Thank you to Henry Holt & Company for providing me with a copy of Jenny Lawson’s essay collection, Broken ( in the best possible way), in exchange for an honest review.
I’m a huge fan of Jenny Lawson. She's hilarious. I often find myself in the awkward position of “snorting with laughter” while reading Lawson’s writing, which usually happens in public, but not this year, Thank you, pandemic! Broken ( in the best possible way) was no exception, however, many essays in this collection took a serious look at mental and physical health issues.
Lawson is candid about her health struggles, including a look at a relatively new therapy option to combat severe depression, which involved Lawson wearing a special head device that doled out repeated mini-punches to areas of her brain in efforts to stimulate them. The results of the therapy were not perfect, but they did pull Lawson out of a long-lasting depression, and gave her the ability to enjoy aspects of her life again, including a family vacation to Europe.
I’ve never struggled with depression, but I know many people who have, including both of my parents (my father died from suicide and my mom struggled in the aftermath.) After reading Broken ( in the best possible way) I finally have a small idea of how depression impacted their lives. It not only gave me a better sense of understanding, but also more compassion. Lawson’s revelations have allowed me the opportunity to rethink and reframe certain aspects of my childhood. I did not pick up Broken ( in the best possible away) expecting such an impactful reading experience, but I appreciate it.
I’m also happy to report that Lawson’s unique outlook and brand of humor is still present throughout this collection. I got the biggest kick out of all of the animal names.
The next time I cook chicken, I will surely be reminded of Lawson’s rural Texas high school making the kids process chickens if they want to attend prom. As a city kid, I found this horrifying. I stopped reading to share this tidbit with my step kids who are visiting us from Sweden. They were equally shocked. I also have realized that I am the type of functioning introvert that Lawson finds the most troubling! Make sure to check out Lawson’s social media at “thebloggess” for more of her quirkiness and humor.