Browsing through NetGalley, I came across Kim Korson's memoir, I Don't Have a Happy Place: Cheerful Stories of Despondency and Gloom. How could I resist a title like that? Thank You to Gallery Books for the advanced copy of Korson's memoir in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - In her memoir, Korson pieces together stories from her life that paint her as a cynic. Korson's glass is usually half or maybe even entirely, empty. She has her grump on for every occasion. The book starts out with stories from her awkward childhood growing up in Montreal. As a young adult, Korson moves to New York and finds that her career choice of being a theatrical agent, isn't the best fit for her personality. When she meets her future husband, Buzz, there are bumps in the road and a very unromantic marriage proposal. Korson battles with living in a dodgy part of Brooklyn and then with the decision to move away from the city to a small town in Vermont. Flexibility and change are not her strong suits. The book has chapters with camp stories, observations at a funeral and a family trip to Walt Disney World, all infused with Korson's sarcasm.

LIKE - Korson is hilarious. I want her to be my best friend. Seriously. She has a quality in her writing that is so open and honest, that even when she is being a complete cynic, I couldn't help but love her. I also found myself nodding along, as I share a lot of her quirks. I resist change too Kim! Korson has an off-beat way of seeing the world and her writing is just catchy. There were many times where I paused to laugh or marvel at her phrasing. Korson is a strong protagonist, but I also enjoyed the other characters that fill her universe. In particular, the chapters on her love of Christmas and her trip to Disney World, had me cracking up. 

DISLIKE - Not a single dislike. I Don't Have a Happy Place was a highly entertaining and enjoyable read. I devoured it in a single afternoon.

RECOMMEND - YES! YES! YES! I want more from Korson right now. I was disappointed that she doesn't have a bigger internet presence. She so funny that I want my daily tweets from her and such. She reminded me a lot of David Sedaris, who is one of my favorite writers. I think as soon as this book is published, Korson is going to be huge. She better be writing a follow-up!