Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir)
Published by Penguin Random House Audio
4/5
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Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
From the New York Times-bestselling author of Furiously Happy.
When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in. That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood. It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and we are all the better for it.
In the irreverent Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson's long-suffering husband and sweet daughter help her uncover the surprising discovery that the most terribly human moments-the ones we want to pretend never happened-are the very same moments that make us the people we are today. For every intellectual misfit who thought they were the only ones to think the things that Lawson dares to say out loud, this is a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives.
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Reviews for Let's Pretend This Never Happened
1,523 ratings204 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pretty funny!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The premise: ganked from BN.com: When Jenny Lawson was little, all she ever wanted was to fit in. That dream was cut short by her fantastically unbalanced father and a morbidly eccentric childhood. It did, however, open up an opportunity for Lawson to find the humor in the strange shame-spiral that is her life, and we are all the better for it.In the irreverent Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Lawson’s long-suffering husband and sweet daughter help her uncover the surprising discovery that the most terribly human moments—the ones we want to pretend never happened—are the very same moments that make us the people we are today. For every intellectual misfit who thought they were the only ones to think the things that Lawson dares to say out loud, this is a poignant and hysterical look at the dark, disturbing, yet wonderful moments of our lives.My Rating: My PreciousI made a conscious decision to STOP being so stingy with my #1 rating. I couldn't put this down. I laughed. I nearly cried. I kept recommending that my friends read this book before I was even done with it. I want to get a physical copy so that when I re-read the book, I can see the pictures and the captions better (and while I'd like the hardcover, word has it the upcoming trade paperback release will have an extra chapter. EXTRA CHAPTER!). And yes, I want to re-read this. Because the theme of this book, amongst all the craziness, the astounding stories and the heartbreaking ones, lies an important message that I wish I'd learned early and I'm still not sure I've taken to heart: life isn't defined by your perfect moments, but rather your imperfect ones, and how you react to those moments defines everything. Lawson writes about her unique upbringing in such a way that no matter how insane, it's relatable, and her humor had me constantly tickled. It's my kind of humor (see the wheelchair comment behind the cut). When she publishes her next book, I'll be there with bells on. Hell, I should be reading her blog religiously by this point, but I'm afraid of spoiling the next book!I know this book isn't for everyone. Hell, I can barely coherently write about it myself (another hallmark of a 10 rating). But I do think there's something in here for everyone to enjoy, even if it's not every page. So read it however you're able, and come back and share your thoughts.Spoilers, yay or nay?: Nay. It's a memoir, what am I going to spoil? Read on, unless you're in a super-hurry and don't want to read about how my reading this book disturbed my husband. :) The full review may be found at my blog, and you can get to full review by clicking on the link below. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome.REVIEW: Jenny Lawson's LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENEDHappy Reading!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If you've read Jenny Lawson's blog--The Bloggess--then you know what this book will do. It'll make you laugh out loud and sometimes it will make you cry. Jenny Lawson is brutal in her honesty and that makes her book all the more enjoyable and painful to read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is an incredible book. Its "laugh out loud while rolling on the floor" funny. The author is vulgar, opinionated and offensive, but she is never condescending to the reader. Her writing reminds me of Lewis Grizzard, who was a brilliant storyteller.
If you are offended by profanity or overt references to reproductive organs in contexts you would never dream of, stay away from the book.
If you want to read writing that is heartfelt and can make you laugh at things the would normally have you crying, this book is well worth the cost and time. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jenny Lawson has an frenetic, anxiety-prone perspective of the world, one I can eerily relate to. While I related to her other book Furiously Happy a bit more (it delves deeper into subjects like depression), this is still a fun read, full of crazy family anecdotes, wacky household incidents, and animals both living and dead. It made me smile and laugh throughout, though I do wish it'd been lighter on the profanity.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Whenever I read anything Jenny writes, it makes me want to write. She is hysterically, uniquely, intelligently awesome.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5There needs to be more stars to rate this properly because 5 isn't enough. Funny and ridiculous and sweet and full of heart...did I say ridiculous?
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It had its annoying parts (fights with husband) but it was more interesting and funnier than other memoirs by older and more more accomplished people I've read. Someone asked me what the Bloggess wrote about the other day and I said, um - Taxidermy and depression (though it's more anxiety coupled with an active imagination). She's got a potty mouth and gets into some gruesome details, which don't bother me none.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is kind of like reading a woman's hilarious blog. In fact, that's exactly what it is . Jenny Lawson is the Bloggess, and this is her memoir. She claims it is "mostly true" so her family can deny what they want and no one's reputation will be damaged. The stories are hilarious, and at least one sentence in each will you have you laughing out loud, whether it's how her dinner party conversations focus on getting stabbed in the face by serial killers or how she came to love costumed dead animals, despite her father scarring her by being a taxidermist. My favorite sections have to be: the exchange with her husband about GPS while she was driving around lost in her own town, and sharing bits of her crazy experiences working in an office's HR department. Lawson's sense of humor centers around being incredibly ridiculous and potentially offensive - right up my alley!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book is hilarious. Laugh out loud funny. I was reading this at work, and several times I had to stop so I could regain my composure. I had previously read her second book, Furiously Happy, and I think this one was even funnier. I loved the stories of her childhood and her father. I could definitely read more of those stories.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Oh lord this book was hysterical and awful and amazing and I will need to read it again.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book is friggin hilarious. Well written, paced perfectly, great interaction between the writer and other characters, esp her usually exasperated husband.
