Stretch: The Unlikely Making of a Yoga Dude

One cynical writer trades beer, bad reviews, and back spasms for downward dog in an irreverent quest for his best self.

From Neal Pollack, acclaimed author of Alternadad and The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature, comes Stretch: The Unlikely Making of a Yoga Dude. Pollack charts his reluctant entry into wellness after a harsh review sends him fleeing from Austin doughnuts to a gym yoga class.

The memoir tracks his path through crowded Los Angeles studios, a grueling twenty-four-hour yogathon, and a sweltering retreat in Thailand. Neighborhood studios provide the setting for a strained rotator cuff, mortifying flatulence, and volunteer shifts cleaning rental mats.

Here is the hilarious but true account of an overweight, balding, skeptical guy who undergoes a miraculous transformation into a healthy, blissful, obsessively dedicated yoga fiend.

• Health and Fitness: Pollack braves a carpeted, 105-degree hell-sauna during a disastrous trial of Bikram yoga and reports from the eccentric sidelines of competitive national championships.
• Meditation: An intensive retreat on the island of Koh Samui pairs rigorous physical postures with deep dives into ancient sutras, guided by revered master Richard Freeman.
• Raw Honesty: Unvarnished dispatches explore the heights of modern yoga culture, from chaotic live-music festivals in Squaw Valley to high-end Venice studios featuring drum circles and hula hoops.
• Personal Growth: Confronting midlife anxiety and stubborn skepticism, the author progresses from hiding behind coffee-stained gym t-shirts to launching his own offbeat beginner classes at a Los Angeles Buddhist center.

Neal Pollack is the author of the bestselling memoir Alternadad and several books of satirical fiction, including The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature and the rock novel Never Mind the Pollacks. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and son.