We Are Never Meeting in Real Life

Essays

By: Samantha Irby

Narrated by: Samantha Irby

Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times Best Seller

This essay collection from the “bitches gotta eat” blogger, writer on Hulu’s Shrill, and “one of our country’s most fierce and foulmouthed authors” (Amber Tamblyn, Vulture) is sure to make you alternately cackle with glee and cry real tears.

Whether Samantha Irby is talking about how her difficult childhood has led to a problem in making “adult” budgets; explaining why she should be the new Bachelorette (she’s “35-ish, but could easily pass for 60-something”); detailing a disastrous pilgrimage-slash-romantic-vacation to Nashville to scatter her estranged father’s ashes; sharing awkward sexual encounters; or dispensing advice on how to navigate friendships with former drinking buddies who are now suburban moms (hang in there for the Costco loot!); she’s as deft at poking fun at the ghosts of her past self as she is at capturing powerful emotional truths.

©2017 Samantha Irby (P)2017 Random House Audio

There, But For The Grace Of God

This is the reality television of essay writing.

The author takes self deprecation to its extreme, so much so that it made me uncomfortable. I was looking for a companion to sit with me in my ivory tower (John Jeremiah Sullivan). Instead, I was pulled down to her painfully real version of modern day life, complete with spoken LOLs and emojis.

This book almost killed me.

I am saying this as a nearly-rabid fan of Mindy Kaling, who exposes the worst of herself as well, but does so in a way I find inexplicably charming. Irby shows off her grossness in the same way Sarah Silverman does in Bedwetter, but Silverman is proud of who she is, and doesn't suck the reader into a self-shame party.

This book is too real for me, and I see too many of my own bad qualities in Irby. I don't hate you, Author. And I don't think you're "literally the worst". I think you tried to self-satirize, in an effort to show me that it's okay to be me. But the "I hate myself", completely naked approach was too much for me.

I got it. I just can't defend it.

The perfect balance of humour and pathos

I never wanted this book to end. There were several legitimate spit takes as I listened (coffee is my constant listening companion) and so many places where I absolutely connected with the anecdotes and found myself thinking "me too!" Thank God this woman and her perfect deadpan delivery exist and that she wrote this wonderful book. I will read or listen to anything she writes.

Not for me

I did NOT like this book. It started off funny, but slightly annoying, then it just went downhill from there. Irby was just so negative. She always complained about everything. I was starting to doubt that I anything could make this woman happy. It was just too negative for me to read and it was hard to connect with her.

The parts I did like were the bachelor application chapter, when she talked about how she had sex with hot guys even though she was more curvy (get it girl!) and then the beginning of the very last chapter when she talked about being her authentic self and not changing for anyone. Those small pieces I liked. Everything else, no.
I’m going to be returning it on Audible.

Not a great voice, not a great story

I only got through a little bit before I knew it was not something worth my time. She's not funny she's obnoxious and rude didn't find one sentence that I felt I wanted to laugh at all. Not and ounce of class. Wish I could return the book.

Language!

Full of vulgarities common in the younger generations of today. Her story telling is great but I could not get past the frequent F-bombs. Didn't finish because of the language.

hilarious!

I laughed out loud multiple times throughout the book! highly recommend for those that don't get easily offended! she's real, she's honest and she's hilarious!

The best

Literally so so funny, true and hilarious. Deeply touching and personal. Also just laughing out load through the whole thing. Thank you for this book.

Kind of a chore to get through

This wasn't horrible but not worth your credit. I found I really had to force myself to finish. Samantha's story is interesting at times, I did find her narration nasally and annoying, major turn off. You can clearly tell chapters previously delivered for a stand up routine or blog as they are far more polished. I'm pretty sarcastic and snarky and found Samantha's delivery strained. I really hate to give such a bad review, perhaps future work will seem less low budget.

Queen

I love your words Samantha Irby. Thank you for spelling out your mother fucking truth. You give me courage and make me laugh. I'm so grateful for you. I'm sorry for all you've been through. I'm impressed with all you've become.

Soda water forever

I laughed, I cried, I love Helen Keller. Seriously. I wish there were more authors like Irby.