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Well, This Is Exhausting: Essays
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Humor (2021)From
GQ
columnist and Twitter sensation, this hilarious, clever, and eye-opening memoir-in-essays explores the ins and outs of modern womanhood—from finding feminism, the power of pop culture, and how to navigate life’s constant double standards—perfect for fans of
Shrill
and
PEN15
.
Like so many women, Benoit spent her formative years struggling to do the “right” thing—to make others comfortable, to take minimal and calculated risks, to live up to society’s expectations—only to realize that there was so little payoff to this tiresome balancing act.
Now, in Well, This Is Exhausting, she shares her journey from aspiring good girl to proud feminist, and addresses the constantly shifting goalposts of what exactly it means to be “good” in today’s world. Including topics as varied and laugh-out-loud funny as how to be the life of the party (even when you have crippling anxiety), navigating the disappointments of the dating world, and why no one should judge you for having an encyclopedic knowledge of reality TV stars, these essays are sure to move, motivate, and charm you.
Listening length: 8 hours, 34 minutes
Like so many women, Benoit spent her formative years struggling to do the “right” thing—to make others comfortable, to take minimal and calculated risks, to live up to society’s expectations—only to realize that there was so little payoff to this tiresome balancing act.
Now, in Well, This Is Exhausting, she shares her journey from aspiring good girl to proud feminist, and addresses the constantly shifting goalposts of what exactly it means to be “good” in today’s world. Including topics as varied and laugh-out-loud funny as how to be the life of the party (even when you have crippling anxiety), navigating the disappointments of the dating world, and why no one should judge you for having an encyclopedic knowledge of reality TV stars, these essays are sure to move, motivate, and charm you.
Listening length: 8 hours, 34 minutes
9 pages, Audiobook
First published July 13, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
June 23, 2021
I received a free copy of the book because I am the author's boyfriend. Sophia asked me to tell her what I really think of the book so here I am on Goodreads, making sure her next book doesn't include a chapter on how her accursed, no-good, malicious boyfriend refused to review her first one.
This is a very funny and often touching series of personal essays organized around the author's process of self-discovery. It presents the perspective of a now-socially aware woman in her late 20s looking back at her childhood, college years, and young adulthood and reflecting on the arc of her personal journeys, lacing together humorous anecdotes with more serious topics such as eating disorders, sexual assault, and racial awareness. Even at its most serious, however, it still finds space for humor in the author's personal experiences and eccentricities (sorry babe!).
Like most boyfriends, I mainly read multi-volume history tomes, out of print adventure stories, and comic books that I insist be called "graphic novels," so I am not the best person to place this book in relation to others of its genre (Shrill is the most common comparison I've heard). However, in terms of what I am familiar with, I would positively compare it to the work of David Sedaris as a self-deprecating look back at a unique-yet-relatable life so far.
My main experience reading the book was, to be quite honest, of repeatedly laughing out loud, as both the language and the stories being told are rich in humor -- a nice mix of social observation, family absurdism, and millennial doom-and-gloom. I am also not afraid to admit that there were a couple of times I cried at the more deeply personal and heart-wrenching points in later chapters. I don't normally have such major external reactions to reading, so I'd say I was pretty satisfied!
It is very possible that my knowing the author has biased me, as I may have background knowledge that deepens the stories for me compared to the average reader, but I would recommend (and have recommended) this book to anyone interested in the humorous personal essays genre, particularly those looking for stories from a young woman's point of view (sorry Sedaris!). I also found it a refreshing and joyful break from my normal boring boyfriend reading, so if you're looking to try something different go right ahead and steal your partner's copy when they aren't looking and have yourself a great read.
This is a very funny and often touching series of personal essays organized around the author's process of self-discovery. It presents the perspective of a now-socially aware woman in her late 20s looking back at her childhood, college years, and young adulthood and reflecting on the arc of her personal journeys, lacing together humorous anecdotes with more serious topics such as eating disorders, sexual assault, and racial awareness. Even at its most serious, however, it still finds space for humor in the author's personal experiences and eccentricities (sorry babe!).
Like most boyfriends, I mainly read multi-volume history tomes, out of print adventure stories, and comic books that I insist be called "graphic novels," so I am not the best person to place this book in relation to others of its genre (Shrill is the most common comparison I've heard). However, in terms of what I am familiar with, I would positively compare it to the work of David Sedaris as a self-deprecating look back at a unique-yet-relatable life so far.
