This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps

I love a good storyteller. This shouldn't really surprise anyone, but mostly, I love people who can make up a good story. I find, often, that people fall a little short when they're retelling their own stories. This hasn't stopped me from gulping down a memoir every now and again. Mostly by a celebrity, mostly be a female. Even if the storytelling isn't amazing, the insight into a life completely not my own is entertaining. But, this book is different. Busy Philipps is an incredible storyteller, and a lot of her life doesn't feel so foreign. If I can't connect it to my own life, I see similarities between the experiences of people within my own circle.

The unique thing about Busy is that she's not afraid to tell you about all of it. She's a real, three-dimensional person in her memoir, hiding nothing. Her insecurities, her struggles, her doubts -- all are displayed in an artfully rambling style that gets you from late childhood to yesterday. It's fantastic. With a style that's all her own, you get to see a real person who's struggling to find work, be a mom, have a meaningful marriage, all while working in TV and movies now and again. Her celebrity is second to her emotional journey. Her acting credentials, a minor component of what makes her an interesting and complex person with a story to tell.

I have to admit that I picked up this book after having watched a few episodes of her talk show, Busy Tonight. The tone was different and I wanted to see if the book could capture that. Busy just seemed unapologetic and so confident. Not having Instagram, I had no idea about her presence there, but I liked what I saw on screen. Now, I like her even more after learning about her journey to this exact spot.

In my rudimentary estimation, Busy is a cool chic who's done a lot and seen even more. Her approach to the world, hardships and all, comes with a special clarity that gives her great cred to be a fantastic storyteller. This is a read I'd highly recommend.