I gulped down Lindy West's hilarious, heartfelt, moving memoir almost entirely in one go. She is captivating and oh-so-funny—if I could have one iota of her talent for comedy, just one little blip or sliver, that would be enough for me.

Lindy West is a writer, comedian, showrunner, columnist, and unashamed fat badass. Her memoir recounts times where her fatness ruined her life until she owned it and learned to make it hers, even while her own very famous boss continued to publicly fat-shame Americans. It recounted the experience of abortion and how while it is allowed to be emotionally painful, it also doesn't have to be, and shouldn't be expected to be. It recounted the ways in which comedy prior to the #MeToo movement made light of rape jokes and disrespected women. It recounted the poignant loss of her father and broken connection with her future husband that was one day repaired. It recounted the response to internet trolls and the deeper meanings of their actions. Most of all, it shifted my perspective on so much. On being a loud woman, unabashed in your beliefs, on standing up for what is right before others have the courage to, on taking on the hate and vitriol that clownish boys and men and even some women will spew at you for being yourself, on loving yourself while fat and sassy and loud and brash.

Wow, this lady can write. Beyond just being funny, she's incredibly insightful, and there are some seriously tear-jerking moments in this memoir. The audio, performed by Lindy herself, really made me feel as though I was connecting with this wonderful woman. I feel as though she is an old friend now, and a friend that made me stop and think about how I treat my other friends—fat friends, skinny friends, social justice friends, yee-yee friends (I have to admit, I do have them. You don't live in Grand Junction, Colorado and not have yee-yee Let's Go Brandon friends, no matter how hard you try to remain in your bubble), how I see them and the world and myself, and how I stand up for what is right.

The most amazing thing about this book is that it was written just before #MeToo blew up on the internet. Comedy in particular has changed so much since the publication of Shrill in 2016. The comedians like Jim Norton and even Louis C.K. that West discusses in her book have either had a public takedown for their inexcusable actions, words, and in some cases crimes against women, or they have had to come out and publicly disavow their friends and some of their own work in the past. I would really love to hear what Lindy has to say on this subject now. The jokes that were aimed at her and messages slogged at her after the publication of her article "How to Make a Rape Joke" were entirely unacceptable. These trolls do still exist, but the landscape of their trolling has changed completely. I'm sure she has written on this subject, and The Witches Are Coming is on my TBR, hopefully soon, so I'm interested in what she has to say there. She was so insightful in 2016 that she must have just transcended by now.

I can't recommend this memoir enough. It was everything—funny, heartbreaking, inspiring. Lindy West is my hero and I will always be listening and looking for more from her after this reading experience. An easy peasy 5 stars from me-asy!