My main experience reading the book was, to be quite honest, of repeatedly laughing out loud, as both the language and the stories being told are rich in humor -- a nice mix of social observation, family absurdism, and millennial doom-and-gloom. I am also not afraid to admit that there were a couple of times I cried at the more deeply personal and heart-wrenching points in later chapters. I don't normally have such major external reactions to reading, so I'd say I was pretty satisfied!
It is very possible that my knowing the author has biased me, as I may have background knowledge that deepens the stories for me compared to the average reader, but I would recommend (and have recommended) this book to anyone interested in the humorous personal essays genre, particularly those looking for stories from a young woman's point of view (sorry Sedaris!). I also found it a refreshing and joyful break from my normal boring boyfriend reading, so if you're looking to try something different go right ahead and steal your partner's copy when they aren't looking and have yourself a great read.
March 18, 2021
The title of this book SUMS IT UP!
EXHAUSTING!!
The title of this caught my attention, and I was really hoping to read a funny book of life lessons and anecdotes.
This is a book of essays chronicling Sophia’s life from teen, Women, to Adult. I liked her rawness, and how she straight up told you how she was. She’s weird, loud, judgmental , has a hard time fitting in, and is a little bit of a fun sponge. She described herself well, I’m am literally using all the same words she did.
I did get a good chuckle over some of her stories. However, by the time I was halfway through the book, I felt exhausted by reading it, and was ready to call it quits.
I literally felt like I couldn’t read another word. The whole book felt like she was right there,talking loud, fast, and shouting at me. Every page was like this. If my eyes could hear they would be deaf! Every story was like that commercial “ CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW”.
I felt like I needed a drink and some calming meditation after reading this book!
EXHAUSTING!!
The title of this caught my attention, and I was really hoping to read a funny book of life lessons and anecdotes.
This is a book of essays chronicling Sophia’s life from teen, Women, to Adult. I liked her rawness, and how she straight up told you how she was. She’s weird, loud, judgmental , has a hard time fitting in, and is a little bit of a fun sponge. She described herself well, I’m am literally using all the same words she did.
I did get a good chuckle over some of her stories. However, by the time I was halfway through the book, I felt exhausted by reading it, and was ready to call it quits.
I literally felt like I couldn’t read another word. The whole book felt like she was right there,talking loud, fast, and shouting at me. Every page was like this. If my eyes could hear they would be deaf! Every story was like that commercial “ CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW”.
I felt like I needed a drink and some calming meditation after reading this book!
November 19, 2021
Giveaway Win!
Content Warnings: Sexual Assault, Disordered Eating, Domestic Violence and A Lot of Talk About Vaginas.
Well, This Is Exhausting is your run of the mill memoir in essays. I didn't know who Sophia Benoit was before picking up this book and I still don't really know who Sophia Benoit is after reading it. On the back of the book it informs us that Sophia Benoit is a writer and comedian who has written for GQ , Allure(is Allure still a thing?), The Cut, Refinery 29 and The Guardian. But had I not read that on the back I would never have known any of that.
Well, This Is Exhausting is less about who Sophia Benoit is now and it's more about how insecure and self hating she was as a teenager and college student. I personally hate the word Cringe but the stories in this book are super Cringe. I had second hand embarrassment for Sophia but I'm pretty sure that was how I was supposed to feel.
While this book wasn't the best thing I've ever read, I still did enjoy it and I think the intended audience (young white women) would really get something out of this book. Sophia does talk about how she had to learn to be Anti Racist even though she always thought she was not racist. She had to learn to stop hating women and become a feminist.
Overall this book was fine and I was able to breeze through this book. Not all books need to be high art, sometimes a book can just be a harmless light read and if you like books like that then you'll probably enjoy Well, This Is Exhausting.
Content Warnings: Sexual Assault, Disordered Eating, Domestic Violence and A Lot of Talk About Vaginas.
Well, This Is Exhausting is your run of the mill memoir in essays. I didn't know who Sophia Benoit was before picking up this book and I still don't really know who Sophia Benoit is after reading it. On the back of the book it informs us that Sophia Benoit is a writer and comedian who has written for GQ , Allure(is Allure still a thing?), The Cut, Refinery 29 and The Guardian. But had I not read that on the back I would never have known any of that.
