A Sunday Times must-read book of 2026
Starred review, Booklist
Philosophical, tender, and hilariously observed, Nice Places subverts the "go find yourself" travel story, unpacking our shared desire for meaning, connection, and a true place in the world
When Georgie quits his job at Oats Technologies to travel the world for one year, he hopes to escape the daily existential discomfort of corporate life. But after a meditation guru robs him on his way to the airport, he awakens in a guest house in the rundown yet vibrant Panhandle neighborhood of his own city.
Alone with his phone and a desperate urge to assure his friends and family all is well, Georgie shares a photo of "authentic" boat noodles. To his surprise, everyone loves the post and believes he is overseas. Ant, a mixed media artist from Berlin, proposes a collaboration. With her vision and the help of a charming cast of guests and locals, Georgie's unlikely adventures unravel in ways he never imagined.
About the Author :
Vincent Chu is author of the story collection Like a Champion (7.13 Books, 2018). His fiction has appeared in Muumuu House, STILL Magazine, Pithead Chapel, PANK Magazine, and elsewhere. Vincent is a Hambidge Fellow, former Headlands Center for the Arts Affiliate Artist, and Pushcart Prize nominee. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from UCLA. Vincent lives with his wife and son in Oakland, California.
Review :
"With a refreshingly unique plot that never keeps the reader in one spot for too long, Nice Places offers a new look at a travel-to-find-yourself story that ponders the importance of creating deeper connections and purpose as we move through adulthood."
—San Francisco Chronicle
"The Californian writer Vincent Chu pokes fun at the tired clichés of therapeutic retreats and transformative 'gap yahs' in this punchy satire."—The Sunday Times
"With pathos and wit, first-time novelist Chu interrogates the social-media-curated, FOMO-generation."
—Booklist, starred review and Review of the Day
"The jovial novel Nice Places philosophical gold beneath a surface of absurdity."
—Foreword Reviews
"An insightful satire about authenticity, social media, and connection."
—Alta Journal
"Chu raises important questions about cultural appropriation, the wastefulness of travel, and the essential emptiness of most tourism."
—Necessary Fiction
“Vincent Chu manages to recover the art of the travel narrative, dusting off the ashes of our expectations and capturing, with humorous, cutting prose, a picture of the places and people who might yet revive us."
—Tupelo Quarterly
"This whole novel was so unexpected, so creative."
—Irresponsible Reader
"Hilariously sharp, Nice Places is an anthem for anyone who has felt like a cog in the machine. Vincent Chu delivers a profound, high-stakes meditation on the identities we curate and the messy realities of finding where we truly belong. Packed with wit, heart, and a refreshing subversion of the classic travel novel, this is a must-read parable about the attempt to stop performing and start living.”
—Portland Book Review
“A wildly inventive tale of how we forge our identities online, Nice Places could be the Eat, Pray, Love of the Instagram generation. A book that sends up the cliches of travel culture while celebrating travel’s life-affirming qualities. An ingenious premise that unfolds into a profound meditation on the attempt to lead a meaningful life. Chu’s writing is addictive and hilarious.”
—Kate Folk, author of Sky Daddy
“Nice Places takes our universal and timely experiences of disconnection, envy, and existential dread, and delivers a story that makes you feel less alone in your loneliness. Funny, surreal, and poignant, this book will make you question the way our culture has both idolized and burnt out on travel, wellness, and the corporate grind. Vincent Chu has written a parable that demonstrates the journey actually is more important than the destination. A fantastic read!”
—Lillian Li, author of Number One Chinese Restaurant
“A swift, delightful, heartfelt novel about feeling very small within an impossibly large world, Nice Places manages something rare: it lets us in on what feels like one of those intangible questions of life while at the same causing us to wonder, is it really that important to find an answer? Thoughtful and compelling, this is a novel that will stay with me a long time.”
—Jinwoo Chong, author of I Leave It Up To You and Flux
“At times humorous and biting, other times joyous and tender, Vincent Chu's Nice Places explores the journey we all take to find where we belong. Peopled with characters you come to love and root for, Nice Places is all heart!”
—Tomas Moniz, author of All Friends Are Necessary
“In a Siddhartha or an On the Road for our modern times, Vincent Chu’s Nice Places gives us Georgie who quits his corporate job to travel the world in search of fulfillment and meaning. Wry and sharply drawn, Nice Places will make you laugh. What a joyful read!”
—Daniel A. Olivas, author of Chicano Frankenstein
“Vincent Chu has struck a blow for office workers everywhere. Nice Places won’t take you on a dream trip, but it will bring you somewhere unexpected. I laughed, I cringed, I questioned every word of my LinkedIn profile!”
—Ed Lin, author of the Taipei Night Market novels
“Like an inside-out Atlas Obscura, Nice Places catalogues the quirky adventures and awakenings that await us right here at home when familiar territory seems to rearrange itself.”
—Soma Mei Sheng Frazier, author of Off the Books
"Like all absurdist novels in absurd times, Nice Places has the gall—and the decency—to make you laugh at the world, at your life, and at yourself.”
—Patrick Nathan, author of The Future Was Color
Praise for Like a Champion“One of my favorite story collections I’ve read in a while.”
—Tao Lin, author of Leave Society and Taipei
“Chu takes us into the hearts of characters whose misguided optimism seems destined for a cruel reckoning. The brilliance of this collection is not only these complex portrayals but the surprising twists that make us nod in recognition at what makes us hopeful and human.”
—Jimin Han, author of A Small Revolution
“In Like a Champion, Vincent Chu decidedly hands us a triumphant collection of surprising, energetic stories and good, weird, sometimes sad people. It is an intimate book that made me laugh out loud more than once. We are safe in Chu’s hands as he tackles the anxious thoughts of people who want to be loved and included, of characters all-too-painfully human.”
—Leesa Cross-Smith, author of Whiskey & Ribbons
“Vincent Chu can do many things, tell a story, create indelible characters, and craft spot-on dialogue, but what he does most movingly in Like a Champion is unpack our greatest fears, hopes and desires, in other words, what makes us human.”
—Ben Tanzer, author of Be Cool
“Chu finds ways to turn the everyday into the revelatory... Chu’s stories are solidly realistic in their scope, exploring everyday issues with charm and empathy—and occasional moments of unexpected humor.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Vincent Chu takes us on a journey through real life, with brief glimpses into the lives of diverse characters. While each character and story is different, there is something relatable about them all. You'll find yourself among friends in these stories."
—San Francisco Book Review
“Like a Champion celebrates the underdogs and second bests—and finds the light when all we might see is the darkness.”
—Alameda Magazine
