I'm Not Mad

by Bron Lewis

A fiercely funny, feminist debut about mental health, motherhood and female rage, for fans of Caitlin Moran, Celeste Barber and Tanya Hennessy.

Bron Lewis is one of Australia’s most beloved comedians, regularly appearing on Have You Been Paying Attention? and Thank God You’re Here. No stranger to madness – from watching her mother smash a casserole dish through the family dining table while going through ‘the change’, to finding herself singing Tina Arena’s ‘Chains’ at the top of her lungs in public to drown out the sound of her babies’ cries – Bron has experienced her fair share of dark nights of the soul.

Bron was taught as a child, like most other young girls, that it’s expected for women to go mad. When we see a woman lose her footing and, for example, yell ‘MOTHERHOOD IS WAY HARDER THAN THEY BLOODY SAY IT IS’ at a pregnant stranger through four lanes of traffic, we usually look away, laugh into our collars, and thank Christ-on-a-bike that we aren’t as mad as she is. 

If you’ve ever cringed as you watched your mum stumble dramatically through hot flushes, or if you’ve witnessed a family friend fake cancer for a day off, soiled your pants in Kmart, or found yourself struggling through the seemingly unending chapter of becoming a new mum, then this is the book for you. Watch Bron spiral into rage and out of it so you can avoid the same fate.

I’m Not Mad (Anymore) sheds light on the mental struggles women go through silently, from post-natal depression and anxiety to menopause and all the muck in between.

You will laugh, cry and look at your mum in a whole new light.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2026

Reviews

[Bianca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read, especially as a 5 months postpartum first time mum struggling with motherhood. 4 stars because I’ve come across many of these stories already through Bron’s comedy.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-5 stars
Full review to follow x

[Megg Zee]

Please everyone read/listen to this. A masterpiece

[Agatha McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! Beautifully written, clever and witty, laugh out loud in some moments, and tearful in others. Bron is a true story teller and what beautiful stories about her beautiful life she shared in this memoir. Highly recommend, and particularly so to mothers.

[Annie Ishmakovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for this copy as a part of the Readers Dept, February edition.

Bron Lewis is an Australian ex-teacher turned comedian, featured on the likes of Have You Been Paying Attention, The Project and Thank God You're Here. Lewis has a knack for telling stories, and "I'm Not Mad (Anymore)" is the story of Lewis' life, the times she went mad, and how she got better.

I enjoyed this but found it challenging to relate at times. The novel explores the challenges of growing up with a pre-menapausal mother and being the middle child of 5, but the primary exploration of this is the experience of her three pregnancies and the aftermaths. I appreciate Lewis' desire to connect with mothers who may feel isolated in their post natal mental health struggles, and appreciated her rawness in her storytelling.

In saying that, there were a few times I got a bit lost, and noticed a few pop culture references that may not be relevant in a few years time.

Overall, I can understand why Lewis is a great standup comedian with her ability to remain engaging with her story telling; but I don't think I'm the target audience here.

I would recommend this to new mothers who feel alone in their experiences!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious and heartbreaking all at once

I’m 4 months postpartum and this is the first book I’ve been able to complete since my baby was born. And what a book. I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in a day. Bron is a natural storyteller. Her warmth and sense of humour shines through every page, even when describing the darkest moments of her life. Her retelling of her struggles with postpartum anxiety and depression will resonate with so many parents. Thank you Bron for letting us into your life.

[Mandy Enchantedbookduo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating
5 💎

Quick Summary
This book stirred up powerful childhood memories for me, especially around my mum during menopause, and Bron captures those experiences with such honesty and heart. It’s a beautiful mix of laugh‑out‑loud moments and deeply heart‑wrenching truths that bring very real, very normal struggles vividly to life.

