Welcome to the United States of Anxiety

Observations from a Reforming Neurotic

By: Jen Lancaster

Narrated by: Jen Lancaster

Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

A Wall Street Journal bestseller.

New York Times bestselling author Jen Lancaster is here to help you chill the hell out.

When did USA become shorthand for the United States of Anxiety? From the moment Americans wake up, we’re bombarded with all-new terrifying news about crime, the environment, politics, and stroke-inducing foods we’ve been enjoying for years. We’re judged by social media’s faceless masses, pressured into maintaining a Pinterest-perfect home, and expected to base our self-worth on retweets, faves, likes, and followers. Our collective FOMO, and the disparity between the ideal and reality, is leading us to spend more and feel worse. No wonder we’re getting twitchy. Save for an Independence Day-style alien invasion, how do we begin to escape from the stressors that make up our days?

Jen Lancaster is here to take a hard look at our elevating anxieties, and with self-deprecating wit and levelheaded wisdom, she charts a path out of the quagmire that keeps us frightened of the future and ashamed of our imperfectly perfect human lives. Take a deep breath, and her advice, and you just might get through a holiday dinner without wanting to disown your uncle.

©2020 Jen Lancaster (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“As Lancaster is narrating her own work, we get the perfect tone for her often sarcastic comments and observations. Her personal delivery brings so much more to the text and makes for a delightful listening experience that will leave listeners laughing, despite feelings of unease.” --AudioFile Magazine

“Lancaster humorously considers the role of anxiety in American life in a delightful and perceptive book packed with tips on how to relax. Lancaster is very funny, and her insightful, always entertaining critique may motivate readers to back away from social media.” --Publishers Weekly

“Armed with wit and insight, [Lancaster] plots a simple, easy-to-follow course to navigate our anxieties and better manage our levels of stress…this is sound advice we all should heed.” --Kirkus Reviews

Good

I enjoyed the book overall. It was engaging and had facts to make it very interesting! Loved listening to it as the author made it seem more personal by her inflection and tone. I’m sure it’s better as an audio presentation than the book.

humorous observations

Starting with Maslow's hierarchy as a guide to help understand the stressors in our lives, the author uses humor to help the reader get a sense of some of the unnecessary stress that we invite in to our lives.

random wisdom

Enjoyable, diverse topics and humorous. It felt like a booking random wisdom from a comic.

Love Jen Lancaster; pretty good book

I found Jen during the pandemic and began following her on IG; I enjoyed this book and enjoyed its comedic value. I didn’t agree with some of the topics but appreciated the dive into it them. Good, not too serious read. Jen narration made it way better.

Lectures with a touch of humor

I am a long time fan of Jen Lancaster and this book had its moments of glory. However other parts gave me college flashbacks of being in a lecture hall, the teacher trying to combine cited facts and humor. She did her research, crafted a story for each chapter/topic, but the narration fell flat.

Get off my lawn!

I love Jen Lancaster. I’ve read, I think, all of her books. This felt like an elderly rant by my parents. A few good points and quite a bit of nostalgia, but it wasn’t my favorite.

worth it

insightful and amusing...caused me to think which I consider a huge plus in a book

A departure from her usual work but still enjoyable

This isn’t her usual self depreciating memoir but there are funny moments all the same. This book is thought provoking and I’ll most likely listen to it again soon.

loved it!

spot on! very entertaining! love it when the author reads their own work! loved it!

Loved it!

Jen is an awesome narrator. I loved her look backs at the zeitgeist over the years. It's great to look back at so many things I've already forgotten and she sums them up perfectly. And her book has an excellent message about stressing out too much about unimportant things.