When I was young and had the time to worry about such things, I was deeply concerned with being indie. I was on a quest to find obscure bands and read obscure zines. My friends did the same and we were in a constant unspoken competition to discover the next coolest band, so we could call them “sellouts” when they eventually appeared on MTV. As I think back on this attitude, I am both ashamed and amused. Though I was acting like a jerk, I was ultimately struggling to find something new and different.

It was with a similar impulse that Jess and I selected this week’s book, Benjamin Parzybok’s “Couch,” published by Small Beer Press. In past columns we have reviewed works by well-known authors such as Chuck Klosterman and David Sedaris, largely because they are familiar and we like their stuff. And while it is good to read these authors, it is equally important to actively search for new authors and publishers.

Claiming they exist to “publish good writing,” Small Beer Press is an independent publishing house which puts out a twice-yearly literary journal, chapbooks and books. As its Facebook page states, “Since 2001, Small Beer Press has published satisfying and surreal novels and short story collections by award-winning writers and exciting talents whose names you may never have heard, but whose work you’ll never be able to forget.” If “Couch” is any indication of the type of work the press publishes, then they are staying true to their word.

Indeed, what I like about the novel is its epic scope and the constant, unapologetic insistence that there is something magical about this inanimate piece of furniture. I can’t say much more than that for fear of ruining the story, but what is really great about “Couch” is that it manages to capture the magic inherent in the process of reading. It has been a long time since I have read a book like this one, where reality gives way to infinite possibilities, where one is swept away in a willing suspension of disbelief.

There were parts of “Couch” I didn’t particularly like – some of the characters are a little preachy and others have weird, bothersome ticks. The character Thom, for instance, has a flatulence problem and the way Parzybok describes it often made me gag. But, truth be told, this is really a testament to the finely written prose of the novel more than a shortfall.

My favorite line in the novel comes from a very strange secondary character, rather early in the narrative. As the protagonists happen upon this man, he comments on their journey by saying, “You need some grandness of purpose. If you have the chance, always risk the great failure over the small success.” We all would do well to take his advice.