Short stories
As an undergraduate at Harvard University in 2007, Rich received a two-book contract from Random House. His first book, a collection of short humor pieces entitled Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, was published in 2007 and was nominated for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. His second collection, Free Range Chickens, was published in 2008.
Rich released his third collection of stories, The Last Girlfriend on Earth, in 2013. Reception was favorable, with The Washington Post praising the book as "hilarious," declaring, "it just might be the best one-night stand you'll ever have."
The Last Girlfriend on Earth was given a pilot order by FX within a week of its publishing as Man Seeking Woman. The show was officially ordered by FXX with the leading cast of Jay Baruchel, Eric Andre, Britt Lower and Maya Erskine, with Rich as show-runner and executive producer, making him one of the youngest creators in TV history. The show was produced by Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video and ran on FXX for three seasons.
Rich's fourth story collection, Spoiled Brats, was published in 2014. The Guardian described it as "simply the funniest book of the year," adding, "there are sometimes three laugh-out-loud moments within the same paragraph." The Evening Standard also praised the book, calling Rich "a Thurber, even a Wodehouse, for today. Who could ask for more? You can give his books to people and just watch them laugh."
A fifth collection, Hits and Misses, was published in July 2018. NPR said that "with this book, Rich has come into his own as one of the most talented writers of comedic fiction working today." In 2019, Rich won the Thurber Prize for American Humor for Hits and Misses.
Rich's sixth story collection, New Teeth, was published in July 2021.
His seventh short story collection, Glory Days, was published in July 2024.
