Thank you to Crown Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of Faith Salie's Approval Junkie: Adventures in Caring Too Much, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Comedian and journalist Faith Salie, writes vignettes from her life revolving around the theme of perfectionism and approval. Salie admits to being an "approval junkie", constantly seeking the approval of others, which leads to her inability to say no and her ceaseless quest for perfection. 

LIKE- When I worked at Universal Studios, I used to listen to podcasts while working on the weekly schedules. I remember Salie from NPR'S Wait...Wait...Don't Tell Me, and I was excited to see that she had written a book.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm a bit of an "Approval Junkie" and I could relate to the theme. Luckily, I'm nowhere as extreme as Salie. I cringe to think of her obsessive exercising and anorexia, both of which she addresses with humor and poignancy. 

Salie is witty and I laughed out loud many times while reading Approval Junkie. One of my favorite chapters involved Salie's attempts to pick out the perfect outfit for a court date to finalize her divorce. I almost wished that I could redo my divorce to have a crack at finding the "perfect outfit". 

Salie's career has included many unique opportunities, many of which she writes about in Approval Junkie. 

DISLIKE- This isn't so much a dislike, as I didn't relate: many of the chapters deal with Salie's desire to have children and her late-life pregnancies. Although these chapters were interesting and related to the overall theme, I felt more distance from them than I did the earlier chapters.

I did find plenty of humor in a chapter where she explains that her husband's dog (which he brought to their marriage), was not to be considered her child's sibling. Salie tolerates the family dog, but she is not an animal lover. As someone who gravitates towards animals, rather than children, I'm on the other side of the spectrum, but I can appreciate her frustration. It's a funny tirade. 

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you're a fan of Salie or looking for a humorous memoir from the perspective of a working mother. Salie's voice and perspective make Approval Junkie a worthwhile read.