Devouring Books: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Before I even start talking about this book (which it has taken me SO LONG to do, which suggests to me some kind of correlation between LOVING THE CRAP out of a book and being incapable of writing anything coherant about it) can we talk about the similarity between its UK cover and that of How To Be A Woman?

Like... They're both grey and have similar fancy typeface in the titles, and I'm just wondering if the UK publishers went 'Ok, so maybe not that many people might know of this Jenny Lawson, we'd better remind them of how awesome Caitlin is' and whether that was a factor in their decision? I mean, they're both completely awesome, and I have no objections to this, it's just a general wonderment.

Anyway, so that was pointless. Let's talk about Let's Pretend This Never Happened! (And let's pretend that never happened). Except I don't know how to. Because it's a book I was a tiny bit worried about reading, because WHAT IF I DIDN'T FIND IT AS FUNNY AS EVERYONE ELSE?! Would that make me non-funny too? I have to be funny! It's how I understand that people like me! Ahem, so groundless worries, because OMG it's so hilarious. Like, not just a bit hilarious, but kind of just consistently funny throughout- obviously there were bits that I found funnier than others, because, you know, everyone has different funny spots, but even the slightly less funny things for me? Still bloody HILARIOUS.

I feel like a rite of passage thing with this book is the laughing out loud, in public whilst reading it. I honestly didn't think this would happen to me because I am SO not a laugher out loud with books. It's a weird little tic, but I basically just laugh in my brain and that's it, because... I don't really know. BUT I totally laughed out loud with this! Twice! And that's just in public. Because, well, there's this one part where she's having a conversation with a co-worker about the potential of having a giant vagina, and her co-worker is just like 'I can't BELIEVE you're even saying this to me' and I just felt so UNDERSTOOD because I am constantly inappropriate in conversation. It's like a disease. And then ALSO I laughed with the whole laxative episode, because it was just set up SO well, and then ascended to the heights of hilarity. And who doesn't laugh at a good poo story? No one, that's who!

Most of the funnyness comes from Lawson's writing style, which I ADORE. According to Alley, Lawson started her blog to find her writing voice so that she could write this book, and may I just say thank the LORD (I don't know who this Lord is. Whatever.) that she did because it's pretty awesome. It's like... the way I wish I could write and the way I kind of try to (what with the losing the train of thought parentheses and all) but in a completely superior (superior to me, that is. Not in an arrogant way or anything) and amazing way. I just... I loved the writing so much that I didn't even want to stop at any point to write anything down because I just wanted to keep reading it more. Hence, you know, the lack of quotes in this review and all (also because I'm too lazy to go back through it. And if I did I'd probably just start reading it ALL again!)

It seems to me that, in a parallel universe, there could be a parallel Let's Pretend This Never Happened, only its author refused to see the funny side in these consistently ridiculous situations. And that book? Would be terrible. The most heartening thing, the best thing, about this book, is the way Lawson consistently sees the hilarity in all these situations. There are moments that are obviously difficult, sure (and the occasional seriousness that creeps in doesn't hurt the book at all, just makes everything richer, and more life-y) but in the end, having a sense of humour trumps everything, and really is just the way to get through it all. I think that, in general, this is just a good thing for everyone to know- that no matter how tough things get, being able to laugh about it, either at the time, or eventually, is extremely extremely therapeutic. Believe me, I know this.

Didja just see me get all serious?! Ignore that, because this book is the big funny! But also, as well, it has DEPTHS too, and that basically just makes it perfect. It now sits proudly on my shelves, next to How To Be A Woman (they're the same height, as well as looking similar) and I can't see either of them staying on there, and out of my hands, for too long. Seriously, it's brilliant. Go read it.

I have to thank Ellie for sending me this book for RAK, because without her, who knows when I would have read it! Thanks Ellie!