Series: n/a
Author: Quinta Brunson
Source/Format: Netgalley; eARC
More Details: Nonfiction; Essays
Publisher/Publication Date: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; June 15, 2021
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Synopsis from Goodreads...
From comedian Quinta Brunson comes a deeply personal and funny collection of essays featuring anecdotes about trying to make it when you’re broke, overcoming self-doubt and depression, and how she’s used humor to navigate her career in unusual directions...Quinta Brunson is a master of viral Internet content: without any traditional background in media, her humorous videos were the first to break through on Instagram’s platform, receiving millions of views. From there, Brunson’s wryly observant POV attracted the attention of BuzzFeed’s motion picture development department, leading her to produce viral videos there about topics like interracial dating, millennial malaise, and seeing your ex in public. Now, Brunson is bringing her comedic chops to the page in She Memes Well, an earnest, laugh-out-loud collection about her weird road to Internet notoriety. In her debut essay collection, Quinta applies her trademark humor and heart to discuss what it was like to go from student loan debt-broke to “halfway recognizable—‘don’t I know you somewhere?’” level-of-fame. With anecdotes that range from the funny and zany—like her experience trying to find her signature hairstyle—to more grounded material about living with depression, Brunson’s voice is entirely authentic and eminently readable. Perfect for fans of Phoebe Robinson’s You Can’t Touch My Hair, Samantha Irby’s We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, and Issa Rae’s The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, She Memes Well will charm and entertain a growing, engaged audience.
It’s been some time since I last read an essay collection. My typical nonfiction reads are science or history based. Yet, I was looking for something I hadn’t read in a while. I remember Quinta Brunson best through her internet content. I’ve seen the memes and I’ve watched the videos, which garnered my interest in her essay collection, She Memes Well.
Essays can come from a deeply personal place, especially when they are autobiographical. She Memes Well falls firmly within that category, and I have to say that it was a good collection of essays. It was a thoughtful exploration of many topics, and the overall reaction I had to it was a positive one. Brunson wrote (at length) about the people and experiences that were integral to her. Often times, this included—but wasn’t limited to—reminiscing about the ups and the downs throughout her life through topics ranging from her early education and childhood to the beginnings of her career.
She Memes Well proved to be the perfect fit for a weekend read. And if you’re a fan of Brunson’s work, I high recommend this one.
Essays can come from a deeply personal place, especially when they are autobiographical. She Memes Well falls firmly within that category, and I have to say that it was a good collection of essays. It was a thoughtful exploration of many topics, and the overall reaction I had to it was a positive one. Brunson wrote (at length) about the people and experiences that were integral to her. Often times, this included—but wasn’t limited to—reminiscing about the ups and the downs throughout her life through topics ranging from her early education and childhood to the beginnings of her career.
She Memes Well proved to be the perfect fit for a weekend read. And if you’re a fan of Brunson’s work, I high recommend this one.
About the author....
Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!
