WE'RE ALL MAD HERE

In 33 short, opinionated, eccentric, impatient, but fair-minded essays, Kuipers expounds on experiences that have made her a loving aunt and a shrewd editor.

The topics of the author’s cultural criticism range widely. One expounds on her fandom for Justin Bieber; another on the ridiculousness of the public outcry following Sports Illustrated’s inclusion of “an allegedly ‘plus-sized’ model (heavy emphasis on the air quotes)” in its swimsuit issue; and yet another on “guyarrhea”—an aptly-named gastrointestinal ailment that the author dealt with as a teenager after sudden encounters with cute boys. They’re bound to get some readers angry, or excited, or possibly both. Some essays will remind readers that they don’t need to force a cheery facade to enjoy life, and accounts of the author’s experiences with roller derby and live chickens may make them laugh out loud. These pieces are also riddled with charming digressions, which lend the book a gossipy readability. Some cover more serious topics, such as the author’s fraught relationship with her mother during the latter’s battle with mental illness, which manifested as hypochondria and extreme anxiety; another addresses Kuipers’ battle with Lyme disease, which left her weakened and suffering from brain damage. These more difficult accounts she generally approaches with sensitivity while still maintaining an endearingly crass tone. Between all the expletives, readers will catch glimpses of a serene, life-affirming positivity: Lyme disease may have affected her memory, she notes, but it also gave her “the lifetime privilege of being allowed to forget people’s names." Her mother’s worried request that she improvise a helmet out of kitchenware suggested that something was deeply wrong, she says, but it also led to the drinking game “Colander Head.” A career copyeditor, Kuipers delivers clean, snappy text—with occasional made-up words and expletive-laden insults.

A hilariously honest collection of revealing works.