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the_bookish_blondie1's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book, just as I enjoyed both of Wong's Netflix specials and her rom com Always Be My Maybe. That surprises me, because to be frank I'm more of the prudish persuasion, so the fact that her raunchy comedy strikes a chord with me came as a surprise.
But, really, it shouldn't have. This book, as with her specials, has a core that just feels plain honest, and if you're a woman who knows what it's like to give birth and care for infants, I think it's difficult not to identify with a lot of what she describes. Motherhood is surprisingly, shockingly disgusting, but also beautiful.
Another aspect of this book that really resonated with me were her descriptions of her experiences growing up as an Asian American. I am not Asian American, and I very much appreciated this window into an experience unlike my own. She has a lot of thought-provoking and amazing things to say about not just embracing your own culture, but also living outside of it and pushing boundaries so you can develop a deep appreciation for the fact that not everyone lives like you and has had your life experiences. White Americans, in my opinion, are often too caught up in their own experiences to stop and listen to those of others, and to give them the full consideration they deserve. I'm thrilled to see people like Wong rise to prominence because America is a diverse place that is desperately in need of more diverse representation, and the more white Americans get outside of their own heads, the better, IMO.
(I'm white, in case it's not obvious by now.)
Lastly, I was really touched by the afterward her husband wrote. It provided an even fuller picture of Wong as a person, and of the world she and her husband share. It's so gorgeous to see evidence of a man who not only respects his wife, but isn't threatened by her success and is eager to be a good partner to her. Their relationship is a really beautiful love story, and is a great example of the kind of relationship women deserve to have, whether they have that relationship with a man or another woman.
Plus, this book is hilarious. Like, snorting madly while trying not to wake your poor husband as you read in bed while he's sleeping hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
But, really, it shouldn't have. This book, as with her specials, has a core that just feels plain honest, and if you're a woman who knows what it's like to give birth and care for infants, I think it's difficult not to identify with a lot of what she describes. Motherhood is surprisingly, shockingly disgusting, but also beautiful.
Another aspect of this book that really resonated with me were her descriptions of her experiences growing up as an Asian American. I am not Asian American, and I very much appreciated this window into an experience unlike my own. She has a lot of thought-provoking and amazing things to say about not just embracing your own culture, but also living outside of it and pushing boundaries so you can develop a deep appreciation for the fact that not everyone lives like you and has had your life experiences. White Americans, in my opinion, are often too caught up in their own experiences to stop and listen to those of others, and to give them the full consideration they deserve. I'm thrilled to see people like Wong rise to prominence because America is a diverse place that is desperately in need of more diverse representation, and the more white Americans get outside of their own heads, the better, IMO.
(I'm white, in case it's not obvious by now.)
Lastly, I was really touched by the afterward her husband wrote. It provided an even fuller picture of Wong as a person, and of the world she and her husband share. It's so gorgeous to see evidence of a man who not only respects his wife, but isn't threatened by her success and is eager to be a good partner to her. Their relationship is a really beautiful love story, and is a great example of the kind of relationship women deserve to have, whether they have that relationship with a man or another woman.
Plus, this book is hilarious. Like, snorting madly while trying not to wake your poor husband as you read in bed while he's sleeping hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
leeuhhhh's review against another edition
2.0
2.5
i honestly don’t know why i picked this up. it was entertaining enough but also so awful at times. i’ve never watched ali’s stand up and this confirmed that i shouldn’t lmao. i just don’t think i’m the demographic
i honestly don’t know why i picked this up. it was entertaining enough but also so awful at times. i’ve never watched ali’s stand up and this confirmed that i shouldn’t lmao. i just don’t think i’m the demographic
hawkeye1846's review against another edition
5.0
This is the best memoir I've ever read, and I cannot recommend it enough. Ali Wong doesn't have perfect prose or fanciful metaphors, but I don't care. Nobody (except me) will ever consider this to be a great work of literature, but I don't care. It's entertaining, funny, revelatory, and has a lot to say about more than just the author herself. Wong shows herself, not her accomplishments and her fame, to the reader through a series of enchanting episodes from her life. She's a gifted storyteller and has a sense of the bottom line of a story, the punchline if you will. She also gives insight and advice that indicate an intelligence and savvy much greater than her facade would leave you to believe. She manages to make the most vulgar of jokes in one breath while in the next speaking from the inner recesses of her mind on the things that matter most to her. Her ability to accomplish both in equal measure make this work outshine any of the political or celebrity memoirs that detail "here's why I'm great and here's all the great stuff I did." Wong reveals to the reader who she is as a person, warts and all, and does so fearlessly. The memoir is even better in audiobook form, because her comedic voice adds that extra punch to take this book over the top.
sunnyreads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0