Memoirs are always so difficult to review because it's someone's life story. I was intrigued by the summary of a woman checking into a psychiatric hospital & how men impacted her. I was not familiar with her prior to this book. The book was more her hatred towards men & how they took advantage of her & also her poor relationship with her mother. I didn't really see her take accountability for her own actions.

Don't read this book if you're seeking dirt on Tendler's split from comedian John Mulvaney. While there are oblique references to their marriage and divorce, he is never named. His absence is conspicuous. What Tendler does share is her decision to enter a psychiatric hospital for depression and self-harm in early 2021. The book flips between her treatment there and her history with men from adolescence up to her marriage to an unidentified person. Her relationships provide a history of poor treatment and poor self-worth. and Tendler draws a direct connection between misogyny and her poor mental health. Tendler is vulnerable and I found both timelines compelling (although I was waiting for Mulvaney). I appreciated her analysis of how living in a patriarchy has hurt her. At the same time, she comes across as clueless about her privilege. She paints herself as aimless and unsuccessful but also describes socializing in elite circles and having high-profile opportunities in fashion and entertainment. Nevertheless, it's a moving memoir about mental health and healing.

This story started incredibly strong. The alternating chapters between the present and the past leading up to her psychiatric stay were well done: I did feel like the time leading up to her stay after were rushed over and I think that’s because they didn’t want a book about her ex husband. He’s never mentioned by name which I love for her, but I do feel like chunks of time and context were therefore missing from the story. I found myself skimming once she left the hospital because of that feeling. The beginning felt so honest and vulnerable.

Honest, unflinching look at the author's battle with mental illness and feeling like she's not "enough", something that so many women struggle with. Well written, fascinating look at a creative, artistic woman who does some hard work on herself to come out the other side as a healthier human being.

It resonated with me, as someone who also has struggled with my place in the world as a creative woman. Plus, I loved reading about Petunia.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC.

Incredibly open and relatable. The author talks about her experiences in a way that feels vulnerable, and I think particularly fellow elder millennial women will find a lot relatable here.

Every woman has been or will be mostly likely called "crazy" as a form of attack by some man in their life. Too bad for them, being called "crazy" now doesnt have the same stigma the word had before. Being called crazy now mostly comes from the woman finally standing her ground and calling out the man. This book does just that. Anna Marie takes back all the titles, diagnostics and claims they have given her and made it clear she still is a person. Her path she has taken in her life shows why she has the fears she has. Great read and great story telling.

Because this is someone’s real life, I’m going to step cautiously here.

I didn’t connect well with anything about the author’s story, including the writing style. It all felt self-indulgent and not particularly insightful. Let’s leave it at that.

Reviewing memoirs is a different kind of task. On one hand, I appreciate the life and struggles of the author. I followed and understood her journey. But the writing was difficult to read, and the book left me feeling pained. It's not uplifting but an important read nonetheless. Do I recommend it? Yes. But not for everyone perhaps.

This is a hard one to review. I was initially looking forward to it because of my interest in Tendler’s art, and let’s face it - her divorce from John Mulaney. Anyone hoping for gossipy dish will be sorely disappointed. This is one woman’s mental health diary that draws obvious comparisons to Susanna Kaysen. It’s interesting and well written, I went through it very quickly. But, given the attention and column inches given to boyfriends before and after Mulaney, I have to wonder if his omission was her choice out of a mutual respect they’ve come to, or if she had some kind of NDA/mutual NDA keeping her mum.

I was really excited for this one and it was so much more than I hoped for. I really enjoyed the imagery Tendler walked us through and as someone who has struggled with mental health issues myself, it definitely hit harder than I had expected. She paints a very real picture of what it’s like to struggle with yourself as an adult after having dealt with it as a teenager. I wound up waiting and listening to the audiobook when it was released since it’s read by the author and she does a wonderful job of bringing her story to life. Honestly one of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to Ingrid at Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for sending me this eARC.

This was not what I was expecting. It was a brave book that felt with some serious topics. But i feel like this book should have come a few years later when she has more time to reflect on this particular part of her life.

The end will have you in tears however so have some tissues nearby.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this advance copy of Men Have Called Her Crazy by Anna Marie Tendler! I love a sad girl book, and this memoir about Anna’s time spent in psychiatric treatment and everything that led to it was dreadful and entertaining. Anna hates men, so naturally the book was filled with stories about relationships with men in her life. I was disappointed that she didn’t mention her ex husband and very public divorce, which I could imagine might be the most impactful relationship with a man in her life. Plus the divorce is the reason I know who she is and picked up this book. It made me realize we’re only getting part of the story. Overall I enjoyed the book and could not put it down.

