''Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be: Essays'' is a nonfiction essay collection and memoir by American writer Nichole Perkins. The book was released on August 17, 2021, by

Grand Central Publishing Grand Central Publishing is a book publishing imprint of Hachette Book Group, originally established in 1970 as Warner Books when Kinney National Company acquired the New York City-based Paperback Library. When Time Warner sold their book publis ...

. It was recommended by ''

Fortune Fortune may refer to: General * Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck * Luck * Wealth * Fate * Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling * Fortune, in a fortune cookie Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Fortune'' (19 ...

'', ''

Bitch Bitch may refer to: * Bitch (slang), a vulgar derogatory term used primarily referring to women, but is often directed towards men as well * A female dog or other canine Bitch or bitches may also refer to: Arts and media Film and television ...

'', and ''

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''.

Synopsis

The book is a collection of essays about Nichole Perkins' life experiences, including childhood memories, that relate to her perspective as a Black woman and the influence of pop culture on her development. Essay topics include her family, religion, past experiences of depression, her crush on

Niles Crane Niles Crane (born 1957) is a fictional character on the American sitcom ''Frasier'', a spin-off of the television show ''Cheers''. He was portrayed by David Hyde Pierce. Niles is the younger brother of Frasier Crane (played by Kelsey Grammer). P ...

, and the ways that musical icon

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

's music stoked her earliest feelings of sexual desire. Perkins writes about her sexual experiences and past romantic relationships.

Critical reception

The book received positive reception. ''

Kirkus ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, non ...

'' reviewed the book as "a thoroughly enjoyable journey into the mind of a beloved pop-culture commentator." ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' wrote in a similarly positive review: "writing from a place of humility and humor, Perkins paints an exuberant portrait of a Black woman speaking to and from her power. Tender and bright, this intimate work piques nonstop." Sarah Schroeder described it in a starred review for ''

Library Journal ''Library Journal'' is an American trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey. It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional prac ...

'', "Memoir readers who appreciate unpredictability, candor, and pop culture will enjoy this book and may very well find themselves thinking about it even weeks after they’ve finished it." Vanessa Willoughby commended Perkins' writing style in ''Bitch'': "Perkins’s strength lies in her first-person narrative voice, which undermines the literary world’s recent dismissal of personal essays as both an enduring genre and a cultural touchstone." Of the book's sexual content, Molly Sprayregen wrote in the ''

Star Tribune ''The Minnesota Star Tribune'', formerly the ''Minneapolis Star Tribune'', is an American daily newspaper based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As of 2023, it is Minnesota's largest newspaper and the List of newspapers in the United States, seventh- ...

'', "Above all else, this is a book about desire, and more specifically, shamelessly owning that desire. Utilizing humor, raw honesty, and an intimate writing style with which readers can easily connect, Perkins has crafted a powerful memoir that is well worth the read." ''Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be'' was recommended prior to its release by ''Bitch'', ''Ms''., ''

Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...

'', ''

'',

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, and ''

BuzzFeed News ''BuzzFeed News'' was an American news website published by BuzzFeed beginning in 2011. It ceased posting new hard news content in May 2023. It published a number of high-profile scoops, including the Steele dossier, for which it was strong ...

'', and was selected for

Roxane Gay Roxane Gay (born October 15, 1974) is an American writer, professor, editor, and social commentator. Gay is the author of ''The New York Times'' best-selling essay collection ''Bad Feminist'' (2014), as well as the short story collection ''Ayiti ...

's book club. Perkins adapted a chapter of the book into a segment of the radio show ''

This American Life ''This American Life'' is a weekly hour-long American radio program produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media and hosted by Ira Glass. It is broadcast on numerous public radio stations in the United States and internationally, and is ...

'', which was first broadcast on September 3, 2021.

Publication

References

{{Reflist

External links

''Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be''
at

''Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be''
at Nichole Perkins' official website 2021 non-fiction books American memoirs Literature by African-American women Feminist books English-language non-fiction books Essay collections Grand Central Publishing books

Synopsis

Critical reception

Publication

Further reading

References

External links