Book review: In My Defence, I Have No Defence
Earnest coming-of-age confessions and millennial pop culture combine in this comfort read by SinĂ©ad Stubbins that will appeal to fans of David Sedaris and Broad Cityâs Abbi Jacobson.
Somehow great swathes of the publishing industry have tricked readers into thinking that unless the book in front of you is about trauma or history (and then only from certain points of view), you are a lesser reader in their eyes. Thankfully, a book has arrived to put the megalomaniacs of literature to shame through the lilting sounds of the Dawsonâs Creek soundtrack.
SinĂ©ad Stubbins is an Australian comedy writer, best known for her recaps of reality-television shows including The Bachelor, MasterChef and Game of Thrones. While her memoir sadly does not contain her trademark screenshots, she has carried through the funny and relatable voice seen in her work published by frankie, Junkee and Vulture and in her role on the writing team for ABC TVâs The Weekly with Charlie Pickering.
The self-described âconfessional memoirâ In My Defence, I Have No Defence sits firmly within millennial angst: trying to settle into a career in an increasingly casualised workforce, the impossibility of home ownership, towering expectations to be able to do things as seemingly simple as cook dinner. But, as Stubbins writes in her introduction, this is not a book âabout finding yourself⊠Itâs about that sneaking suspicion that youâre not doing it right, perhaps triggered by the realisation that youâre closer to [The O.C.âs] Sandy Cohenâs age than Seth Cohenâs.â
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What follows is an outpouring of earnestly trying very hard, while paying tribute to pop culture and its role in moulding us as we seek to find answers in the world. There are firm similarities at times to David Sedarisâs short stories and Broad Cityâs Abbi Jacobsonâs memoir, but they have never been so bold as to ask their readers to walk down Neighboursâ Ramsay Street. Rebecca Shaw and Brodie Lancaster are similar local contemporaries.
It is difficult to find cohesion in the collection at times, but one of the greatest strengths of In My Defence, I Have No Defence is that it doesnât ask the reader to do this work. It is a book to pick up, read a story or two, then put down again. After a bad day or when confounded by feelings of insecurity, itâs nice to know that someone else is overthinking everyday social interactions, too. This book is not designed to change your life, and that is its greatest gift.
In My Defence, I Have No Defence, by Sinéad Stubbins, is published by Affirm Press.
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