I really thought that How the Hell Did I Not Know That?: My Midlife Year from Couch to Curiosity was going to be the perfect read for me.
I’m not exactly midlife, but I’m getting closer.
I’m not retired, but I wish I were. Every damn day.
And, the biggest draw of all: author Lucie Frost seems to be as obsessed as I am with the reality TV show 90 Day Fiancé. So, her book and I seemed like a match made in heaven.
Except How the Hell Did I Not Know That? ended up going on my DNF pile.
What is How the Hell Did I Not Know That about?
How the Hell Did I Not Know That is a memoir written by a woman who quits her job as a lawyer – via an incredibly rambling and awkward text to her boss – and prepares to relish early retirement. Instead, she struggles with empty nest syndrome and not knowing how to fill her days, apart from watching a lot of 90 Day Fiancé.
So, Frost does what any of us would do (…???). She goes on a year-long educational quest to research answers to life’s most intriguing, pointless, inappropriate, and random questions.
What I didn’t like about How the Hell Did I Not Know That
My expectations for How the Hell Did I Not Know That might have been too high. I really expected to find a kindred spirit among its pages. A book that spoke to my soul! But, all I really found was a lot of Wikipedia-style information.
Frost’s memoir skips from one topic to another without much weaving them together. The book is divided into chapters that center around categories, but there’s not much stringing the categories together, either. And, there doesn’t seem to be a story. At least, not at the point until which I read, which was page 86.
I also expected How the Hell Did I Not Know That to be funnier. It’s pitched as a “witty memoir.” But, I found Frost’s sense of humor lacking. There are some amusing parts, sure. But overall everything is rather tepid. Maybe I’m just not “midlife” enough for the humor in here?
What I liked about How the Hell Did I Not Know That
My favorite part of How the Hell Did I Not Know That is at the beginning, when Frost takes a deep dive into the world of our beloved 90 Day Fiancé and its myriad spinoffs.
Frost will probably never want to talk to me after reading this book review. #TotesFair. But, I would love a chance to chat with another avid 90-Day fan since they are hard to come by where I am.
Some of the information Frost presents is admittedly interesting. I just don’t understand who thought it would be good to shove it all inside a full-length book. The snippets, musings, and findings in How the Hell Did I Not Know That seem better suited for weekly blog or Substack posts than a book.
Should you read How the Hell Did I Not Know That?
If you love amassing random information and want to seriously boost your know-how for a weekly trivia pub night, you should pick up How the Hell Did I Not Know That. I can see this book really vibing with certain types of people.
But, those of you looking for a more “storylike” memoir might want to give this one a pass.
Although I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from Kaye Publicity, all opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I was not compensated in any way for this review or for any other promotion/publicity I’ve done related to this book.
