I am furiously angry with myself for not reading this book in 2015. I could have saved myself three to four years of depression by reading the hilarious and unimaginably relatable content in this brilliant gem of a book (Just kidding! Depression needs therapy and meds, y’ll).
I am furiously stunned and incredibly awestruck by how I have found a mind-sister across the oceans. How can we literally have the same fears (not 100% same because we are all UNIQUE (did anyone get the book reference? If not, read chapter ‘My Phone Is More Fun to Hang Out with Than Me)), love cats and be bloggers (of course, not the same level of fandom, but of course the same level of eccentricity!!!) and be gorgeous human beings???????????
I am furiously focused at convincing you to read this book or give it a reread, if you’ve already read it 5 years ago.
Let’s start with a bit of info about the author herself, considering that this a humourous memoir.
Jenny Lawson has been blogging for a decade about a lot of stuff, mainly dark humour and combats with various mental illnesses, aided by her General, the roadkill raccoon who got a second life thanks to taxidermy. Isn’t this the coolest person ever whose memoir you could choose to read? I absolutely think so!
P.S.: When I went to Jenny’s website The Bloggess for some background info, I stumbled into a recent book by her called You Are Here which is a colouring book / journal, and if those images on her website display 1% of her skill-set, a perfect addition to your bookshelf and a feast for your eyes.
P.P.S.: Jenny has taught me that appendices could be in the middle of your book and hence postscripts could also be in the centre of a blog post.
Back to the book.
If I were to describe the book in a sentence, I’d say – this book is like manchow noodle soup on a cold, wintry day: comforts you to the point of contentment yet spices your life up with the diverse range of condiments and flavours in it.
This book is not a 100% filled with stories about depression, anxiety and ADD. Nor is it 100% filled with stories that will prevent you from keeping a straight face while reading the book. It’s the perfect ratio of warrior stories that will make you proud and stories you can tell when you’re miserably failing at small talk.
I’ve been pretty open about my mental health issues on my Twitter and dole out helpful advice on Instagram stories, but I don’t think I will ever be able to achieve the clarity and familiarity with which Lawson explains the intricacies of the adorable oddball of a person she is. The matter-of-fact manner with which she explains antipsychotics as medicines that keep psychotics away and the bee-hopping-from-one-flower-to-another style of writing in her personal essays are a few of the many features of this book that endeared me to her personality.
There are chapters about:
- Notes that Lawson writes in those few minutes before she falls asleep containing those brilliant ideas all of us writers swear by – What if it’s an idea for the next bestselling novel?
- How her first experience at tasting risotto prepared by her husband, Victor, was overwhelmingly underwhelming for her.
- Those silent mental screamings when we’re outwardly calm and collected at therapy sessions.
- How it’s perfectly okay to come up with words like “flustrated” (her) and “screamings” (me).
- Her encounter with ‘microdermabrasion’ and her concerns that it constituted genocide for the disgusting green bacteria residing on her face.
- Her hilarious trip to Australia for the sake of hugging koala bears.
- An entire essay on Parsley, Wasabi, Cream Cheese and Soup!!!!!
- A stressful day at the CPA’s office (I’m a CA student and yet I could totally relate!)
I can go on listing the incredible stuff in this book but I absolutely do not want to ruin the experience for you.
There are a few chapters which get real when it comes to self-harm, depression and anxiety, which may merely ring a bell or trigger you, if you do face similar issues. There are sufficient trigger warnings in the book for such content. Moreover, I can assure you that the content in this book will leave you feeling deeply cared for and loved, by an amazingly talented sloth/cat person. (Did I mention she has three cats?!?!?!?!?!!!)
I sign off here, by recommending “Furiously Happy” to each and every person currently stuck at home thanks to the lockdown in India (which means, everyone of you in India!). Stay home, stay safe and read this book for the love of taxidermied animals all over the world.
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