A review by prestonnn
What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding: A Memoir by Kristin Newman

adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

3.25

Overall this was a sweet, light and somewhat repetitive read. I found it very reflective and inspiring as a 26/27 year-old finding their way in the world. I want to travel more.

My favorite bits and bobs:

“Meanwhile, I spent a few months in both a metaphorical and literal fetal position, and wondered, like so many ex-girlfriends of forest rangers before me, if I would ever be able to use the tent he gave me for Valentine’s day again.” 19

“One thing that a tortured, dramatic worldview does for someone is it makes him a HELL of a kisser.” 38

moo-cow 42

“I was looking for a “great guy with commitment issues.”—If you are looking for the magic words that will make you into a Pied Piper to men, those are the ones. So I spent a year leading rats around town with that particular flute, and then I met Ben.” 49

“Juan and I spent the next two months dating casually. By which I mean that I obsessed about him constantly, and he casually dated me.” 84

“Ultimately, the bridge fell in the middle of the night, when no one, including the cameras, could see it. The glacier would not perform on command.” 113

“the thing to do in the place to do it”

“(Lesbian bases, I’ve been told, involve a lot of baths and toys at first and second bases, and buying a house and building a compost garden together as you round third. A home run is when you’ve stopped having sex altogether and start a book club.)” 137

“Now, I was a guest in this country, and my mother taught me to eat what is being served, but I’ve always found this move to be in the ‘more-is-less’ department.” 144

“It was a fascinating thing to watch, this art imitating life that then changed because of the criticism of the art.” 168

You know I don’t trust you, right? Ben said.

I know!

I’m saying people. I’m not just going to stop doing that, he continued.

I get that.

Last week my band played the Roxy and there were these Russian teenagers throwing glitter at me. I woke up in the morning with glitter in my beard. That was awesome. 

I know, I don’t want you to stop having glitter in your beard, I promised. 193

“life is an endless series of choosing between two things you want almost equally. And you have to evaluate and determine which awesome thing you want infinitesimally more, and then give up that other awesome thing you want almost exactly as much. You have to trade awesome for awesome.” 216

everyone has 20 thoughts at all times, traveling forces them to change