Well, This Is Exhausting is less about who Sophia Benoit is now and it's more about how insecure and self hating she was as a teenager and college student. I personally hate the word Cringe but the stories in this book are super Cringe. I had second hand embarrassment for Sophia but I'm pretty sure that was how I was supposed to feel.
While this book wasn't the best thing I've ever read, I still did enjoy it and I think the intended audience (young white women) would really get something out of this book. Sophia does talk about how she had to learn to be Anti Racist even though she always thought she was not racist. She had to learn to stop hating women and become a feminist.
Overall this book was fine and I was able to breeze through this book. Not all books need to be high art, sometimes a book can just be a harmless light read and if you like books like that then you'll probably enjoy Well, This Is Exhausting.
June 9, 2021
This is such a terrible memoir. I don't even really know where to start. At first I hoped because she is classified as a comedian perhaps this is a satire or laugh at myself sort of book. It's just irksome how she dismisses casual sex, eating disorders and low self image as a right of passage for women. I mean she talks about using bumble as a way to get sex during high school, and the guy asking and her allowing him to cum on her face. Then goes on about how that made her feel empowered. I should of stopped reading there. Maybe I'm getting old and this is all acceptable stuff now. One thing to help the book is just get rid of all those footnotes at the end of the already very short chapters. It's distracting and annoying. You can afford to add them into the story.
June 24, 2024
I’m always looking for something to listen to on my walks and while I’m attempting to dabble into books with more “plot” (term used as loosely as possible), my go-to of choice remains the humorous essay. This popped up on the library’s recommendation feature and the title was truly a “you had me at hello” moment. But while I thought said title was going to be a little funny ha-ha regarding the awkwardness of coming into one’s own, unfortunately it was a pretty good descriptor for how I felt while listening.
I knew nothing about this author before checking this out (see above regarding what an easy mark I am when it comes to titles/covers). Had I known she was “Twitter famous” I may have steered clear. And while I did get a few chuckles here and there – I mean I truly thought this was going to be a gem when it opened with . . .
And then telling people that they better have Google handy if they don’t understand pop culture references – sadly those moments were few and far between.
Mainly because I am a Boomer who doesn’t feel someone’s personal reflections on growing up need to be over explained as to not offend. (And sometimes, there is no differential to begin with. Dear 18 year olds, you are bad at sex things. Universally. Zero gender, race, sexuality qualifiers are necessary.) The fact that this book had ALLLLLLLLL the monikers used in every sentence – while being presented by a cis, white, straight, privileged upbringing woman came off very much like the well-intentioned social justice warriors who really end up hurting rather than helping any particular cause. And the ending saying this isn’t an advice book, accompanied with some self-deprecation “oh could you imagine? #cringecringe” – while also pretty much advertising she writes an advice column left me shaking my head.
This one is for the people who think Hannah from Summer House is a real knee slapper instead of insufferable.
I knew nothing about this author before checking this out (see above regarding what an easy mark I am when it comes to titles/covers). Had I known she was “Twitter famous” I may have steered clear. And while I did get a few chuckles here and there – I mean I truly thought this was going to be a gem when it opened with . . .
And then telling people that they better have Google handy if they don’t understand pop culture references – sadly those moments were few and far between.
Mainly because I am a Boomer who doesn’t feel someone’s personal reflections on growing up need to be over explained as to not offend. (And sometimes, there is no differential to begin with. Dear 18 year olds, you are bad at sex things. Universally. Zero gender, race, sexuality qualifiers are necessary.) The fact that this book had ALLLLLLLLL the monikers used in every sentence – while being presented by a cis, white, straight, privileged upbringing woman came off very much like the well-intentioned social justice warriors who really end up hurting rather than helping any particular cause. And the ending saying this isn’t an advice book, accompanied with some self-deprecation “oh could you imagine? #cringecringe” – while also pretty much advertising she writes an advice column left me shaking my head.
This one is for the people who think Hannah from Summer House is a real knee slapper instead of insufferable.
July 11, 2021
*Shoutout to Gallery Books for sending me an ARC of this book to review!*
I feel like I would’ve gotten on with this book better overall if I knew of the author before reading it, because it didn’t seem to interest me as much as I wanted it to. While it starts off somewhat painfully relatable and funny, this quickly just ended up feeling like I was reading an extended tweet. May of the chapters/essays just felt like ramble and I’m not sure what I was supposed to get out of it. It was fine and most of the time somewhat entertaining, but completely immemorable which is a shame. I don’t know what the goal of this book was as it felt like a clear focus wasn’t in place so it ended up really wishy washy.
