The Hilarious World of Depression

This was an interesting book about a very tough subject. The audiobook was read by the author, and he had a smooth voice that I enjoyed. I think there were times when I thought I would give it a higher rating, but I think the author tried to make people believe that everyone goes through the same things if they have depression. I don't believe my son had any “hilarious” feelings when he was depressed.
And I know he doesn't think it's funny that he suffers from this terrible disease. But there are some good parts to the book, and I would actually recommend it if you want to know more about how from someone who has experienced depression.

For a book with the word hilarious in it, there are surprisingly few jokes. He talks a lot about making them irl though. On the flip side I also found his loving family, awesome job, and caring friends to not be the most relatable. But this coming from a saddie who got kicked out of her depression support group for being too much of a bummer soooo not surprised it resonated with other people. There is a lot of relevant stuff in here, just too memoir-y for my tastes.

I will always be grateful to John Moe for his “Hilarious World of Depression” podcast. There were so many validating interviews that spoke to me and helped me realize I wasn't alone in my feelings. I truly believe the podcast has changed and possibly saved lives.

Reading this book on the heels of recent news that the podcast has been canceled is bittersweet, but I'm glad there's a lasting, written record of his work. There's not too much in here that I didn't already know from his frank talk during the interviews (including his brother's shocking death by suicide, but readers unfamiliar with the podcast will find an honest, wry and (duh) occasionally hilarious memoir of John's life and various attempts at finding the right treatment for the depression that first manifested in junior high. Interspersed with the autobiographical chapters are excerpts from his THWoD interviews and gentle advice on how to live with/take control over your depression.

If I hadn't already listened to the podcast I guess this book could have been life-changing. As is, I am just once again thankful that John is choosing to tell his story and reminding us that's there's nothing shameful about depression and it's okay to talk about it. He doesn't like to use the phrase “reducing the stigma” but that's exactly what THWoD accomplished. I don't know what his next professional steps will be but frankly he could do nothing for the rest of his life and he'd still have earned a place in heaven for everything he accomplished through The Hilarious World of Depression.