people that really resonate with them. It’s also clear that Pollack’s got plenty more stories left to tell yet as well, as he plans to continue writing for some time to come.

Early and Personal Life

Born in 1970 on the 1st of March, Neal Pollack grew up with a keen interest in literature, showing a strong passion from an early age. Attending the Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, he would soon go on to graduate, before becoming a writer. Working as a staff reporter for the Chicago Reader between 1993 and 2000, he would cover politics in the Chicago area, as well as profile local urban eccentrics.

Performing with comedy troupes both in and around Chicago, he would perform with groups such as the Free Associates and ImprovOlympic. Writing for McSweeney’s, he’d also write for Vanity Fair, providing a regular column with political satire on contemporary issues. Currently living in Austin, Texas, he continues to write to this very day, with further books planned for release in the future.

Writing Career

The first book that Neal Pollack would write was the 2002 book titled ‘The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature,’ and it was a collection of his best writing to date. He would then write the book ‘Beneath the Axis of Evil’ in 2003, and it would feature many of his more political pieces and ideas. Many of his books would find a balance between contemporary politics and comedy, as he provided a clear and articulate satirical voice.

Publishing mystery novels as well, including the ‘Matt Bolster Yoga Mystery’ series of novels, Pollack has proven himself to be a highly versatile novelist. Also writing science-fiction books, such as ‘Keep Mars Weird’ in 2015, along with the romance ‘Edge of Safety’ in 2022, he’s created a vast number of different books. Creating a rich body of work, he’s made a name for himself in a variety of different areas, allowing him to become the author he is today.

Downward-Facing Death

First coming out back in 2012, this was originally released through the ‘Thomas Mercer’ publishing imprint on the 6th of September. It was the first in the ‘Matt Bolster Yoga Mystery’ series, setting up the mystery franchise of novels its first self-contained story. Later ‘Open Your Heart’ would be released the following year in 2013, as the next stand-alone mystery to carry on in the series.

Rising through the ranks as an LAPD homicide detective at the age of thirty-five, Matt Bolster is already feeling overworked as he deals with alcoholism. Then, after just one yoga session, he turns his entire life around, becoming an instructor, as he works as a PI on the side to pay his way. That’s when a wealthy yoga mogul is discovered murdered in his West LA flagship studio, and it’s up to Bolster to crack the case, as he’s the only one who really knows yoga. Will he be able to get to the bottom of the case, can he find the real perpetrator in time, and what will become of Bolster when he’s downward-facing death?

With plenty of character and heart, this book fully delivers on every level, making it a great example of the mystery genre at its best. For both fans of the author and of the genre as a whole, it really works, providing readers with plenty of twists and turns. As a leading protagonist, Matt Bolster is also highly engaging, as he keeps the reader fully invested throughout every step of the way.

Keep Mars Weird

This time released through the 47North publishing outlet, this would first arrive on the 27th of October in 2015. A stand-alone science-fiction novel, it would be a humorous satire set in the future, with it originally being released in a serialized format. The book can be read by itself, as it has a self-contained narrative, making it more than easy to pick up, and it’s a highly compelling read.

Taking place several hundred years in the future, Earth is now far more progressive, and heavily depopulated, but it’s also fairly bland. Meanwhile Mars is a lot more raucous, with New Austin being an almost cyberpunk Xanadu, filled with character, and it’s here the earnest schoolteacher Jordan Kincaid is sent after inadvertently falling foul of Earth’s laws. On the Mars colony he finds that greedy moguls are attempting to gentrify it with hipsters and tourists, as Jordan finds himself caught up with a seductive heiress and a rebellion of the poor threatening to spill over. Will Jordan manage to keep his head above water, can he find his way in this new world, and what will become of those that hope to keep Mars weird?