Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) by Jenny Lawson Published by Penguin Audio on April 17th 2012
Length: 8 hours and 41 minutes
Genres: Funny-ha-ha, Memoir, Non-Fiction
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Amazon
Goodreads
Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, makes her literary debut, and narrates this audio version.
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 "And Then I Snuck a Dead Cuban Alligator on an Airplane".
“I told my boss that I had a book inside of me, and that I needed to get it out even if I had to squeeze it through my vagina. Because that’s exactly what the world needs. A book squeezed from my vagina.”
Jenny Lawson, also known as The Bloggess, is an internet sensation that I only recently became aware of. I’m not quite sure how I survived in life without her hilarious stories to be quite honest. I guess it should be mentioned for those with delicate sensibilities that Jenny cusses a lot, but considering you’re visiting my blog I would expect you’re used to that from me by now.
This book is absolutely fucking hilarious but it’s that type of funny that is only funny when it doesn’t happen to you. Like when Jenny talks about that time she walks into a deer carcass. Or when her dad brought home a talking squirrel only to find it was actually a squirrel puppet and her dads hand was shoved up inside its dead body. Or when Jenny brought home her future in-laws to meet her folks and her dad was out back boiling animal skulls. Or when she practically overdosed on laxatives and a burglar was shoving notes to her from under the bathroom door except it ended up being her cat. (I literally almost fell off the treadmill at the gym laughing at that scene. People were looking at me with serious concern.) But seriously. What horrible things to have to live through. But since I didn’t they were some of the funniest fucking things I have ever heard.
“Oh my God, calm down, Darwin. Don’t get all crazy just ’cause I threw a vampire monkey wrench in your faulty Jesus-zombie logic.”
All of the back and forth verbal sparring between Jenny and Victor was the absolute freaking best but I could go on and on with my favorite scenes. So what the fuck, I will! Like when she asked the nurse if they could make her cesarean scar the shape of a lightning bolt so whenever she had menstrual cramps she could pretend Voldemort was close. Or when she purchased a giant metal chicken (named it Beyonce), put it in front of her front door, rang the doorbell and ran so that she could scare her husband. You cannot make up funnier shit.
“It’s an anniversary gift for you, asshole. Two whole weeks early. FIFTEEN YEARS IS BIG METAL CHICKENS.”
This is a book made for the sole purpose of enjoyment. Because you will laugh, I guaran-fucking-tee it. But the bottom line is this book only goes to show that those crazy moments in life are the character building moments that make us who we are, for better or worse, so you might as well embrace it.
If I’ve (hopefully) convinced any of you to read this, I’ll let you know right now that you absolutely MUST listen to the audio. You’re totally missing out if you don’t. The sound effects were the freaking best and I can’t imagine reading this book without them. There was the cocking shotguns, the crazy clucking chickens and Jenny’s singing introductions and an odd assortment of other sound effects that had me non-stop rolling with laughter. Whenever I finish an audiobook I immediately delete it from my phone and move right on to the next one. But this one stayed put because whenever I’m in need of a gut-busting laugh I’ll always have this on hand to get the job done.
“In short? It is exhausting being me. Pretending to be normal is draining and requires amazing amounts of energy and Xanax.”
Wendy Darling
Hah, those quotes are fantastic! I don’t think I’ve read a single negative review of this book (and very specifically, the audio version), but I hadn’t seen any excerpts anywhere else. Thanks for providing those, clearly I need to get ahold of this one soon.
Wendy Darling recently posted…Literary Swoon 2014: YA Authors Dish on their Fictional Crushes!
Bonnie
Yes, definitely go with the audio version. My mom read the print and loved it but I can’t resist going the audio route when the author narrates. 🙂
Missie
Loved this book so much! I was laughing so much I cried! Great review!
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Missie recently posted…Ignite Me
Bonnie
I made the mistake of listening to this while on the elliptical. Needless to say I almost fell off because I was laughing too hard. lol
Jennifer | Book Den
Hopefully my comment doesn’t wind up posting twice. I tried to comment earlier, but my computer was having a fit. (Completely my computer – not your blog.) Anyhow… that lightning bolt scar request – LOL! I’m not yet aware of The Bloggess. I swear I live under a rock.
Jennifer | Book Den recently posted…Book Review | Snowblind by Christopher Golden
Jasprit
This is not something that I would usually pick up, but your review has definitely convinced me in giving this book a go, I am so in need of a book with many laugh out loud moments! Fab review Bonnie! 🙂
Jasprit recently posted…Cover Fever: #6