I'll Show Myself Out

Essays on Midlife and Motherhood

By: Jessi Klein

Narrated by: Jessi Klein

Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

An instant New York Times bestseller, I'll Show Myself Out is the eagerly anticipated second essay collection from Jessi Klein, author of the acclaimed debut You’ll Grow Out of It.

Longlisted for the PEN Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay

“Sometimes I think about how much bad news there is to tell my kid, the endlessly long, looping CVS receipt scroll of truly terrible things that have happened, and I want to get under the bed and never come out. How do we tell them about all this? Can we just play Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire and then brace for questions? The first of which should be, how is this a song that played on the radio?”

In New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning writer and producer Jessi Klein’s second collection, she hilariously explodes the cultural myths and impossible expectations around motherhood and explore the humiliations, poignancies, and possibilities of midlife.

In interconnected essays like “Listening to Beyoncé in the Parking Lot of Party City,” “Your Husband Will Remarry Five Minutes After You Die,” “Eulogy for My Feet,” and “An Open Love Letter to Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent,” Klein explores this stage of life in all its cruel ironies, joyous moments, and bittersweetness.

Written with Klein’s signature candor and humanity, I'll Show Myself Out is an incisive, moving, and often uproarious collection.

©2022 Jessi Klein (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Jessi!

Such a powerful collection of essays. Hero’s journey made me weep. Underwear sandwich made me cackle. It’s just great.

Just finished and I want to read it again IMMEDIATELY.

This is by far my favorite book about the experience of motherhood that I’ve ever read, and embarrassingly, I’ve read A LOT of books about the experience of motherhood. It made me laugh and cry and more than anything, feel a lot less alone.

A must-read for all mamas

Absolutely hilarious and also heartwarming. The author articulates exactly how motherhood feels when I so often can’t find the words. Loved it!

Do people care? Yes- other moms.

This whole book was amazing. Went through it way too fast. I Especially loved the fashion chapter. What the fuck am I supposed to wear?!

Wonderful book

Very fun. And actually very informative for new parents. I was struck by how smart and insightful she is.

I laughed out loud. I felt seen!

This is my second book by Jessie Klein and I can honestly say that I she did not disappoint. Her reflections on motherhood resonated in my soul! I laughed, I cried. I felt heard. I felt seen. I felt I was not alone. 💕

The world needs more of Jessi Klein

My favorite book. I dive into so many psych books, self help… this hilariously beautiful book was monumental. From tears to laughs you’ve got to listen!

The best reflection of parenthood

Jessi Klein writes the most poignant, thoughtful and funny reflections on parenting that I have read.

Perfect sequel to You’ll Grow Out of It.

I’m seeing reviews where people are complaining that Jesse is complaining, but that isn’t my experience of this book. Jesse takes on Motherhood with her classically dry, realist sense of humor. It’s a beautiful balance of struggle and hope all wrapped in the Jessi Klein lens I was hoping for.

Speaks to moms and non-moms alike

Jessi Klein is amazing, and her books are best enjoyed read by her, in audio format. I loved her last book so much, I pre-ordered this one, despite the fact that I am childfree and not really interested in reading ~yet another~ (I'll come back to that) memoir on motherhood.

The first chapter had me on the fence. I thought, "Here we go ... another woman who OPTED IN to motherhood only to tell me how hard it is." But no. That is not this book. Jessi Klein goes into brutal, refreshing, funny, often excruciating detail about the things our culture doesn't talk about, leaving you to ask along with her, "Well why DON'T we talk about this?" Jessi is brave enough to tell it like it is on behalf of all women.

This is a memoir on motherhood that speaks to moms and non-moms alike. She managed to validate all the reasons I opted out of motherhood while still telling a story that is heartfelt and touching, sometimes making me laugh and sometimes making me tear up. I love her voice, the words she chooses, and the way she can reject "mama" jewelry while also holding women and moms in such high esteem. A really great read.