Why do good things happen to bad companies? Spoiler alert: It’s not because of strategy.

Forget Wall Street wolves and Silicon Valley unicorns—meet the C-suite circus at PwnShop, where chaos reigns, egos clash, and a Reddit-fueled rocket ride sends a dying retailer “to the moon.”

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In Skinny Dipping at Low Tide, debut author M.F. Hamlin delivers a biting, laugh-out-loud satire that fuses the irreverence of A Confederacy of Dunces with the financial intrigue of Liar’s Poker.

In Skinny Dipping at Low Tide, debut author M.F. Hamlin delivers a biting, laugh-out-loud satire that fuses the irreverence of A Confederacy of Dunces with the financial intrigue of Liar’s Poker. This roman à clef peels back the mahogany doors of PwnShop’s “bored” room during its meme-stock moment, exposing the absurdity of corporate America when logic takes a permanent vacation from sanity.

Meet Nick Haller—Harvard MBA, wannabe musician, and reluctant gladiator in the coliseum of capitalism. As pandemic pandemonium collides with activist agendas and Reddit armies, Haller’s earnest plans for redemption end up on the cutting-room floor—while his net worth skyrockets faster than you can say “diamond hands.”

Book Details & Testimonial

Skinny Dipping at Low Tide marks Hamlin’s first foray into fiction – a bold debut that blends satire, business intrigue, and cultural commentary. This 336-page novel promises a wild ride through the surreal world of meme-stock mania.

Published by Permuted Press and distributed by Simon & Schuster, the release date of Skinny Dipping at Low Tide is set for January 13, 2026. All proceeds from the book will support the Causeways Program at the University of Virginia, focused on inspiring future leaders to foster constructive engagement and drive positive change.

Skinny Dipping at Low Tide is an unparalleled, modern American classic from a truly original voice in M. F. Hamlin. It is equal parts diary and field notes on a screwball time in modern business – but has an elegance and irreverence that never ceases to please the reader. It is a unique literary ride that makes you laugh and think and admire the ‘shoveled words.’

Hamlin weaves a compelling, partially gonzo approach to storytelling that jumps backwards and forwards with perfection, buttresses character development with wickedly adept writing, and brings you into the complexity of an incredibly likable leading man’s journey of sense making of life and business, compelling the reader to think about their own zig zag journey of muck and luck.

Gosh, I hope he is already writing another book. The literary community needs more originality, candor, risk taking, and instinct to tell a really good story with remarkable characters, in a style that just does not exist in the book world. This story is a gift from someone who has truly found their calling as an artist of words, playing literary jazz with all the right notes. Bravo Hamlin. Encore, encore...

MATT WEBER – Emmy-winning and New York Times published humorist

About the Author: M.F. Hamlin

Before skewering corporate culture, Hamlin spent nearly a decade in Nashville’s music scene with Arista Records and Sony Music Publishing. After earning his MBA at Harvard, he climbed the ranks in retail and e-commerce, serving as CMO at Guitar Center, EVP roles at Tailored Brands, and Chief Customer Officer at GameStop. Today, Hamlin lends his expertise to boards and arts organizations, including the Dallas Theater Center and the University of Virginia, where he champions leadership development through the Causeways Program.

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