A review by just_one_more_paige
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

funny lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

 
I freaking love Irby's writing. I read we are never meeting in real life. a couple years ago (and have recommended it so many times since then). And I listened to wow, no thank you. right after it came out. I loved both so much and when I saw that she had a new collection of essays coming out, I saved the date. And I'm pretty sure I made it to my local bookstore the week it was released to buy myself a copy. Of note, I also got an ALC from Libro.fm, so I was able to listen as well, which was spectacular, as Irby narrates it and her tone/inflection are perfect. 
 
In this most recent collection, Irby addresses topics including middle of the night ED visits for allergic reactions, becoming obsessed with QVC (and other COVID related responses and coping), porn, the ways she would have (if given the chance) "ruined" original Sex and the City episodes and storylines (in response to getting death threats while writing for the current reboot), food (of course), her advice on how to hold your own with teenagers, her (now classic) self-deprecating explorations of how her body is failing her complete with myriad gross and funny bodily function experiences, owning the things you like no matter how "low brow," what kind of party guest she would be, and why she plans to never have a kid.  
 
First of all, I love this title. Being quietly hostile is a whole vibe...one that makes for great essays...and the hilarious pairing with the skunk is the kind of quality cover art and marketing that I can get behind. But really, as I've now come to expect from Irby, the real star of her essays is the way that she can simultaneously make me laugh-snort out loud (both expectedly and unexpectedly) *and* provide legitimate, brilliant really, insight and observation into human characteristics and interactions. 
 
There were a couple essays that I just, overall, loved. The opener "i like it!" was freaking fantastic; what a start. I really identified with "my firstborn dog," as an I-don't-want-kids person myself. And, as someone who had to take a middle of the night trip to the ED for a swollen face style allergic reaction, albeit not one that quite reached the level of anaphylaxis, “what if i died like elvis” was a humorous take on an otherwise not-at-all funny experience. I unexpectedly enjoyed the QVC essay - what a creative format it had. And I thought the shorter essays, like “i like to get high at night and think about whales”  and "food fight" were nice breaks from the longer ones. But also, they had some of the best lightening insights into humans and being human. Like, "food fight" felt so real, as a person in a long term relationship: the big stuff is fine and the stupid little stuff like different styles of fridge stocking, is absolutely where the breaking points are. Finally, I thought  “how to look cool in front of teens”  was so good. I've worked with adolescents of varying ages for over 10 years now and...it is spot on, hilarious, touching, and a beautiful owning of that fact that generations are different and aging happens and you get to own yours just like they get to own theirs. Loved it.  
 
I think I've reached the point where I would read anything Irby writes, which is clear because even the essays is this collection that I have absolutely no reference points for, like Dave Matthews (don't really listen to him) and Sex in the City (never seen a single episode) somehow still kept me invested. I just really love Irby's essays and writing. It's perfectly irreverent - oh so much phenomenal snark and sarcasm - with great energy (like, the writing moves) and perception and so much humor. Also, idk exactly what age she is, but the voice and vibes hit just right for my older-edge millennial self. I could read endless essays from Irby. 
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