A Furiously Happy Review

Not your Typical Self-Help Book, Iget it

Joe
Joe
Sep 1, 2018 · 3 min read

I have never read a book where I have spit coffee out my nose, cried unashamedly, or giggled unapologetically. All within the same chapter.

But that is the wit and rawness that Jenny Larson brings to her book “Furiously Happy.” Perhaps the humorous, and odd, picture of a laughing, and dead, raccoon on the cover should have given it away.

That, and the disclaimer my big sis gave when she recommended the book to me: some times you just need a good laugh and cry to get through depression, but I hope it doesn’t offend you!

well at least I didn’t experience that…

Giant Chicken Photo by Jenny Larson

And I think that is part of her point. She doesn’t brag or play the comparison card, in fact, her self-deprecation is constant. But her transparency is contrasted by her humorous way of looking at life. As the title suggests, she drives herself to be happy, often in bizarre ways.

I find it inspirational. But not in a go buy a stuffed dog kinda way (which would not go well at all with the wife), but in a find humor in life sort of way. Choose laughter. Experience the odd joy of life. Force yourself to be happy, especially when depression is drowning everything out.


Removes a layer of stigma

Well ok, hopefully, most of us don’t have a hobby of buying dead animals and dressing them up. But Jenny’s purpose in her book is to remove at least one more layer of the stigma that stifles so many from seeking the help they need. The stigma that feeds the lies in our heads.

For those who don’t battle mental illnesses but want to better understand, Jenny gives a good view of what it can be like at times. Though a memoir from her amazingly tolerant husband would be an interesting viewpoint some day.

Your thoughts

But I think we can all appreciate the idea of being furious, desperately, or maybe irresponsibly happy.

Art of JRB

Stories of Dealing with Mental Health, Depression, Life, and Love; art too

Joe

Written by

Joe

Husband, father, tinkerer. Writing about hardware product design, life, mental illness, art, and overall being a good person and making cool stuff.

Art of JRB

Stories of Dealing with Mental Health, Depression, Life, and Love; art too

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