Clever Woman

This is comedian and writer Jen Kirkman’s second book, and it’s quite nice. It’s not a comedy book, but a collection of essays and stories about her life. She’s divorced, she’s childfree, and she has an unconventional job. Hopefully it goes without saying, but you don’t need to be any of those things to find her writing relatable and charming.

If you listen to her podcast “I Seem Fun,” you’ll find that some of the stories are familiar. But definitely not all, or even most. There is plenty here for those who are new to her work and those who have been following her for years. My favorite moments in the book are when she says things that I wish I could say but haven’t yet reached the point where I can. She’s not defensive to or offended by certain comments; she just wants folks to know that they are wrong in their comments about her and her life choices. It’s awesome and freeing.

If you haven’t read her first book, I recommend starting there. Then read this. Then watch her stand-up special on Netflix. Then start following her on Instagram and twitter (if you like to see her be brutally honest with condescending anti-feminists), and listen to her podcast. And if you’re really lucky (like I am), you can even catch her on her book tour.