I Might Regret This

I Might Regret This by Abbi Jacobson

This memoir by Abbi Jacobson follows her decision to travel across the United States after experiencing a devastating heartbreak. Abbi is a comedy writer, illustrator, and actor, and she anticipates that this solo trip will be entirely life changing. She intends to record the thoughts, feelings, reflections and adventures she experiences throughout her journey.

As a huge fan of the television series Broad City (which she co-created, wrote, and starred in), I was intrigued to read this book, not only to learn more about her life but also to enjoy the writing of this very funny and observant person. I always feel as though I’m returning to an old friend when I experience a beloved writer’s work in a different format, from television to memoir. This was no different.

As a talented illustrator, Jacobson has included drawings of books, music, podcasts and interesting items she encounters on her trip. These beautiful additions do a wonderful job of breaking up the essays about her personal life, adding depth to her travel experiences and encouraging reflection from the reader. This book does not follow a traditional memoir format; instead, it jumps between time periods and uses a series of shorter essays to explore important, poignant and funny moments in her life.

She includes lists of topics she has pondered during her journey, accounts of her train of thought while trying to fall asleep, funny stories about how she met her future collaborator and best friend, Ilana Glazer, and reflections on finding a way for their unique voices to be heard and ultimately brought to life through Broad City. Interestingly, this book was written between the fourth and fifth (and final) seasons of Broad City, providing a beautiful snapshot of the challenges, joys and courage involved in recognising when something should come to an end.

Abbi fills these pages with love, reflection, sadness and regret, yet her writing is always infused with humour. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a memoir that is eclectic in nature, as well as to fans of Broad City or Abbi Jacobson’s other work.

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