Audiobook Review: You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)

Book Summary:

From online entertainment pioneer, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)is a “relentlessly funny and surprisingly inspirational” (Forbes.com), memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to internet stardom, and embracing her weirdness to find her place in the world.

When Felicia Day was a girl, all she wanted was to connect with other kids (desperately). Growing up in the Deep South, where she was “home-schooled for hippie reasons,” she looked online to find her tribe. The internet was in its infancy and she became an early adopter at every stage of its growth—finding joy and unlikely friendships in the emerging digital world. Her relative isolation meant that she could pursue passions like gaming, calculus, and 1930’s detective novels without shame. Because she had no idea how “uncool” she really was.

But if it hadn’t been for her strange background— the awkwardness continued when she started college at sixteen, with Mom driving her to campus every day—she might never have had the naive confidence to forge her own path. Like when she graduated as valedictorian with a math degree and then headed to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting despite having zero contacts. Or when she tired of being typecast as the crazy cat-lady secretary and decided to create her own web series before people in show business understood that online video could be more than just cats chasing laser pointers.

Felicia’s rags-to-riches rise to internet fame launched her career as one of the most influen­tial creators in new media. Ever candid, she opens up about the rough patches along the way, recounting battles with writer’s block, a full-blown gaming addiction, severe anxiety and depression—and how she reinvented herself when overachieving became overwhelming.

Showcasing Felicia’s “engaging and often hilarious voice” (USA TODAY), You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should celebrate what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit.

My Thoughts:

My sister is a big fan of Felicia Day. The only thing I’ve really seen her in is Dr Horrible’s Sing Along Blog—at least that I remember. And no, I don’t watch Supernatural. I like it…and I want to, but it’s just so LONG.

Anyways, my sister got a copy of the audiobook from a giveaway (you’re welcome for the heads up!) and we had to listen to it on our drive to work.

It was hilarious. Several times we had to press pause so that we didn’t miss anything. Unlike many audiobooks, the pacing was great. Felicia reads it as if she’s just holding a conversation with the listener and not just reading from a page.

Honestly- I’d recommend the audio version to anyone- even if they’re not familiar with her work. I wasn’t and it made me just want to find out more about the tv shows and movies that she has worked it.

The actual hard book may be good, but the way this is read just made it even more fun and an all-around great listen.

-M