Midlife crisis. Quarter-life crisis. Existential crisis. We’re not exactly setting ourselves up for success when we put so much emphasis on the “crisis” part of getting older. With the looming threat of an incoming catastrophe hanging over our heads, no wonder we fear the great unknown of our futures!
If you’re feeling less-than-stellar about your current place in life, know that at least you’re not alone. The six authors of this list have been in your exact shoes, and have gotten through to the other side by embracing the humor in every scenario.
Whether they’re drunk-dialing mental health professionals or having a moment of realization lying beside a live lobster, these authors have been through, and laughed through, it all. With dark humor, shrewd insight and compassion, their memoirs help readers learn to laugh through life’s misfortunes and find their way out to the other side.
Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies by Tara Schuster
Lauded by the likes of Jordan Peele, Glennon Doyle and Chelsea Handler, Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies is both a humorous and heartwarming tale of getting back on your feet and becoming a “ninja of self-love.” TV executive Tara Schuster was at the top of her game, rising through the ranks to work on programs like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Key & Peele. To observers, it looked like she had it all together — but of course, they weren’t seeing the crippling anxiety that was prompting Schuster to self-medicate. By the time she drunkenly phoned her therapist for help, one thing was clear: Tara Schuster needed to radically change the trajectory of her life.
Candidly funny and vulnerable, this memoir uplifts and inspires readers, all while avoiding the all-too saccharine conventions of the genre. Check out what other books we thought would pair well with Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies.
Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
For award-winning humorist and author Jenny Lawson, a midlife crisis is really just three crises in a trench coat. Emotional turmoil is an old friend of hers, as seen with her breakout debut Let’s Pretend This Never Happened — so given her familiarity with the subject and her trademark wit, it’s no wonder she transformed such a difficult topic into the #1 New York Times bestseller Furiously Happy.
This memoir chronicles Lawson’s experience with severe depression and the innovative, if unorthodox, ways she’s adapted to her condition. From the insomnia-fueled ramblings of her dream journal to painfully funny anecdotes, Furiously Happy balances harrowing mental health struggles with moments of utter hilarity. If “normal” is looking harder and harder to achieve, then Lawson says screw it and make life work for you, no matter how weird it looks to others — and her taxidermied raccoon mascot agrees.
There Will Be Lobster: Memoir of a Midlife Crisis by Sara Arnell
It’s an absurdly entertaining title for an absurdly entertaining book; with dark humor and poignant lessons, Sara Arnell’s There Will Be Lobster will put readers on a path to self-improvement. For years, Arnell presented herself as a well-put-together CEO when in truth her life was crumbling around her. It took a raucous New Year’s night to face the reality of her situation; as she woke up on the floor with a black eye and a live lobster, Arnell knew she needed help.
Arnell’s story, among other things, features an 18-pound tumor, a former monk and a rogue crustacean. Yet despite the specificity of these circumstances, her memoir makes the reader feel seen on a deeply personal level, thanks to the earnestness of her words. Encouraging and inspiring, this book is a must for anyone searching for reassurance in the face of, well, life.
Check out what the author herself had to say about There Will Be Lobster here.
Midlife Bites: Anyone Else Falling Apart, Or Is It Just Me? by Jen Mann
Jen Mann thought she had it all; a successful, fulfilling career; a loving husband and two wonderful children; even her chariot of choice, a “badass minivan.” Life was great — which was why she was so shocked when a midlife crisis came out of left field to knock her on her ass. But if nothing else, her life as a bestselling author and blogger has taught Mann how to write. So write she did, penning the memoir that became Midlife Bites.
With biting wit, Mann chronicles her journey through the uncomfortable conversations that often plague women over forty. Tackling difficult topics like menopause hormones, fading friendships and a seeming lack of purpose, Mann dives in to offer both anecdotes and advice for those in similar circumstances to her own. By fostering this space of empathy and understanding, Mann seems to reach through the page to hold the reader’s hand, guiding them through this exciting new chapter in their life.
Calypso by David Sedaris
David Sedaris: he’s the king of whimsical, self-reflective memoirs, and Calypso is no exception to this. This seemingly picturesque read sees Sedaris at his new vacation home on the Carolina shore. It’s an idyllic time of relaxing on the beach, playing games with family and admiring the scenery around him. Yet despite the peaceful setting, Sedaris is forced to reckon with an uncomfortable truth — he can’t take a vacation out of his own head. With only the ocean stretching out before him, Sedaris must wrestle with the memories that this family vacation brings up.
A more serious memoir than some of his works past, Calypso is also a deeply personal story of aging, family and loss. Yet somehow, Sedaris recounts these struggles with all of his trademark charm and wit. With both pithiness and pathos, Calypso walks a fine line while still maintaining the classic Sedaris humor that makes his work so refreshing.
Midlife Crisis on Wheels: A Bicycle Journey Around the World by M.L. Buchman
Picture a workaholic, a crisis projects manager, a consultant and a computer systems designer parked at a desk. M.L. Buchman was all four of those things, right up until the moment he burned himself out and lost his whole sense of self. Broke and directionless, he thought back on an old childhood dream — a dream of setting sail on the ocean or in a small craft airplane. Well, there was no better time to make that fantasy a reality (with some small adjustments, of course).
On his bicycle “Junior,” Buchman set off on what became an 11,000-mile journey of following the westward sun. In this chronicle of his adventure, the author shares the stories of places he pedaled to, people he met and the lessons he learned on his ride. Think Eat Pray Love on wheels and with a lot more cardio. An ode to growth and self-actualization, Midlife Crisis on Wheels strives to inspire you for your next big ride.
