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What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings
From dealing with your mean teenage daughter to rebelling against the latest diet trend, America’s newest standup sensation packs a hilarious punch with her real talk about what it’s like to be a regular woman today.For a long time, no one pulling the strings in the comedy world thought that an over-fifty woman from rural Tennessee could make it in the industry. But Leanne Morgan has defied the odds, reaching millions with her musings on menopause, Weight Watchers, and her opposites-attract relationship with her husband, Chuck.In her charming, Southern-accented voice, Morgan brings readers inside her quest to find her calling after so many years trying to figure out what that meant. Along the way, she discusses everything from growing up as a butcher’s daughter, to her strategy for landing a husband with health insurance, to the glories of aging and the comfort of wearing big old grannie panties.Equal parts warm and hilarious, this book is a must-read by one of comedy’s rising stars—reminding you that every time life leaves you asking, “What in the world?”, something good is going to come out of it someday.
7 pages, Audiobook
Published September 24, 2024
1262 people are currently reading
11966 people want to read
About the author
Leanne Morgan
1 book116 followersLeanne Morgan is a comedian, actress, writer, producer, wife, mother, and grandmama. Her first Netflix special, I’m Every Woman, was one of the most-watched specials on Netflix in 2023. Leanne has been named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 list and Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch list. When she’s not on the road, Leanne loves to be at home in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her husband, three children, two grandbabies, and beagle.
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October 19, 2024I am the most prepared 25-year old man to be a 50-year old woman
July 13, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Let me start off by saying - I know I'm not the target audience of Leanne Morgan's book. However, since I first saw her standup while scrolling through Facebook, I have thought she is one of the funniest comedians out there. This book is no disappointment; it is equal parts hilarious and inspiring. Hearing her musings on everything from divorce at 22 to her adventures through Covid felt so down-to-Earth and real. I found myself reading along with her signature Southern drawl in my head.
I am an avid reader, but I very rarely ever have a physical emotional reaction to something I'm reading. This is one of the first times I found myself literally laughing at loud. Set my iPad down, hand over my mouth, and laugh until tears were popping out of my eyes. That's when I knew I was reading something special.
I would absolutely recommend this to someone. Like I said, I'm not the target audience, and if I had a hoot reading this book, I imagine a lot of others will as well!
Let me start off by saying - I know I'm not the target audience of Leanne Morgan's book. However, since I first saw her standup while scrolling through Facebook, I have thought she is one of the funniest comedians out there. This book is no disappointment; it is equal parts hilarious and inspiring. Hearing her musings on everything from divorce at 22 to her adventures through Covid felt so down-to-Earth and real. I found myself reading along with her signature Southern drawl in my head.
I am an avid reader, but I very rarely ever have a physical emotional reaction to something I'm reading. This is one of the first times I found myself literally laughing at loud. Set my iPad down, hand over my mouth, and laugh until tears were popping out of my eyes. That's when I knew I was reading something special.
I would absolutely recommend this to someone. Like I said, I'm not the target audience, and if I had a hoot reading this book, I imagine a lot of others will as well!
October 29, 2024
In case you haven't heard of her, Leanne Morgan is a precious woman whose comedy is based around the fact that she is a wife and a mother and a woman, and . . . well, that's it. That's all you need to know.
Her children are yummy. Her husband is both long-suffering and frustrating. She loves people and to get out there and dazzle them, but some of them can be real buttholes. She didn't know what perimenopause was ten years ago, and now it's trying to kill her!
When I first started seeing clips of her on YouTube a year or so ago, I thought I was going to stop breathing, I was laughing so hard! I'm a sucker for a Southern accent, and hearing her in her Tennessee dialect talking about things that are so relatable somehow makes them even funnier. This book about her life was not just hilarious, with bits of her stand up thrown in so you can see where they come from, but it's also inspiring. She's had some hard things come her way, but she is a woman of faith who has found the beauty in life and acknowledges when God has helped her. I really loved that!
Also, if you're not listening to the audiobook so you can hear her tell you her story, what are you even thinking?
