Laughter is certainly a medicine

As long-time readers of the blog may know I'm a huge fan of Jenny Lawson (go here and here for my thoughts on her other books) so it was pretty much a no-brainer to pick up an early review copy of her newest book Broken (In the Best Possible Way). Like her other two books, Lawson tells stories from her past (growing up, her relationship with her husband, hiding from delivery people, etc) with a heavy dose of gallows humor. (If you're squeamish or unable to play Cards Against Humanity then you're not going to vibe with Jenny which is a daggum shame.) There are a lot of reasons why I absolutely adore Jenny but probably the biggest is that she tackles the tough topics of mental health while cracking these macabre jokes which are 100% up my alley. (You already know I'm death positive so of course jokes about death are my life blood.) She doesn't shy away from delving into those dark places that people who suffer from depression and anxiety dwell and she doesn't sugarcoat her continuing struggles.

I do want to sound a note of caution that if you suffer from any mental health issues and are easily triggered by talk on this subject (or on the subject of suicide) then you might want to sip Jenny's book instead of gulping it down. (No idea why I turned this into a drinking metaphor.) But I do think it is worth your time because it is always so comforting to read about someone else fighting the same demons as yourself. (And you don't want to miss out on the laugh-out-loud moments that this book is saturated with because they are comedy gold.) Another hole-in-one homerun through the goal posts.

Source: Amazon

If you or someone you love are in distress and contemplating self-harm or suicide please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline either by their website or by calling 800-273-8255. There's only one you on this planet and we want to keep you here. <3

What I'm currently reading: Bury my Heart at Chuck E. Cheese's by Tiffany Midge

**If you're interested in buying any of these books or any books really, you can click here. This will re-direct you to AbeBooks which is a site I use all of the time to find used books at an excellent price. A lot of the time I don't even pay for shipping! Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made through this link. You will not be charged anything additional for my commission. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) ** 

Lightning struck twice

I'm not entirely sure why it's taken my so long to read Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. As I mentioned in the post where I reviewed Let's Pretend This Never Happened, I freaking LOVE Jenny Lawson and her writing. I actually picked this book up last year shortly after it came out but as with many things I was distracted and I only now got around to it. I adored it. Her debut novel is much like her blog where it's snippets of stories from her life (which is nothing short of eccentric and bizarre like her which is why I love her so much) mixed in with colorful anecdotes. Furiously Happy is a completely different kettle of fish. There are still tales of her life which are off-the-wall but the main focus of this book is Jenny's struggles with mental and physical illness and how she's decided to view it. Instead of seeing it as a dark cloud that obliterates all the joy from her life she has instead chosen to embrace all of the happy moments in between and LIVE THEM UP. Her joyousness and love of life is felt on every page. It's a fantastic pick me up. She takes the stigma of mental illness and throws it completely out of the window (making sure that it's wearing a funny sombrero on its way out). There's more taxidermy and of course arguments with Victor but the overarching theme is shining rays of light into the darkness of mental illness. I've already gotten one of my co-workers reading it and she said that from the first page she was hooked. That's two ringing endorsements, ya'll! This one is a 10/10 for sure and if you don't read it you'll surely regret it.

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Atomic bombs + vodka + an old codger = comedic gold

Jonas Jonasson has created a fan for life. That sounds super dramatic and I suppose it is but it's true nonetheless. Irreverent humor abounds in this story about a centenarian who has truly grabbed life by the horns or in his case by the neck of the vodka bottle. Allan Karlsson, the Swede, traveled the world and made his mark in the political sphere despite having no interest in the topic whatsoever. Along the way, he managed to meet a variety of people which unless the reader has lived under a rock will be immediately recognized (and lampooned). The story begins with his escape through a window on his 100th birthday (yes, the title is literal) and follows Allan on a fantastic journey in which he makes new friends while simultaneously giving the reader a glimpse into his extraordinary past. Jonasson seamlessly works in the past with the present and I, for one, never found it jarring. A blending of true historical events with a humorously outlandish twist, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, is a must-read. (PS I just found out it was the most sold book in Sweden for 2010. Hooray!)




THEY'VE MADE IT INTO A MOVIE. THIS IS AMAZINGLY EPIC. (http://worldmovies.com.au)

I'm almost afraid that no book could ever be as epic as that movie poster right there but just in case there is something out there on the same level I'm going to keep reading. ;-) My next read is The Martian by Andy Weir and it is his debut novel. The story follows the plight of an astronaut named Mark Watney who is stranded on Mars and his struggle to survive there. Considering my interest in the Mars Rover I just had to give this book a try (and all of the bookish newsletters that I follow kept recommending it to me). Soooo here we go!!

Also, I want to give a shoutout to The Bloggess (aka Jenny Lawson) who has announced she will be going on a book tour later this year to promote her newest book, Furiously Happy. You may recall that I reviewed her previous book Let's Pretend This Never Happened a few years ago and LOVED it. I am 100% going to be checking out her newest book (about her struggles and triumphs against depression) and if at all possible visiting her on tour. You guys should look into doing the same! XD

HUZZAH!

Guess who just finished Let's Pretend This Never Happened?  If you guessed that it was me, you'd be correct. :-)  Although to be fair, that was a pretty easy question.  The harder question is this: Do I go back to Star Trek which frankly I'm not in the mood for at the moment but have already mentioned or do I choose something completely different?  It's a question I can't answer right now because I'm at work and away from my friends books right now.  So I guess I'll be leaving you on the edge of this cliff...

<twisting mustache in a villain-y sort of way>

EDIT: In all of the excitement, I forgot to give my review.  Oops?  Well, clearly I enjoyed the book and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys quirky humor.  What do I mean by quirky humor?  Well, the author tends to talk circles around subjects and spends a LOT of time cursing.  I found it easy to move past that as she is SO DARN HILARIOUS.  The chapter about explosive diarrhea might have been my favorite.  So if that sort of thing (and taxidermied animals) isn't your cup of tea, I'd stay away.  However, if you're looking for a read that is so funny you will literally laugh out loud, then this is it.

EDIT PART 2: I know what I'm reading next (because I've already started) and it's Abraham Lincon: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith.  I chose this book for a couple of reasons: 1. Abraham Lincoln.  I have a weird fascination with him. 2. Vampires.  What more needs to be said?  3. It's been turned into a movie by Tim Burton and if you haven't seen the trailer click here.  I am VERY excited.  Hopefully, it won't take me long to get through it and I'll feel like giving Star Trek another whirl. :o)

Change of plans...

...I got a book that I pre-ordered in the mail and I've definitely been reading that instead of Star Trek.  I regret nothing.

Oh you're probably wondering which book I'm referring to, am I right?  Well, it's this one:

If you haven't at least heard of this book, then you must have been living under a rock for the last week...or you're just a sad, sad individual.  The Bloggess, aka Jenny Lawson, runs a fantastic blog which is so cracked out and lovely that I became addicted immediately.  When I found out that she had just written a book, I immediately pre-ordered it.  She's currently on tour promoting it and you can find information about that here. If you're into hilarity, taxidermy, exaggeration, and truthiness then this is just the book for you!!*  I should be done with this by the weekend and then I'll be back on track with Star Trek (unless something shinier gets my attention).

Happy Thursday!!!

*I should warn you, however, that there is a LOT of cursing in this book so if that's going to be a problem for you I wouldn't even bother.