The writing, while witty, snappy and engaging, was pretty repetitive. It felt like every opportunity and every conversation that was had in this book, the author chose to mention ‘cis-gender, able bodied, white, privileged, straight men’. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an important factor to take into account when talking about a lot of inequalities in our society, but you did not need to list out every marker of privilege in every single sentence just to prove that you’re aware of this issue. We got it the first time, after that it just became overkill and really tiring to read. It baffled me especially how she mentioned it despite being a white privileged straight able-bodied woman herself, not really so far from the group she’s chastising constantly.
I’m not saying valid points weren’t made in here, just that it ended up making me eyeroll just a bit, I think it could’ve been toned down. We got it. While it also had a couple of discussions on sexism, discrimination and inequality, I learned nothing new from this book. These weren’t original thoughts or ideas – just recycled conversations we’ve been having for years. I just think if you’re going to bring it up, add something new to it. It ended up just being a combination of things I’ve heard before so didn’t overly engage me for the most part.
Though it was supposedly a memoir, I feel like I know nothing about this woman or her life still I’m not going to lie to you. It was a fine read and I got through it very quickly, but definitely not life altering in any way. I was predicting to love this more than I did, but it was still alright, and I know the right audience for this is out there and will get a lot more out of it than I did.
I feel like I would’ve gotten on with this book better overall if I knew of the author before reading it, because it didn’t seem to interest me as much as I wanted it to. While it starts off somewhat painfully relatable and funny, this quickly just ended up feeling like I was reading an extended tweet. May of the chapters/essays just felt like ramble and I’m not sure what I was supposed to get out of it. It was fine and most of the time somewhat entertaining, but completely immemorable which is a shame. I don’t know what the goal of this book was as it felt like a clear focus wasn’t in place so it ended up really wishy washy.
The writing, while witty, snappy and engaging, was pretty repetitive. It felt like every opportunity and every conversation that was had in this book, the author chose to mention ‘cis-gender, able bodied, white, privileged, straight men’. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an important factor to take into account when talking about a lot of inequalities in our society, but you did not need to list out every marker of privilege in every single sentence just to prove that you’re aware of this issue. We got it the first time, after that it just became overkill and really tiring to read. It baffled me especially how she mentioned it despite being a white privileged straight able-bodied woman herself, not really so far from the group she’s chastising constantly.
I’m not saying valid points weren’t made in here, just that it ended up making me eyeroll just a bit, I think it could’ve been toned down. We got it. While it also had a couple of discussions on sexism, discrimination and inequality, I learned nothing new from this book. These weren’t original thoughts or ideas – just recycled conversations we’ve been having for years. I just think if you’re going to bring it up, add something new to it. It ended up just being a combination of things I’ve heard before so didn’t overly engage me for the most part.
Though it was supposedly a memoir, I feel like I know nothing about this woman or her life still I’m not going to lie to you. It was a fine read and I got through it very quickly, but definitely not life altering in any way. I was predicting to love this more than I did, but it was still alright, and I know the right audience for this is out there and will get a lot more out of it than I did.
January 12, 2022
Reading this was exhausting.
January 4, 2022
I enjoyed this a lot! It worked best for me when the stories stayed close to Sophia Benoit's own experiences and less when the essays were meant to be more universal. It helps that I find her genuinely hilarious and that I am also, embarassingly, very online.
January 1, 2022
Hmmmmm, well okay. So throughout this book I vacillated between 2 and 4 stars so many times I can’t count so 3 seems like a good place to land. However, since this is a book of biographical essays and not a memoir (something I had to remind myself of a gazillion times) that makes sense, right? Some essays are higher rated than others? I think generally a lot of the book made me uncomfortable in its honesty and vulnerability which is MY issue and not the book’s. But also, I’m approximately 14 years older than the author and feel a bit like cringing and that maybe when she’s in her mid-40’s she’ll regret publishing this? But that’s also my jaded old lady issue and not hers.
Something I did struggle with a LOT was her repeated discussion (CHAPTERS) of her childhood fatness (her term) and then 2 paragraphs about her struggle with anorexia and exercise addiction. HUGE trigger warnings to anyone who has any history with body dysmorphia or eating disorders or exercise addiction. The message I got from this was that she was fat and everyone ignored her and then she starved herself and guys wanted to fuck her. She acknowledges that she still struggles with this issue and she also explains why she doesn’t write more about her eating disorder BUT I still can’t recommend this to anyone it may trigger.
