Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Memoir /Humor
April 12, 2012
Putnan
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!“
Everyone who is anyone, well, anyone who appreciates insane, questionable, depraved humor, knows who Jenny Lawson is. She is the voice behind The Bloggess, a blog that crosses all lines, pokes all chickens, and usually leaves me laughing so hard I have found it’s in my best interest to get dressed on AFTER I have read her latest post. Otherwise, I’ll just have to change my clothes and re make my face. And as a 41 year old, remaking my face to look like I didn’t make up my face takes a lot of time. Time better spent on Pinterest or Twitter.
Let’s Pretend This Never Happened is the mostly true memoir of Jenny Lawson’s life and it kept me laughing, crying, and choking to the end as we read of her less then stellar upbringing in rural Texas with what has to be some of the most questionable parents I have ever encountered. We watch her meet her long suffering husband Victor, who I just know deserves everything Jenny dishes out and more, and her dealings with infertility, depression, and a very strange addiction to costumed taxidermy. What makes this book such a hit is that while Jenny could whine and moan about her unusual life, playing the, “whoa is me card”, she instead uses humor to deflect and explain why she is the way she is. There are no apologies in here; except to Victor (her husband) on post it notes. Because love is apologizing on a million post it notes. She is who she is and takes great pains to let us know that she accepts what life has given her and that we should do the same. She addresses her mental illness and the resulting situations with a grace and dignity that goes to show that this is not a stigma that needs to be brushed aside and hid when the neighbors come over.
It’s amazing how many similarities to Jenny’s life and mine that I found in here. While I didn’t grow up in Texas or with a taxidermy loving father…I did grow up poor, was a social outcast in school, and suffered from a social phobia. I will be doing my first ever slumber blogging party in August and can only hope murdering cougars won’t be stalking me. The experimental drug phase, the going commando at inappropriate times, the husband who always asks, “Are you insane???” It’s like we are one and the same. I don’t care what you all think…we are now bffs in my mind and we have lots of fun together.
There are so many hilarious stories in here, I don’t know where to start. We have the famous metal chicken story which teaches the moral to never tell a woman she can’t buy something because then it becomes a dare. There is her father‘s mysterious surprise that involves a dead squirrel hand puppet. Or maybe it’s Rambo the soap fetish raccoon. Either way, I can guarantee that Let’s Pretend It Never Happened will gain a place of honor on your bookshelf and next to your bed. I can’t say what her message was intended to be, but what I walked away with was that life hands you lemons all the time. You can either make lemonade or you can load your lemon shooting launcher and have yourself a little fun.
Overall Rating: A
Recent Reviews:
The Book Pushers – A
Goodreads
Great review Tori! I loved this book!!
I laughed so hard. It’s a def keeper.
I love the bloggess. I never laughed so hard as when I read that metal chicken story for the first time. zomg. I still laugh when I think about that chicken sitting on her door step when her husband opens the door. <3 so hard.
Her poor husband. LOLOL He is the constant punch line of her jokes.
Growing up poor, social outcast, drug phase? Aww, it’s like you’re telling my story. Great review, I’m interested in reading this.
It’s a real treat. Hope you enjoy.
This sounds adorably hilarious. I must get it! Great review Torilicious!
You would love it Amy.
OMG! I love the Bloggess!
That Beyonce chicken rocks! Knock-Knock Mother Fucker!
HA
I can’t wait to read this one.
murdering cougars in NOLA? Mho and I will protect you.
I have this on order from the Book Depository so I expect it will arrive in the next week or two. I love Jenny’s humour so I expect I will wet myself laughing a few times during the read. :)
The zombie-Jesus conversation is where I laughed so hard I peed a little.
Oh man, this book had me in stitches.
I love Bloggess! I preordered Jenny’s book, but it still didn’t came :(
Her Unicorn Success club post and metal chicken made me fall of my chair! That woman’s brain is unbelievable… :)
I have never read Bloggess, but will got fix that immediately because this woman sounds like my kind of wack-a-doo*
*said with love as a fellow wack-a-do
OMG, I have tears streaming down my face after reading the chicken/rooster story. I am going to B/N TODAY and buying this. I hope they have it!
I never heard of her before, perhaps because I am Dutch. And I am glad you loved this book so much, but this is not for me.
I listened to the audio, and since Jenny reads it, it totally rocks. From the minute she talks about running into her OB/GYN at Starbucks, I was dying. And poor Victor…I loved the chapter where they first met, and when they met each other’s families. Oh, and I like your closing metaphor…you should totally invent a lemon shooting launcher!
This book reminded me of another memoir called “The Imperfect Enjoyment” by Dewan Gibson, though not as funny. Still, it’s good to see bloggers getting more notoriety and MONEY!