The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo

by Amy Schumer

The highly anticipated first book from award-winning comedian, writer, producer and actress, Amy Schumer.

In The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, Amy shares stories about her family, her relationships, her career, good – and bad – sex, recounting the experiences that have shaped who she is today: from the riches to rags story of her childhood to her teenage quest for popularity (and boys) to becoming one of the most sought-after comedians on the planet and an outspoken advocate for women’s rights.

Whether she’s experiencing lust at first sight in the queue at the airport, discovering her boot camp instructor’s secret bad habit, or candidly discussing her father’s multiple sclerosis, Amy Schumer proves to be a fearless, original, and always entertaining storyteller. Her book will move you, make you laugh, catch you completely off guard, and answer this burning question: is it okay for a 35 year-old woman to still sleep with her childhood teddy bears?

• ISBN13: 9780008172381
• Publish Date: 6 April 2017 (first published 16 August 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I have always enjoyed Amy Schumer's comedy and TV show and found her a breath of fresh air among comedians. I respect the way she writes things from her experience, even when that goes against the tropes Hollywood is trying to push to its audiences. While I haven't always loved her movies (Trainwrecked was really good though), I do respect her passion and comedy and her insistence in being herself. Whatever you think of her as a comedian and actress, you have to admire her.

When I picked up this book, I expected more of the same I saw in 'Inside Amy Schumer'. Instead, The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo is a series of deeply personal essays and short stories. There is comedy woven in - it comes naturally with Amy's voice - and she write this book with the casual friendliness of an old high school buddy you've been meaning to catch up with. Really, we could have been sitting across from one another and sharing an appetizer and it could not have been more comfortable.

The stories she tells are carefully selected not just to be anecdotal, but to peel away her layers. She once ran away as an angry ex-boyfriend brandished a knife after her. From domestic violence to bullying to parental manipulation to struggling against body shame (note: she fully accepts her body, so don't expect a story about overcoming an EO or anything) - Amy Schumer reveals the darkness in her past and how she loves her family and worries about her ex and wants anyone who finds themselves in her stories to blossom and grow and know they are not alone. I was so surprised by this approach, and it makes me love her all that much more.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book, but there are a lot of trigger warnings in here. Amy shares her stories hoping people will know they are not alone, but this book should not be read if it will make you feel unsafe. Domestic violence is the big one here.

This book is best experienced in its audiobook version, which Amy reads herself. It feels like she is chatting with you, or reading pages out of her childhood diary (which, sometimes, she is).

[whisperingchapters]

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.


This is my first time listening to a memoir/autobiography and it certainly won't be my last! From now on, I'll only go the audio route for these genres. Having the author narrate their own story is brilliant as such is the case with Amy Schumer. I had only heard of Amy when I saw the trailer for Trainwreck. I had no idea she was a comedian until I listened to her book. I could totally see why she was a comedian. She had me laughing at anything she was saying.

Her story brought me to tears. Amy has gone through so much in her life! My heart broke for her on numerous occasions and I wish I knew her so I could hug her. That's not even counting a few other hard times she went through that she only mentioned in passing. Hearing Amy narrate her story felt as if we were having a slumber party, just the two of us, while she told me what she had gone through in her life. The way she was narrating gave a sense of calm even while talking about her unpleasant times.

Amy is very relatable and I loved that about her. She has sections in her books where it's a list of various things, like things she likes, things she doesn't like, etc. A lot of the things she named were things I found I liked or disliked. A few I hadn't even considered, others had me laughing out loud, and others had me nodding my head eagerly. One of them that had me laughing was from the chapter Things That Make Me Insanely Furious: "People who say 'I eat to live. I don't live to eat.' I wish all ten plagues upon your house."

I honestly hope she writes more so I can get the audio and listen to her again.

I received the audiobook from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

[adamfortuna]

I love Amy Schumer's standup, and her show. We recently saw her live here in Orlando, and it was hilarious. Her book, however, is less comedic and more of a memoir of hard work coupled with sad life events.