So……there it is. I’m not mad I read it but overall I just don’t think I was the right audience.
Something I did struggle with a LOT was her repeated discussion (CHAPTERS) of her childhood fatness (her term) and then 2 paragraphs about her struggle with anorexia and exercise addiction. HUGE trigger warnings to anyone who has any history with body dysmorphia or eating disorders or exercise addiction. The message I got from this was that she was fat and everyone ignored her and then she starved herself and guys wanted to fuck her. She acknowledges that she still struggles with this issue and she also explains why she doesn’t write more about her eating disorder BUT I still can’t recommend this to anyone it may trigger.
So……there it is. I’m not mad I read it but overall I just don’t think I was the right audience.
January 16, 2024
Reading this was exhausting. Honestly….it worked when there were genuine stories about the author’s life, experiences with sex, relationship, etc. But every story seemed to just trail into a think piece that was exhausting to complete.
My biggest qualm: you don’t have to mention in every story how privileged you are, that even though you went through terrible things maybe POC have it worse and you’re silly for complaining, etc. If I am picking up a collection of stories written by a WHITE WOMAN I know I am not planning on reading intersectional tales of their queer and NB socialist friends. I am okay reading about college and one night stands. It truly was exhausting to be reading a story about how she struggled to make friends at USC because she was too worried about the male gaze and suddenly a soliloquy about how she knows she’s privileged that she can get into USC and afford it and many people don’t have the luxury. I UNDERSTAND.
My biggest qualm: you don’t have to mention in every story how privileged you are, that even though you went through terrible things maybe POC have it worse and you’re silly for complaining, etc. If I am picking up a collection of stories written by a WHITE WOMAN I know I am not planning on reading intersectional tales of their queer and NB socialist friends. I am okay reading about college and one night stands. It truly was exhausting to be reading a story about how she struggled to make friends at USC because she was too worried about the male gaze and suddenly a soliloquy about how she knows she’s privileged that she can get into USC and afford it and many people don’t have the luxury. I UNDERSTAND.
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May 10, 2021BOOK REVIEW
Well, This is Exhausting by Sophia Benoit
Thank you to @simonandschusterca for my early copy in return for an honest review
I am usually not one for memoirs, but I am finding I really enjoy essay styled books such as this one. A book I can read at a slower pace full of chapters I can read out of order.
Let me start by saying I did not know who Sophia Benoit was when I started reading this. I chose this book solely on the cover, the title and the description. I was looking for a read full of humour, witty anecdotes, embarrassing childhood memories, sex and self discovery. This book checked all the boxes. Full of laugh out loud moments I was swept away into Sophia’s life. I now understand why she is such a popular comedienne and writer. Chapter titles such as “Sorry Dove, I am Never Going to Learn to Love my Body” and “No, I am
Not Doing Zumba With You” grabbed my attention…. Seducing me into reading further to find out why and how it fit?
Highly recommend for a lighter read.
Well, This is Exhausting by Sophia Benoit
Thank you to @simonandschusterca for my early copy in return for an honest review
I am usually not one for memoirs, but I am finding I really enjoy essay styled books such as this one. A book I can read at a slower pace full of chapters I can read out of order.
Let me start by saying I did not know who Sophia Benoit was when I started reading this. I chose this book solely on the cover, the title and the description. I was looking for a read full of humour, witty anecdotes, embarrassing childhood memories, sex and self discovery. This book checked all the boxes. Full of laugh out loud moments I was swept away into Sophia’s life. I now understand why she is such a popular comedienne and writer. Chapter titles such as “Sorry Dove, I am Never Going to Learn to Love my Body” and “No, I am
Not Doing Zumba With You” grabbed my attention…. Seducing me into reading further to find out why and how it fit?
Highly recommend for a lighter read.
Shelved as 'done-with'
June 1, 2021It really is... Exhausting, that is. I had no idea who Sophia Benoit was before I requested this, but it sounded clever and snarky and I do enjoy essays, particularly those that tackle women's issues in the manner of Jia Tolentino and Roxane Gay, so I thought I would give this one a try. Apparently I'm too old for this particular autho though, because from the beginning I was rolling my eyes and irritated... It felt like whining. It felt like an overabundance of crudity and vulgarity for the sake of attention- getting and shock value. What it didn't feel like was the type of thought- provoking, biting, social-commentary- with-soul I was hoping for...
