Nonfiction Review: Broken by Jenny Lawson

Title: Broken (In the Best Possible Way)

Author: Jenny Lawson

Year Published: 2021

Category: Adult Nonfiction (memoir)

Pages: 304

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Location (my 2021 Google Reading map):  USA

Summary (from Amazon): 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.

Review:  I so badly wanted to like this book more than I did. I was in the mood for funny and uplifting and while this book has that, it was a bit too much for me. What do I mean by that? I am having a difficult time putting it into words. It is "on" all. the. time. There are no breaks from the "funny," which feels very manic to me. Almost like it's trying too hard. I feel bad that I didn't love this book as I've read really good reviews by other bloggers. So, it's probably a case of "it's me, not the book."

That said, there were parts that made me smile and chuckle and that's a good thing.

There are also moments where she talks about issues that are really important, in particular her struggles with mental health issues such as debilitating anxiety. Discussing treatments that she has tried was poignant and good for people to read about.

And, I must say that I really like the cover and the story of how it came to be. I like the idea of giving our fears and anxieties a physical form.

Challenges for which this counts:

• Popsugar--the author is an online celebrity