Rating:
4 Stars
In a nutshell:
Comedian Tomlinson shares some of her life story via essays focused on areas where she’s grown and changed her mind.
Best for:
Fans of thoughtful essays with a bit of humor. Those who enjoy Tomlinson’s style of humor.
Quote that made me think:
I originally listened to the audio book (read by the author) so didn’t note any down. I plan to read the hard copy I also bought next year, so that review will I’m SURE have some quotes.
Why I chose it:
I first became aware of Tomlinson during the pandemic, when her first Netflix special was released. I rewatch that at least once every six months. I just found her observations so spot on. Her subsequent specials have all been slightly different, but always have me guffawing, giggling, and near tears. I also follow her on social media, and have seen her perform live one time. I think she’s incredibly smart and talented, and she’s clearly also got an intense work ethic.
Review:
This book was a delightful surprise, but the surprise is that it is definitely more of a literary memoir that a humor memoir, if that makes sense. It is not a funny book, and I think some folks will expect a comedian’s first book to be funny. It’s not NOT funny – there are loads of clever quips and moments where I laughed out loud – but the purpose is not to make the reader laugh. The purpose, I’d say, is for Tomlinson to share some insight into her life, and to the ways she has changed and grown over the years.
For those who aren’t aware, Tomlinson was raised in conservative Christianity, and got her start as a teen doing stand-up in the church circuit. Her mother died when she was very young – like 8 or 9 – and her father remarried quickly. She was engaged to a man in her early 20s, called that engagement off, and by her 30s came out as bisexual. She’s now no contact with her father, and considers her three siblings her best friends. She also managed to release four one-hour Netflix specials and host two seasons of the late-night game show After Midnight (the ending of which she details in one of her essays).
I think this memoir does a great job of sharing a lot with the reader while also keeping a lot for the writer. We aren’t entitled to everything – for example, Tomlinson does share that she is not in contact with her father, but she doesn’t share details beyond that, and spends an entire chapter talking about some of the great things her parents did for her growing up. She seems to have processed that relationship and shares with us the take-aways that we might find helpful ourselves. I can’t relate to most of her life – wasn’t raised in a church, I lost my first parent only VERY recently, I’m still talking to my surviving parent, I’m not a famous entertainer – but I could relate to the meaning she has taken from what she shared. She tells anecdotes that are interesting but there seems to always be a purpose to each essay, and many memoirs don’t manage that.
The book isn’t long – the audio book came in under six hours – but it is efficient. Which I guess makes sense coming from a comedian who cuts right to the quick with her humor, and which I appreciate in a memoir. I’m looking forward to reading it again (hard copy) next year.
Would I recommend it to its target audience:
Absolutely.
