Be Happy or I'll Scream

I rarely recommend books because, quite honestly, I'm often on the receiving end of book recommendations. I'm not an avid reader.

This past January after our tragic miscarriage, I told Dan to go to the library and check out all the funny books he could find. I didn't want any books on grieving, loss, fertility...I just wanted to laugh again. This was the gem he brought home: "Be Happy or I'll Scream" by Sheri Lynch. She is a terrific writer. Her vocabulary is enormous and the way she strings sentences along into a cohesive happy plot gives me hope that mothers do not have to check their brain at the door. I tend to like humor that is a little more cynical, so if you're not into that, you probably won't be too jazzed by her style.

Technically, I think the book is nonfiction, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's all true. Sheri tells her story of how she tries to be a supermom. Her husband is a stay at hom father. She is a radio personality. She comes from a very sad family history which she doesn't dwell on, but gives as background to her humorous account as to why she has become such a crazy mother.

I particularly liked the chapter when she arranged for a family outing: going through a maze at a local farm. Anyway, she meant for it to be a simple, nature filled afternoon and it ended up being too much for her young children and husband. It didn't help that she wore strappy Italian leather sandals for galavanting through the dirt. If memory serves, they got lost in the maze and in order to get clues to get out, they had to know some random history about the Civil War. Something like that. Hilarious.

If nothing else, this book showed me that I'm not the only clueless one when it comes to motherhood. It's a good read.