Her children are yummy. Her husband is both long-suffering and frustrating. She loves people and to get out there and dazzle them, but some of them can be real buttholes. She didn't know what perimenopause was ten years ago, and now it's trying to kill her!
When I first started seeing clips of her on YouTube a year or so ago, I thought I was going to stop breathing, I was laughing so hard! I'm a sucker for a Southern accent, and hearing her in her Tennessee dialect talking about things that are so relatable somehow makes them even funnier. This book about her life was not just hilarious, with bits of her stand up thrown in so you can see where they come from, but it's also inspiring. She's had some hard things come her way, but she is a woman of faith who has found the beauty in life and acknowledges when God has helped her. I really loved that!
Also, if you're not listening to the audiobook so you can hear her tell you her story, what are you even thinking?
November 17, 2024
Her husband is a piece of shit and she deserves way better.
May 26, 2025
I needed the laughs that this book brought!
Up until a couple days ago I had never heard of Leanne and had never saw her stand up act. Thanks to a random IG ad, I scrolled upon a hilarious video about teenage hormones and subsequently saw an ad for her book. That one little bit and the cackle it produced was enough to sell me on her book. & her southern drawl had me sold on the audiobook.
I laughed out loud so many times. I loved her Premiere Designs chapter and the story about her hemorrhoid doctor appointment had me laughing to tears. I wish I had a dollar for every time she said the word butthole over a mere 240 pages.
Growing up in the south. Relationships. Friendships. Motherhood. Marriage. Balancing it all & never giving up on your dreams...no matter your age. This audiobook has a little bit of it all.
5 stars
Up until a couple days ago I had never heard of Leanne and had never saw her stand up act. Thanks to a random IG ad, I scrolled upon a hilarious video about teenage hormones and subsequently saw an ad for her book. That one little bit and the cackle it produced was enough to sell me on her book. & her southern drawl had me sold on the audiobook.
I laughed out loud so many times. I loved her Premiere Designs chapter and the story about her hemorrhoid doctor appointment had me laughing to tears. I wish I had a dollar for every time she said the word butthole over a mere 240 pages.
Growing up in the south. Relationships. Friendships. Motherhood. Marriage. Balancing it all & never giving up on your dreams...no matter your age. This audiobook has a little bit of it all.
5 stars
May 14, 2024
I'm a huge Leanne Morgan fan. She always makes me laugh out loud. I could watch her videos endlessly. So, I rushed to get tickets to her show when she was performing near me. When a dear friends mother's funeral was scheduled for the same time as the show, I had to do the right thing and go to the funeral. So, in the world of Leanne, it was a "God moment" when I got approved for an early readers copy of her book. The book does not disappoint. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments, but there's also so much wisdom in the book. Although I'm a Northerner from the suburbs, there's so much to relate to in the book. I loved reading about the ups and downs of her journey. Now, she's got to do a show again near me.
August 2, 2024
I received a free copy of, What in the World?!, by Leanne Morgan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I have never heard of Leanne Morgan, before I read her book. Leanne keeps it real, and tells it to you straight. I enjoyed reading about Mrs. Morgan.
September 11, 2025
The reviews had me expecting a bunch of laugh out loud moments reading this book. The reviews were wildly inaccurate. There were definitely a few funny moments and/or stories, but this woman is a stand-up comic after all. She also comes across as a very kind and genuine person who had a fairly idyllic life growing up. Then she got married and instead of having her life continue to be more of the same, her husband came across as a distant, cold fish. She makes light of it, but most of the stories regarding him had me saying What in the World over and over again. A few examples, big and small, him having her pack up and move across the country away from her life without a word or having any part in that decision. Him giving away her dresser without any notice and her having to store her panties and everything else in that dresser on the floor. Him and only him deciding how to spend all the huge amounts of new money she was bringing in. Her having to trade sex for groceries or her kid's shoes near the beginning of her marriage. What a cringe worthy and emotionally unavailable husband! And I'm definitely being kind. I am not recommending this one. It was well written and edited and a quick read, but otherwise not noteworthy, as I ended up being really mad at the husband and her not seeming to realize her treated her pretty awfully.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2024
So, I love Leanne Morgan’s comedy. I love that she is making fun of the same experiences that I have had as a woman from the south and a mom. But I struggled with the amount of this book that was devoted to her being cute, the importance of her being cute, the time she spent either being cute or lamenting that she didn’t feel cute anymore. The amount of words dedicated to and placing all value on people pretty, beautiful, tiny, or having little britches made me lose a lot of respect for her. I respect her commitment to motherhood and her children so much that it bummed me out.
