“It’s relaxing sometimes, just being human.” – Amy Schumer
Human is what Amy Schumer reveals herself to be in her new book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. Using the quick, sometimes raunchy, humor we’ve come to expect from her, Ms. Schumer opens up in her new book about a variety of topics including, but not limited to, sex, sex, and more sex. If you find yourself offended by “colorful” humor, then I suggest you give this one a pass. Ms. Schumer does not censor herself but uses her authentic voice throughout the book.
Contrary to what you might think, this is not an autobiography but a collection of essays. Ms. Schumer does revisit her childhood, giving us glimpses into the years and relationships that have made her the woman she is today. She even shares old journal entries written by her younger self with footnotes added by her present self. I loved those entries. They were real and honest. Who doesn’t read back through old journals and think “What the hell was I talking about?” or “Wow, I really thought I was mature back then!” Ms. Schumer possesses a quality that so few have and everyone needs: the ability to laugh at herself.
The topics covered in her book range from creepy stuffed animals and wearing astronaut suits on the streets of New York, to heavier topics including sexual assault and gun laws. While some of her chapters can be intense, not at any point did I feel Ms. Schumer was preaching to me. Reading this book was similar to being at one of her shows, where my hubby and I had the privilege of being this past winter. She is raw, honest, uncensored, and unapologetic. She’s also funny! The chapter titles alone were enough to make me chuckle with titles such as “An Open Letter to My Vagina” and “What I Want People to Say at My Funeral”.
She also touched on what I found to be a very important topic: how frustrating it is to be viewed as a woman first and a comedian second. The section about doing press for her recent film Trainwreck was eye-opening. Apparently, being a woman gives reporters the right to call you things like “skank.” Not to mention the misconception that the only way a woman can become successful in the entertainment industry is by trading sexual favors for work. Ms. Schumer details her climb to the top. It wasn’t easy and there were no shortcuts, sexual or otherwise. She has earned her stripes.
If you are a fan of Amy Schumer or of comedy, I suggest you give this one a read.
My Review: 4 out of 5 stars!
One of My Favorite Passages from the Book:
“I am fearless. Most of the time. But I can still be reduced to that lonely, vulnerable college freshman pretty quickly…I’m not bulletproof, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. As women, we relive our fears all the time, despite our best efforts to build each other up and truly love ourselves. It happens.” – Amy Schumer
