Felicia Day is iconic. Not only was she one of the first female gamers to become well known in the gaming industry, but she’s also an actress, author, screen write, producer…. etc. etc. In short, there’s not much she can’t do. And she’s funny AF. I am not a gamer. Mostly I know her from what my husband (who is) has told me and from seeing her in things like Buffy. But I liked what I saw, and I was curious about her story. So, I decided to read her book.
Felicia Day’s life has not been exactly what you might expect if you know her primarily as a successful actress in Hollywood. First of all, she was homeschooled (somewhat haphazardly) along with her brother. Her lack of social options is part of what appealed to her so much about video games – it gave her and her brother an opportunity to connect with an online community and even make some friendships that crossed over into real life.
Surprisingly, to anyone who only knows her from her current career, she was also on track to become a successful musician – she even got a scholarship to attend a music program for her work as a violinist. Despite this, she decided she wanted to try out acting after having participated in some plays. But this decision didn’t go smoothly. She had a hard time breaking into acting, which led to losing herself in video games to the point of it becoming an addiction. Eventually she realized she couldn’t just wait for Hollywood to come to her, and she decided to make her own roles. And so The Guild was born. An online series written and directed by Day and filmed largely in her own home and at her own expense, The Guild broke a whole new area of film. It brought video games into pop culture and tapped into a huge market. Even better, it legitimized women and girls as an integral part of this community. I think. I’ve never watched it (yet).
That was just the beginning, as we all know. She built herself an extremely successful career that has been interesting, varied and unique. This book chronicles all of it – in honest detail. She talks about some of her most embarrassing moments, shares her lows, and tells us what it felt like to be doxed (her personal info was leaked online and she had to deal with irl stalkers and had her privacy completely taken from her). She doesn’t keep much back, and it’s one of the best celebrity memoirs I’ve read because of her honesty. She is full of charisma, determination and has no problem breaking any mold she’s put in. She’s a great example to young women who have felt stereotyped or limited, and she’s also just a lot of fun to hang out with for the length of a book. The audiobook is pretty great, too. Definitely one to pick up if you’re a fan of hers or if you just enjoy interesting memoirs.
From online entertainment mogul, actress, and “queen of the geeks” Felicia Day, a funny, quirky, and inspiring memoir about her unusual upbringing, her rise to Internet-stardom, and embracing her individuality to find success in Hollywood.
The Internet isn’t all cat videos. There’s also Felicia Day—violinist, filmmaker, Internet entrepreneur, compulsive gamer, hoagie specialist, and former lonely homeschooled girl who overcame her isolated childhood to become the ruler of a new world… or at least semi-influential in the world of Internet Geeks and Goodreads book clubs.
After growing up in the south where she was “home-schooled for hippie reasons”, Felicia moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress and was immediately typecast as a crazy cat-lady secretary. But Felicia’s misadventures in Hollywood led her to produce her own web series, own her own production company, and become an Internet star.
Felicia’s short-ish life and her rags-to-riches rise to Internet fame launched her career as one of the most influential creators in new media. Now, Felicia’s strange world is filled with thoughts on creativity, video games, and a dash of mild feminist activism—just like her memoir.
Hilarious and inspirational, You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost) is proof that everyone should embrace what makes them different and be brave enough to share it with the world, because anything is possible now—even for a digital misfit. – Goodreads
Book Title: You’re Never Weird on the Internet
Author: Felicia Day
Series: No
Edition: Audiobook
Published By: Gallery Books
Released: August 11, 2015
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Celebrity, Gaming
Pages: 272
Date Read: January 8-9, 2023
Rating: 8/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.07/5 (49,202 ratings)