It is entirely probable that I am simply not her demographic, and that was the issue. If you are, and are familiar with her already, or find the twitterverse fascinating, this book may well work for you. But it did nothing at all for me and I gave up on it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
It is entirely probable that I am simply not her demographic, and that was the issue. If you are, and are familiar with her already, or find the twitterverse fascinating, this book may well work for you. But it did nothing at all for me and I gave up on it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
May 4, 2021
I won an ARC of this one in a goodreads giveaway - unfortunately. What's "exhausting" is trying to read this book.
Let's start with the audience alienation in the introduction - book readers aren't losers, honey, they're your target audience.
Second off - holy crap is this woman abrasive, vile, and crass. If the author talks the same way she writes essays? This is the type of person I would feign sickness to get out of talking to. And if that didn't work? I'd make myself puke on her shoes just to get away from her. That's right - self-initiated vomiting would be better than talking to someone who talks the way these essays are written. This is nothing to be proud of and there's nothing here worth reading.
Let's start with the audience alienation in the introduction - book readers aren't losers, honey, they're your target audience.
Second off - holy crap is this woman abrasive, vile, and crass. If the author talks the same way she writes essays? This is the type of person I would feign sickness to get out of talking to. And if that didn't work? I'd make myself puke on her shoes just to get away from her. That's right - self-initiated vomiting would be better than talking to someone who talks the way these essays are written. This is nothing to be proud of and there's nothing here worth reading.
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September 24, 2021DNF. Aptly titled, though.
April 22, 2024
“The emotional growth of men in their twenties will be built on the backs of women in their lives.”
October 17, 2023
so fun, so delightful, lightly hilarious, and surprisingly insightful. through candid humor, Benoit, describes her life's vignettes and how that's shaped her mindset as a grown woman and how her morals shaped who she sees herself as. she offers an unabashed look into her adolescent tales and embarrassing 20 something stories. as chaotic as the stories are, the through line is clear.
I love how the footnotes add to the conversational aspect of the stories too. they add dialogue to a formal story.
I hear the complaints, and they are valid, but I don't agree. sweet, silly, and smart:)
I love how the footnotes add to the conversational aspect of the stories too. they add dialogue to a formal story.
I hear the complaints, and they are valid, but I don't agree. sweet, silly, and smart:)
June 1, 2021
It really was exhausting (and disappointing) reading this collection of essays. I have never heard of Sophia Benoit before because I do not use twitter, I stopped four years ago because there was no point to it. ANYWAYS, THIS BOOK was exhausting because it touching on important feminist issues and i did not mind mind the bad/foul language throughout,; HOWEVER, all the essays seemed like a complaint and I felt myself not caring what Benoit was writing about. FYI TO Benoit- the reader needs to care and/or relate to what you have written. Honestly, I read some of these and skimmed through the others. Not what I expected and not funny.
Disappointing and disappointed. Cannot recommend and would not read from this author in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley, Sophia Benoit and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 7/13/21
Disappointing and disappointed. Cannot recommend and would not read from this author in the future.
Thanks to Netgalley, Sophia Benoit and Gallery Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 7/13/21
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July 24, 2021I’ll be honest here- I didn’t know who Sophia Benoit was before requesting her book. I have never read any of her writing, unless her tweets count.
None of that matters- her book is a delight. She appealed to my most insecure self at times, she made me laugh, and she also made me want to be her best friend. I feel like she’s one of the most relatable “famous people” I’ve ever read about.
While I bookmarked and highlighted many paragraphs throughout the reading process, a few things stuck out to me that will also shed some light on what you can expect if and when you pick this up:
“Good cinematography can make even the shittiest things look artistic.”
“An under-talked-about truth is that most friend groups past the age of like twelve revolved around people being attracted to one another.”
“Deodorant also works great under your boobs.”
“Learn how to make three signature dishes. A side, a dessert, and a showstopper that really impresses.”
I could go on, but you need to pick this up and learn for yourself! You don’t need to know Sophia to enjoy her writing. Her goal was to give us moments where we could relate to her life thus far, and I think she achieved it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced eARC of this book!
