Wow, No Thank You.
Ratings60
Average rating4
I was torn between 2 and 3 stars but felt more like 2. There were a few funny parts but I didn't love the chatty type of tone throughout the authors writing. It felt like reading intrusive thoughts or listening to an acquaintance trauma dump at a party. I found the author trying to be funny but not actually funny.
This was a fun book with a singular voice. I liked the second half better than the first (or maybe I settled into the style more). I think the humor is definitely meant for folks in their 30s and 40s (as Irby is) but I still enjoyed the book a lot, especially when she was able to tie the funny and ridiculous to the profound.
I love Sam Irby's style and stories, I just didn't vibe with this one as much. Her newsletter is often one of the best things I subscribe to though!
In the author's own words, the funniest, laugh-out-loud “bullshit” I've read, possibly ever.
Forget breath of fresh air, this book is a wind tunnel of realness! “Relatable” is a vast understatement for what lies between these digital covers. I laughed, I got the feels, I felt personally attacked–everything necessary for memorable book I'd recommend to all my friends. There will be more than a few re-reads of this book in my near and distant future.
Some parts got me laughing, some parts a bit of a drag. Decent read and I enjoyed the audiobook!
Honestly the worst thing about this collection is if you're reading it and anyone else is in the room you'll keep snorting out loud and they'll want to know what's so funny, so then you'll try to read the funny bit out loud to them, but the funny bit is pretty much the whole book, so definitely keep some throat drops handy is all I'm saying.
I also read this just after Meaty, where she kind of surreptitiously does-she-mean-it-but-maybe-she's-just-joking alludes to dating women, and in like the first essay it's like “so blah blah blah my wife and I” and it just, I dunno, it makes me happy.
I don't know about you, but when I'm reading an authors third New York Times Bestseller and they're talking about how they're a lazy loser, all I'm thinking is how mean this is to all us non-bestselling non-bookwriting humans.
We're lazy losers AND unsuccessful.
That said, she's a refreshing voice. I know people who I will definitely be recommending her to.
Of course it's hilarious and also very sweet! OF COURSE. Also, there's something about the line, “Hello 911? I have to cancel an appointment,” that is going to make me laugh forever.
Often as I read this I would have to put the book down and stare blankly into space for a moment to fully process the anxiety and embarrassment I was feeling on behalf of the author. I mean intentionally, she's very honest and open about her experience in a way that I applaud but also /o
I still love her memoir-y reflections and slice of life stuff but it was also very cool to read a bit about the making of Shrill and the iconic fat bikini party episode.
This made me laugh so hard that coffee literally came out of my nose. Thank you for that.