Actor & comedian Paul Scheer’s new memoir on joy, trauma, and laughing through it all

Paul Scheer has made us laugh, cry tears of laughter, and laugh some more throughout his career as a comedian, actor, filmmaker, and podcast host. Best known for his roles on FX’s The League and Showtime’s comedy series Black Monday, he brings his famous sense of humor and heartfelt storytelling to his new memoir, Joyful Recollections of Trauma, released in May 2024. This heartfelt and hilarious exploration of his tumultuous and traumatic childhood is a testament to resilience and finding humor, well, just about anywhere.

In a series of essays, Scheer shares deeply personal experiences with refreshing honesty, delivering even more laughter, tears, and reflection. The LA Times praised the book, stating “Scheer’s memoir-in-essays blends the horrifying and self-deprecatingly funny, often within the same chapter, sometimes within the same sentence.”

“Scheer’s memoir-in-essays blends the horrifying and self-deprecatingly funny, often within the same chapter, sometimes within the same sentence.” - LA Times

For fans and those discovering Scheer’s comedy for the first time, this boldly funny memoir offers a candid, comedic, and ultimately uplifting read about finding joy in embracing your authentic self. Narrating the audiobook himself, Scheer includes exclusive content, such as excerpts from live shows and home movies, making it a must-listen for fans.

👇🏽 Read more about the book below and don’t forget to Check Out Your Library for free ebooks and audiobooks on the Libby app.

More on Joyful Recollections of Trauma

Paul Scheer has entertained countless fans and podcast listeners with stories about the odd, wild, and absurd details of his life. Yet these tales have pointed to deeper, more difficult truths that the actor and comedian has kept to himself. Now, he’s finally ready to share those truths for the first time—but, of course, with a healthy dose of humor.

Blending the confident, affable voice that has won him a dedicated following with a refreshing level of candor, Joyful Recollections of Trauma chronicles Paul’s often shocking, admittedly tumultuous childhood and how the experiences of his youth have reverberated throughout his life. In his comedy, Paul has always been unafraid to “go there,” to play naïve, cringeworthy characters, imbuing them with disarming charm and humanity. That daring openness is on display in the pages of this memoir, but in true Paul fashion, it's also surprising, eye-opening, and side-splitting.

In this madcap journey through the inner working of his mind and creative process, Paul Scheer demonstrates once again that the truth is often stranger—and funnier—than fiction. Joyful Recollections of Trauma offers a unique perspective on universal themes: growing up, working through a challenging childhood, staying true to yourself, and finding success, fulfillment, and happiness in often strange and difficult circumstances. Throughout, Paul shares both the hard-fought lessons and the laughter that can be found in the darkest parts of life, and reminds us that what matters is not what you’ve been through but who you are becoming.

More memoirs you might like

Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon
🎧 Audiobook

A candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly Shannon.

Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult by Maria Bamford
🎧 Audiobook

From stand-up comedian Maria Bamford, a brutally honest memoir about show business, mental health, and the comfort of rigid belief systems—from Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People, to Richard Simmons, to 12-step programs.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
🎧 Audiobook

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
🎧 Audiobook

From stand-up comedian, actress, and breakout star of Girls Trip, Tiffany Haddish, comes The Last Black Unicorn, a sidesplitting, hysterical, edgy, and unflinching collection of (extremely) personal essays, as fearless as the author herself.

The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul
🎧 Audiobook

From international drag superstar and pop culture icon RuPaul, comes his most revealing and personal work to date—a deeply intimate memoir of discovery, found family, and self-acceptance. The House of Hidden Meanings is a self-portrait of the legendary icon on the road to global fame and changing the way the world thinks about drag.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.

📚 Subscribe to Libby Life for more recommended reads from your favorite authors.

RELATED READ: New celebrity memoir audiobooks read by the author