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The Corner Chip
The Corner Chip is a candid exploration of grief. After losing her best friend at age 25, Jessica Seburn began performing stand-up comedy and writing her story. In this book, you won’t find the stages of grief, yoga poses or any mention of “everything happens for a reason.” Quite frankly, anyone who says that can get bent.
The Corner Chip is unflinching and darkly humorous. It is a must-have on any shelf because you never know when anyone you love is just going to drop dead.
The Corner Chip is unflinching and darkly humorous. It is a must-have on any shelf because you never know when anyone you love is just going to drop dead.
171 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2018
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 2, 2018
Although I'm totally biased since Jessica is my cousin, I loved this book and think you will too. I read it while flying back to Toronto and sobbed on the plane. It is poetic and beautiful and inspiring. Congrats Jessica <3
July 3, 2023
Tl;dr This book is fantastic if you've just lost a piece of your heart and want to know you're not alone.
Now for the long part.
I've never met Jess in the real world. People say in real life but isn't the internet part of all of our lives anyway? So, I first met Jess when I was 17 and she was (I think) 14 on a HP forum of all things. Her April was still alive and my Teddy was still here too. We were part of the J-crew, in which I was lucky enough to be included simply because of my nickname on the forum--but I digress.
Jess was bright and beautiful and I was so envious of the fact that a younger than me girl was a moderator on the forum while I was not.
It's stupid the kind of things that are so important at 17 look so stupid all these years later.
Anyway what I want to say is that Jess is good people. without realizing, I've known her for 21 years, a little bit less time than I've known my husband and that's absolutely nuts to me. Since I don't have friendship decay, I still think of her as one of the people I really like. I still remember her reaction to my engagement was "Aaahh *pees*". The cutest reaction ever.
I'm rambling again.
Right. The book.
How do you rate a book like that?
I've wanted to read it since it came out but I always put it off. I was curious to find out how Jess lost her friend. When I hear about young people dying I get overcome with an obsession of finding out "Why". I have thanatophobia. I think it stems from being 10 and being told quite casually that my 8 year old friend died. My mom hasn't really been a good deliverer of such news in general. In fact she seems to not care at all. And then she took me to the open casket funeral, which is what fucked me up, I think and now I have to take 15mg of Escitalopram daily.
Knowing now that I'm Autistic AF™️ it makes me wonder if my mom is too. It certainly would explain a lot about her and my life. Nana you're drifting. (That's the ADHD)
ANYWAY, YES. So, when I read on Fb that Jess lost her best friend I got overwhelmed with knowing why, but of course this isn't the kind of question you ask someone who's grieving.
And years went by and I forgot about this book. I wish I would never have remembered that this book exists.
And then _my_ best friend died.
It is quite a different case than Jess's and April's. I met Teddy at 16. He was being bullied by our classmates and I stepped in and told everyone to fuck off. And then pretty much adopted him.
And in June he died.
Just like that.
My little buddy, the guy who's always been around to offer a laugh or just comment on everyday bullshit. We spent every day together from 16 til I moved to a different city at 21, and even after we spoke online daily. He was my best man at my wedding. I found out through Facebook and it destroyed me. Crying came and went. I'm also still in denial. After all it's only been a month. I feel weird.
Teddy died on Friday. I found out late on Sunday and kept texting him and calling him bc I was in shock, and his dad responded to my texts on Monday through Teddy's account to thank me and I almost flipped when I saw his name on my notifications 🙃 I also never realized just how many of my other friends I'd introduced him to and messages kept coming and I was just there. Very NUMB. And like-- I had known people who died before. As I said I saw one of the kids I was friends with in his coffin. I lost another friend 2 years ago almost to the day, but he wasn't someone that I was that close to,l. Apart from my dad and my gran I've never lost anyone THIS close to me that wasn't related but was family you know?
He was my buddy and now he's gone and it all feels fake and honestly fuck cancer.
So then I remembered about this book. If anything could help it would be reading about someone who's gone through the same thing, no?
Turns out it did. The writing was true and authentic and visceral and at times I felt like I was the one who put the words on the page.
“April never had to lose April.”
This. So many times this. And Teddy never had to lose Teddy.
