Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation

What a bloody fantastic read. I loved Nanette and reading Gadsby's mémoir solidified my appreciation and love for this comedian and author (and human). The way she talks about misogyny in comedy, queer rights, and neurodiversity is poignant and provides essential content on these matters. A must read, in my opinion.

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demelzavandermeulen's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

5.0

When I first came across Nanette, it changed my world forever. There is a before and after in my life. When I saw this book I knew I had to read it - it did not dissapoint. A sometimes heavy read, but that is to be expected. Hannah, kudos to you

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madisonfrank's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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ankelsocks's review against another edition

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challenging dark funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

TW: mental illness, suicide, physical- mental- sexual- child- abuse, trauma, physical trauma, depression, anxiety, genderdysphoria, lgbtqi+ abuse and more that I can't think of right now.

I'm quite blown away by this book. The biggest chunk of it reads(listens) like an autobiography, detailing Hannah's life as a child in a tiny Tasmanian town to where she gains traction as a comedic artist. The last half is a detailed description of how she sculpted Nanette out of her trauma's. Red threads through the story are Hannah's autism, her relationship with her mother, her sexual- and gender identity and her (in)ability to interact with the world around her. The first half has its slow parts, but is generally really helping to gain insight in what made Hannah Gadsby who she is. She is witty, self -deprecating, but also critical and angry, especially when she mentions the political tensions surrounding homosexuality in Australia during her growing up. I listened to the audiobook, which I'd generally really recommend, since it's read by Hannah herself, telling you her story.
However much I loved this book, it was also incredibly triggering. Perhaps it was the added layer of hearing Hannah Gadsby read/tell the book herself, but the book is full to the brim with heavy topics. Suffering from mental illness myself, this book triggered anxiety attacks in me. I often listened to while cycling, and sometimes had to stop because the book made me too anxious or sad.
If you can find a way to deal with that though, please read(or better: listen to) this book.

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ce_read's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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paulap's review against another edition

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fast-paced

4.0

She is able to tell her very hard struggles, traumas and stories with a warm, funny matter of fact tone that made this an amazing read. She is great.

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beccaruthe's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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xeniba's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

I love everything Hannah Gadsby does and this is no exception. I will say that I felt the chronological retelling of her childhood slogged a little bit. Once I got through that and into her adult years, comedy, and creating Nanette I was absolutely hooked, could not put it down. I resonate with so many of Hannah’s experiences as a queer, autistic person who was socialized female. Highly, highly recommend. It also makes me want to rewatch Nanette (and maybe listen to the audiobook of this!).

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