Review: The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer


amy-schumer

The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

Published by: Gallery Books

Date of Publication: August 16th 2016

Genres: Memoir/Autobiography/Humor

Pages: 323

Format: Audiobook (self-narrated)

Rating:★★★1/2 (3.5 Stars)

 

 

Goodreads Synopsis:

The Emmy Award-winning comedian, actress, writer, and star of Inside Amy Schumer and the acclaimed film Trainwreck has taken the entertainment world by storm with her winning blend of smart, satirical humor. Now, Amy Schumer has written a refreshingly candid and uproariously funny collection of (extremely) personal and observational essays.

In The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy mines her past for stories about her teenage years, her family, relationships, and sex and shares the experiences that have shaped who she is – a woman with the courage to bare her soul to stand up for what she believes in, all while making us laugh.

Ranging from the raucous to the romantic, the heartfelt to the harrowing, this highly entertaining and universally appealing collection is the literary equivalent of a night out with your best friends – an unforgettable and fun adventure that you wish could last forever. Whether she’s experiencing lust-at-first-sight while in the airport security line, sharing her own views on love and marriage, admitting to being an introvert, or discovering her cross-fit instructor’s secret bad habit, Amy Schumer proves to be a bighearted, brave, and thoughtful storyteller that will leave you nodding your head in recognition, laughing out loud, and sobbing uncontrollably – but only because it’s over.

 

The Audiobook Experience…

I guess I should preface by mentioning that before deciding to listen to The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo in audiobook format, I wasn’t familiar with Schumer’s stand-up comedy. I only knew that she had been in the movie Trainwreck which I saw the trailer to & immediately added it to my “Must Watch” list. I’m glad I decided to go with the audiobook as I do with all my funny ladies books because I don’t think I would have fared well with the physical book. Coming off the happiness high that was Jenny Lawson’s Furiously Happy, I was looking for another humor filled audiobook. Although The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo had a few laugh out loud worthy moments, the parts that I enjoyed the most were the stories that fell on the lesser than happy side of Amy. This is a collection of essays, some with humor & others with a bit of sadness. Schumer is very comfortable in her skin and sexuality, something that i’ve come to admire from her. Some of the standout stories in The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo explore some very dark life experiences including a years long abusive relationship & the very real issue of non-consensual sex with your significant other. Stories that crushed me with the heaviness of sadness, had to be whenever she touched on her fathers Multiple Sclerosis. There were the come-up stories in which she highlighted moments of gender stereotypes amongst her peers & the media. Last but not least Amy shared stories that allowed the reader an inside look to world issues that she cares deeply for like gun violence/control. She speaks about the shooting at a theatre in Lafayette, Louisiana during a showing of Trainwreck that led to the deaths of Mayci Breaux, 21, and Jillian Johnson, 33. How these deaths have greatly impacted her & motivated her to take action. Schumer shares her experience at the White House, meeting President Obama for the first time at an event where he announced his executive orders aimed at stemming gun violence. She may have no hairs on her tongue about a ton of things, but she learned how to be humble & we see just how life has made sure she stays true to herself. Making the choice to educate herself on gun control laws & no longer sit on the sidelines watching, has to be my favorite essay in this collection.

Final Thoughts

I love that Amy Schumer isn’t afraid to show everyone her flaws, mistakes, and vulnerabilities in such a raw way that we’ve come to know through her comedy. She is many things to many people & is very self aware. Often times letting her readers know that she is aware of how she comes across & the many misconceptions people have of her because she’s comfortable using sex in her comedy. She points out a well known fact…being of the female sex in an industry predominantly made up of the opposite sex JUST ISN’T EASY! like many other female comedienne’s, Amy has been judged heavily by everything other than her craft, this includes her weight & sex life. The fact that she embraces who she is & doesn’t apologize to those who frown upon her makes me LOVE this woman & has managed to pique my interest in following her career going forward.

P.S. Can we give it up for Amy & that COVER!!!! #Fierce  *insert flames here*

“I know my worth. I embrace my power. I say if I’m beautiful. I say if I’m strong. You will not determine my story. I will. I’ll speak and share and fuck and love, and I will never apologize for it. I am amazing for you, not because of you. I am not who I sleep with. I am not my weight. I am not my mother. I am myself. And I am all of you.” 
― Amy Schumer, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo

Author: LairOfBooks

"I didn't choose the Book Life, the Book Life chose me"

37 thoughts on “Review: The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer”

    1. Tbh, the second part of the book is what saved it for me because I struggled with the first half. Maybe it’ll be the same for you, or not lol. I try to find redeeming qualities in audiobooks & the 2nd half had some for me that showed a much better side of her. It’s like by the 2nd half she she got more comfortable with narrating as a whole & you could tell.