This is a comedian’s book, maybe I was expecting too much. I was looking for humorous, relatable stories with insights that maybe were too long or required too much backstory to hit on stage. I don’t feel like that’s what I got.
This is a comedian’s book, maybe I was expecting too much. I was looking for humorous, relatable stories with insights that maybe were too long or required too much backstory to hit on stage. I don’t feel like that’s what I got.
February 18, 2025
I listened to the audio book for this one that was narrated by Leanne Morgan. I had never heard of Leanne Morgan but I thought I would give it a try. It was quite funny and also quite realistic. Her mom stories are ones that most can relate to. She is a good comedian. I think it might be important to mention that you should listen to the audio book rather than reading it.
September 11, 2025
This book was pretty disappointing, the reviews were so great, but highly disappointing to me.
Way too much drama and repetition of the same stories and woe is me.
I thought maybe listening to the Audiobook would make it better, but not so much.
Yes, Chuck wasn’t the greatest emotional husband, but should never had been the butt of her jokes.
Way too much drama and repetition of the same stories and woe is me.
I thought maybe listening to the Audiobook would make it better, but not so much.
Yes, Chuck wasn’t the greatest emotional husband, but should never had been the butt of her jokes.
May 5, 2024
What in the World?! By Leanne Morgan
It is an autobiography from a small-town southern woman and the highs and lows of a life as a daughter, wife, mother, grandmama, and comedian/actress. It is a deep look at how women struggle to attain their dreams and make sacrifices out of love for their families. She does mention several traumatic experiences that change you. As Southern women, we have societal expectations to do it all with a smile on our faces. I have followed Leanne Morgan for a couple of years. She is hilarious and is fun! I was so excited to read her book. And in her perfect style, she never disappoints. I enjoyed learning more about her life before the kids and her husband. It reveals the birth of her charismatic personality, search for love, heartache, professional struggles, and work ethic sprinkled with laughs. I can't tell you how much it means to know that I am not alone in my struggles to be a working mom and a good partner, I am so glad I got to read this book. It was a glimpse of hope that I needed, it is going to be okay and that all of that work was worth it. If you do anything this year, let it be to read this book.
In exchange for my honest review, I received an ARC copy of the ebook from Netgalley and Convergent Books. Thank you for the opportunity.
It is an autobiography from a small-town southern woman and the highs and lows of a life as a daughter, wife, mother, grandmama, and comedian/actress. It is a deep look at how women struggle to attain their dreams and make sacrifices out of love for their families. She does mention several traumatic experiences that change you. As Southern women, we have societal expectations to do it all with a smile on our faces. I have followed Leanne Morgan for a couple of years. She is hilarious and is fun! I was so excited to read her book. And in her perfect style, she never disappoints. I enjoyed learning more about her life before the kids and her husband. It reveals the birth of her charismatic personality, search for love, heartache, professional struggles, and work ethic sprinkled with laughs. I can't tell you how much it means to know that I am not alone in my struggles to be a working mom and a good partner, I am so glad I got to read this book. It was a glimpse of hope that I needed, it is going to be okay and that all of that work was worth it. If you do anything this year, let it be to read this book.
In exchange for my honest review, I received an ARC copy of the ebook from Netgalley and Convergent Books. Thank you for the opportunity.
November 3, 2024
I was excited about a comedy memoir from Leanne Morgan, whose standup I love. Learning about her life was interesting and I laughed out loud in parts. She seems like a wonderful human and I love that her career has sky rocketed in her 50’s. That’s awesome.