None of that matters- her book is a delight. She appealed to my most insecure self at times, she made me laugh, and she also made me want to be her best friend. I feel like she’s one of the most relatable “famous people” I’ve ever read about.
While I bookmarked and highlighted many paragraphs throughout the reading process, a few things stuck out to me that will also shed some light on what you can expect if and when you pick this up:
“Good cinematography can make even the shittiest things look artistic.”
“An under-talked-about truth is that most friend groups past the age of like twelve revolved around people being attracted to one another.”
“Deodorant also works great under your boobs.”
“Learn how to make three signature dishes. A side, a dessert, and a showstopper that really impresses.”
I could go on, but you need to pick this up and learn for yourself! You don’t need to know Sophia to enjoy her writing. Her goal was to give us moments where we could relate to her life thus far, and I think she achieved it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced eARC of this book!
June 15, 2022
Went back and forth on 3 vs 4 stars. On one hand, I was always in the mood to read this book, something that is not true of most books for me. On the other hand, there wasn’t really much I got out of this, and couldn’t really recommend it. Some really solid essays in here, though some were a miss for me.
I’ve been following the author on Twitter for awhile, and I checked out this book from the library because I loved her super insightful advice column article “Should I Break Off My 4-Year Relationship For A Woman I Just Met?” in Bustle. This book definitely some funny and/or insightful moments, but I think about 1/3 of the essays should’ve been removed to make it a more reasonable length and overall better quality.
One critique I have is something I’ve noticed in a lot of modern writing, something I’m calling the “Twitterfication” of writing where the writer tries to preempt all possible negative reactions to the opinion or analysis she is writing by caveating every opinion or reference with some variation of “but I know it’s worse for less privileged people” or “I know this piece of media that I’m talking about is actually problematic”. This doesn’t really add anything and is very distracting and rather boring. While, sure, it’s generally good for all of us to recognize when things are problematic and that privilege exists, just mentioning that fact as a caveat for every opinion or experience you discuss, without adding any new insight or analysis — just mentioning it so as to have mentioned it and signaled that you know — takes away from the actual points and opinions being explored in the writing. I felt like she did this a lot and it could have all been completely removed without sacrificing any integrity and would have greatly strengthened the writing.
I’ve been following the author on Twitter for awhile, and I checked out this book from the library because I loved her super insightful advice column article “Should I Break Off My 4-Year Relationship For A Woman I Just Met?” in Bustle. This book definitely some funny and/or insightful moments, but I think about 1/3 of the essays should’ve been removed to make it a more reasonable length and overall better quality.
One critique I have is something I’ve noticed in a lot of modern writing, something I’m calling the “Twitterfication” of writing where the writer tries to preempt all possible negative reactions to the opinion or analysis she is writing by caveating every opinion or reference with some variation of “but I know it’s worse for less privileged people” or “I know this piece of media that I’m talking about is actually problematic”. This doesn’t really add anything and is very distracting and rather boring. While, sure, it’s generally good for all of us to recognize when things are problematic and that privilege exists, just mentioning that fact as a caveat for every opinion or experience you discuss, without adding any new insight or analysis — just mentioning it so as to have mentioned it and signaled that you know — takes away from the actual points and opinions being explored in the writing. I felt like she did this a lot and it could have all been completely removed without sacrificing any integrity and would have greatly strengthened the writing.
July 19, 2021
Thank you @gallerybooks for the gifted copy!
Sophia Benoit, GQ columnist and Twitter sensation, brings you a laugh-out-loud memoir written in essays. Well, This Is Exhausting explores feminism, eating disorders, race, double standards — nothing is off limits.
Sophia recalls her youth, delving into how hard it was to fit in, struggling with body image, and what it was like growing up with divorced parents. She also details her journey through college and her adult years. Knowing she is a comedian makes total sense because of the way she effortlessly slipped in jokes and-one liners throughout the story. So many of the topics Sophia touched on were relatable. She was able to delve into these topics in ways that pushed me to think deeper about my own experiences. I loved her ability to reflect on what she had gone through and identify both her own mistakes and the wrongdoings of others, or just society as a whole.
Sophia Benoit, GQ columnist and Twitter sensation, brings you a laugh-out-loud memoir written in essays. Well, This Is Exhausting explores feminism, eating disorders, race, double standards — nothing is off limits.
