Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
I Know What I'm Doing -- and Other Lies I Tell Myself
I Know What I'm Doing -- and Other Lies I Tell Myself: Dispatches from a Life Under Construction | Jen Kirkman
New York Times bestselling author and stand-up comedian Jen Kirkman delivers a hilarious, candid memoir about marriage, divorce, sex, turning forty, and still not quite having life figured out. Jen Kirkman wants to be the voice in your head that says, Hey, youre okay. Even if you sometimes think you arent! And especially if other people try to tell you youre not. In I Know What Im Doingand Other Lies I Tell Myself, Jen offers up all the gory details of a life permanently in progress. She reassures you that its okay to not have life completely figured out, even when you reach middle age (and find your first gray pubic hair!). She talks about making unusual or unpopular life decisions (such as cultivating a friend with benefits or not going home for the holidays) because you dont necessarily want for yourself what everyone else seems to think you should. Its about renting when everyone says you should own, dating around when everyone thinks you should settle down, and traveling alone when everyone pities you for going to Paris without a man. From marriage to divorce and sex to mental health, I Know What Im Doingand Other Lies I Tell Myself is about embracing the fact that life is a bit of a sh*t show and its definitely more than okay to stay true to yourself.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
quote
rather_be_reading
post image

Book 91

38 likes2 stack adds
review
britt_brooke
post image
Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️ I don‘t like misleading covers/titles. I thought this was going to be a humorous collection of essays about aging and life changes, but it was pretty goddamned depressing. Loved Jen on Chelsea Lately, but haven‘t watched her standup (yet) nor read her previous book (skipping). I just couldn‘t really relate to this at all. That‘s not her fault, but it affects my memoir enjoyment. Awarding an extra star for her honesty.

Cinfhen Great review but I‘ll pass ~ thanks! 5y
vivastory That's a shame. I watched her stand-up a few years ago and enjoyed it. 5y
britt_brooke @Cinfhen Thanks, and good call! 5y
See All 10 Comments
britt_brooke @vivastory She‘s super funny on tv. I wish I had liked this more. I‘m definitely going to find her standup and watch it sometime. 5y
Suet624 I‘m so out of the loop. No idea who this person is. 5y
Anna40 @Suet624 me too. No idea who this is. 5y
Anna40 @britt_brooke why was it depressing? 5y
britt_brooke @Suet624 @Anna40 She‘s a comedian, but I‘m not sure exactly how well-known she is. I know her from Chelsea Handler‘s show that was on E! Several years ago. Anna, it was depressing because it was all about her divorce - which I appreciate - but then it was about sleeping with some younger guys and that part was sad and pathetic, imo. I‘m being judgmental, I know. 5y
Anna40 @britt_brooke ok. Thanks! Dont watch much stand up. ... I recently had to bail on a book because it was about divorce and just depressing. If the entire book is in that tone, it's hard to read. Sleeping with younger guys, if that's what made her happy, good for her, if it depressed her even more, why do it? Doesn't sound like a book I'd enjoy either... 5y
britt_brooke @Anna40 It was really not what I expected. I do hope that she found peace by writing it, though. 5y
105 likes10 comments
quote
heylaurenmack

Career is often written about as some kind of albatross around a woman‘s neck. It‘s the thing that keeps her from fully committing to her family or it stood her from having a family altogether. It allegedly intimidates male partners or gets in the way of her having a family altogether. Women who are career focused are often seen as missing out on life but I never wanted the kind of career where I drive home from work and forget what I did all day.

blurb
KrystleTheBookSlayer
post image

1) You May Now Kill The Bride by R.L. Stine and This is Your Brain on Parasites by Kathleen McAuliffe is what I'm primarily reading right now, but I have a lot of books started.
2) tagged (haven't read it, but the title sounds appropriate) 😂
3) Lilies, tulips, roses...and all herbs because I can eat them and I don't like paying for fresh herbs 😅
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

blurb
heylaurenmack

Started Jen Kirkman‘s second book the other day. I debated reading this one cause I feel like she‘s gone off the rails a little bit, but so far I‘m glad I decided to give it a go.

review
Jen2
post image
Pickpick

Needed a laugh, this one hit the spot!!!

