This was a laugh out loud book of essays about getting older--and I rarely laugh out loud when reading books, so you know it's a good one! I loved Helen's voice, her perspective on life and her amazing group of girl friends. I read it pretty much in one sitting, but it's a book I can see going back to read the essays again, one at a time, to laugh and smile again. Some essays were about things women in their late 40's would understand, some were more about the power of friendships, but all of them were a delight!

In typical fashion, Helen Ellis is so funny and real. My one complaint is that is way too short. This only took me 45 minutes to read, so I thought I was missing content. However I liked what was written.

This was a quick read and is definitely worth checking out, but while there were some relatable and funny parts (especially "Are You There, Menopause? It's Me, Helen) this collection of essays unfortunately fell a bit flat for me overall.

Ms. Ellis writes about getting older and wiser with her friends in tow and with much humor.

Recommended for public libraries.

Though I didn't enjoy this as much as Ellis' short stories or previous essay collection, it kept me entertained for an afternoon. It feels a bit uneven, but the essays on Ellis' family or on long-term friendships stand out.

From the review: "When Helen Ellis and her lifelong friends arrive for a reunion on the Redneck Riviera, they unpack more than their suitcases: stories of husbands and kids; lost parents and lost jobs; powdered onion dip and photographs you have to hold by the edges; dirty jokes and sunscreen with SPF higher than they hair-sprayed their bangs senior year; and a bad mammogram. It's a diagnosis that scares them, but could never break their bond. Because women pushing fifty won't be pushed around."

A delightful collection of essays - the book just was not long enough. These essays are laugh out loud, chuckling here and there and some tears - she hits all the things that older women deal with every single day. Many older women relate to her question, "Are you there, Menopause? It's Me, Helen." And through it all, women rely on the innate strengths they have been given. Friends, family, careers, it's all there.

Another set of entertaining essays that cover friendship, the author’s type of people and the dangers of cut rate Botox. I listened to this one as an audiobook, narrated by the author, which made it even more amusing.

A compilation of life stories. A reunion reunites old friends whose lifes have intersected and taken them down various paths. Thoughtprovoking

I received an electronic ARC from Doubleday Books through NetGalley.
An amusing collection of essays for women facing menopause and figuring out what really matters in life. Ellis captures the drama and the reality of this age. She shares episodes from her life that so many will relate with. The essays vary in length but all share that same bite underneath the topic.
Definitely one to buy for friends who need a pick me up or simply a laugh as they face life's challenges.

How much do I love reading Helen Ellis? She made an airport delay seem like minutes instead of hours. Spending time in her world and enjoying her company very much was a welcome respite. As a 40something woman who wisely has women friends of all ages, Helen talks about girls weekends, surviving cancer, hot flashes and Botox with the same intensity. She is a breath of fresh air and I guarantee you will feel better for spending time in her world.

I read this essay collection in a single evening and while I did laugh out loud a few times, they just didn't crack me up in the way that Ellis' previous essays have done. Overall this collection was enjoyable, but not rave worthy.

Reading "Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light" is like sitting on the beach with your very best friends on a summer's day. It's that good!

This book is made up of 12 essays ---- and each and every one of them will make you laugh AND make you think....and will remind you that you are not alone.

While the title appealed to me, a middle-aged (okay...maybe a little more than middle-aged), I feel like it will appeal to readers of all ages. Something to look forward to, something to look back at fondly, or something to help you understand the women in your life.

#BringYourBaggageandDontPackLight #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books fallowing me to read an ARC of Helen Ellis’s new book.
Helen Ellis is what we in the South would call “good people.” A Southerner who now resides in New York City, of all places. She's hilarious and her way of writing makes you feel like you're sitting there with her, all the while having a blast. She shares stories about her husband, friends, and aging . . . and I find myself wishing that I could hang out with her and hear her outlook on life.

If you read and liked Helen Ellis's other books, you'll enjoy this one. It's a good read for those who like a sharp sense of humor and reading about NYC life. Recommended.

This slim Sedaris-esque essay made me laugh out loud on numerous occasions. Helen Ellis’s sharp wit and humor are on full display as she explores lifelong friendships, menopause and what it means to be able to laugh your way through the aging process. This book was refreshing, fast and fun. Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the advanced review copy.

