I'll Have What She's Having

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes references to sexual relationships, the death of a loved one, child abandonment, and parental neglect.

Chelsea Handler is the author of I’ll Have What She’s Having. She is a writer, stand-up comedian, activist, television host, producer, and actress. In I’ll Have What She’s Having—her seventh New York Times bestseller—Handler traces her work to grow and change in middle age. The text combines elements of memoir, self-help, and humor writing to craft a witty but sincere examination of Handler’s journey toward claiming a more actualized sense of self and establishing more balanced interpersonal relationships.

Handler’s background in television, film, and comedy lend her text a lighthearted, buoyant mood. She details many of her familial, romantic, sexual, and interpersonal experiences throughout the memoir, affecting a vulnerable, intimate tone. She is best known for her comedy work and television appearances in productions like Chelsea Lately, After Lately, and The Chelsea Handler Show. In these works, Handler has a vibrant, opinionated voice. Her defiant outlook on life translates seamlessly to I’ll Have What She’s Having. In the memoir, Handler shares her personal experiences (much as she does in her comedy) and uses them as throughways into her discussions of mental health, self-love, and intimate connection.