It would appear that we’re all totally weird, and none of us have any idea what is going on. This is what the book shelves tell me. I’m missing a window shade (pictured above), so clearly I have some major room to grow.
I’ve noticed this generation of book written by women… they’re the sort of books that bat around the idea that the ‘I have no idea what’s going on, or how to be an adult, but I’ve figured a few things out throughout the few years I’ve lived as a young weirdo, and these are those things.’ What is this phenomenon? I think it has everything to do with vulnerability and reliability… and how those things are scary and exhilarating for both the author and the reader. I can appreciate that in a twentysomething coming-of-age story.
There’s Adulting, in which Kelly Williams Brown gives all sorts of helpful hints on adulthood from how to be a class act, to… you know, how to keep a houseplant alive for more than two days. I need this book. The plant pictured above is long-dead.
In Everything Is Perfect When You’re a Liar, Kelly Oxford recounts a coming-of-age story that is totally relatable if you’re a girl that is breathing air. This is my next read.
Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse is written by Alida Nugent. I stood in the book store reading this book and there was an Arrested Development reference by page ten. Sold. It’s about real life: bills, laundry, and really bad wine-tasting parties. You know how it s.
If I were to write this sort of book… which I totally could, because I generally have no idea what to do with myself, my book might be called There’s A Pound of Butter In My Purse, and other weird things that are true.
I’m also thinking of a book titled something like I Didn’t Shave My Legs For This Date On Purpose.
How about I Made You Peanut Butter Cookies Then I Pretended To Forget To Give Them To You So I Ate Them All Myself. Too long? At least you know the sort of person you’re dealing with.
For this summer’s you-curated book list, check this out. For more real-life real-talk on book writing, check out What It’s Really Like.
Tomorrow, Cherry Pie!
photo by lani trock
Kai
I’ve absolutely been there with the “I didn’t shave my legs for this date on purpose”, and would propose the later sequel “Avoiding a bikini wax as a substitute for willpower”.
Mine would probably be “Why Potato Crisps with a Side of Chocolate is a Viable Dinner Option”.
Sarah | The Cyclist's Wife
“I didn’t shave my legs for this date on purpose”. Awesome. Period.
joelle (on a pink typewriter)
Love, love, love this! Those titles of your own book are a crack up, and I can totally relate. I’m going to checkout those books you suggest — sound right up my alley.
Rebeca
the fact that you bought a book because of an arrested development books makes me <3 you all the more.
Jessica
I would totally read a book titled There’s A Pound of Butter in My Purse! On a funny note, it reminds me of my 90-something-year old grandmother who put leftovers for the dog in her purse and forgot about them. How we wish it had been butter!
Carolina
Joy, I would buy any, ok … all of the fun titles you mentioned for your own book!
One book you need to add to the list of great books from women is “I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman” by Nora Ehpron. Her honesty and frankness is a breath of fresh air and hilarious!
Andy
I recommend “I Don’t Care about your Band” by Julie Klausner. It’s more a dating book but it’s a great read.
Sue from Pleasanton
Love, love, love you, Joy! Ditto to those making comments. Anyone who carries a pound of butter in her purse is my kind of woman. Before 9/11 I carried a Swiss Army knife in mine. Chair come apart in a meeting? During a break, I could fix it. For years I’ve carried various colors of Bagagallini’s The Only Bag since it will hold my wide-brimmed, packable hat, BareMinerals SPF30 sun screen (sunburn), kleenix, EPI-pen and Albuterol inhaler (allergies, asthma), folded reusable grocery bags (shopping is a hobby), both linen and pashmina shawls (I’m a woman of a certain age whose personal temperature often has nothing to do with the ambient temperature). As for knowing how to be an adult, none of us comes with an instruction manual. We all make it up as we go along. Thank you all for bringing a smile to my face!
Betsy
I am into (just!) my sixth decade and I have to say that I am so encouraged by the writings of you younger women! I love the honesty and the enthusiasm for creative unfettered uncensored reality. Life is not simple, ever. Not easy peasy. NOT predictable. And, unlike women who came before you who may have had a sort of blueprint to follow ( i.e. Betty Crocker, the mom in Leave it to Beaver (really?), the Mary Tyler Moore show or even the Golden Girls) you are revealing yourselves for who you are. Nothing more. And nothing more is required. Keep on!!!!
Linda@There and Back Again
Hey, I’ve hit my fifth decade and am still weird and totally don’t know what’s going on. I just go day to day, hanging on and learning life’s quirky nature. ;)
joythebaker
i appreciate this so much!
Francesca
Kelly Oxford’s book was great! Can’t wait to hear you chat about it on the podcast. Also, you’re hilarious. Happy Tuesday Joy!
vanessa
I agree Kate Mortons books are excellent The Distant Hours was great. Check out Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah this has to have been one of the best books i have ever read and believe i have read ALOT!!!
Mallory
Or how about, “I made you peanut butter cookies, and yes, I know you have a peanut allergy”? haha
Grace
Shortbread cookies don’t belong in pockets , or Yes, that is a zucchini in my purse.
Rocky Mountain Woman
Always looking for new reads…
sweet pic! you are so cute!!
leslie-anne
great book recommendations, thanks!
Kristin
Hahaha…loved the “I didn’t shave my legs for this date on purpose.” Sounds like a chapter out of my own life. :-) My title would probably be “When I go out, I must be wearing a sign that says “ATTENTION creepy dudes! Please hit on me!” Too long? meh.
Daphne
LOLLLL! LOVED the very first sentence of your post. You should put that on a t-shirt. I’d totally wear it.