What an interesting memoir! As both a long-time fan of Mulaney and AMT (both as individiuals and, once before, as a couple), I was really excited to finally read and see more of AMT's own work. This book is poignant and thought-provoking, funny and emotional.... though, that isn't to say it's not without its issues. There were some portions that I found to be a bit.... off-putting, to put it mildly lol; however, at the same time, there's a part of me that chalks those rough patches up to it being about someone's own humanity (no matter how flawed or ugly those detailed thoughts/experiences may be may be). I did really respect though just how vulnerable and open AMT was when it came to discussing both tougher topics and deeply personal issues such as [her own] mental health & depression, as well as the vast array of sexism and misogyny she has endured/received over the year. I highly recommend this book to others and truly believe AMT's distinct and beautiful voice is one that should undoubtedly be heard by the masses!

It is tough to rate a memoir, especially one such as this, but alas here we are. I read this and was hoping by the end AMT would have come 'round and found some accountability but there was none to be had in here. I was a bit blindsided by the Petunia chapter (it happened to coincide on the anniversary I lost my doggo) but it was probably the most genuine chapter she wrote in the whole thing. I will just leave it at that.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the digital copy and to Simon Audio for the ALC to review.

~ ARC provided by NetGalley ~

This book, especially since the first week of release, is a tough one to formulate opinions on. However, when I read it in July, I was really invested in the story Anna Marie Tendler was telling about her life. Tendler explores her toxic and troubling relationships with men throughout her girlhood and into her adulthood where we meet her at a mental health facility in New England. I really appreciated Tendler's description of her time seeking mental health treatment--which is not the experience all readers had, be warned. There is also a noticeable absence of her famous ex-husband, that I actually appreciated. Tendler goes into other relationships with much more detail, and I was more interested in her life in the present than with her ex.

I disliked this book a lot, I found it alienating and self-indulgent. I feel for the author and her experiences and I was a fan of her in the past when she was a makeup artist but this woman scorned persona she's adopted and exploited for what I feel has been equal parts revenge and profit is tired. We get it, girl, you're so skinny and frail, oh my word.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback.

WE NEED MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS! Unputdownable! The story was absolutely incredible in its way for storytelling and highlighting every ounce of what it’s like being a female sometimes! The world needs more voices like this to be told. Incredible book.

I was so looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint. Anna Marie Tendler expertly weaves a narrative that so many women will identify with; one of a lifetime of bumping up against men of varying degrees of terribleness. These experiences are informed by her mental health and mental illness in nuanced and insightful ways. She writes about her experiences in inpatient treatment, specifically about her relationships with other patients and providers in such a touching way. The chapter in which her dog passes (not a spoiler) gutted me, but it was some of the best writing I've read recently. I admired her staunch refusal to make this book a tell all, coupled with her obvious compassion towards addicts. I was already a huge fan of Tendler's from her social media and photography but this has cemented her in my mind as a force to be reckoned with.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Many of us were introduced to Anna Marie Tendler through her ex-husband, but her memoir Men Have Called Her Crazy, is clearly a way for her to tell her own story, while also considering how men impact the lives of women.

When this book was first announced, I didn’t expect it to become so controversial (check out the other Goodreads reviews if you’re curious). After reading it, I have to say that while I understand some of the criticisms around why this book exists and its content, I think it was a really interesting read. Tendler has a lot to say and it was nice to hear her story directly from her, rather than filtered through a bit in a Netflix comedy special. Tendler is vulnerable and direct in discussing her mental health challenges and treatments, as well as her childhood and various relationships with men. I think everyone will find something to connect with in this memoir, and I personally was really moved by how she wrote about her dog, Petunia. If you’ve ever lost a beloved pet, those sections will really get to you.

This is the first time I haven’t rated a book (NetGalley is forcing me to give a rating to share this, so I just put in five stars), and that’s entirely due to the subject matter. It’s deeply personal and very heavy, and given that, it felt odd to assign it a rating. What I will say is that if you’re looking for a memoir with lots of salacious details about a celebrity divorce, this is not the book for you. But, if you’re interested in reading about a woman’s mental health journey, as well as musings on being a woman in the world, you might enjoy this one – definitely check out the content warnings though.

Men Have Called Her Crazy is out now. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.