Book Review of WOW, NO THANK YOU

I knew I was going to enjoy Wow, No Thank You when I saw that author Samantha Irby also runs a blog called bitchesgottaeat.com.

My level of enchantment only increased when I saw that she dedicated this book of essays to Wellbutrin, to which I, too, owe many a debt of gratitude.

Obviously, Irby and I are kindred spirits.

The reason I originally decided to read Wow, No Thank You is the title. The second I saw it, I could hear one of my friends saying the phrase, particularly to her children when they try to give her something she really doesn’t want: a bug, a half-eaten piece of food, or whatever else it is that children bring their parents that we childless people know nothing about: “Wow! Um, no thank you.”

Right away, Irby’s essays drew me in with their humor, which is hilarious, REAL, and totally, brutally honest. I would almost say to a fault, but that’s part of Wow, No Thank You’s charm. Irby tells you how it is, how it REALLY is — y’know, those deep, dark, personal thoughts that would embarrass the shit out of you, if they were ever uttered out loud?

Yeah, THAT’S what she talks about.

A lot of the essays in Wow, No Thank You deal with stuff that most people in their 30s and 40s can relate to: e.g., moments of “Wait, when did I get so old?” and “What do you mean the ’90s weren’t 10 years ago?” that seem to pop up more and more often in our everyday lives.

Also touched upon is Irby’s deep and abiding love of carbs, junk food, and all things that we know  aren’t good for us but can’t seem to stop eating, and the trials of “adulting,” like home ownership and just trying to stay awake past 10pm.

These types of chapters were my favorites. There are also quite a lot of chapters (or portions of chapters) dedicated to sex, relationships, and bodily functions.  Almost all of these contain a fair-to-overwhelming amount of graphic detail about said topics. It’s just Irby’s brand of comedy, and since I have the sense of humor of a 12-year old boy, I found it funny, most of the time.

Even the chapters I didn’t fall magically in love with made me snort-laugh out loud as I worked my way through them. The biting wit and self-deprecating humor reminded me a lot of what I loved about I Can’t Date Jesus, and, sure enough – Irby gives a shout out to author Michael Arceneaux in her Acknowledgements. Yet more proof that this woman is awesome.

Some stand-out essays from Wow, No Thank You:

“Late 1900s Time Capsule”: Irby lists her favorite songs and says how they impacted her. Irby and I are around the same age, so a lot of her memories of pop culture and music really hit home. Admittedly, I didn’t know many of the songs she referenced, but I sure as hell YouTube’d them all as I was reading. (Note: if you do this, it will take awhile to get through this chapter. #WorthIt.)

“Girls Gone Mild”: all about the extremely harrowing experience of trying to meet up with friends on a weeknight when a) your introverted self just wants to cancel and pull on stretchy pants, and b) you’re anxious about eating a post-9pm dinner because you just can’t digest things like you used to. (Sigh)

Warning: the one essay in Wow, No Thank You I could have lived without:

“Hysterical”: goes into unnecessary detail about bodily functions, particularly Irby’s menstrual cycle. While I’m a girl who (much to my husband’s dismay) enjoys a good fart or poo joke, Irby’s masterful use of imagery-inducing verbs and adjectives is where I start to draw the line. Luckily, you’ll know from the first sentence whether or not this particular essay is for you.

The main take away from this book review? If you’re looking for a good laugh, some great ’90s and early ’00s nostalgia, or if you just feel like listening to someone who GETS IT — someone who tells it like it is, no holds barred, about life, marriage, friendships, growing up, growing old, money, careers, and pretty much everything under the sun — read Wow, No Thank You.

As always, be sure to check back in for my book-inspired recipe: One Pot Cheeseburger Pasta.