A review by thebarandthebookcase
Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby

5.0

Wow, No Thank You. is a perfect humorous escape from our dreary times. Irby is so damn funny. In these essays, Irby uses hilarious self-deprecation and consistently relatable insights to bring humor to the bad parts of life, all anchored by the drudgery of adulthood. She uses this framework to cover a wide variety of topics, such as the panic and dread that come with preparing for a night on the town as a homebody, her love for her phone, the infinite questions which come with owning and maintaining home (so relatable - I don’t know anything either), her typical daily routine and bodily functions, and her experience working on the Hulu show “Shrill.” Irby often uses lists in her essays to side-splitting effect - one of my favorite essays in the collection, “Hello, 911?,” is a list of 911 calls in response to awkward, anxiety-inducing moments that often happen on a daily basis. Example: “Hello, 911? What on earth am I supposed to say to this bathroom attendant?” Finally, I highly recommend the audiobook of this one - Irby narrates, and her delivery is perfect.