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I was in the mood for a funny, lighthearted read. I knew Gary Gulman was a comedian, but other than that, wasn’t very familiar with his work. In Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ’80s, Gulman begins with a dire tale of running late for an appointment with his psychiatrist. Crippling anxiety and depression sent him to the emergency room twice in the span of 3 days. He was desperate and hopeless. This was not exactly a funny, lighthearted book introduction I was searching for! Just a few paragraphs in and I was ready to stop and jump to something else. But I continued on. And my persistence was rewarded with one of the best, most entertaining and FUNNY books I’ve read (via audiobook) in a long time! Here is my Misfit book review.
Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the 80s Summary
In Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ’80s, Gary Gulman uses self-deprecating humor to revisit his childhood and teenage years. He illuminates both the comical and painful experiences of growing up as an anxious, sensitive kid in 1980s Massachusetts. Set against the backdrop of Gulman moving back into his mother’s house as an adult to deal with depression, the book alternates between present-day reflections on his mental health struggles and incredibly vivid tales from his youth. I consumed Misfit via audiobook. But it appears the print version creatively separates these timelines by using different font!
Example:
Talking about mental health struggles in present day.
Diving back into anecdotes from kindergarten through early college.
These stories are a mix of hilarity and vulnerability, like the day he finally mastered his zipper or his frustration at not having the expensive Air Jordans his classmates flaunted.
Gulman recounts details from his youth with an encyclopedic mind. For example, when introducing a new character to the reading audience, he nonchalantly offers us their phone number (555-1234.) Of course, this creative personal identifier harkens back to when kids of the 80s would learn and memorize phone numbers of friends, family, and the local pizza place.
The painstakingly specific details were delivered in a magically poetic manner. Gulman finds the most colorful wording to use in his storytelling. This book would make a thesaurus blush!
Gulman brings his comedic sharpness to even the heaviest subjects, portraying moments of insecurity, anti-Semitism, and class struggles. He examines how these experiences helped shape his sense of humor and resilience. While the memoir has plenty of lighthearted anecdotes, Gulman also digs into the challenges he faced with mental health, showing how his signature humor became a tool for survival as he worked through some dark periods in his life.
Who is Gary Gulman?
Gary Gulman is a stand-up comedian known for his clever, insightful humor that often dives into personal topics like mental health, societal quirks, and everyday observations. Originally from Peabody, Massachusetts, Gulman got his start in comedy after a brief stint in college football (although basketball was his true love.) His routines are distinctive for blending intellectual wit with a self-aware style, sometimes drawing on his own battles with depression and anxiety to deliver messages that are both humorous and reflective.
Gulman gained widespread recognition through comedy specials like The Great Depresh, where he explores mental health struggles with a mix of honesty and humor. He’s also appeared on Last Comic Standing, Conan, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. His thoughtful comedy style has earned him a reputation as a “comedian’s comedian,” appealing to both mainstream audiences and fellow comics.
Check out Gary Gulman Official Website
Also check out Gary Gulman’s take on how States got their abbreviations. Absolute gold.
Now onto the rating! Misfit book review:
My innovative system for rating humor books is explained here
Wholesomeness Score: 2.5/5
Misfit has plenty of swears, mild references to sex and lots of honest talk about mental health struggles. (Mental health struggles is kind of what the book is about.) Gulman talks about his experiences with poverty, loneliness and antisemitism. Certainly, some heavy content throughout the book. However, Gulman delivers his stories in a charmingly innocent manner. He recounts being shocked and appalled with friends and classmates who used foul language. Gulman’s father did not allow for expletives in his household.
“He didn’t allow the varsity expletives for sure, but he didn’t even allow me to use the word “lie.” He insisted I use the word “fib.” He believed “lie” was too harsh a word for children. I couldn’t say “shut up”, “jerk”, “stupid”, “idiot”, or even “fart”.”
–Gary Gulman in Misfit
Hilarity Score: 4/5
Despite the often-heavy content, Misfit is a funny book. Gulman presents himself as a first-class comedy nerd. He recalls the amateur comedic taste of his first-grade classmates as “lowbrow buffoonery”. Even at an early age, his comedy was much more sophisticated. And he reveled in coaxing laughter from his peers, family and teachers whenever the opportunity arose.
Overall Book Awesomeness Score: 5/5
Misfit was awesome. I LOVED Gulman’s use of poetic language. It was hilarious juxtaposition imagining young kindergarten Gary expressing his thoughts on learning how to zip up his own coat in this sophisticated, thoughtful manner:
“I was very comfortable, delighting in my newfound freedom. It was fitting that as we neared the bicentennial, 1976, I, too, was exulting in my liberty.”
–Gary Gulman in Misfit
The book was full of raw, honest details of Gulman’s struggles with anxiety and depression. But it masterfully balanced the serious content with hilarious anecdotes about growing up in the 80s.
Things I liked:
- Gulman is a wordsmith. Or rather, Gulman is an eloquent raconteur who employs innovative and anomalous words during stimulating confabulation. He uses really cool words.
- Gulman is a likeable guy. Hard not to root for him
- The details Gulman recalls during each school year is astounding. Even if he just made up these specific details about people, places and events in his life…it’s still awesome.
- Obsession with basketball
- baseball cards
Things I didn’t like:
- Serious struggles and intimate details about battling depression. I wasn’t ready for a “heavy” book when I started Misfit. I wanted something light and fun. The book did not start off very light nor fun. I almost stopped in Chapter 1. I’m glad I kept going! I discovered that light and fun were masterfully intertwined with the “heavy” to make for an entertaining and uplifting story.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on Misfit
Misfit: Growing Up Awkward in the ’80s was the most enjoyable book I’ve read (via audiobook) in a long time. Misfit is funny, heartwarming, and thought-provoking. Gulman masterfully balances details on his serious mental health challenges with silly, awkward and hilarious memories from his youth. He delivers his stories with incredibly vivid detail and beautifully poetic prose.
Misfit was simply awesome!
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