Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? follows the story of acclaimed writer Jeanette Winterson's life, highlighting the challenges that the adopted, working-class, and queer woman had to face in a conservative society.

Jeanette Winterson, the author of the critically-acclaimed book Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, tells the real-life story behind her most famous novel.

Winterson was born in Manchester, in 1959.

Her biological mother was 17 at the time and unable to raise her.

Winterson was adopted by Jack and Constance Winterson, a Pentecostal family who took care of her with the goal of turning her into a missionary as an adult.

Being a queer woman in a devoutly Christian family meant Winterson was chastized, and ultimately forced to leave home, live in her car, and pursue odd jobs in order to sustain herself financially.

In this book, Jeanette Winterson tells her life story as a pursuit of happiness and closure, despite having had a rough upbringing.

She delivers heartwarming lessons on the nature of love, attachment, and forgiveness — all of which helped her achieve emotional healing and success.