Absurdistan tells the story of Mishra Vainberg, the son of the 1,238th richest man in Russia. Weighing in at 325 pounds, Mishra a.k.a. “Snack Daddy” blunders around St. Petersburg with his gaggle of equally outrageous friends before traveling to Absurdistan. Much of the humor is highly self-aware and dark, often bordering on the obscene. A self-proclaimed SAP (Soviet Ashkenazi Pessimist), Gary Shteyngart does not shy away from reveling in cultural grimness. I originally picked up Absurdistan because Mishra has often been compared to a contemporary Ignatius Reilly from A Confederacy of Dunces. Although overall a fine read, I’d recommend skipping Absurdistan and going right to Toole.