Adult Braces: Driving Myself Sane

"Why couldn't he just love me? Is it really so bad to have a slow, fat wife when she offers as much as I do?"After finding out her husband is practicing polyamory with his sights set on maybe adding a sister wife, Lindy goes on a trip of self discovery to "loosen up" and "have experiences."She heads for Key West in a borrowed van while she contemplates the state of her union. She has those experiences, though I wish she'd shared more of them. There are great one-liners aplenty: "She looked like someone who was made in a lab at the Malibu Colony to become Rod Stewart's ex-wife . . . " , and there's plenty of fun to be had on this road trip of self-discovery.Will Lindy ditch the philandering mister, join a thruple, or maybe even a convent?You'll have to read to find out.Thanks to the publisher for sharing.

I've always enjoyed the writing of Lindy West, particularly since I remember her writing back in her Jezebel era, and I was always stumped how she managed to continue to be so vulnerable while dealing with the worst of internet trolls and abuse.The book really comes at a time when West is going through it with her husband and so decides to take a month long road trip to Key West to take some time to reflect on herself. The road trip gives the book a narrative (if a bit of a windy one), which I think would have been lacking if she had just spent the book as a reflection on her marriage. West is still an incredibly brave writer - I think there is little more brave than re-examining ideas or thoughts that you've held to be true previously and seeing if they still fit. I really appreciated her reflection on the tightrope between embracing body positivity and recognizing that being unkind to your body has an impact on your weight. The one thing I think that was missing from this book was that West is pretty determined to tell us how much she loves her husband and how important it was for her relationship to be kind to herself. I believe that - as someone who has been married for over a decade, I know I am the happiest in my marriage when I am happy with myself - but all we get to see of her husband is the ways that he is unkind to her. I wish we had gotten to know the husband who seemed to make her feel safe and fulfilled.Fans of Lindy West, or of thoughtful reflective writing with a feminist lens, will love this one. Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for the early copy.

In her new memoir, Lindy West takes readers along on a cross-country trip from Seattle to Key West. In an effort to find herself amidst depression and marital struggles, West rented a van in 2021 and solo-tripped across the country. She faces fears, meets friends and has revelations about life along the way. The trip helps repair her marriage into something new and find herself again.West's writing is hilarious and relatable and struck a chord with me many times as I devoured this book. She is honest and raw about living in a fat body, sex, marriage, polyamory, friendship and more. I absolutely loved this book. I hope to one day consume it again as an audiobook to hear West read her own deeply personal story.

Lindy done did it again! 👏🏼 I’m always going to read anything she writes (books, substacks, Instagram captions, dental reviews, bathroom graffiti, etc).This book is GOOD. Don’t let this intentional grimace fool you! 😬 I highlighted all of my favorite lines and I was honestly worried it was going to run out of its neon ink.I laughed. I spat (unintentionally while laughing). I gasped. I clutched my pearls. I teared up. I texted excerpts to friends. Lindy seriously runs the gamut of emotions in this book. So raw!Okay so what’s it about? Lindy’s marriage is kinda falling apart and she decides to take a big old cross country road trip to have a big old think. We have dispatches from small towns along the way, epiphanies on hikes, tons of swimming, interesting locals, and so much wisdom (and foolishness). Come for her polyamory tea, stay for gorgeous self-examination.Also, are Lindy and I twins possibly? We’ve both romanticized Spanish moss in Savannah, taken weird cruises on plastic chairs, gotten friend tattoos in Kalamazoo, gushed over the stained-glass windows at The Russell, freaked over the Badlands, will swim ANYWHERE, and first fell in love with Kokomo via The Muppets. And we’re both ✨fat✨. Twins it is.If you love her other books, enjoy Road Trip Ephipanies™️, or have slightly crooked teeth, pick this one up my friends!