Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s - a touching and very funny memoir.

As someone who primarily reads fiction, I find an interesting memoir every now and then. I mostly read memoirs of musicians. I find their journeys to be fascinating. With a few rare exceptions that I can count on one hand, I don't seek out memoirs by comedians even though I am a huge fan of stand-up comedy. But that was before one was written by Gary Gulman. He is my favorite comedian working today. His career has spanned three decades and has included countless late-night appearances to hysterical one-man shows that have aired on various streaming channels, including his latest, Born on Third Base, now on MAX. His 2019 show The Great Depresh, bravely addressed his crippling depression and anxiety, which I am sure helped many people struggling with mental health issues. What a mensch! In March 2020, his show in Florida was the last live entertainment I experienced before everything shut down. And now we have his new book, Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s. I loved it.

If Gary Gulman also brings you joy, you'll want to read this funny and touching book or listen to the audio version, which is what I did. It is all about his childhood experiences growing up in a Boston suburb with parents who divorced before he was two. The book shifts periodically to 2017 when Gulman's depression brought him back to his mother's home. The majority of the book is a grade-by-grade recollection of his formative years with anecdotes that reveal how it all formed his personality and humor. Gulman had dreamed of playing professional basketball (he's 6' 6") but was obsessed with comedy and the feeling he got when people laughed at his jokes. His childhood through adolescence was filled with high and lows. It is written in the clever way that Gulman performs. I had such a big smile while listening to it, my cheeks hurt. If you're new to the humor of Gary Gulman, watch a few of his performances online. Then read or listen to this book.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Memoir | Humor | Mental Health.

Publication Date: September 13, 2023.

Please "like" this post if Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the '80s sounds like a book you might like to read or listen to. I'd love to know. Scroll below the photo and click on the red outlined heart on the lower right-hand side of the page. Comments can also be left below. (Any Gulman fans out there?)