Loralie Going to see her live in a couple of weeks, I can't wait! 7y
Cathythoughts You can't beat a good laugh. 👍 7y
100 likes7 stack adds2 comments
review
Victoriahoperose
post image
Pickpick

I really loved this book. The author is just so real and funny. All of the thoughts she has are things that go through my head and am unable to laugh about or see in a different way, but when she discusses them, it's funny and makes everything a little less daunting. Even the celebrities she did mention, weren't there for a name dropping effect; she was humble and complimentary to them and I loved it!

review
Fancypants
post image
Panpan

I honestly don't even know how I finished this. I listened to it and I just hated it. I don't know if it's because it has no relevancy to me or just it in general. It came across as her trying really hard to be funny and just a vent about her romantic life.

review
Serenity_Within86
Pickpick

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

blurb
Serenity_Within86
post image

Almost done!!!! Loving it!!!

10 likes1 stack add
blurb
Serenity_Within86
post image

Loved her previous book had to listen to the audiobook. Plus I'm really enjoying memories lately.

10 likes1 stack add
blurb
minkoyajanelle
post image

I honestly only came for one book this time!

britt_brooke I'm curious about the Jen Kirkman! I loved her on Chelsea Lately. Have you read Sarah Colonna's books? They're pretty good. 7y
minkoyajanelle @britt_brooke I haven't yet but my tbr list is ever growing 😂 7y
britt_brooke @minkoyajanelle Right?! Since joining Litsy, my TBR has gotten completely overwhelming. 😁 #booknerdproblems 7y
6 likes3 comments
blurb
shanebeth
post image

Jen's latest Netflix comedy special "Just Keep Livin'?" inspired me to check out her book. I hope it's just as funny! #bookmail

review
DitrieMarieBowie
post image
Pickpick

Has funny moments but more than anything it's unabashedly honest. She holds a lens up to her life (specifically her love life) to showcase her flaws and makes profound statements on anxiety, aging, and feminism. (If you don't like profanity or reading about sex, this is not the book for you.)

28 likes2 stack adds
quote
DitrieMarieBowie
post image

My favorite line from this book so far.

BookMusings Sounds like a fun book! 8y
28 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
DitrieMarieBowie
post image

Her show last night was amazing; can't wait to get started on her book. Also, here's another one of my favorite shirts from Out of Print. ❤️❤️❤️ @outofprint

NatalieR So cool! Glad you had a fantastic time! 👍 8y
DitrieMarieBowie @NatalieR Thanks! 😊 8y
Bookgirl I have that sweatshirt and love it!! 8y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa That's great! 8y
30 likes4 comments
blurb
Nleann5
post image

I can't wait to dive into this second book by one of my all time favorite comedians/people on the planet. Jen Kirkman is hilarious and relatable 💙

2 likes1 stack add
quote
AlwaysBeReading
post image

"It had been a long time since I'd asked myself, Where would I like to be right now? and not Where do I have to be right now?"

quote
SpacecruSadie
post image

"I was a loser because I got excited about putting my earbuds in and listening to the Cure as I strolled through Soho, hoping that teenaged me -- who dreams of walking around London alone--would appreciate the gesture. I don't care. I love it."
(This hit home. This is me. This is all of us.)

4 likes1 stack add
blurb
DitrieMarieBowie
post image

She's so cool! Can't wait to see her live and get my hands on a copy of her new book. 🙃

review
Sue
post image
Pickpick

Not as joke filled as I had expected, this is a great treatise on being a single, 40ish career woman and the way society's expectations stop us from doing what we want. (It was also wonderful to hear the name of my home town pronounced correctly by an American).

BookishFeminist I've been curious about this. I'll have to push it up my TBR! 8y
35 likes5 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Sue
post image

Saw this little guy on my book-fuelled beach walk. I hope he's ok as he was in an odd spot.

blurb
Sue
post image

And next up ...

27 likes4 stack adds
blurb
rebeccaschinsky
post image

Smartypants comedian and feminist writes about love, sex, dating, divorce, and the general ridiculousness of adulthood. Badass and pretty damn funny.

30 likes19 stack adds