Title: Let’s Pretend This Never Happened
Author: Jenny Lawson
336 pages, Published by Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Jenny’s Info: Twitter | Website | Facebook
Buy The Book: Amazon
Summary:
Jenny Lawson realized that the most mortifying moments of our lives—the ones we’d like to pretend never happened—are in fact the ones that define us. In Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson takes readers on a hilarious journey recalling her bizarre upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years, and her relationship with her long-suffering husband, Victor. Chapters include: “Stanley the Magical, Talking Squirrel”; “A Series of Angry Post-It Notes to My Husband”; “My Vagina Is Fine. Thanks for Asking”; “And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane.” Pictures with captions (no one would believe these things without proof) accompany the text. (Summary provided by Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam.)
My Thoughts:
To say I loved Jenny’s Lawson’s new memoir Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is an understatement. If I were the type of book blog that had a ratings system, I would give her ten million gold stars and one humanely deceased, taxidermied unicorn head mounted on a purple plaque. That’s how much I loved this memoir.
Readers already familiar with Lawson’s blog The Bloggess will enjoy it, but that’s a given. Those unfamiliar with Lawson’s blog will enjoy reading about her adventures growing up in Wall, Texas and beyond. Highlights of the memoir include all of the stories involving Jenny’s dad. At one point Jenny’s dad fires off a cannon in his yard. (The cannon thing doesn’t sound that exciting, but it is. I really, really want a cannon for my backyard now.) He also nearly scared Jenny and her sister to death by using a dead squirrel as a hand puppet, yet he still managed to instill in Jenny a love for taxidermied animals.
One of my favorite chapters is about Beyoncé, the big, metal chicken that Jenny purchased while out shopping after she promised Victor (her husband) that she wouldn’t buy towels. It is hilarious, and Beyoncé (the giant, metal chicken) even has a Facebook page with over 36,000 “likes”. Only Jenny Lawson could compel over 36,000 people to “like” a Facebook page devoted to a giant, metal chicken. She is just that awesome. Another highlight of the book involves Jenny waving away vultures with a shovel while belting out a Bonnie Tyler song. You’ll have to read the book to find out what the hell I’m talking about.
In the chapter entitled “And Then I Got Stabbed in the Face by a Serial Killer” Jenny tells about her battle with anxiety with just the right amount of humor. Then she moves on to discuss Jesus Zombies and organ donation in the next chapter. This sounds crazy right? It is. But. It’s. Awesome. Jenny Lawson’s brave candor and ability to make even life’s toughest moments funny is an inspiration. Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is beautiful and surreal and hilarious. Everyone should preorder it today.
If you want to find out why I think this book is much better than The Grapes of Wrath, you should probably follow me on Twitter.
FTC Disclosure: Please assume that I received any book reviewed or mentioned on the site for free from the publisher. Also, if you purchase books by clicking the Amazon links throughout the site, I get a small commission.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m not familiar with her blog but I’m going to check it out now. Her book sounds right up my alley – I love memoirs!
OMG…I am so jealous you got to read this already! I have mine on pre-order. I’m glad it’s as awesome as we are all expecting it to be.
I’m so looking forward to reading this! Loved your review
Also, I only have *think* about that first post about Beyonce to send me into a fit of giggles. Funniest. Story. Ever.
Beyonce the Metal Chicken is what got me started on her blog. I love Jenny Lawson’s stuff.
I try to describe the Bloggess to people who haven’t yet read her blog, but I usually just end up pointing them in the direction of the Beyonce post. It’s the stuff of legends. Even my daughter and her best friend, both of whom heard a slightly censored version of the post, now occasionally exclaim “Careful, this chicken will cut you!” at random moments.
When the book arrived, I discovered that I couldn’t read it in bed at night b/c my partner always falls asleep first and the whole bed was shaking as I tried valiantly to stifle laughter, or at least laugh quietly.
LOVE the Bloggess and love her book!
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