This Will Only Hurt a Little

Written by Busy Philipps

Narrated by Busy Philipps

A hilarious, heartfelt, and refreshingly honest memoir and New York Times bestseller by the beloved comedic actress known for her roles on Freaks and Geeks, Dawson’s Creek, and Cougar Town who has become “the breakout star of Instagram stories...Imagine I Love Lucy mixed with a modern lifestyle guru” (The New Yorker).

There’s no stopping Busy Philipps. From the time she was two and “aced out in her nudes” to explore the neighborhood (as her mom famously described her toddler jailbreak), Busy has always been headstrong, defiant, and determined not to miss out on all the fun. These qualities led her to leave Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of nineteen to pursue her passion for acting in Hollywood. But much like her painful and painfully funny teenage years, chasing her dreams wasn’t always easy and sometimes hurt more than a little.

In a memoir “that often reads like a Real World confessional or an open diary” (Kirkus Reviews), Busy opens up about chafing against a sexist system rife with on-set bullying and body shaming, being there when friends face shattering loss, enduring devastating personal and professional betrayals from those she loved best, and struggling with postpartum anxiety and the challenges of motherhood.

But Busy also brings to the page her sly sense of humor and the unshakeable sense that disappointment shouldn’t stand in her way—even when she’s knocked down both figuratively and literally (from a knee injury at her seventh-grade dance to a violent encounter on the set of Freaks and Geeks). The rough patches in her life are tempered by times of hilarity and joy: leveraging a flawless impression of Cher from Clueless into her first paid acting gig, helping reinvent a genre with cult classic Freaks and Geeks, becoming fast friends with Dawson’s Creek castmate Michelle Williams, staging her own surprise wedding, conquering natural childbirth with the help of a Mad Men–themed hallucination, and of course, how her Instagram stories became “the most addictive thing on the internet right now” (Cosmopolitan).

Busy is the rare entertainer whose impressive arsenal of talents as an actress is equally matched by her storytelling ability, sense of humor, and sharp observations about life, love, and motherhood—“if you think you know Busy from her Instagram stories, you don’t know the half of it” (Jenni Konner). Her conversational writing reminds us what we love about her on screens large and small. From “candid tales of celebrity life, mom life, and general Busy-ness” (W Magazine), This Will Only Hurt a Little “is everything we’ve been dying to hear about” (Bustle).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9781508267584

Busy Philipps

Busy Philipps is an American actress. She got her first break on the seminal high school show Freaks and Geeks, and went on to star in Dawson's Creek, ER, White Chicks, Cougar Town and I Feel Pretty. Philipps lives in Los Angeles.

[Lauren AF · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just wonderful. I'm so grateful for this book and the honesty and openness.

[jordan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really surprised about how honest, open and heartfelt this was. Busy truly felt like someone I could confide in by the end.

[Megan Reid · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book brought so many emotions! I'm telling everyone about it. It's so lovely to hear someone be so real about their life experiences. I love Busy even more than I did before listening to her book.

[Kathleen Kimm · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So good. I really related to Busy's life. This book made me feel way less weird.

[Allie Kane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved learning more about Busy’s life. I had no idea about almost all of it. Thanks for being so open, real and genuine about it ALL!!

[vanessa funes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hysterical and relatable! I loved loved loved it! Definitely in my top 3

[Emihle Luwaca · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't think i was going to love this book as much as I did. I found the book so relatable, I cried, laughed, and went through all the emotions listening to it.

Highly recommended

[anna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn’t expect to like this book so much, I was not very familiar with Busy Philipps but she’s so captivating with her telling things as they are that, after a slow beginning, you get sucked into it, just as when you get closer to a friend. And just as a friend does I ended up laughing and crying with her. As a final result she touched deep inside my heart and help me un tap some unresolved issues and memories and I feel so much stronger now. Thank you for sharing Busy; your story, your humor and your wonderful reading help me to be a more defined woman.

[Marisol Margarita · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hilarious and real. Never thought I'd have anything in common with a little white girl from AZ. But I do. Better than I expected it to be.

[Sarah Bencosme · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved her candor and honesty. I hope she gets to be a late night host like she hopes. She’s a funny, capable girl who has been through a lot of life. Also I love her girls names and so glad she and her husband worked it out and stayed together.

[Michelle WRienstra · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is fantastic!! And hilarious. Busy is the best! Highly recommend.

[adam matthews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

the best of its kind - will defo listen again if only to spend time with her again - loved it so much

[Melina Longoria · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Big fan of her now..and her Mom!! ? loved it.

[Esther Rocha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it soooooo much!!! Busy I didn't know who you really were until I came across your book. I love you thank you for being so real!!!

[christine hopkins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So relatable. I love how much Busy opens up about her life and how it's not always fucking easy all the time. Make me feel better that I feel the same.

[liz jac · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So honest, funny and enjoyable! I’m not an audiobook kind of person but Busy added such life to the reading that I was instantly hooked! If you are torn between reading the book or listening to it, listen to it...you won’t be disappointed.

[elizabeth_klug_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved listening to Busy Phillips read this book. I have enjoyed her acting but didn’t know a lot about her and now i see how hard she has worked and all that she has endured....good and bad.

[Mellisa Boisvert · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved it !!! Fun and entertaining book really makes me love Busy ! I hope I run into
Her one day so I can tell her she’s a bad ass !!

[Lana Shehadeh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book! It was such a raw and telling snapshot of Bush’s life!

[Jess Callaghan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful piece of soul put to writing. I adored this book and so many women will be able to relate to this amazing woman! Busy is a Badass!

[rand read · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So cute! I usually hate when the book is acted out if you will but it’s as if she is going through it at the moment she is reading it and it’s genuine. Highly recommend!

[hazar · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very engaging, I appreciate the writer honesty while talking about her personal life

[Ella Hemeon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Listening to Busy tell any story is amazing, but hearing her own story, in her own words was beyond special. She is honest, relatable, and hilarious. The only negative is that it had to end!

[katrina marshall · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So real! A look into life as a woman for our generation.

[Matthew Tyre · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was absolutely amazing and VERY compelling! It took me a few months to finish but NOT for not WANTING to listen; I’m a mom of 4 young children and ANY time I was alone in the car driving, I would listen to it IMMEDIATELY!

I really connected with her story on a lot of levels. Not all the situations but the feelings and thoughts and some of the situations on less grander scales. I cried and laughed and felt devastated and elated during the entire book! I loved how it was written and how she relayed her inner most struggles.

It was a true work of art and it was a huge pleasure to read such raw and honest material.♥️

[Mikey Thom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great except politics chapter really changed opinion of author's intellect

[Setareh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed this easy read on the life of Busy Phillips. Her challenges and struggles as a girl then a woman and later on as a mother. Mistakes many of us make and the reflection of how life may change if we overcome fears or share them. I liked the book a lot but the end made a lot to be desired. So many things going on her life at the end and I felt she left many stories half told. Reading it as an audiobook was a great decision.

[Dusty-Ann Johnson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What an amazing book. I love it! I laughed I cried. I cannot get enough. Plus I want all books to be read by you I love how animated you were it was fabulous!

[Jordan Jones · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved how real and open and honest Busy was!

[Dina Godfrey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have ALWAYS loved Busy. I love her EVEN MORE now. Kudos girl! You're killing it. ?