"The Minor Outsider is a major debut. McDermott's witty and stirring love story tracks so many of the wonderful ways we doom our happiness. It's thrillingly sad! And quite funny." – Sam Lipsyte
“Absurdly impressive ... There is a Russian-roulette effect to the storytelling that will keep readers turning the page.” – Irish Times
"One can plausibly see Ed’s malaise as emblematic of the current age, or just relish McDermott’s droll observations and unique prose. This is a surprising, smart, and memorable novel." – Publishers Weekly
“McDermott writes about academia and small-town America with an enjoyable mix of cynicism and affection… a hip, touching and thoroughly readable story that presents young adulthood
as a frustrating, alien place.” – Guardian
"A round of applause for Ted McDermott, please. He's earned it. The Minor Outsider is a spirited, audacious, and drolly funny debut novel." – Patrick deWitt
“McDermott is sharp on the indulgences of the creative set and, above all, portraying the life of many young men – drifting, hard to reach, doomed to try to make sense of a world that resists all explanation and interpretation.” – Financial Times
"Let me tell you what I love about this book: Its unflinching honesty. How many books can you say this about? The Minor Outsider may be a first novel, but there's a lifetime of observation behind it.
Ted McDermott knows us - all our flaws, all our vanities, and yes, all the little things that make our hearts leap. As humane a new book as I've read in a long, long time." – Peter Orner
“Vivid, fast-paced prose… a fresh, spirited debut set against a stunning backdrop.”
– Big Issue in the North
“Quite brilliant. An honest unflinching account of a man and his frailties.” – Irish Examiner
“Marks the emergence of a formidable talent… [Ted McDermott] demonstrates a vision that leaves the reader eager for more.” – The Lady
“Wry, sharp-eyed, fresh as mountain air.”
– Jonathan Trigell
