When You Find Out the World is Against You : And Other Funny Memories About Awful Moments

Kelly Oxford is hilarious. She is unflinchingly honest about her foibles, missteps, and idiosyncrasies, putting her embarrassing moments out there for everyone to not only enjoy but sympathize and empathize with. Because we’ve all been there, even if we’re not brave enough to blurt it out for the whole world to see.

Okay, maybe I’ve never been betrayed by a friend at summer camp or discussed pet burial rights with an alarmed friend of my child or had an immensely awkward encounter at a drive-thru, but still.

When You Find Out the World is Against You is a collection of stories, anecdotes, and revelations that are not only funny but empowering in their honesty and weirdness.

And the book concludes with an incredibly important message about communication, honesty, and community. It’s horrifying that so many women have stories like this to share, and I’m sure some people will complain that the author ruined an otherwise hilarious book with a downer ending. But they are missing the point.

Because it’s that sense of community, that sense that you are not alone in what you are feeling or experiencing that’s most important. And, under that harsh spotlight, Oxford proves herself a brilliant communicator.