I'm a big fan of Ellis's essay collections, but this one wasn't my favourite. It's just as funny and bright as her other books, but these are more memoir-esque, making them more maudlin and sentimental.

My daughter often talks about moving to NYC after graduating from college, a mere two years from now. I will only be cool with this if somehow I can visit often and become the very best of friends with Helen Ellis.

“Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light” is Ellis’ upcoming collection of essays (Doubleday, out July 13, pre-order this from an independent bookseller or I will hunt you down) and the third trip I’ve taken with her after “Southern Lady Code” and “American Housewife.”

Here’s the short of it — if you like to laugh, and laugh hard, with the occasional snort coming at the expense of something just to the left of inappropriate, I urge you to pre-order this post-haste. Ellis’ ability to craft the personal essay is whatever is about six stories higher than top notch, and if, like me, you are similar in age (that being late 40s to early 50s), the relatability factor is a 10.

In “Baggage,” Ellis tackles so much of what is the ordinary every day for us gals persevering through our middle years — contractors that want to upsell you on geriatric safety equipment, the evolution of the girls’ trip (which can still include a water park), the importance of those girlfriends and knowing how to support each other, what a character looks like, aging parents, being a badass lady poker player, plastic surgery and of course, menopause.

The laughing comes with nodding, as every single piece of the book resonates. From helping a friend along her cancer diagnosis and treatment, to reminiscing about your childhood at your parents’ last garage sale, to those rules we all have to help us determine who we want to sit next to on public transportation — every essay has a takeaway to which you find yourself thinking, “Yep.”

I always feel like there’s a better, funnier version of me worth excavating when I read Ellis’ essays. So many of us are thinking it. She’s out there saying it. My favorite new mantra? From her essay, “I’m a Believer” — “I was not put on this earth to make strangers take me seriously.” It’s my new “Carpe Diem,” people.

I mean it — run and get this the day it hits the shelves. Read it, then pass it to a girlfriend. You’ll love, love, love it.

Helen Ellis has a surprising sense of humor that will make most Southern ladies clutch their pearls. I adored her short story collection American Housewife and was charmed by her essay collection Southern Lady Code. Now she returns with more essays in Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light.
This time around she mostly muses on aging as she nears 50. It had a Nora Ephron vibe, which made sense when I saw the title of the last essay: I Feel Better About My Neck.

This is a super short collection, really an afternoon cover-to-cover read, but each is entertaining with her trademark sense of humor. It didn't pack the punch of her previous books for me but I still enjoyed sitting down with it for the hour or so it took to read.

My favorites here were The Last Garage Sale, a nostalgic look at her parent's shedding years of collected stuff in their final move; and I'm a Believer!, a highly quotable list I'd call her guide to life.

"I believe the older the friend, the longer the lunch. I believe the better the friend, the messier my house can be when she visits." *

"I believe in buying the next size up because I was not put on this earth to fit into and contain and restrain the largeness of my life." *

"I believe in hole-punching seven-year-old tax returns to make confetti." *

I recommend this book to readers who appreciate humorous essays.

Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light is scheduled for release on July 13, 2021.

*Quotes included are from an advanced reader's copy and are subject to change upon final publication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for gifting me with an ARC of Helen Ellis’s new essay collection. In exchange I offer my unbiased review.


Helen Ellis is “my kind of people.” Hilariously funny, sharp, honest, able to recognize the humor in everything. She’s your number one backup plan, and makes you feel good about your lumps and bumps.
This collection of essays was fantastic! Each one was 100% relatable. I enjoyed every essay and laughed out loud numerous times. I admit, I shed a few tears during her essay about her friend group titled “Grown-Ass Ladies Gone Mild.” Helen reminds me of David Sedaris and Jenny Lawson and I can’t think of a better compliment than that.
Although I read this book in digital form, I’ve already pre-ordered the audiobook, as I can only imagine how brilliant it’s going to be hearing this read by Helen Ellis.

I was happy to have more essays by Helen Ellis to read and enjoy. In real life I think I’d find her a bit much, and she would scoff at my version of not-nearly-crazy-enough behavior, all of which is fine, as I don’t expect her to invite me over and later watch my behavior as I leave. Just as well. We will keep this at a respectful distance.

I’ll be happy to continue reading about her exploits and, laughing with an occasional wince. Good stuff!