I've been a huge fan of How Did This Get Made? for years, and so I was familiar with Paul's insane stories of his childhood. When I heard he was releasing a memoir, I was incredibly excited. I immediately put a hold at the library as soon as it was available because I had a feeling this would be better listened to since I'm so used to Paul's voice talking to me. And I was right!

Joyful Recollections of Trauma delves into the truth behind the wild stories Paul tells on his podcasts about his life. He describes abuse and trauma with both frank honesty and a sense of humor that has clearly carried him throughout his life. At some points, it was hard and scary to listen to Paul describe these situations, but he never lingered there. It's clear Paul has done the work of unpacking his trauma through therapy, and for once it has resulted in a celebrity writing with clarity and nuance. I didn't know anything about how Paul and June met, so I found the stuff about their relationship particularly charming. Paul writes a bit about his early career but not so much about his success. Perhaps he thought it was less interesting, or maybe he's saving it for another book.

If you're a fan of How Did This Get Made?, this is definitely a must-read. Paul also smartly incorporates bits from the podcast in the audiobook, which is fun. Even if you don't know Paul Scheer and his work, this is a pretty top-tier celebrity memoir.