So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y'all Don't Even Know

Many do not know this about me but I love television shows, especially sitcoms.  Problems that are solved in thirty minutes and with everyone smiling puts a smile on my face as well.  I prefer the classics like The Dick Van Dyke Show and I Love Lucy but there are several shows that aired recently that captured my heart as well, and one of those is Parks and Recreation.  I have been an Amy Poehler fan since SNL and was hooked from the very first episode.  By the time season two began to air one character quickly became my favorite: Donna Meagle.  Donna, played by the incredibly talented Retta, had the best lines and some of my favorite parts, and the most memorable parts of the show, are because of her.  She has such a great delivery and plays off of everyone around her so well that it's hard not to fall in love with her.  When I saw Retta had written a book I couldn't help but pick it up, hoping that she would be just as funny of a writer as she was on Parks and Recreation.

Let me start off by saying this girl can cuss, as most comedians do, but I myself found that the charm of the stories and her particular style of writing helped me get past this fact (with the exception of taking the Lord's name in vain, which I cannot tolerate.  I cringed every time she used this phrase but luckily she didn't use it too often).  She is a comedian through and through and reading So Close to Being the Sh*t is like being front row at one of her shows.

There are several parts in the book where I literally laughed out loud (with a few questionable looks from my family) but I couldn't help it!  Retta's story is relatable on so many different levels and she let's you into her world with humor.  She goes from telling of her meager upbringing, and growing up in a house full of people, to studying medicine at Duke University then switching things up to becoming a comedian.

My favorite part, of course, is when she talks about her time on Parks and Recreation.  I always enjoy hearing about what goes on behind the scenes!  One thing I really loved as a fan of the show was that her and the actor that plays Jerry Gergich, Jim O'Heir, were actually incredibly close while working on the show.  Everyone always picks on Jerry, and I always felt sorry for him, so knowing Retta took care of him, as his work wife, behind the scenes, makes me feel better.

The common theme throughout the book was her obsessions.  Obsession with television, designer handbags, the Broadway musical Hamilton, Twitter, Snapchat, and even hockey!  When you finish this book, even if you didn't know who Retta was before, you certainly will afterward!  Her bright personality shines through this book and it was a pleasure for me to get to know her.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.  All opinions are my own.