I loved it! - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5My sister got me this book and I LOVED it! I laughed so much while reading this.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Highly recommended!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I really did love this book. No, it wasn't life changing and no I don't feel that I learned any major life lessons but it was certainly an entertaining comic relief on a lazy weekend.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved it. Jenny has a great sense of humor. The book is a mix of laughs, tears, and lessons. This is a MUST read!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I enjoyed reading Jenny's memoir. An extension of her blog, it was a quick read.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Enjoyable book relating the author's childhood and struggles with mental health issues as an adult. Meeting her husband in this book is worth the price of admission.I enjoyed the second book more t han this one.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Super funny, super strange, I wish Jenny Lawson was my friend. But not her Dad.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jenny Lawson, aka the Bloggess, shares stories of her life, from her bizarre childhood growing up as the daughter of a taxidermist obsessed with animals both living and dead, to surreal conversations with her long-suffering husband, to accounts of various I Love Lucy-esque escapades. (Well, if Lucy swore a lot and worried about the zombie apocalypse more often.)If you've ever read her blog -- and if you haven't, you really should -- you know just how utterly hilarious she can be, and that is fully in evidence here. I was already smiling by the time I finished looking over the table of contents, and by the end of the two-page introduction, I was laughing out loud. And even though she also talks about some very un-funny parts of her life -- miscarriages, crippling anxiety, chronic pain, the death of her beloved dog -- she somehow finds a way to make you laugh around and through it all.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jenny Lawson is perhaps better known on the internet as The Bloggess (thebloggess.com). She writes about her own life and the hilarious antics she and her family get up to. As the daughter of a taxidermist who thought it was totally normal to bring a baby cougar into the house, her childhood was at a level of eccentricity that you would never believe if it weren't actually true. Like how her kept wild turkeys who once followed Jenny and her sister to school and absolutely destroyed the interior of the building. She met her husband in the New Age section of a bookstore where he pointed out that he already owned most of the books and she could just come by his dorm to borrow them. She did and many years later, they are still married and have a lovely daughter named Hailey. The book has it's serious moments as well, such as her miscarriages and her diagnosis of General Anxiety Disorder. I love her honesty about these things because reading a book about a woman who hates social gatherings due to her anxiety disorder makes me feel more normal for also being nervous and awkward in social settings. Mostly the book is full of super weird and hilarious stories. Have you ever had to shoo vultures away from your dead dog with a machete, because Jenny has, and it's as horrific and funny as you would imagine. Mostly horrific. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by the author and included a bonus chapter originally cut from the book. It also includes a chapter at the very very end where she's basically just rambling on the mike after she's finished reading. It's well worth searching out the audio version, trust me. As stated in the introduction, this is not a book for those who would be offended by swear words, since she uses them quite liberally. I loved this book and look forward to reading her second memoir Furiously Happy as well.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mostly hilarious, and at times profound. I actually enjoyed her second book better, but this one gave me more insights into her background.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I liked this book. Another memoir that I highly enjoyed listening to rather than just reading it. There were clearly some pictures featured in the book that I missed out on but I think that it was more than made up for listening to the stories in Lawson's own distinct voice. Some of the humor didn't really tickle me, but enough of it kept me entertained. Nothing that was really a laugh out loud moment for me, but a great humorous look on life. I absolutely love Lawson's husband, Victor, and all his "what the fuuuuck?" He sounds like a great man; patient and loving. Lawson does his tone of voice perfectly! I love the crazy here. It makes you realize that there are people out there thinking the same thoughts you are, and saying the weirdest things to people like you do. I can't relate to Lawson completely but in some regards she reminds me of me. It's nice to be reminded that I'm not alone in my social awkwardness. :)
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I think I may just need to read (or listen to the audiobook) of every book Jenny Lawson ever writes. I laughed (and empathized) so much with this memoir. Full of highly implausible anecdotes and lot of hilarity, this is a great book for those in need of a good laugh.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book was fantastic! I laughed out loud throughout this book. This girl is so dysfunctional and funny at the same time...I could seriously just start re-reading the book today.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I loved this book so much that I ended up reading parts of it to everyone who would listen to it, just so that we could laugh together until we cried. It is just so very well done that there simply aren't any words to explain just how entertaining this read is. I can guarantee that you will laugh at things that you will feel guilty about, but at the same time you just can't help yourself. Reading this book is like having a conversation with your funniest friend, one hundred times over. It lifted me up every day that I read it, from my happiest day, to my lowest, saddest day. Just reviewing it makes me want to read it again.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crazy funny.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ridiculously funny, though I hope that goes without saying. Also, these stories are outrageous, which is exactly why this book is so much fun.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Utterly fabulous.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Really, a laugh out book. I've become a fan and have pre-ordered her next book and have begun reading her blog.