Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Let's Pretend This Never Happened


Several months ago, Summer came over for dinner.  This in and of itself is not that exciting or funny (not because she's not funny or exciting, just that we see each other pretty often), but she physically sat me down on my couch and read this story by Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess.  The story of Beyonce, the giant metal chicken.  Please take a minute to read over the post linked above and come back when you're done. 
I can't read it at work because it makes me laugh so hard, it distracts my (admittedly) very small office.  So keep that in mind.
A couple weeks ago, Summer informed me that she had purchased a full-length book by Jenny Lawson, and would be lending it to me as soon as she was done.  Thus I picked up Let's Pretend This Never Happened last week to start the giggling and, what I presumed, general goofiness.
Let's be honest: this is a 'mostly true' memoir.  I'm sure the bulk of the book is based on real-life, but sweet baby Jesus, I hope some of it isn't.  Lawson's dad, a taxidermist, had a tendency of sticking his hand into dead animals and using them as puppets to scare/entertain his children.  Her hand got stuck in a cow while she was artificially inseminating it in high school.  That sort of thing.  A lot of the book is funny, but there are some sections that definitely are not; those parts, Lawson pretty much glosses over.  I'm not sure if this is a self-preservation thing or just not-sharing-everything-with-the-public thing, but I kind of wanted to hear more about the version of Lawson that doesn't ramble stream-of-consciousness paragraphs about zombie apocolypses in lieu of discussing things like being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 30ish, having a blood disease that makes it hard to get pregnant, and being anorexic in college.  Perhaps because I don't read 'The Bloggess,' Lawson's tone was a bit much to dive into in a full-length book. 
If you're already a fan of her blog, this book will be perfect for you.  If you're buying this thinking it will be humourou fluff, it's a bit more than that.  I'm unsure of exactly where I fall between those two categories.

3 comments:

  1. I read a review of this book somewhere and thought "no, this isn't for me" -- but you talked me into it. It's now on my "Request" list at the library and I can't wait to read it. If it's half as funny as "Bossypants" it'll get my vote!!! (So glad you're back blogging even if it's just occasionally.) XXX G'ma

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  2. I can picture you and Summer laughing on the sofa about the giant chicken. And Mia looking at you both confused. : ) Mommi

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  3. Grandma, thank you! I'm so glad to have such a dedicated reader. :)
    Mom, that description is 100% accurate. Mia does love her Aunt Summer, though, so we're easily forgiven.

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