TLC: It's Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool Too)

When I agreed to review this book, I had no idea that Nora McInerny Purmort would be at Book Expo America, or that I would have a chance to meet her and get a book signed by her.  We didn't have a meaningful conversation, but she was friendly and happy, and I instantly liked her.  And that was before I could really come up with any recollection of what her book was about, just the knowledge that I'd seen it before and that perhaps I was going to be writing about it in the future.  

Now that I've read It's Okay to Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), I can officially admit that I love Nora McInerney Purmort and her memoir.  Maybe part of it is her Midwest roots, something I felt made us kindred spirits.  Or maybe it's because Purmort totally gets what it's like to have had some really tough times, and is still be able to laugh and go on with her life.

It's Okay to Laugh is a memoir chronicling the diagnosis, treatment and death of her husband, Aaron Purmort who died after three years of living with a rare brain tumor. The two were soul mates, and spent the precious little time they had with each other, even deciding to have a child while Aaron was undergoing chemotherapy.

Purmort will be the first to tell you that she isn't sure what she is supposed to be doing, or if what she is doing is "right," but she is embracing life.  

This book will make you laugh out loud, and then have you tearing up because Nora McInerney Purmort totally "gets it."

I loved this book, and I wish that I could sit down with Purmort on a regular basis and check in with her.