The Hilarious World of Depression

by John Moe Narrated by John Moe

Overview

"Inspired by his podcast of the same name, this combination memoir and informational text is narrated by its author with sincere emotional investment and subtle humor." -- AudioFile Magazine

A moving portrait of depression, from the host of the podcast The Hilarious World of Depression

"This book is an excellent life raft for those of us who are so sure that we are alone in our struggles. You should read it." -Jenny Lawson

"A funny, honest book about depression, and what you can do despite it." -Neil Gaiman

This program is read by the author, with original audio from the podcast.

For years John Moe, critically-acclaimed public radio personality and host of The Hilarious World of Depression podcast, struggled with depression; it plagued his family and claimed the life of his brother in 2007. As Moe came to terms with his own illness, he began to see similar patterns of behavior and coping mechanisms surfacing in conversations with others, including high-profile comedians who'd struggled with the disease. Moe saw that there was tremendous comfort and community in open dialogue about these shared experiences and that humor had a unique power. Thus was born the podcast The Hilarious World of Depression.

Inspired by the immediate success of the podcast, Moe has written a remarkable investigation of the disease, part memoir of his own journey, part treasure trove of laugh-out-loud stories and insights drawn from years of interviews with some of the most brilliant minds facing similar challenges. Throughout the course of this powerful narrative, depression's universal themes come to light, among them, struggles with identity, lack of understanding of the symptoms, the challenges of work-life, self-medicating, the fallout of the disease in the lives of our loved ones, the tragedy of suicide, and the hereditary aspects of the disease.

The Hilarious World of Depression illuminates depression in an entirely fresh and inspiring way.

This program features podcast interviews with Maria Bamford, Guy Branum, Neal Brennan, Dick Cavett, Margaret Cho, Ana Marie Cox, Whitney Cummings, Mike Drucker, Solomon Georgio, Chris Gethard, John Green, Gary Gulman, Hannah Hart, Jenny Jaffe, Jen Kirkman, Jenny Lawson, Aimee Mann, Rhett Miller, Reggie Osse, Kryssy Pease, Andy Richter, Peter Sagal, Scott Thompson, Paul F. Tompkins, Jeff Tweedy, Baron Vaughn, Wil Wheaton and Mara Wilson.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS PUBLISHED IN SUMMER 2020 BY THE Chicago Tribune | One of Huff Post's 10 Most Anticipated Book Releases Of May 2020

"If David Sedaris wrote a book about depression, this would be his take." —Lee Woodruff author of In an Instant

"Laugh-out-loud funny." —Today

"Moe’s edifying, enjoyable take on the realities of living with depression will uplift any reader." —Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"Moe is exactly the right person to give an attentive, irreverent voice to those suffering with depression." —Susan Maguire, Booklist

"Is it appropriate to say that I loved a book about depression? Well, if it's as candid and funny and intimate as this one, 'love' seems right. Moe's book is also deeply moving and, against all odds, life-affirming. It's an ode to the blues that makes you feel better about being human." —Susan Orlean

"Depression is no laughing matter, but radio personality John Moe makes it accessible... While you'll be laughing throughout, you'll also have a few 'a-ha' moments in the mix." —Chicago Tribune

"John Moe's book is the feel-bad hit of the summer!" —Colson Whitehead, author of The Underground Railroad

"Moe takes the stigma out of discussing mental illness and offers camaraderie to those who suffer from depression... [His] words should supply help, hope, and humor to many readers. " —Library Journal

"More than once I woke my husband up shouting, "Oh my God, THIS. IT IS EXACTLY* THIS" while reading this book. He was concerned but no more than usual." —Jenny Lawson

"[This book] takes a deep dive into his painful past and blends it with wisdom...The result is part memoir, part self-help..." —MinnPost

"A laughably relatable (and at times bittersweet) read for those who have experienced depression and an enlightening one for those who haven’t but want to understand it better... Uplifting." —Mandatory.com

"[This] thoughtful and, yes, sometimes hilarious new memoir of the same name details his decades-long roller-coaster ride with the illness and realization that when he discusses it, funnily enough, people laugh and are encouraged to talk about their own struggles... wonderful memoir." —AARP

Kirkus Reviews

2020-02-05
The creator and host of the titular podcast recounts his lifelong struggles with depression.

With the increasing success of his podcast, Moe, a longtime radio personality and author whose books include The Deleted E-Mails of Hillary Clinton: A Parody (2015), was encouraged to open up further about his own battles with depression and delve deeper into characteristics of the disease itself. Moe writes about how he has struggled with depression throughout his life, and he recounts similar experiences from the various people he has interviewed in the past, many of whom are high-profile entertainers and writers—e.g. Dick Cavett and Andy Richter, novelist John Green. The narrative unfolds in a fairly linear fashion, and the author relates his family’s long history with depression and substance abuse. His father was an alcoholic, and one of his brothers was a drug addict. Moe tracks how he came to recognize his own signs of depression while in middle school, as he experienced the travails of OCD and social anxiety. These early chapters alternate with brief thematic “According to THWoD” sections that expand on his experiences, providing relevant anecdotal stories from some of his podcast guests. In this early section of the book, the author sometimes rambles. Though his experiences as an adolescent are accessible, he provides too many long examples, overstating his message, and some of the humor feels forced. What may sound naturally breezy in his podcast interviews doesn’t always strike the same note on the written page. The narrative gains considerable momentum when Moe shifts into his adult years and the challenges of balancing family and career while also confronting the devastating loss of his brother from suicide. As he grieved, he writes, his depression caused him to experience “a salad of regret, anger, confusion, and horror.” Here, the author focuses more attention on the origins and evolution of his series, stories that prove compelling as well.

The book would have benefited from a tighter structure, but it’s inspiring and relatable for readers with depression.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173662972
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	05/05/2020
Edition description:	Unabridged

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