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So Maria Bamford wrote a book. And if you’ve ever watched her comedy and thought, “Wait… did she just say that out loud?”, you’re in for a treat. Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult is a delightfully unhinged tour through Maria’s life, mental health journey, and every support group or self-help system she’s ever tried (and there are a lot of them!)
It reads like stand-up, therapy, and a diary all got together. And that’s precisely Bamford’s charm. If you love Maria’s stand-up, you’ll feel right at home. If you’ve never heard of her, buckle up. It’s gonna get weird. In a good way.
I listened to the audiobook (narrated by Maria herself!), and it was a great way to experience it. That said, the physical (and e-book) versions have fantastic illustrations, icons, font changes, and plenty of other visual candy to break up the boring BLOCKS OF TEXT you find in…well, most books.
Here is my Sure I’ll Join Your Cult book review:
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Sure I’ll Join Your Cult Book Summary
In Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult, Maria Bamford takes us on a wild, wonderfully weird ride through her life. She grew up in a perfectly nice Minnesota family (Duluth – lovely place, by the way.) She covers topics like OCD, bipolar disorder, and a revolving door of support groups, recovery programs, and wellness trends.
The book isn’t really linear, but that’s part of the charm. One chapter might have you laughing at her audition stories or her attempt to declutter her sock drawer using a 12-step program. The next will hit you with gut-punch honesty about hospitalization, therapy, or the hard stuff that doesn’t usually get mentioned on stage.
Maria somehow makes it all funny—often in the middle of telling you something deeply personal and kind of heartbreaking. It’s part memoir, part manifesto, and part “how-to” guide for anyone who’s ever felt a little (or very) off-center.
Who is Maria Bamford?
Maria Bamford is a comedian, actress, and all-around delightful weirdo best known for her brutally honest, wildly original stand-up. She’s made a career out of talking openly (and hilariously) about mental health, family dynamics, and all the ways life can go sideways. You might recognize her voice from animated shows like Adventure Time or BoJack Horseman, or her face from her semi-autobiographical Netflix series Lady Dynamite.
Unlike a lot of comedians, Maria doesn’t try to be cool. She leans all the way into being awkward, anxious, and 100% herself. Her style is hilarious and comforting at the same time.
Find Maria Bamford here: Maria Bamford
Now onto the rating! Sure I’ll Join Your Cult Book Review:
My innovative system for rating humor books is explained here
Wholesomeness Score: 1/5
Wholesomeness? Yeah… this one’s a solid 1 out of 5. The book deals with some heavy, very un-wholesome stuff. There’s strong language, mature themes, and a deep dive into Maria’s mental health struggles, including bipolar disorder, OCD, suicidal ideation, and hospitalization.
It’s raw, honest, and often dark. So if you’re looking for a light, uplifting read you could hand to your grandma, maybe keep looking. But if you can handle the rough edges, there’s a lot of comforting chaos in these pages.
Hilarity Score: 5/5
Maria Bamford has a way of turning the most bizarre and uncomfortable situations into maximium hilarity. She pokes fun at support groups, does spot-on impressions of family members, and often just rambles until her story turns into a ridiculous, but hilarious confusion.
Her humor is often dark, but sometimes light and deliciously weird. The quotes below may not seem that hliarious out of context. But they were my favorite random bits from the book!
“If I was your baby (which I am NOT…)” – Maria Bamford
“If I was your pet turtle (which I am NOT…)” – Maria Bamford
Overall Book Awesomeness Score: 4/5
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult is weird, wonderful, and wildly original. Maria Bamford’s ability to blend raw personal struggles with offbeat humor connects with me. She makes you laugh, cringe, and reflect all in one chapter. The book isn’t perfect, but it’s deeply honest and completely unapologetic, which gives it a kind of awesomeness that’s hard to ignore. It’s not always easy to digest, but if you’re up for it, you’ll certainly find some laughs. And maybe some helpful inspiration, if you’ve gone through similar struggles.
Things I liked:
- I love weird. Maria Bamford is fantastically weird.
- despite heavy, frequent themes of mental health struggles, the book is (occasionally) hopeful and uplifting!
- Maria narrating her audio book! Maria is a master of voices and impressions.
- lots of visual (or audio) “sidetracks” in the book to keep readers on their toes! (recipes???!)
Things I didn’t like:
- It’s depressing at times (yes, I realize that’s literally what this book is about.)
- sometimes Maria’s over-the-top weirdness grosses me out (hint: boogers)
Conclusion: Sure I’ll Join Your Cult Book Review
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult isn’t your typical memoir. It’s messier, weirder, and way more honest. But that’s exactly what makes it great. Maria Bamford brings funny to the hard stuff and heart to the funny stuff.
It’s not for everyone. But if you’ve ever felt like a misfit or tried to self-help your way into happiness, this book might be exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
And if nothing else, you’ll come away with a newfound appreciation for support groups
Read any good comedic memoirs? Give me your suggestions in the comments!
Scott Johnson is a Midwestern humorist, author of Essays Out of Left Field, and the mind behind scottjohnsonauthor.com. He’s also a husband, dad of three, and Data Systems Administrator (whatever that is). Scott is on a mission to find and read all the funny books. He shares his thoughts on those books, author life, and other delightful randomness with his readers on his website.
