Book Club — Yes Please by Amy Poehler

OK you guys! I’ve picked a new book for our book club. I hope you all have read #GIRLBOSS, but if you haven’t no big deal. Like I said before, this is a no pressure, no obligation read as fast or slow as you wish kinda club. I chose Yes Please by Amy Poehler because it was recommended to me by a fellow House Of Hipsters reader whom I’ve known since Preschool/Kindergarten. It’s so crazy how this blog has brought so many people into my life again — new and old.

So far, I like the wise voice of Amy…I haven’t finished, but almost there. It’s along the similar path of #GIRLBOSS, with the “go your own way” attitude, but yet completely different. Amy doesn’t have that rebellious, screw “the man” kind of attitude like Sophia. She’s more laid back, kinda funny and grounded. She makes fun of herself. She’s humble. She’s wise. And who knew she’d be insecure? I do think there are many times when she loses focus, and her editors should have corrected that before publishing.

After reading the first chapter, if I ever had any thoughts of ever wanting to write my own book…ummm, ya, those thoughts are out the window. It apparently was a grueling process that almost killed her. In her defense, having 2 small children on top of divorce and life in general, not to mention celebrity life, well I can’t even imagine that sort of pressure. But this book was off to an ominous start. I suddenly felt a bit unsure about nominating this book for book club.

I particularly liked the chapter about her birthday written by her mother. I laughed her father’s version was a paragraph long and how he remembers that her fanny fit in the palm of his hand. Personally, I remember pretty much every moment of Little Dude and Little Maus’ birthdays and the days leading up to their arrival, but I know nothing about the day of my birth. I like how she encourages her reader to ask about the tale and record it for the reader’s own memory. I was lying in bed thinking, ya know, I really should ask my parents about that day. And speaking about births, I about died when she wrote, “I don’t consider myself beautiful or famous, but my vagina certainly is. Everyone knows this. I have the Angelina Jolie of vaginas.” And now I can’t even imagine what that is going to do to my Google Analytics. Hello freaks and creeps, welcome to book club…oh, not what you were looking for eh?

I also adored the chapter by Seth Meyers. Proving again and again that he’s charming, cute, genuine, and sincere. We could totally be BFFs. Do you hear that Seth? BFFs! He conveys his love and respect for her and their sincere friendship. She returns it with the text she wrote him prior to his solo debut on Weekend Update. It’s the little things.

I loved how she is a self-proclaimed moon junkie. “Every time I look at the moon, I feel less alone and less afraid.” I too share this love. I tell my children every day, “I love you to the moon and back.” When I’m away, I remind them that we are all under the same moon, and at night if they look up, know I am looking up as well at that very same moon. Every morning on the way to daycare, my daughter looks for the moon through the (appropriately named) moon roof, and when my son was her age he, and I would look for meeps (airplanes) and find the moon.

Prior to purchasing and recommending this particular book, I read many different reviews on Yes Please. Many people loved it while others were disappointed because it was not chocked full of comedy. Maybe that is why I wasn’t disappointed? I knew what was to be expected. I knew this was a book about Amy’s life and how sometimes it’s awesome and sometimes it completely stinks. A one-liner here and there, but not to expect belly laughs on every page just because she’s a comedian. I liked how she was completely honest about her demons. It’s in a way comforting to know you aren’t the only one who has weird or crazy thoughts.

Amy says sorry a lot. Do you say sorry a lot? I sure do. Even when I’m not sorry, I say sorry, just like Amy. I tell ya what I’m not sorry for. I’m not sorry I read this book, but I am sorry I didn’t love, love, love it. I mean, it was good. It really was, but it didn’t knock my socks off. Ya know? How did you guys like it? Did you love it? Was it meh? Did you accidentally lose the power cord to your iPad? What do you guys want to read next? Do we have more recommendations? I welcome you to join in the discussion in the comments section below. I’d love to hear your voice.