August 15, 2017
A witty memoir detailing the misfortunes of a Hollywood comedian, actor, and writer.Dedicated to the voices in her head who told her she could never write a book, Cummings' debut offers what she deems is "a whole book's worth of yummy, humiliating schadenfreude" as well as "mortifying situations that'll make you feel way better about your own choices." It's an extremely self-deprecating assault on a laundry list of proclivities, insecurities, and intimate fears many readers will easily relate to. A problematic journey along the "yellow brick road of healers" results in a few opening chapters rife with ineffective therapists, pointed neuroses, and a bold admittance of chronic co-dependency, about which the author wrote in Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner's newsletter, inspiring the book. Cummings writes about the misogyny of the stand-up comedy industry (and its audiences), her perfectionist tendencies, egg freezing, her 15-year struggle with anorexia (which included bouts of "sleep eating"), a surprise scoliosis diagnosis, and a horrifying attack by her pet pit bull. While all of these situations had disastrous potential, the author takes the sting out of each with deflective humor and straight-up honesty, humility, and a keen sense of humanity. Akin to the inner-critical narrative voice of Amy Schumer, Cummings' observations expectedly tackle the uncomfortable and the embarrassing, including a somewhat overanalyzed encounter with drunk guys in a Las Vegas hotel hallway and an illuminating cross-cultural lesson with Middle Eastern women about wearing headscarves. Occasionally, the author brushes up against some painful truths that even she seems surprised to have publicly admitted, such as her debilitating issues with body dysmorphia and self-esteem. After years of anxiety and denial about everything from heckled stand-up gigs to asymmetrical breasts, Cummings seems content that she can now openly admit that becoming truly happy and satisfied with life is a continuous work in progress. A zippy, unabashed narrative confronting personal adversity with an equal mix of humor and sincerity.
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Starred review from October 23, 2017
Cummings, comedian and cocreator of the television shows Whitney and 2 Broke Girls, shows in this witty and sincere memoir how she learned to use humor early on, both to get attention as the youngest and to deflect familial cruelty. She recounts getting an embarrassing bowl haircut when she was eight that put her on the receiving end of a “Cummings family roast” for months; this taught her to stay strong and laugh it off, but that practice slowly destroyed her self-esteem. Cummings is a gifted storyteller, skillfully mixing funny anecdotes—about her dogs, the men she’s dated, and the strippers she’s tried to help with money and career advice—with several truly harrowing moments. She writes honestly of the self-inflicted suffering she endured during a 15-year bout with an eating disorder, the near-rape by an ex-boyfriend, and an assault by a stranger after which she didn’t think to seek therapy. When she eventually began working with a therapist later in life, she found one who encouraged her discuss the incident for the first time. She also learned to identify damaging behavior patterns using, among other tools, the Grinberg Method, which encourages people to cry out repressed grief. Her experiences will resonate deeply with those who battle low self worth and codependency.
September 15, 2017
Cummings, comedian and cocreator of the TV show Two Broke Girls, spent her twenties climbing to success in the Los Angeles field of funny. She has written for numerous television specials, garnered acclaim for her own recorded stand-up routines, and even, if only for a short time, boasted a network sitcom with her first name as the title. Now, a much wiser Whitney fulfills a childhood dream and invites readers to explore the bizarre inner workings of her brain via the pages of this book. Cummings' crisp comedic voice is the driving force behind each essay, wherein the author regales with tales of the danger of self-deprecation and constant people pleasing. Her anecdotes are intimate and messy; she writes with candor about disordered eating, sexual assault, and the time her recently rescued pit bull bit her ear off. Though Cummings cautions against her former methods of deep codependency, she acknowledges that her imperfect journey delivered her safely to a present state of empowerment. Fans will find a newfound trust and respect for this familiar voice.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)
May 15, 2017
Probably best known for her NBC series Whitney, this multithreat performer (comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director) offers a memoir edged with her famously sharp humor, ranging from her premature Botox treatment to the equine therapy she underwent for an eating disorder.
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