While Reading Thoughts
📒This brought back so many memories from my own childhood, the way Bron describes things were spot on
📒This made me think of some of my own mums actions when she was around menopause age and how as a child I had no idea about menopause so mum did just seem always angry.
📒Bron really lays it all out there and I love this book for bringing so many normal real struggles to life.
📒So many laugh out loud moments in this book that had people looking at me curiously in the lunch room 😂
📒some of this book is heart wrenching so buckle up

Words that linger
🍷Menopause, like all women’s health issues, is treated as an inconvenience to society.
🍷You probably won’t get pregnant if you take these pills, but you might neck yourself. You decide which one is worse.
🍷As adorable as she was, she was still a newborn, and newborns are my least favourite flavour of baby.

Thank Simon & Schuster for the physical copy of this book.

[Jessica Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished I’m Not Mad Anymore by Bron Lewis and it is one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read in a long time.

As a mum of two who has struggled with anxiety, this book got me in places I didn’t even realise were aching- and then somehow gently soothed them. It captures the joy, the exhaustion, the absurdity and the deep emotional complexity of motherhood so honestly, especially the hormonal and mental health challenges that so many of us quietly carry.

Bron is a brilliant comedian, so the book is genuinely funny, but it’s also incredibly tender and moving. That mix of humour and raw truth makes it feel very real.

I only discovered Bron about 18 months ago, but she will always have a special place in my heart after this book.

I’d recommend this to anyone who is a mother- and honestly, to anyone who knows or loves a mother.

(Side note: listen to the audiobook. It's fabulous)

[Zeitverschwender · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got through the audiobook without crying (until the last 40 seconds)! I loved every second and highly recommend this book to all women and also to all men who want to support their female loved ones through all the rough stages of life.

I admire Bron Lewis as a comedian, but I love her just as much when she starts ranting about the serious or sad
parts of life. She is a treasure and I hope to hear so much more from her, on stage and as an author. Her way of reflecting on situations past has the potential to help anyone through crisis and to help forgive yourself for whatever you wish you’d done differently.

[Jessica Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Bron Lewis and her comedy! She is someone I can relate so closely with and to see the funny side of the chaos of being a working mum and wife is just so great! This is the story of her life and I laughed hard and cried hard (often at the same time)! She delves deep into the impact of female hormones on mental health and how society still has a long way to go in understanding and supporting other women! Everyone should read this - I read it in less than 24 hours! Also if you ever have the opportunity to see her do stand up live - go! She is brilliant!
Loved it!

[Tammy Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Bron while I was in Australia on a trip. I guess Facebook’s algorithm worked in my favor because I fell in love with her hilarious videos. I started to follow her, and when she announced her book, I knew I needed to read it.

Wow, it was not what I expected. But, it was so beautifully raw and honest. Being a mother is hard. Being a daughter is hard. Being a wife is hard. Being a teacher is hard! I can relate to all of these things. The book made me cry at times and laugh until I cried at times. Bron is brilliant, strong, and vulnerable. I listened to the book, and I think experiencing it in her voice made it even better.

Her memoir is her tale of hormonal struggles, being a woman, balancing the demands of being a woman, and taking away the stigma of seeking help.

I highly recommend this book, and if I ever get back to Australia, I will most certainly try to get to one of her comedy shows. Fair dinkum!

[Jaclyn Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book. It was funny, witty and heartwrenching. Bron is able to voice the emotions and feelings that accompany postnatal depression and anxiety with such vulnerability and honesty.
I am so glad that I picked up this book.

[Erin Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! A book every mum should and needs to read. Incredible vulnerability by the author about her life journey through 1st, 2nd and 3rd baby with so many different hardships through each one. Highly
Recommend.

[Lara Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a first time mum, I needed this book. The newborn period is so over romanticised and left me feeling guilty for not being so obsessed with all aspects of motherhood. So much respect for this honest account of navigating parenting and mental health

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very raw, open, honest and funny book about the stages in womens lives and how we tend to just soldier on instead of seeking the real help we need.

What an amazing, crazy, risky but satisfying life you’ve had so far Bron!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. Thank you for sharing so candidly. This is an incredibly helpful book and it will save lives.

[Angela Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilarious yet heartbreaking insight into motherhood. Thanks for sharing your story Bron - I can’t imagine it would have been easy to.