I’ll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife and Motherhood

Incredibly funny and relatable. Yeah, I guess if, as one reviewer wrote, you were expecting the kids to be teenagers because the author was “middle aged,” then you might not relate. But as a mom who had my second at 40 via ALL THE SCIENCE, I really appreciated her insights, humor, and general crusade against the sanctimommy culture in which we live. Brava, Jessi. I’ve been following you since the Moth days and have never been disappointed.

As someone who is a new mother in her 40s during a pandemic, with zero girlfriends that have kids, this book was much needed tonic. It is a happy hour for mom real-talk, a glass of Chardonnay I can’t seem to find the time for, and the punch that surfaces the underlying heartfelt/insane laugh-tears that I think most moms keep inside. So grateful for this book.

Just an honest, unflinching memoir about the author’s experience with motherhood. If you struggle with identity after motherhood, this will make you feel seen. Really funny and moving. Keep ’em coming, Jessi!

Now I know I’m not the only one who can read a children’s book aloud with voice animation and be thinking of something else entirely.

I’ve always enjoyed the dry wit and humor of Jessi Klein (I’ll often find myself re-listening to her story about wedding dress shopping on The Moth), and this book is no exception, especially being a somewhat new mother myself. I loved how candid she is about “the fantasy” while also highlighting all the joys that come with being a mother, being a woman, the ups and downs of marriage, and the hero’s journey we are all on, even in the mundane moments of life. So much of what she said felt so relatable, as if someone else were able to take the scattered thoughts in my sleep-deprived mind and eloquently and hilariously put them into words that I hope others will take comfort in. Reading intimate essays such as these reminds me that we are not alone.

This book was so beautiful and sad and funny and relatable at the same time. It captures both the extreme highs and lows that you experience as a mom but for some reason rarely talk about (or forget over time from lack of sleep lol). It’s comforting to know that others have had similar thoughts or worries in motherhood and describes so accurately the odd things you will encounter or do for your child that you never expected! I’ll recommend this to all moms and expectant moms as truly someone does need to explain about the sandwich underwear. Nobody told me that part either. I also don’t get Harry Styles, I agree the boa and 70’s garb are also a step too far for me. I’ve always detested the watermelon sugar song and thought it was a dumb name for a song. Hated the song, but absolutely adored this book!

The essays in this book are so deeply relatable to me on every level that I’ve found myself tearing up several times thinking about how great it is to actually feel seen. As a Mom you often feel like you’re shipwrecked on your own island. This felt like rescue. A must read.

Klein does a great job capturing some of the weird, wonderful moments of early motherhood. The essay about the caterpillar made me cry. There are so many parts of this that were just lovely and others that were brutal. I went into the book expecting lots of laughs, but this wasn’t a comedy motherhood book. There are funny moments, but they’re mixed in with the sad and anxious moments (just like they are in real life). I think if I’d read this when my kids were toddlers, I would have felt a lot less alone.

Hilarious, thoughtful, and well written. Best book I’ve read since becoming a mother hands down.

This book is just so… lovely. It captures both the joy and the unending exhaustion of motherhood perfectly. I laughed so hard at the “underwear sandwich” that my husband had to make sure I was okay. But I also felt, with such brute force, the descriptions of exhaustion, loneliness, and sadness of being a mother. This book is an honest friend that you can pick up whenever you need someone who gets it

Really enjoyed it, laughed out allA few times.Easy and fast to read!

I don’t have any tattoos, and I’ve never written an Amazon review despite buying almost everything we own on this app (ps I love you Teddie smooth peanut butter but please deliver in a box and not a bag). But I wanted to tattoo entire passages of this book on my body (but instead I’m writing an Amazon review). I tell everyone I know about it and reread it frequently just of feel seen.

I cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this book. I listened to the audiobook version, which is read by the author, and would highly recommend going this route. That said, I also plan to purchase the book itself so I can reference and re-read specific sections when the mood strikes. I am a new mother and it was so refreshing to hear some of my own thoughts and feelings about the experience reflected in such a funny but heartfelt and touching way. Can’t wait to go back now and read Jessi Klein’s first book.

A great read, especially as a new mother!

Amazing, accurate essays on Motherhood.