When Life Gives You Pears, Jeannie Gaffigan
When Life Gives You Pears, Jeannie Gaffigan
2 Rating(s)
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

When Life Gives You Pears
The Healing Power of Family, Faith, and Funny People

Author: Jeannie Gaffigan

Narrator: Jeannie Gaffigan, Jim Gaffigan, Liz Noth

Unabridged: 7 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/01/2019

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

The Big Sick meets Dad is Fat in this funny and heartfelt New York Times bestselling memoir from writer, director, wife, and mother, Jeannie Gaffigan, as she reflects on the life-changing impact of her battle with a pear-sized brain tumor.
In 2017, Jeannie's life came to a crashing halt when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. As the mother of 5 kids -- 6 if you include her husband -- sat in the neurosurgery department in star-covered sweats too whimsical for the seriousness of the situation, all she could think was "Am I going to die?"

Thankfully, Jeannie and her family were able to survive their time of crisis, and now she is sharing her deeply personal journey through this miraculous story: the challenging conversations she had with her children; how she came to terms with feeling powerless and ferociously crabby while bedridden and unable to eat for a month; and how she ultimately learned, re-learned and re re-learned to be more present in life.

With sincerity and hilarity, Jeannie invites you into her heart (and brain) during this trying time, emphasizing the importance of family, faith and humor as keys to her recovery and leading a more fulfilling life.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Richard on January 27, 2020

I'm sitting here in my Indianapolis home about two months after amputation of my left leg above the knee. While this may sound dramatic (it is), it's simply the latest stop on my lifelong journey as a paraplegic with spina bifida who became a double below-knee amputee in my early 20's. The amputatio......more

Goodreads review by Jim on October 03, 2019

4.5 stars. Certainly the funniest book about surviving a brain tumor I've ever read.......more

Goodreads review by Amy on August 20, 2019

This was a deeply personal story. I am a huge fan of Jim and Jeannie Gaffigan and I was there on Instagram when Jeannie had her brain surgery. It shocked all of us fans because we know of the two, Jeannie is the "health nut" and she is so young, and they have 5 kids. I felt a personal connection to......more

Goodreads review by Danielle on April 13, 2020

If you’re feeling down and need a little perspective- this would be a great read for you. This is a great reminder to appreciate the moments and people in your life. It’s also a great reminder to always laugh!......more

Goodreads review by Jacob on December 15, 2019

This is an ambling, autobiographical, introspective telling of the author's medical crisis when a tumor is found in her brain. Jeannie is a decent writer and she's open and vulnerable, so I connected with it early and was engaged throughout. Most of the humor didn't really connect for me, but the he......more


Quotes

"Jeannie Gaffigan is an infinitely touching and personable writer, and her charm and force-of-nature persona saturate each page." America Magazine

"A surprisingly hilarious story about surviving a brain tumor...her accessible writing style and honest voice create an intoxicating spell as she writes tenderly of learning the importance of living in the moment. Readers will be uplifted by Gaffigan's perseverance and outlook."—Publishers Weekly

"Funny, endearing...[readers] will love Gaffigan's optimism, humor, and fascinating fight to reclaim her life...a fun blend of celebrity, mom, and medical memoir rolled into one."—Booklist

"Jeannie Gaffigan's indomitable spirit leaps off the pages in this moving, intimate, and (against all odds) funny memoir about one of the most trying times of her life. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU PEARS is full of wisdom, inspiration, and resilience. Don't miss it."—Harlan Coben, New York Times bestselling author

"Behind every truly funny man is an even funnier woman. Which is why, after learning that she has a pear-shaped brain tumor, comedy writer Jeannie Gaffigan is perhaps the most perfect person to take the horrible thing and write about it with signature humor, wit, and sarcasm. From discovery to recovery, this story about surviving a medical crisis (and five kids) has you rocketing through every human emotion from gratitude to grief, but most of all it has you laughing and nodding your head at her wry and comedic take on life. Throw in a big helping of faith (yes, the God kind), irreverence, and universal parenting truths and you've got a must-read memoir that reminds all of us what' s important. This is a book to be shared with all."
Lee Woodruff, New York Times bestselling author and journalist

"I've known Jeannie for a long time and it's no surprise that she turns the terror of a brain tumor into a hilarious and heartwarming tale."—Tony Hale, Emmy-winning actor and comedian (Arrested Development, VEEP, Toy Story 4)

"After reading Jeannie Gaffigan's moving, funny, and inspiring story, I have one only wish: I want her and Jim to adopt me. I mean, at this point, what's another kid? It's not like they'd notice."—Mo Rocca, author of Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving