My Horizontal Life

I read one book by Chelsea Handler and just could not get enough, but no worries, she has multiple books out, and each is just as good as the one before. My Horizontal Life is specifically about Handler’s dating life, starting from when she was still living at home with her parents and ranging throughout her life on her own, working at various jobs.

The thing about Handler’s stories is that the beginning ones are just as outrageous as the ones that occur later on. Most of Handler’s relationships turn out to be incredibly short term, some only lasting for a night, but she seems perfectly fine with that. Handler isn’t afraid to supply her readers with even some of the most private of details, and no friend or ex is safe from being mentioned in these pages.

In one particularly outrageous incident, Handler goes to see a gynecologist because her friend wants her to date him. Handler casually mentions that she has her own boat and is a sailor, even though neither is true. In this way, she gets herself and a girlfriend invited for a sailing trip with the doctor, only to later find out that he’s gay and that his “partner,” who is also on the boat, is actually his boyfriend.

Handler’s stories are often relatable because she makes a lot of mistakes that normal people could actually make, and this helps readers to identify with her. Though not everyone is necessarily going to put their private life in a book for anyone to read, her experiences are often very common. Handler often ends up doing some odd things to try not to embarrass herself or to try to impress people, and readers can identify with someone who isn’t perfect and also isn’t trying to be. Handler may deal with things a bit more over-the-top than others, but the deep-seated motivations are still the same as any girl looking for love or a relationship.

Near the end of the book, while on a road trip, a friend of Handler’s sums up her major problem by saying, “You just love men too much.” This is the major theme carried out throughout the entire collection of incidents and stories. Handler loves the men that she meets until they do something to annoy her, but it sure is entertaining to watch the process unfold as she bounces from guy to guy. Because of her love of alcohol and outspoken personality, Chelsea Handler has no problem fitting in at a number of different venues and this variety helps to make My Horizontal Life an incredibly enjoyable and hilarious read.