SKU: 35121490772

I'm Telling the Truth, But I'm Lying: Essays

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I'm Telling the Truth, But I'm Lying: EssaysINSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In I'm Telling the Truth, but I'm Lying Bassey Ikpi explores her life as a Nigerian American immigrant, a black woman, a slam poet, a mother, a daughter, an artist through the lens of her mental health and diagnosis of bipolar II and anxiety. Her remarkable memoir in essays implodes our preconceptions of the mind and normalcy as Bassey bares her own truths and lies for us all to behold with radical honesty and brutal

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

In I'm Telling the Truth, but I'm Lying Bassey Ikpi explores her life--as a Nigerian-American immigrant, a black woman, a slam poet, a mother, a daughter, an artist--through the lens of her mental health and diagnosis of bipolar II and anxiety. Her remarkable memoir in essays implodes our preconceptions of the mind and normalcy as Bassey bares her own truths and lies for us all to behold with radical honesty and brutal intimacy.

A The Root Favorite Books of the Year - A Good Housekeeping Best 60 Books of the Year - A YNaija 10 Notable Books of the Year - A GOOP 10 New Favorite Books - A Cup of Jo 5 Big Books of Fall - A Bitch Magazine Most Anticipated Books of 2019 - A Bustle 21 New Memoirs That Will Inspire, Motivate, and Captivate You - A Publishers Weekly Spring Preview Selection - An Electric Lit 48 Books by Women and Nonbinary Authors of Color to Read in 2019 - A Bookish Best Nonfiction of Summer Selection

We will not think or talk about mental health or normalcy the same after reading this momentous art object moonlighting as a colossal collection of essays." --Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy

From her early childhood in Nigeria through her adolescence in Oklahoma, Bassey Ikpi lived with a tumult of emotions, cycling between extreme euphoria and deep depression--sometimes within the course of a single day. By the time she was in her early twenties, Bassey was a spoken word artist and traveling with HBO's Def Poetry Jam, channeling her life into art. But beneath the fa ade of the confident performer, Bassey's mental health was in a precipitous decline, culminating in a breakdown that resulted in hospitalization and a diagnosis of Bipolar II.

In I'm Telling the Truth, But I'm Lying, Bassey Ikpi breaks open our understanding of mental health by giving us intimate access to her own. Exploring shame, confusion, medication, and family in the process, Bassey looks at how mental health impacts every aspect of our lives--how we appear to others, and more importantly to ourselves--and challenges our preconception about what it means to be normal. Viscerally raw and honest, the result is an exploration of the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of who we are--and the ways, as honest as we try to be, each of these stories can also be a lie.

--Caroline Kepnes, author of You and Hidden Bodies

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: 08/20/2019
ISBN: 9780062698346
Pages: 272
Weight: 0.44lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.30w x 0.60d

Review Citations: Library Journal Prepub Alert 03/01/2019 pg. 95
Library Journal 06/01/2019 pg. 109
Publishers Weekly 06/03/2019
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2019
Booklist 07/01/2019 pg. 14
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SKU: 35121490772

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Alex
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★★★★★ 5
Our Pit Bull’s Favorite Toy!
Color: A-Navy, Color: A-Navy
We absolutely love this MAXBECK bear toy! We’ve ordered it 4 times over the last 8 months because our senior pit bull is obsessed with his “babies.” He always has one close to him and even cuddles with them. The material is very sturdy and holds up amazingly well even with rough play. My dog’s favorite part is the squeaker. What I love most is that even after he finally tears into it, the rope built inside becomes a whole second toy for him and keeps the fun going. If you have a heavy chewer who destroys toys quickly, this one is definitely worth trying!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2026
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MEV
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 3
Not indestructible
Color: C-Navy+Oak, Color: C-Navy+Oak
I assume it is probably hard to create an indestructible product, but my puppy had it apart in no time.
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Nirpno
Cuba, US
★★★★★ 2
NOT DURABLE, LONG-LASTING, OR USEFUL
Color: A-Navy, Color: A-Navy
I gave this dog toy 2-stars based on my dog toy rating system (DTRS) for “Albert” the Blue Bear! Safety (1-rating): Albert fell apart after 4-hours of use. 1. The ears were chewed off and I was only able to find one of them, which means my dog swallowed the other ear. Very big concern as it depends on how big your dog is to pass this object. The ear is about the size of 1.5-quarters. 2. The tail was almost chewed off entirely and was hanging on by a thread before I threw it out. 3. After the ears came off, the inside foam started to come out, which raised my concern for my dog’s saftey. 4. The entire body was soft and did not cause any harm to teeth, gums, paws, nose, etc. Durability (3-rating): 1. The ears and tail are the weakest parts of Albert as they can easily be chewed off. 2. The body is durable enough to sustain 4-hours of use, as I threw Albert out after the ears and tail were torn off within 4-hours. 3. The small squeaker inside Albert’s belly was broken after 15-minutes of use. Thank Goodness! 4. My next concern was how long the arms and legs would last; TBD! Squeaker (1-rating): 1. Small plastic squeaker, the size of a half-dollar, with a high pitched noise. Fatality (2-rating): 1. Albert was put to rest after 4-hours of use as I was concerned for the safety of my dog with continued use. 2. If Albert didn’t come with ears or a tail, I can only imagine how long he would’ve survived as the material seemed to be durable enough to withstand continued use. In conclusion, “Albert” the Blue Bear is not worth the money for a toy that falls apart after 4-hrs of use and with the concerns of safety. I was surprised that it was only 8-inches tall, next time I’ll confirm the size of the toy before I purchase the next one. About my dog “Cannoli” for comparison: Breed: Blue Healer / Lab mix Weight: 40-lbs Energy Level: High Age: 7-months Chew Rating: Aggressive
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Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2025
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Steven D'Arcangelo
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 3
The dog won!
Color: A-Navy, Color: A-Navy
It’s not indestructible. Wonder if I can get a refund or another toy. It did last longer than most so I give them credit for that!
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Heidi fishel
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Almost good enough
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My dog chewy can rip through anything, even these. I do love the toys they’re great. They’re made with coconut on the inside, but could somebody please!, make a chew toy worthy of my dogs teeth, cause this ain’t it. But it is the strongest so far . I would recommend it. My doodle chewy short for Chewbacca is insane about chewing.
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