Hey there Bookworms,
I really love humorous memoirs, the more neurotic, the better. When I ran across I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley on my library’s list of immediately available digital audio books, I couldn’t help myself. The only think I love more than this book genre is cake! (I really like cake, damnit!)
If you’re not sure audio books are for you, I encourage you to try a memoir that is narrated by the author. Crosley’s voice was a treat! Though her voice would have come across as wry and hilarious in print, hearing her tell her own stories was absolutely fantastic.
I was DYING at the Oregon Trail references. I don’t know how many times I (intentionally or otherwise) killed off my entire travelling party. Dysentery is a bitch. When Crosley related the tale of her creating a cookie shaped in the likeness of her boss’s head, I very nearly shot coffee out my nose. (Be careful with beverages if you’re reading and/or listening to this book. High snarfle risk.)
If you have any fondness for the humorous-literary-memoir-essay genre (say that three times fast) I Was Told There’d Be Cake is not to be missed. I’m very happy I took the neurotic journey into Sloane Crosley’s head.
Talk to me, Bookworms. Who likes cake? Anybody else get really disappointed when a wedding serves desserts OTHER than a ginormous cake full of frosting? Just me?
*If you make a purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission.*
Brittny
I love humorous memoirs! This may have to make it to my TBR list. 🙂
Brittny
Words For Worms
Definitely! It’s up there on my list o’ funny essay memoirs!
Heather
Wasn’t it just the most hilarious thing ever? This book was SO MUCH FUN. I’m glad I didn’t partake of any beverages during the reading of it. My Ensure wouldn’t have felt good coming out my nose.
Words For Worms
At least your Ensure would’ve been cold, Ethel. Hot coffee = bad snarfle. Still worth it.
Megan M.
I don’t usually love cake or cupcakes because people tend to go nuts with the frosting and it’s just too sweet, but this baby seems to love it. We’ve been invited to several birthday parties during this pregnancy and every single one served the best cake I’ve ever had. 😉
I also really love the name Sloane and if this baby were a girl, that would have been her name! So this book sounds like a winner to me.
Words For Worms
Oh my word, your baby is clearly going to be awesome! Also, you should read this to hear Sloane Crosley’s thoughts on being named “Sloane.” (Drawbacks include Ferris Bueller jokes, though that might not be an issue for your little one)
Joules (from Pocketful of Joules)
Perfect, this is exactly what I need to be reading right now! I’m going to use your handy dandy e-book directions to see if I can download it from my library. =)
Words For Worms
Yaaaay! I hope you like it!
Rhian
I love cake and Allie Brosh has perfectly captured my feelings in: http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com.au/2010/10/god-of-cake.html
Words For Worms
Speaking of humorous memoirs I need to read…
Andi (@estellasrevenge)
YESSSSS! I’m so excited you read this one, and I’m so excited that Heather read it. All of the people need to read it because it’s SO GOOD. I want to re-read and I have her newer book, too. The first essay of that one didn’t capture me the way Cake did, but I hope to try it again soon. Cheers to neuroses!
Words For Worms
Neurotic people make me feel less alone in this big world full of the well-adjusted :).
Shannon @ River City Reading
I bought a used copy of this not too long ago and now I keep seeing it pop up, so I totally need to get to it.
Words For Worms
I think you’ll like it!
Jancee Wright
This one has been on my reading list for a while now. I keep looking at it, intending to read it, then reading something else instead. I don’t know why I do that.
Words For Worms
Oh gosh, I have a stack of those books, I totally get it!
Jenny @ Reading the End
Oh I LOVE cake. I can live without heavy frosting, and I get truly sad when the cakes are fruity coconuty nonsense cakes. CHOCOLATE. Is what the people want. Fruit coconut nonsense cakes are nonsense.
Words For Worms
Okay, so my FIL had surgery today, and I was sitting in the waiting room and saw this comment while checking my phone. It made me laugh inappropriately. I think you should put that accomplishment on your resume.
Christy
I’ve turned out to be a fan of cake but usually not the frosting, unless the frosting is kept minimal. I don’t know when that happened.
Anyway, this is a book that I always think that I’ve read, but I haven’t. I think I confuse it with other books of personal essays, like Beth Lisick’s Everybody into the Pool.
Words For Worms
I go through phases, but right now I’m in a sugary frosting phase. Mmmmm buttercream!
Jennine G.
In the minority here, I’m sure, but I hate cake and hate icing more. I’ll eat it if there’s like strawberries in it or it’s lemon flavored, but even then, I’d have to be really hungry.
Words For Worms
Are you the sort of person who only craves healthy foods? I’ve heard they exist, but it’s so difficult for me to fathom anyone not having an intense sweet tooth.
Katie @ Doing Dewey
What a fun review! I also love author narrated memoirs, cake, and Oregon trail. I actually had a roommate in undergrad who got dysentery and her boyfriend got her an Oregon trail shirt 🙂
Words For Worms
Holy crap, I didn’t think people could get dysentery anymore! The Oregon Trail shirt was the perfect gift choice. That guy’s a keeper.