I have spent the past couple of weeks getting to know Dawn French (of French and Saunders and The Vicar of Dibley fame, among others). She is the sort of character we all think we know in real life, so endearing are her on-screen persona. As I read through her memoirs, Dear Fatty (2008), I'm sure I could hear her voice narrating each story. Dear Fatty is a series of letters written to family, friends, and celebrities recalling and retelling events, situations, incidents, or snippets from Dawn's life. Often humorous, always warm, it's easy to be drawn in each story. It wasn't until part-way through that we discover who 'Fatty' is (spoiler alert - it's actually her comedy partner, the stick-thin Jennifer Saunders). Great title, though.Some points touched a nerve; I cried as I read the letter to her dad about his suicide when she was just 19. (I was 18 when my high-school boyfriend committed suicide.) The chain of events she described, and the endless questions she threw at him, were astonishingly accurate for me.
Determined to keep on making every moment in her life count, even in the face of challenges, I came away from reading this book feeling inspired to 'do stuff' ... I'm not entirely sure what, but it certainly leaves the reader with the impression that anything is possible. (And I hope so - I need to find a job this month!)
4 comments:
wow... think you've inspired me to check out that book. i need as much inspiration to do stuff as i can get. :)
This is on my TBR list but I'm a bit "over" celebrity biographies so kept pushing it down. Your review has inspired me to bring it back to the top...and watch some Vicar of Dibley (I love that show!)
I wonder if I can get a copy here in the States and I wonder if I will remember to look for it in May when I have free time for personal reading again. Maybe because it is in letter format I could use it as a read a little before bed book. hhhmmmm a trip to the giant book store may do the trick.
I haven't heard of this one, but it sounds interesting!
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