CBR 9 Review 1: Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

“What I want you to know: Dying is easy. Comedy is hard. Clinical depression is no fucking picnic.”   

It's possible I never reviewed Jenny's other book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened. ::quickly goes to check:: Sike, I totally did, and it was as much of a rave as I expected it to be. Excellent. Expect more of the same here.

Furiously Happy is Jenny Lawson's second book. For those of you who have not read The Bloggess, or her other book, or my review of her other book, you should read all of those things. Then come back here. ::taps foot:: Are you done? Excellent. If you loved any/all of those things, you will love this book. Jenny finds such a perfect blend of comedy and emotional punch that has you laughing between tears and feeling grateful that you got to share this journey with her. This book, like her previous one, is a collection of stories and ramblings from Jenny's life. This one focuses less on her upbringing and more on her mental health battles, but it's just as funny and heartbreaking as the last. In sharing her pain, she also embraces her joy, and in doing both, encourages the reader to do the same.

This book has more of Jenny's trademark wit and hilarity, and, of course, more stories of Victor. What is also has is a lot of honesty about dealing with her mental illnesses. As someone who has spent her life battling clinical depression and a general anxiety disorder, her honesty helped me feel a little less alone. More importantly, her humor allowed me to see the comedy in my own tragedies. With an author this open with strangers, it's hard not to feel like you should be more honest with yourself.

I read this book one chapter a night so that I could delay it's conclusion. It's that kind of good. If you already love Jenny, you'll know what kind of greatness is in store for you. If you don't know her yet, you should meet her through her blogs, her books, or even in person - I can tell you she's as wonderfully weird in person as she comes across in print and I couldn't have been happier.

So go forth and read, and be part of the tribe.