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A review by catcherinthepi
Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah Gadsby
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
This was a delightful read. Sticky at times, but it was a really honest look into Gadsby's brain. I'm really glad they didn't hold back on letting us into how they think as well as all the emotions they have around many parts of their life, from their relationship with their mother, to traumatic events, to growing up clearly "different" but not really understanding "why" until later. This was one of the most immersive memoirs I've ever read.
Probably my favorite part was the context insertions. The way that was done was humorous, but as a non-Australian it was a helpful timeline. Gadsby's special interest is art history, where context is very important, and I wish more memoir writers actively acknowledged the historical context of their lives!
I also found it...helpful? interesting? insightful? struggling for a good adjective here...how it took them well into adulthood to figure out their autism and ADHD diagnoses; while I'm not neurodivergent, I think this will validate a lot of people's lived experiences, especially for AFAB people. While there wasn't as much gender stuff as I hoped for in this book, I personally found the little bits of it validating, and it fit in with how Gadsby has described themself.
Probably my favorite part was the context insertions. The way that was done was humorous, but as a non-Australian it was a helpful timeline. Gadsby's special interest is art history, where context is very important, and I wish more memoir writers actively acknowledged the historical context of their lives!
I also found it...helpful? interesting? insightful? struggling for a good adjective here...how it took them well into adulthood to figure out their autism and ADHD diagnoses; while I'm not neurodivergent, I think this will validate a lot of people's lived experiences, especially for AFAB people. While there wasn't as much gender stuff as I hoped for in this book, I personally found the little bits of it validating, and it fit in with how Gadsby has described themself.