Excuse Me While I Disappear

Tales of Midlife Mayhem

By: Laurie Notaro

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

A laugh-out-loud spin on the realities, perks, opportunities, and inevitable courses of midlife.

Laurie Notaro has proved everyone wrong: she didn’t end up in rehab, prison, or cremated at a tender age. She just went gray. At past fifty, every hair’s root is a symbol of knowledge (she knows how to use a landline), experience (she rode in a car with no seat belts), and superpowers (a gray-haired lady can get away with anything).

Though navigating midlife is initially upsetting—the cracking noises coming from her new old body, receiving regular junk mail from mortuaries—Laurie accepts it. And then some. With unintentional abandon, she shoplifts a bag of russet potatoes. Heckles a rude driver from her beat-up Prius. And engages in epic trolling on Nextdoor.com. That, says Laurie, is the brilliance of growing older. With each passing day, you lose an equivalent amount of fear.

And the #1 New York Times bestselling author has never been so fearlessly funny as she is in this empowering, candid, and enlightening memoir about living life on the other side of fifty.

©2022 Laurie Notaro (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Narrator Hillary Huber’s winsome performance grounds the author’s raucous humor and candid takes on the life of a 50-something woman. Huber intimately conveys Notaro’s observation that women somehow become invisible once they reach midlife.… These irreverent, sometimes profane, narratives strike a universal chord that will have listeners rolling with laughter at Notaro’s escapades, while also nodding their heads in agreement. This wickedly fun look at the adventures of aging should appeal to Notaro’s many fans and to readers who enjoy Jen Mann, Annabelle Gurwitch, and Jessi Klein.”—Library Journal

“Witty and full of sarcastic energy, the author fearlessly tackles what it means to get old…Unplugged, refreshingly off the hook, and consistently entertaining.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Notaro’s fans who’ve aged right alongside her will feel like they’re on a call with a best friend.”—Publishers Weekly

I could relate to so much in this book.

I liked her tone and approach as well as her honest look at how middle aged women are treated and how they feel. Definitely a 5 star rating for this book!
Overall 5, Story 5, Performance 5

Thief of Thoughts!

Oh my goodness! Ms. Notaro crept inside my mind (a wholly dangerous affair) and plucked my very thoughts to share in her book! Thankfully, she put them in HER words, using her unparalleled wit and style. This is a wonderfully bawdy look at finally being able to walk past the feminine protection aisle in the store and thumb your nose at it! It also shares all the glory (and not) that comes with THAT time of life. I have never laughed so hard looking back at times in my life that were so trying until Ms. Notaro put her spin on everything. Holy COW; you mean I’m not the ONLY one who did/experienced that?!? Very encouraging and uplifting. Thank you so much; I really needed this!

Ms. Hillary Huber narrated flawlessly. She put the snark in all the right places, and the calm sweetness where it, too, belonged.

This is a powerful combination of author and narrator. I highly recommend a read/listen (I did both via WhisperSync)—especially if you are one of “US.” 😉

Amazingly real listen.

I’m 53, born in 1970, genx through and through and I can 100% relate to this book! I love being invisible, but I’m a hardcore introvert. Great book!

I laughed out loud, great book, so funny!

One of the funniest books I've read. if you need a good belly laugh, this is your book.

Brilliant

I feel so much of this and truly enjoyed every word! This is my first read from this writer but Everything about this was amazing! Thank you! I will be back

Hilarious and accurate

As a woman of this demographic, this is right on. I Loved the step husbands.

Hilarious, let the truth be told!!

I feel this in my bones. Someone needed to be honest about the horrors.of being a woman. I also loved her personal stories that were definitely unique. I didn't love the wine bag story though.

Hilarious midlife anecdotes about the ups & downs

Listen, I don't know about you, but midlife has been a bit of a rollercoaster for me. So when I stumbled upon "Excuse Me While I Disappear," I was excited to dive into some tales of midlife mayhem. And boy, did Laurie Notaro deliver!

This book had me laughing so hard that I nearly choked on my dentures (just kidding, I still have all my teeth...for now). Notaro's hilarious anecdotes about the ups and downs of midlife are relatable and oh-so-entertaining. From menopause mishaps to online shopping addiction, she covers it all.

And let's not forget about Hillary Huber's narration. Huber's delivery is spot-on, and she captures Notaro's wit and humor perfectly. I felt like I was listening to a good friend share her crazy midlife stories over a glass of wine (or three).

So if you're in need of a good laugh and some reassurance that you're not alone in your midlife struggles, "Excuse Me While I Disappear" is the book for you. Just make sure to put down your drink and use the bathroom before you start reading, because you won't want to put it down once you start.

Laurie does it again!

Waited patiently for this one. Felt just like a long awaited, wonderful visit with an old friend. The friend who makes you laugh and relates to you.

Funny

Laurie knows how to tell a story and chose the perfect narrator to deliver it.