"We are broken. We are healing. It never ends. And, if you look at it in just the right light, it is beautiful.'
When Raincoast Books asked me if I'd like to receive a copy of Jenny Lawson's new book, Broken (in the best possible way), I couldn't say yes fast enough. A book about how the pieces of us that are broken might actually matter the most? I can't think of a message I need more.
In Broken, Jenny Lawson writes about her mental and physical health challenges that have left her feeling, for a lack of a better word, broken. In a heartbreaking and hilarious way, she shares the ups and downs she has experienced, ultimately reminding us that we are less alone when we share these struggles with each other.
"...we often try to present our fake, shiny, happy selves to others and make sure we're not wearing too-obvious pajamas at the grocery store, but really, who wants to see that level of fraud? No one. What we really want is ti now we're not alone in our terribleness."
The chapter An Open Letter to My Health Insurance Company broke my heart, and the chapter Awkwarding Brings Us Together made me laugh until I cried.
I'm sure I'm not the only one that has found the past year more difficult than I could have possibly imagined. Feelings of brokenness, imposter syndrome, not-enough-ness, and fear have been regular companions during the pandemic.
It's serendipitous that a book about finding hope and togetherness in our broken parts has entered the world in 2021, like the Japanese art of Kintsugi that puts broken pottery pieces back together with gold. I think all readers would benefit from reading Broken. Not only because I imagine we will all see ourselves in this book somewhere along the way, but also as an act of empathy to take a peek into what life is like for someone who has chronic mental and physical struggles.
Thank you to Raincoast Books for sending this copy my way. I look forward to reading some of Jenny Lawson's backlist books sometime in the future.
xo
Jenn