However, many of the funny stories are also in her standup bits and I felt like there wasn’t enough new material. Leanne narrates the audiobook and her accent gets to be a lot. (I say that living in Tennessee and being used to the Appalachian accent.) She also could have used some practice reading aloud. She seemed to stop at each line break for a beat instead of at the punctuation of a sentence. She stumbled over her words here and there and it wasn’t edited out. The audio book needed a much more professional polish. This might be better in print.
However, many of the funny stories are also in her standup bits and I felt like there wasn’t enough new material. Leanne narrates the audiobook and her accent gets to be a lot. (I say that living in Tennessee and being used to the Appalachian accent.) She also could have used some practice reading aloud. She seemed to stop at each line break for a beat instead of at the punctuation of a sentence. She stumbled over her words here and there and it wasn’t edited out. The audio book needed a much more professional polish. This might be better in print.
January 26, 2025
Leanne Morgan is extremely funny to me! I could listen to her over and over! She tells the tale of her life
and it feels like she is sitting in your den and telling it her own way. It is not all funny. Some parts are heartwarming and revealing. It’s a very enjoyable book, specially if you are a fan already!!
and it feels like she is sitting in your den and telling it her own way. It is not all funny. Some parts are heartwarming and revealing. It’s a very enjoyable book, specially if you are a fan already!!
November 3, 2025
Audiobook was good. I would tag it as a Christian memoir. And Southern if that’s a genre. lol
September 14, 2024
I became a fan of Morgan's around 2019 when my own daughter was nearing her high school graduation, and so I watched, listened and guffawed to her own story of God preparing her for empty nesting by making her teenager mean. I followed her during the lockdown as she reminded me of making the Jello casseroles of my own southern upbringing. But let's be honest...just because you enjoy someone's comedy routines doesn't mean you'll love the story of their life. I came in tentatively, but left learning things I didn't already know (a young divorce, marital strife, lots of moves, and how she really got started in the business decades ago). I laughed, of course, but was also really emotionally moved by her story.
I definitely recommend checking out her comedy specials and even old clips and videos, but to really get to know an interesting woman, read this memoir! It's certainly not just for women, but if you are one, you'll relate to something here, southern or not. I will likely check out the audio version as well since I'm sure having her read it is a hoot!
Thanks to NetGalley and Convergent books for this ARC. All opinions are mine.
I definitely recommend checking out her comedy specials and even old clips and videos, but to really get to know an interesting woman, read this memoir! It's certainly not just for women, but if you are one, you'll relate to something here, southern or not. I will likely check out the audio version as well since I'm sure having her read it is a hoot!
Thanks to NetGalley and Convergent books for this ARC. All opinions are mine.
July 29, 2024
This book, What in the World Proves that it’s ok to dream big and take charge of the direction you are going in your life even when you are disappointed and discouraged and feel the need to “take to the bed” as Leanne says..
She’s funny, smart and candid about her feelings. Her greatest joy is being a mom. She never gave up on her childhood dream of becoming a star. She finds humor in her everyday life and her family.
This would be a great selection for your next book club or just a group of women who are friends who enjoy each other’s company. You are going to have lots to talk about.
She’s funny, smart and candid about her feelings. Her greatest joy is being a mom. She never gave up on her childhood dream of becoming a star. She finds humor in her everyday life and her family.
This would be a great selection for your next book club or just a group of women who are friends who enjoy each other’s company. You are going to have lots to talk about.
July 4, 2025
I busted out laughing at multiple times during this book. The audio book was phenomenal. After reading this I love her so much more than I did.
July 28, 2024
If you enjoyed her special, this book is a no-brainer definite read. All of her charm, wit and experiences shine on the page. If you haven’t seen her special yet, start there and use that as a barometer for whether you purchase. There’s a lot of funny Southern material. Plenty of God stuff. And overall, it’s super wholesome. Worth checking out if you need some sunshine!
