Written By Chelsea Handler
Published By: Spiegel & Grau
Reviewed By: Melissa Minners
If you have ever read one of comedienne Chelsea Handler’s books, you would know that they are full of sex, drugs, booze and hilariously funny stories about her life, friends, and family. I have read and really enjoyed a couple of her books, so I was happy to get her latest book, Life Will Be the Death of Me as a recent gift. It came at a time when I could really use a laugh.
Life Will Be the Death of Me comes at a point in Chelsea Handler’s life when she is questioning everything around her. Donald Trump has become President, something she never believed was possible. The world around her is becoming intolerable and Chelsea feels like she needs help understanding her anger and anguish. She has tried therapy before, but it never seemed like it “worked.” Finally, she has found a psychiatrist that can go head to head with her stubborn, snarky self and help Chelsea delve into past situations that may have shaped the woman she has become.
We soon learn that there was a profound event in Chelsea Handler’s life that shaped who she is – the death of her brother, Chet. When Chelsea was nine years old, her brother decided to forego the annual family trip in preference to a hike with friends. He fell to his death during that hiking trip and Chelsea Handler’s life would never be the same. Her family didn’t deal with Chet’s death well, so Chelsea was never able to grieve properly. She was taught to avoid grief and her expressions of grief were associated with frustration and anger.
Over the years, this history of the avoidance of sadness parlayed itself into a lucrative comedic career for Chelsea, but she always felt that something was missing. Now, decades later, she was finally willing to face what it was that was haunting her all of these years. Of course, that is not to say that she doesn’t experience some wild and crazy events along the way. What would a journey through the grief of the past be like without the insanity of Chelsea Handler’s present life, right?
Life Will Be the Death of Me was nowhere near what I expected it to be. I expected another funny book filled with Chelsea Handler’s over-the-top antics. Instead, I got a book filled with self-exploration and an understanding of how grief can truly affect someone and mold their future. Despite the heaviness of the subject matter, it is delivered with that classic Chelsea Handler wit that she has featured in all of her books. Funny tales about her childhood, her dogs, and her obsession with Special Counsel Robert Mueller help lighten things up a bit. You simply can’t help but laugh.
Life Will Be the Death of Me is unlike any Chelsea Handler book I have ever read. It’s a rollercoaster ride of laughter and tears, anger and excitement, pain and healing. I was looking for a laugh when I started reading this book. By the end, I realized that I had gotten so much more, a glimpse into the life of Chelsea Handler that she never really lets the public see. It was well worth the read.
Check out Life Will Be the Death of Me at Amazon
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