Sophia recalls her youth, delving into how hard it was to fit in, struggling with body image, and what it was like growing up with divorced parents. She also details her journey through college and her adult years. Knowing she is a comedian makes total sense because of the way she effortlessly slipped in jokes and-one liners throughout the story. So many of the topics Sophia touched on were relatable. She was able to delve into these topics in ways that pushed me to think deeper about my own experiences. I loved her ability to reflect on what she had gone through and identify both her own mistakes and the wrongdoings of others, or just society as a whole.
April 12, 2021
My opinion on this book changed radically from beginning to end. The author’s life has been a bit basic, no offense. But for being ripe ole age of 29, she did a good job with what she had to work with. The first half is very relatable and pretty much about growing up in the quiet midwest and then moving to LA for college.
But then I got to the second half and that’s where Sophia shines. Her perspectives on privilege, being an ally and how to advocate for change are well articulated, insightful and poignant. Overall, the essays were humorous and well written. Even though I had no idea who the author was, I really enjoyed it. And by the end, I’d recommended - and I also really want a dude to sit around watching me read a romance novel to even out all the time I’ve spent watching them play video games.
Big thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC.
But then I got to the second half and that’s where Sophia shines. Her perspectives on privilege, being an ally and how to advocate for change are well articulated, insightful and poignant. Overall, the essays were humorous and well written. Even though I had no idea who the author was, I really enjoyed it. And by the end, I’d recommended - and I also really want a dude to sit around watching me read a romance novel to even out all the time I’ve spent watching them play video games.
Big thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for the ARC.
July 1, 2021
Thank you to Simon & schuster for the ARC! This book was so boring. I got nothing from it. Wish I had more to say, but I had so much trouble getting through majority of it. Nothing was very interesting and I didn’t see the point in many of the chapters - one was essentially just her reviewing her favourite movies?? I did enjoy the chapter that was advice to her sisters, but ended up giving up and DNFing this.
July 16, 2021
I LOVED IT. I was excited when I heard Sophia Benoit was writing a book but was blown away but how much I enjoyed “Well, This Is Exhausting.” An entire chapter dedicated to getting ready to go out resonated with me, and she’s right. These are truly some of the best nights you’ll have. Overall, this book was an absolute delight and I was sad that it finally came to a close.
Sophia, if you’re ever in NY I’d love to grab some champagne and chat (in a not creepy way!).
Sophia, if you’re ever in NY I’d love to grab some champagne and chat (in a not creepy way!).
August 1, 2021
I loved this book so much I finished it in 2 days. There were so many insightful sections that made me shout "YES!". This author has such a wonderful way of verbalizing ideas that many of us might have been thinking, but can't always put into words. There were also a lot of sections that made me say "oof, me too" which is a hard but necessary realization, specifically in the sections about past roles within/future roles dismantling the ever-present and insanely oppressive patriarchy.
March 21, 2021
Healing, hilarious and so damn real. I read so fast i’m gonna need her to put out a new book already.
November 24, 2021
3.5 stars. Very funny in parts.
August 16, 2023
this book made me laugh my ass off and feel incredibly seen. i wish sophia benoit could have told me at 15 i was going to be okay and one day read a book where i realize i’m not alone. i loved and am happy i grabbed this book. thank you gwinnett county public library.
August 27, 2021
I FELT SEEN. That is the best way I can describe my emotion while reading the essay collection. I think Sophia Benoit perfectly captures the young adult/millenial experience. From late blooming with boys to becomeing an informed adult, I saw myself in her experiences. The essay collection made me feel less alone in my own emotions. Definitely recommend to anyone in thei rearly adulthood!
October 29, 2023
Benoit has a very interesting sense of humor and I found it very amusing to read.
Despite its light reading, this book has a very critical point of view on the way the world works towards men point of views and all the struggles women are forced to deal with.
Sophia also gives us a very detail narrative about her struggle with body dysmorphia, please search the trigger warning before reading it
Despite its light reading, this book has a very critical point of view on the way the world works towards men point of views and all the struggles women are forced to deal with.
Sophia also gives us a very detail narrative about her struggle with body dysmorphia, please search the trigger warning before reading it
April 12, 2024
YESS!!! I did not like this book at first, but I ended up loving it!! The author understands how difficult it can be to be a girl at times. The only thing I did not love was how much she talked about relationships and sex. I wanted to hear more about the other topics, such as feeling like you always have to prove yourself to others, and the struggle to be responsible.
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