October 14, 2024
3.5 rounding up. I find that stand up comedy doesn’t translate well into books. What comes across as hilarious on stage ends up a dizzying mess across timelines on the page. Leanne’s humor does come through in her memoir but not in the same magnitude. It was really interesting to read about her childhood and the influences in her life but I’ll stick to watching her live
December 15, 2024
This book was so yummy! Hahaha
If you're a fan of Leanne Morgan comedy, you'll love her book. If you've watched a lot of her sketches or seen her live, you may find pieces of the book slightly repetitive. However, even with seeing a lot of her stuff, I still found most of the content to be fresh and enjoyable.
A fun, lighthearted, easy read. I gobbled this one up in just a couple of days!
If you're a fan of Leanne Morgan comedy, you'll love her book. If you've watched a lot of her sketches or seen her live, you may find pieces of the book slightly repetitive. However, even with seeing a lot of her stuff, I still found most of the content to be fresh and enjoyable.
A fun, lighthearted, easy read. I gobbled this one up in just a couple of days!
August 28, 2025
Is she the sweetest? Yes. Do you think she deserves all the success she can get? Yes. Was this funny? No. I suppose I can’t relate to a 50 southern woman after all.
September 13, 2024
BOOK: What in the World?! A Southern Woman’s Guide to Laughing at the Unexpected Curveballs & Beautiful Blessings
AUTHOR: Leanne Morgan
PUB DATE: 9/24/2024 by Convergent Books
PAGES: 240
GENRE: Memoir/Biography
A H U G E Thank You to @netgalley, @convergentbooks, and the author for gifting me an advanced digital in exchange for my honest review!
QUICK & SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: Oh, my GOODNESS! I’m an even bigger fan of Leanne Morgan after reading this funny & heartwarming memoir. As I read it, I envisioned her telling me her life story with her thick, southern drawl. I have so much admiration in how she was raised by such loving parents, and how being a mom and grandmama is her icing on the cake more than anything else. Her witty banter had me rolling in laughter, but I also ached when hearing about the hard stuff she’s faced. I HIGHLY recommend this one, so read it when it comes out this month on the 24th. And check out her Netflix special from 2023 while you’re at it! I wish Leanne could be all our mamas!
#WhatInTheWorld #LeanneMorgan #memoir #biography #comedian #comic #Comedy #Humor #NetGalley #ConvergentBooks
AUTHOR: Leanne Morgan
PUB DATE: 9/24/2024 by Convergent Books
PAGES: 240
GENRE: Memoir/Biography
A H U G E Thank You to @netgalley, @convergentbooks, and the author for gifting me an advanced digital in exchange for my honest review!
QUICK & SPOILER-FREE REVIEW: Oh, my GOODNESS! I’m an even bigger fan of Leanne Morgan after reading this funny & heartwarming memoir. As I read it, I envisioned her telling me her life story with her thick, southern drawl. I have so much admiration in how she was raised by such loving parents, and how being a mom and grandmama is her icing on the cake more than anything else. Her witty banter had me rolling in laughter, but I also ached when hearing about the hard stuff she’s faced. I HIGHLY recommend this one, so read it when it comes out this month on the 24th. And check out her Netflix special from 2023 while you’re at it! I wish Leanne could be all our mamas!
#WhatInTheWorld #LeanneMorgan #memoir #biography #comedian #comic #Comedy #Humor #NetGalley #ConvergentBooks
January 15, 2025
Real life stories told by comedian+, Leanne Morgan.
This was a fun book to read and I could hear Leeane’s voice in my head.
I laughed so much while reading this book.
I’ve only seen Leanne Morgan on my computer.
Hopefully, one day I’ll get to see her perform in real life.
This was a fun book to read and I could hear Leeane’s voice in my head.
I laughed so much while reading this book.
I’ve only seen Leanne Morgan on my computer.
Hopefully, one day I’ll get to see her perform in real life.
