by Casey Wilson
First published 2021
Casey Wilson opens her life wide in this collection of personal essays. She examines the peculiar family dynamics that shaped her, from processing her father's unexpected late-life perm to understanding her role as "Grandpa's pretty girl." Wilson dissects her compulsive need for approval and her obsessions with Scientology, reality TV, and self-help culture. She explores female friendships, the complexities of marriage, and the daily chaos of motherhood. Through essays on eating in bed, analyzing "nice guys," and navigating grief, Wilson uses lowbrow pop culture as her guide to human behavior. She writes about big feelings without apology, whether celebrating friendship or confronting loss. The book delivers the experience of sitting with a friend who embraces every emotion fully and isn't afraid to share the messiest parts of herself.
Genres: essays, autobiography, contemporary, memoir
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, messiness
288 pages · Hardcover · Harper