Sure, I'll Join Your Cult

One of those books I'm glad I read it via audiobook, read directly by the author. Very personal very real and well told.

DNF. After 6 chapters, I can tell I'm just not the target audience. I enjoyed her “You Are A Comedy Special” book, but this book is too frenetic for me. I'm sure it's a gold mine of hilarity for hardcore Maria Bamford fans.

A book meant to be skimmed

This book is primarily the author talking to you in a way like they know you. I can't say it works very well that way because I ended up skimming most of the book (yes, I was called out in one of the chapters and that was hilarious

I liked how very in her voice this was, and disarmingly direct.

Extremely Maria Bamford. I was really tickled by her use of the “for Dummies” books symbols throughout. And moved (but I guess not surprised, given her standup) by the frankness with which she discussed her OCD and other illness.

4.5 for the book itself, 5 for the audiobook read by Bamford. I've been watching her standup for years and love basically everything she does. However, her work almost always sings when she delves into self-revelation and this book is FULL of that.

The first half of comedian Maria Bamford's memoir is so chaotic that I could only read a few chapters at a time. It must be exhausting to be inside her head! As the book progresses, however, it becomes more focused and heartfelt, especially as Bamford describes the downward spiral that resulted in three psych hospitalizations for Bipolar II (or “BP Lite,” as she refers to it).

Bamford isn't afraid to show her ugly side, such as the inattention that resulted in a tragedy(the death of her beloved pug). The final chapter that directly addresses people with suicidal thoughts is brilliant, cutting through the bullshit of “it gets better” to provide some genuinely helpful advice. Bamford is still obviously struggling every day; I hope she can feel good knowing that her radical honesty is a unique gift to all of us who live with mental illness.