Book Review: Broken in the best possible way

Welcome aboard, train wreck.

I have been wanting to read this book since it first came out. Jenny has been an inadvertent mentor to me. And if she reads this I hope I don’t come off as a Bloggess Stan. But this book is just one of the reasons I adore her.

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Broken (in the best possible way)

by Jenny Lawson

An Instant New York Times Bestseller

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Furiously Happy and Let’s Pretend This Never Happened comes a deeply relatable book filled with humor and honesty about depression and anxiety.

As Jenny Lawson’s hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken, Jenny brings readers along on her mental and physical health journey, offering heartbreaking and hilarious anecdotes along the way.

With people experiencing anxiety and depression now more than ever, Jenny humanizes what we all face in an all-too-real way, reassuring us that we’re not alone and making us laugh while doing it. From the business ideas that she wants to pitch to Shark Tank to the reason why Jenny can never go back to the post office, Broken leaves nothing to the imagination in the most satisfying way. And of course, Jenny’s long-suffering husband Victor—the Ricky to Jenny’s Lucille Ball—is present throughout.

A treat for Jenny Lawson’s already existing fans, and destined to convert new ones, Broken is a beacon of hope and a wellspring of laughter when we all need it most.

Includes Photographs and Illustrations

About Jenny Lawson

Jenny Lawson is a very strange girl who has friends in spite of herself. She is perpetually one cat away from being a crazy cat lady.

You can check out her blog here https://thebloggess.com/

The Review

Who is the target audience for this book? Do you have anxiety or depression? Do you know anyone who does? Do you have any autoimmune disorders? Do you know anyone who does? Married? In a relationship? Got a kid or two? Do they have fur? Those people should read these. I don’t know if that’s who Jenny intended but that’s what I think. And this is my blog and my review. So, there.

From the start Jenny lets you know, you’re going to laugh but there are some serious moments. Because we can’t always laugh at the terrible things in our lives. But no matter, you are not alone.

See, I’ve built this whole blog on that exact premise. I spent a lot of time isolated. That ain’t no way to go through life. When I finally broke free, I knew I wanted to help others not feel that. So, whether I’m sharing a book or a recipe, or venting about the mental load moms carry. It’s scary when your own brain lies to you, and just having someone say, “Hey, I got you. I get this. I’m there, too.” That’s the kind of thing that can keep someone going. And I think that’s why Jenny is so important to me.

You’re going to get memories of Jenny’s childhood and her early days with her husband. There is a heartfelt letter to her insurance company and let me tell you, that was brilliant and I think everyone should follow suit. (The American medical insurance system is a mess but that’s a whole topic for another day.) But overall, you’re going to get a lot of thought trains that derail, get back on track, face the wrong way, and still make it to their destination.

I can’t really say there was any real goal to this book aside from sharing stories from her life to help others get through their lives and challenges. And that’s ok. Actually, I love that. Not everything needs to have a point or a grand plan. Sometimes, you just need to talk about tiny penises stuck in your car holes and butt worms.

When it comes to memoirs, autobiographies, and the like, there is only one way to read it and that’s with audiobook. Jenny’s reading of her own words and her inflection. Her emotion. I’m absolutely going to buy this book in the physical form, but audiobook is such a treasure. It’s like having a conversation with a friend. But since we’re introverts, the audiobook experience may be the closest thing I’ll get to that with Jenny.

Like I said in the beginning, I may be a little biased. I absolutely love Jenny. And this book just cements that a little more. If you’re a human, with a weird sense of humor, this is for you. This is not for pearl clutchers. If you are prone to blushing over medical discussions, yeah maybe skip this. But if you’re cool with dressing up cats in baby clothes and weird taxidermy, then this is for you.

So, what do you think? Will you read it? If you do, let me know what you think.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, I may earn an affiliate commission. Again, if you like what I post, please like, comment, share, and subscribe. Please consider donating to help keep this going. $1 and I’ll ask you what your favorite book is so we can talk about it. $5 and I’ll write a review of a book you suggest. $10 and I’ll write a blog suggested by you. That’s all I’ve got for today, train wrecks. All aboard.