Alissa
I love all your titles and can relate to them all! Thank you so much for the book ideas, I am just about to finish up my reading list for the summer, now I can add on a couple more!
Katherine
I used to be a teacher and my book would be, ‘Interesting question… shall we ask the cleverest kid in the class what he thinks the answer might be?’
And I LOVE cherry pie.
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet
So your writing about books titles and I after reading your title I can’t get that song out of my head. The song by the Wonders. Doing that thing we do! I am sure to be singing it for the rest of the day! I would so buy book that was titled There’s A Pound of Butter In My Purse!
Louise
I think my book would have to be titled “Why homeschooling mothers who are also wives of seminary students shouldn’t write books.” Because … wow. I thought this whole being an indie writer while simultaneously raising kids and teaching them and helping my husband through seminary was going to be tricky, but now that we’re in the middle of it I’m starting to think it’s totally impossible.
Although peanut butter cookies made for somebody else and conveniently forgotten in my own cookie jar just might put everything in a better perspective …
Stoich91
Oh Yes, Okay I am down with that last title about the cookies let’s preorder ladee, when exactly is it coming out, again?! :D
Kristina
You better not even JOKE that you’re not gonna write “There’s a Pound of Butter in My Purse” one day!!
Grrrrrrl, drop everything you’re doing and make that happen. Already got JTB on my laptop, on my iPod…JTB my bookshelf, yo!
Love the food, but your “this is life” posts are the best of all.
Jennie
Loved Adulting. Will have to try the other two. I think my book would be Confessions of a Grown Up Who Doesn’t Feel Like a Grown Up.
petal and plume
you can do no wrong in my eyes. i love your words, recipes, photos, every thing!
xx
Becca from Cookie Jar Treats
I love reading about book recommendations. I’m currently trying to re-read the entire Harry Potter series before school starts up again on the 21st (so far just started Half-Blood Prince… think it’s possible?)
And even though school is starting and I will have absolutely zilch time to read, I already have four books on my to buy list. I do not have a problem… noooooo. :P
Cyndi
And I would read all your books! I’m 55, & God forbid I missed something on how to grow up! Since I love to sneak sweets, mine might have to be titled…”The Dog Ate the Cookies!” After all…for years, he ate my homework!!!!
Andj
I completely relate to these! I think my book title for today would be “stop judging me because my hair is wet-Mondays are hard”.
Suzanne from Michigan
“I Didn’t Shave My Legs For This Date On Purpose” hAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. I would absolutely read that book. In fact, I’d really like to have that printed on a tshirt. Thanks for making me laugh first thing on a Monday morning.
Yana
I really don’t know why women are having a hard time making sense of the world , I just turned 28 and everything is crystal clear. I know myself , definitely know what I like , I focus on saving money so i can invest in 2 years and I focus on finding true love. Forget all the white noise and focus on you, and never take advice from people dumber than you.
joythebaker
Oh Yana.
shelly@ohshellsbells
Well now I have to go listen to that song. You know the one.
Candice @ The Savory and The Beautiful
Joy this is how relatable you are, I can share with you I would wear my period panties to avoid misbehavior lol.
Betsy
so funny!
gayle
Ha! Thank you for the p.b. cookie line. I baked some dangerously delicious butterscotch pecan brownies to give to my parents, and I keep opening the foil and plastic wrap packaging to snitch them. If I don’t get over to their house today they may never know how nice I intended to be!
Lena
The fact that you watch Arrested Development is just perfect!
Fiona D
Yeah, I agree. None of us truly no what is going on, we are all just mumbling along trying to get a clearer idea. Btw, love the title of your book ‘I Didn’t Shave My Legs For This Date On Purpose’ haha!
Piera
I highly recommend ‘How to be a Woman’ by Caitlin Moran. It helped me realise we are all weird but its all good.
joythebaker
I like that book quite a lot!
Paulette
I have already started my book. “Pack Up Your Bags, Here Comes Another Guilt Trip” I’m Italian, love to eat anything and have four sibling to compete with. I’m much older now and believe ot or not, I’ve gotten it down to just a carry on in every day life. LOL Paulette
joythebaker
Haha! I appreciate you!
Betsy
a sequel-” at least my baggage is just a carry-on”
joythebaker
real.
Elena @ Randomly Happy
Love any book that reminds me that no one’s got it totally sussed out. And that sometimes cookies weren’t meant to be shared.
Belinda @themoonblushbaker
I think my title would have to be “Burning water and toast Daily”. I love Oxfords work, her book as so eye opening for me especially being a shy girl in this day and age.
Miss Kim @ behgopa
You should total write books with those titles lol. I would so read them all. I haven’t read a book in like…forever. Thanks for the suggestions. Been contemplating on what to read.
What Kate Baked
Or how about a book entitled ‘This Cake Went so Badly Wrong, The Middle Isn’t Even Cooked So I Cut out the Middle, Stuffed it with Fruit, Pretended It Was Supposed to be Like That and Hoped You didn’t Notice’?
joythebaker
I love you.
Lizzy
Yep you are my favorite human. And thanks for the last minute summer reading list! I’ll have to get on that before the semester starts in 2 weeks.
Jess
I’ll happily co-author these weirdy books with you. I don’t know what to do with myself or my feelings either. You’re the best. P.S. One of my books might be called “WTF Universe?!”
MoonLight @ AWorldInMyOven
Brilliant! You need to send me a copy of the book once you make it :P ‘Wtf universe’ is one of the things I tell myself every single day… I’m also all about the ‘Im pretending to make stuff for you so secretly I can eat it all’.. I don’t believe anyone who says they never did this!
– One a side note: wauw Joy, I wish I had so much space on my countertop or any flat surface in this house! >.<