July 25, 2024
Oh my goodness! This is the BEST BOOK EVER! I preordered this book and was lucky enough to receive an advanced reader copy…and let me tell you…it is wonderful! Very down to earth and very relatable! As I was reading, my husband was talking on the phone with his sister and I started howling in laughter! His sweet sister was asking what I was laughing at, and my dear husband (who is a LOT like her husband Chuck) said “she’s reading some book!” After he got off, I read the page I was laughing about and we both were laughing out loud! Let me tell you, it takes a LOT to make HIM laugh! I do believe he will read it next! I discovered Leanne during the Covid shutdown and sent her speil about mean daughters to all THREE of my daughters! Even they think she’s hilarious. When my daughter turned 25 we took her to Vegas and saw her perform there for her birthday! So, basically this book and her comedy is a multi generational hit! I can’t say enough good things about it, except keep up the great work Leanne, and I want to be your new best friend!
March 16, 2025
Leanne is so FUN. I love a comedian memoir, especially one read aloud in her own voice.
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October 2, 2025I think I’ll probably mostly stick with not giving memoirs a star rating because it’s kind of hard rating someone’s life experience the way I would fiction.
I picked up this book because I’ve been watching Leanne’s show on Netflix and love it. I’m not super familiar with her life story so I thought I’d check this out. I had the good idea to borrow the audio book from the library cause it’s nice to hear hear someone tell me their story. Plus, I knew I’d laugh more that way.
This book covers Leanne’s childhood, her family, her relationships and marriage, the trials and happiness from motherhood and of course her path to becoming the comedian she is today. I hope this isn’t a spoiler, but this book was much lighter than most memoirs I’ve read. I’m sure I’ve never heard/ read the word “butthole” so many times in my life lol but a lot of comedians have some really devastating stuff in their pasts. I think a lot of the time, unfortunately, that rough stuff is in the background of a lot of funny people. But it was nice not having such a heavy book. This reminds me a bit of Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey and David Spades books. And if you haven’t read them, that’s a recommendation for you :)
I picked up this book because I’ve been watching Leanne’s show on Netflix and love it. I’m not super familiar with her life story so I thought I’d check this out. I had the good idea to borrow the audio book from the library cause it’s nice to hear hear someone tell me their story. Plus, I knew I’d laugh more that way.
This book covers Leanne’s childhood, her family, her relationships and marriage, the trials and happiness from motherhood and of course her path to becoming the comedian she is today. I hope this isn’t a spoiler, but this book was much lighter than most memoirs I’ve read. I’m sure I’ve never heard/ read the word “butthole” so many times in my life lol but a lot of comedians have some really devastating stuff in their pasts. I think a lot of the time, unfortunately, that rough stuff is in the background of a lot of funny people. But it was nice not having such a heavy book. This reminds me a bit of Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey and David Spades books. And if you haven’t read them, that’s a recommendation for you :)
July 18, 2025
I absolutely LOVED this audiobook!! Naturally, it was laugh-out-loud funny, even during the introduction. It was also poignant, earnest, and highly relatable, even to someone in their 40s with no children. Her accent and colloquial Southern phrases were as familiar to me as my own voice, and brought such a warmth and comfort to her narration that made me want to listen to all 6 hours straight through. I genuinely wish I could have listened to her chapter on the best friend breakup 13 years ago when that happened to me. I feel like I have healed more from that after listening to her experience with it. I also appreciate her take on her faith and religion... I'm not a Methodist like her, but I grew up Presbyterian, and the mindset and feelings are so similar. I felt comforted and reaffirmed.
September 17, 2025
I am objectively not the target audience for this book, but I still found myself laughing out loud a lot. Leanne Morgan is every 60 year old southern woman you’ve ever met. I also have to say that as someone on the brutal job hunt right now, it’s nice to read a story of someone whose career took off 54! Very fun and probably even more fun for women who are a little older than me. Oh and if you read this, you have to do the audio.
September 25, 2025
This book is perfect and I want Leanne Morgan to meet my momma and be her best friend because I swear they’re just alike. I just want to hear them talk about Jesus, and shrimp as a vacation food, and how they love their grandbabies. And listen to the audiobook because Leanne is reading it and she’s darling and I wish she could read me a bedtime story every night. And there is my unhinged review. 🫶🏻
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,934 reviews