When You Find Out the World is Against You

And Other Funny Memories About Awful Moments

By: Kelly Oxford

Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky

The famed internet personality—named one of Rolling Stone’s Funniest People on Twitter and creator of the viral #notokay for women to share their stories of sexual assault—and bestselling author of Everything Is Perfect When You’re a Liar turns her laser-like wit to anxiety, parenthood (or ""the sheer insanity of being in charge of the safety and livelihood of three people besides myself""), popular culture, and more in this razor sharp essay collection.

Like Chelsea Handler, David Sedaris, Dave Barry, and Patton Oswalt, Kelly Oxford—the Canadian native and Los Angeles transplant—has won legions of fans with her comedic skill, down-to-earth voice, and bull’s-eye observations on the absurdity of modern life. For example:

""Congratulations America, I finally get a green card & now I may have to move back to Canada. Trump in the final two for President. Surreal.""

""Dear Parents of pre-teen boys, Tell them they’ll get ED by 18 if they watch Internet porn then buy them some porno mags. Thank You, Women""

""I’m not going to have a coffee this morning with the intent of blaming all my screw-ups on the missed coffee.""

""1 good piece of news today: 7yo told me there is a secret war going on between muffins and cupcakes & I haven’t stopped thinking about it.""

Dishing about her kids, her move to America (and what she really thinks about life in LA), her marriage, and how she copes (or not) with anxiety and depression, When You Find Out the World is Against You is Kelly at her honest and most disarmingly funny best. Filled with biting, wise, and laugh-out-loud insights, this vastly entertaining collection of vignettes will make you think as much as it will make you laugh.

Autobiographical books should be narrated by the author

I really enjoy Kelly Oxford's writing for its witticisms, candour, and Canadian references. Stories in this collection included all of that but it felt wrong to not have her narrate. The narrator isn't awful but she mispronounced "toque" which is ironic in the Canadian joke context that it was used. Also when the author references makes fun of her own voice it would be nice to hear it. I love autobiographical books by comedic voices like NPH, Mindy Kaling, Amy Shumer, Trevor Noah, etc. And they all narrated themselves which made the audio book more appealing than reading the actual paper book

So very relatable

Thank you, Kelly Oxford, for your vulnerability which helps me feel more “okay.” I love a story that makes me lol.

last chapter was chilling

I found the book after reading her tweets. Her story inspired many woman to tell there story of abuse.

Meh....

only intermittently funny. insights good but not great. There's so much of this out there now. So many wonderful women writers. I would skip this one.

In need of therapy

I listen to a lot of audiobooks. A variety of subjects, and especially I love biographies, autobiographies, and nonfiction. I could not make it through this book. In the first chapter you can already tell this poor girl needs therapy. In the second chapter I think this is where it flashes to her being an adult. And you can still hear the crazy in her. Not funny crazy but serious mental illness anxiety crazy. And then when she gets to the part about her daughter in preschool, that was enough. I had to turn it off. Definitely the worst book I ever listen to and I feel sorry for the person the story is about.