So, thank you Jess, my darling, for writing this book, for sharing your pain with me, with the world. Your words in the book: "You really are not alone. Someone, somewhere, knows exactly what you are feeling and experiencing. They made it through it. There is hope." thank you. Thank you so much.
I need to stop. The words are blurry.
Now for the long part.
I've never met Jess in the real world. People say in real life but isn't the internet part of all of our lives anyway? So, I first met Jess when I was 17 and she was (I think) 14 on a HP forum of all things. Her April was still alive and my Teddy was still here too. We were part of the J-crew, in which I was lucky enough to be included simply because of my nickname on the forum--but I digress.
Jess was bright and beautiful and I was so envious of the fact that a younger than me girl was a moderator on the forum while I was not.
It's stupid the kind of things that are so important at 17 look so stupid all these years later.
Anyway what I want to say is that Jess is good people. without realizing, I've known her for 21 years, a little bit less time than I've known my husband and that's absolutely nuts to me. Since I don't have friendship decay, I still think of her as one of the people I really like. I still remember her reaction to my engagement was "Aaahh *pees*". The cutest reaction ever.
I'm rambling again.
Right. The book.
How do you rate a book like that?
I've wanted to read it since it came out but I always put it off. I was curious to find out how Jess lost her friend. When I hear about young people dying I get overcome with an obsession of finding out "Why". I have thanatophobia. I think it stems from being 10 and being told quite casually that my 8 year old friend died. My mom hasn't really been a good deliverer of such news in general. In fact she seems to not care at all. And then she took me to the open casket funeral, which is what fucked me up, I think and now I have to take 15mg of Escitalopram daily.
Knowing now that I'm Autistic AF™️ it makes me wonder if my mom is too. It certainly would explain a lot about her and my life. Nana you're drifting. (That's the ADHD)
ANYWAY, YES. So, when I read on Fb that Jess lost her best friend I got overwhelmed with knowing why, but of course this isn't the kind of question you ask someone who's grieving.
And years went by and I forgot about this book. I wish I would never have remembered that this book exists.
And then _my_ best friend died.
It is quite a different case than Jess's and April's. I met Teddy at 16. He was being bullied by our classmates and I stepped in and told everyone to fuck off. And then pretty much adopted him.
And in June he died.
Just like that.
My little buddy, the guy who's always been around to offer a laugh or just comment on everyday bullshit. We spent every day together from 16 til I moved to a different city at 21, and even after we spoke online daily. He was my best man at my wedding. I found out through Facebook and it destroyed me. Crying came and went. I'm also still in denial. After all it's only been a month. I feel weird.
Teddy died on Friday. I found out late on Sunday and kept texting him and calling him bc I was in shock, and his dad responded to my texts on Monday through Teddy's account to thank me and I almost flipped when I saw his name on my notifications 🙃 I also never realized just how many of my other friends I'd introduced him to and messages kept coming and I was just there. Very NUMB. And like-- I had known people who died before. As I said I saw one of the kids I was friends with in his coffin. I lost another friend 2 years ago almost to the day, but he wasn't someone that I was that close to,l. Apart from my dad and my gran I've never lost anyone THIS close to me that wasn't related but was family you know?
He was my buddy and now he's gone and it all feels fake and honestly fuck cancer.
So then I remembered about this book. If anything could help it would be reading about someone who's gone through the same thing, no?
Turns out it did. The writing was true and authentic and visceral and at times I felt like I was the one who put the words on the page.
“April never had to lose April.”
This. So many times this. And Teddy never had to lose Teddy.
So, thank you Jess, my darling, for writing this book, for sharing your pain with me, with the world. Your words in the book: "You really are not alone. Someone, somewhere, knows exactly what you are feeling and experiencing. They made it through it. There is hope." thank you. Thank you so much.
I need to stop. The words are blurry.
July 1, 2018
For 22 years I had all of my grandparents. Eight months ago my grandpa died. Four days ago my grandma died. When you lose someone you love you don’t know what to do with yourself. This book is a start. Thank you for validating my feelings and my grief, letting me know I’m not alone, allowing me to cry and laugh and feel part of a circle that you so desperately crave when you’re in this state. And the paper of this book is very silky and that’s also comforting.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews