The First Ten Years: Two Sides of the Same Love Story

Written by Joseph Fink and Meg Bashwiner

Narrated by Joseph Fink and Meg Bashwiner

A sometimes hilarious, occasionally heartbreaking, and always entertaining joint memoir by Joseph Fink, cocreator of Welcome to Night Vale, and his wife, writer and performer Meg Bashwiner, chronicling the first ten years of their relationship from both sides.

There are two sides to every love story.

In 2009, 22-year-old Joseph Fink, newly arrived to New York City from the West Coast, was juggling odd jobs to pay the rent and volunteering with a theater company in the East Village so he could snag free tickets to their shows.

Meg Bashwiner, a 22-year-old aspiring performer and playwright, was living with her parents in New Jersey, working a desk job and commuting to her internship with that same East Village theater company.

Joseph and Meg's stories meet when they both find themselves selling tickets in a cramped box office. They quickly became friends. Within a year, they were a couple. Within five years they were touring the world, performing on some of the world's greatest and not so great stages.

In this candid, soul-baring memoir, Joseph and Meg recount their first ten years together, each telling their story as they remember it, without having consulted the other. We hear both sides of their first kiss, first breakup, first getting back together, the death of a father, marriage, international fame, world tours, mental illness, and discussions about having children. Sometimes, they recall things differently—neither agrees on who paid for the morning after pill on their first date. Sometimes they remember the exact same details in the same way—but still have their own narrative on just what those details mean.

Poignant, funny, and real, alternately told in Joseph and Meg’s remarkably different, yet equally compelling voices, The First Ten Years is the story of two individuals finding their way in the world and becoming ""adults"" as they learn to become a couple.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: May 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9780063027275

Joseph Fink

Joseph Fink is the creator of the Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn't Dead podcasts, and the New York Times bestselling author of Welcome to Night Vale, It Devours!, and The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home (all written with Jeffrey Cranor), and Alice Isn’t Dead. He is also the author of the middle-grade novel, The Halloween Moon. He and his wife, Meg Bashwiner, have written the memoir The First Ten Years. They live together in the Hudson River Valley.

Reviews for The First Ten Years

[Vanessa Makena · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book gave me laughs and a view of relationships we rarely get to see. The perspective of both parties, in their own words. Beautifully written and read.

[Lourdes Asiain · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Could not stop listening, loved it so much. I plan on listening to the podcasts.

[Atticus Foster · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book has been deeply moving. I was already a fan of Nightvale, but my enjoyment of this book is wholy independent. The candid storytelling and parallel narratives form a complex and genuine tale of love. I laughed, I cried, I felt victory and defeat. I cannot recommend it more, even if you're not a fan of their other projects. You get a unique and rare window into someone else's love, and that's beautiful.

[amy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was lovely. Warm, without being saccharine. Erudite. Generous. Fun. The only downside I can see is that one might be inclined to exit this experience just the slightest bit envious. Wondering how you too can land upon a life with this much interest, breadth & love.
A delightful listen.

[Kaz Flowers · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As a young 25-year-old who has been in a four year relationship, this book was a great comfort for the fears and unknowns of the next six years of our soon-to-be-married life. It was not only brilliantly written, but I finished half of it in one night, unable to stop listening.

The comforts of "you're not alone in your relationship being hard" and "you're not a fool for still trying even when it IS hard because the work is worth it" struck me hard.

If you are in a long term relationship or plan to be in one, this book is essential. Even if you have been in one for decades, it's amazing for reminiscing on your own relationship and the highs and lows.

It's a great reminder that you're never going to find a person who will fit into you perfectly, and that both people must learn to grind down their sharp edges to fit together comfortably, not perfectly.

[Stevie Freeborn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is heartwarming, funny, and beautiful with no prior knowledge of the authors. A truly wonderful read

[Paul H · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Any person who has been in a long-term relationship will recognise a lot of themselves in this book. Joseph and Meg write honestly, candidly and often about totally different things that were important to themselves but clearly less impactful/focused on by the other during that time.

Fans of Night Vale will appreciate the extra glimpse behind the curtain, but you do not need to have listened at all to enjoy this book. You should though, it's really good.

Honestly, I'm just excited to hear about "The Next Ten Years" in about 8 years time!