Furiously Happy A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson

 Title: Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things 

                                                              Author: Jenny Lawson 

                                                              Rating: * * * * *

Summary Taken From Goodreads.com

In LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, Jenny Lawson baffled readers with stories about growing up the daughter of a taxidermist. In her new book, FURIOUSLY HAPPY, Jenny explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. And terrible ideas are what Jenny does best.
According to Jenny: "Some people might think that being 'furiously happy' is just an excuse to be stupid and irresponsible and invite a herd of kangaroos over to your house without telling your husband first because you suspect he would say no since he's never particularly liked kangaroos. And that would be ridiculous because no one would invite a herd of kangaroos into their house. Two is the limit. I speak from personal experience. My husband says that none is the new limit. I say he should have been clearer about that before I rented all those kangaroos."
"Most of my favorite people are dangerously fucked-up but you'd never guess because we've learned to bare it so honestly that it becomes the new normal. Like John Hughes wrote in The Breakfast Club, 'We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it.' Except go back and cross out the word 'hiding.'"
Jenny's first book, LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, was ostensibly about family, but deep down it was about celebrating your own weirdness. FURIOUSLY HAPPY is a book about mental illness, but under the surface it's about embracing joy in fantastic and outrageous ways-and who doesn't need a bit more of that?

My Thoughts

This was the first book that I read by Jenny Lawson and I didn't know what to expect.  I'll admit, I thought the cover was cute and that was part of the reason why I wanted to read it.  Though, I normally don't judge a book by it's cover, this was the first time I did and loved the book.    

This book was mostly about how Jenny deals with her struggles of anxiety and depression.  As someone who suffers from it as well, at first I was a little scared of what this book would bring my memories to.  But I'm glad I gave it a shot.  She showed hilarity as to how one deals with the everyday struggles one who suffers from these social disorders.  In a way, I found myself laughing along with her antics, knowing they would be something I'd get myself into as well.

The parts with her husband were a good laugh.  While it's clear he endured all that she did, it also showed the love and commitment between the two.  At the time of the book they've been married 17 years and he's stayed with her through think and thin.

I think that if you are one who suffers from these mental illnesses then you'll get this book and why Jenny is the way that she is.  I know I understood her moments of panic and thoughts in her mind.  It's something that if you have anxiety and depression, you'll understand.  More people need to be made aware of what happens to those who suffer.  While reading this book, I felt alright knowing I have bad anxiety and depression and that there's nothing to be ashamed about.  

Blogger's Note:

I hope you all enjoyed my first book review.  I want to make this a regular thing and continue to review books as I finish them.  Stayed tuned for the next book which is going to be A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab