Meaty (2013) is Irby’s first published book of essays which just went through re-issue, prompting the author to mastermind a meme-tastic guerilla marketing campaign where she had friends Photoshop the cover of the book into pictures of various celebrities holding books. Irby was first introduced on Al Gore’s internet with her hit blog Bitches Gotta Eat, which has the right amount of “softcore and despair” to make me feel seen. Irby is a comedian, blogger, TV writer, essayist and New York Times best-selling author whose “no frills” style to the written word and guerilla-comedy style marketing antics have made her a low-key (but high-key with the memes) internet sensation.

The reality of survival isn’t pretty and few authors genuinely do the work to embrace that like Irby does.

The reality is that, at least, a lot of us are struggling through depression (laced with some anxiety) and at most, we are weighed by illnesses that make that seem like a walk in the park. Life is an emotional rollercoaster and Irby’s words are the perfect depiction of that ride, almost like the picture you get at the end of it. We all need one to remind us that perfection is goddamn fairytale right up there with having your s*** together all of the time. Samantha Irby is too booked and busy to be my fairy godmother but her book of essays had me wishing she was my barely functioning-but-will-still-cuss-you-TF-out spirit guide.

Samantha irby books