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The Hilarious World of Depression

The Hilarious World of Depression

Current price: $27.99
Publication Date: May 5th, 2020
Publisher:
St. Martin's Press
ISBN:
9781250209283
Pages:
304
Usually Ships in 1 to 5 Days

This book made me laugh and cry immediately after I started reading. John Moe took a hard topic and made it so much easier — taking the world of mental health and illness and making it easy to understand and connect with. It’s a great read, and everyone should have the pleasure of reading it.

Kaylyn Schafer, Wordsmith Bookshoppe, Galesburg, IL
May 2020 Indie Next List

A book about depression that is not depressing to read. Readers who have depression will recognize themselves in these pages. Readers without depression can learn a lot. And readers with undiagnosed depression may even have an a-ha moment.

Melissa Oates, Fiction Addiction, Greenville, SC
Fall 2022 Indie Next List for Reading Groups

Description

One of Today's Ten Best Inspirational Books, 2020
By the creator and host of the acclaimed mental health podcast Depresh Mode with John Moe

"[A] path to deeper understanding and openness, by way of laughter in the dark" ―The New York Times Book Review

"Filled with heart, humor and hope." ―People

"A funny, honest book." ―Neil Gaiman

"Candid and funny and intimate." ―Susan Orlean

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.

About the Author

John Moe is the creator and host of the acclaimed mental health podcast Depresh Mode with John Moe; he has served as host of national public radio broadcasts such as Weekend America, The Hilarious World of Depression and Wits. His writing and reporting has been heard on All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Marketplace, Day to Day, and more. He's the author of four books and his writing appears in humor anthologies, The New York Times Magazine, McSweeney’s, and The Seattle Times. He’s a much in-demand public speaker.

Praise for The Hilarious World of Depression

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