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      3. Yea I believe it was after the camp story that the stories started interesting me more. I think the whole first half of this book was awkward to listen to 😂😂😂 but in my mind, I chucked this off to her discomfort narrating such personal things about her life. She mentions being an introvert, which many wouldn’t take her for. Hang in there Anne, I’d like to hear what you think & rate it as a whole 🤔💭

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      4. I’m hanging in there then! XD Yeah, it must be difficult to narrate serious issues, personal issues, and not feel a little uncomfortable while doing so…Even for Amy!

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  4. I’ve been a bit iffy about reading this one… not sure why. But I may have to try it out. I agree on giving it up for the cover! Nice review!!

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    1. Thank you Megan, it had me feeling iffy as well in the beginning but once she got comfortable, the book drastically improves. She hit on some really important topics & shared a lot that many would probably be to Lo embarrassed to divulge, especially when you’re already seen in a negative light. I appreciated her honesty 😉💕

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  5. I truly want to read this one, but I just know it will be a heavy read. I have to be in the right mindset to fully appreciate something like this so I am waiting, otherwise I will not be able to value it as much as I should. You review is fabulous! I had no idea there was as much happening with this one, so now I definitely know it will be an emotional read for me. Great write up as always ❤ and yes for having the balls for that cover!

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    1. Thank you Danielle, the first half of this book I Was admittedly on the fence about but the 2nd portion was raw & real. I’m glad I gave it a chance, the heavier topics she covered would be something you’d have to be in the right mind space for. Hope you enjoy it, when you get a chance to pick it up 😉💕

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  7. You did such an amazing job at summing this one up!!! 😀 WHOOOO! Seriously, I still have no idea how I’m going to review it (eventually) but I take my bowler hat off for ya, dear *bows*. I read the non-consensual sex bit and while I rolled my eyes at it at first (I’ve been through worse than that), I realised when she did her little speech about how we have to justify what rape really meant towards others. And that it basically only counts when a woman is (almost) murdered along with it, or if it’s by a close family member. Shame on me for judging her as well at first because she’s totally right. What happened to her was also a hell of a NO-GO. God, I just hope that guy reads this book and feels like a total idiot over it. If he hasn’t been committed to a ‘special’ ward by now that is… Ehm, yeah, sorry about the lengthy comment :X, again, loved how you did this review!

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    1. Thank Anne! This means a lot 😉 it took me quite a few nights of “sleeping on it” & some encouragement from Gretchen to actually get to writing this one. I had no idea which angle I wanted to approach this one from but turns out that once I sat down, I had a very clear direction. Weird how it all worked out LOL! I’m looking forward to your thoughts. Listening to the chapter where the non-consensual sex took place was actually cringe worthy for me for a # of reasons. I hope the guy DOES read this book & realizes just how much damage he caused with his actions. Thanks again Anne 😊💕

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      1. ❤ That's all it takes sometimes. Just sit down and start typing! 🙂 Sometimes we make things a bit overly complicated for ourselves. Like I'm doing as well and I haven't even finished the book yet by a long shot XD. I definitely hope the same because yes, what the hell is wrong with these types of guys?! It's one of the reasons why I always sleep with my door locked; you never know what you'll wake up to! :/ You're very welcome! ❤

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  8. I LOVE Amy Schumer! 🙌 I’ve seen all of her stand up and watched every episode of her show. I even own Trainwreck, which is a hilarious movie I’ve watched loads of times. This book sounds so good. Amy is one of those famous people you really feel like you can get to know them because they’re so down to earth. I need to read this book. Nice review, Lilly, wonderful, as always! 🙂

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    1. Thank you Jill! 😊💕you will honestly LOVE this book if you’re a fan of her work. I have Trainwreck on my iPad now to watch next weekend. I’m even thinking of starting her show since I believe it’s available on Hulu. This book offers up a side of Amy that from what she says, isn’t often seen at all in the public light. Hope you can get around to it 😊💕

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      1. I love her show. It’s pretty raunchy but it’s hilarious. I’m such a huge fan of hers. I’ve been watching her since she was a nobody on Last Comic Standing. She’s awesome! I definitely want to find out more about her.

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  10. Great review as always Lilly! I think most memoirs about going to come up short for us compared to Jenny Lawson lol I had similar feelings after reading Yes Please by Amy Poehler. While I really liked her book, there were lots of chapters on her work on SNL and Parks and Rec, which are shows that I’ve never watched. I think I would have appreciated it more had I been more familiar with her work on TV. I’m wondering if that’s the case for you too.

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    1. I agree, Jenny set the bar pretty high LOL! I thought about picking up Amy Poeheler’s book but then went with Amy’s. Maybe I’ll listen to Jenny’s 1st book next. I was never familiar with Jenny before I picked up her book but ever since have been obsessed with everything she writes on her blog. I like Amy Schumer, I think that it really was her awkwardness that I could feel come across the Audiobook that messed with my experience lol.

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