An Amazing and Real Story

If you are thinking about reading or listening to this book, I would hope that you know of Tig Notaro. If you don't do yourself a favor and check out her amazing, deep, and real live album: "Live" first.

It's amazing what one person can be forced to endure. Tig's life seemed to be on the normal arc of a stand-up comedian. She was performing, making money from gigs, and touring. She then suffered from one of the worst streaks of health and bad news that you could imagine. Pneumonia, C-DIFF, her mother dying in a freak accident, going through a breakup with her girlfriend, then finding out she had stage 2 invasive breast cancer. Yes, you read all of that right.

Just an upfront warning: this book will make you feel. It might not make you cry (I have no way of knowing what will and won't make people cry) but it did make me sob quietly a few times on my way to or from work.

I knew a lot of this story from different forms: her documentary on Netflix, her live album "Live", and her show on Amazon Prime: One Mississippi. But hearing her tell all of these stories in such detail is an experience I wouldn't trade for the world. I feel like I personally know Tig after listening to this audiobook. I'm so happy that she took the time to tell her story. I know that this book will help others get through dark parts of their life... and it it doesn't they can go to hell.

I'm Just A Person is as real as an audiobook memoir can get. Tig's ability to tell this extremely hard collection of stories make you like her even more than you already did.

Tig, I think that we all have a percentage of life left. You may have a 93 percent chance of life, and I'm glad to hear that you are living it. I hope that others will do the same. Even without knowing this number.

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52 people found this helpful

Perfect

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. As a fan of Tig Notaro's comedy, I chose this book expecting some laughs along with interesting anecdotes of her life and struggles. I was moved to tears, both sad and happy, so many times listening to Tig tell her story. She writes about dark, frightening, tragic times with such care and honesty. What a fantastic book.

25 people found this helpful

Incredible

This was one of the most honest and inspiring pieces I have ever read. Tig's way of describing experiencing trauma hit my heart hard. It was graphic and unapologetic and beautiful. The last chapter is going to be historically inspirational-- so many words to live by and incredible discoveries. I will cherish this read as I cherish works from Paulo Cuelho and Kerouac. I'll reread this and study the things she is teaching us through her story.
Thank you, Tig for doing this.. For taking the time to share this.

10 people found this helpful

Really great, dark, humor.

Tig is dark , interesting, and funny. Everything I have heard from her has been intelligent. She makes me
laugh and sometimes think in new ways.

9 people found this helpful

Surprisingly neutral.

I like Tig. I can relate to some of her family stories and I appreciate her unique way of looking at things. There's bits of wisdom in this but not as much dry humor as I was expecting. It's a straightforward telling of her story with cancer and the death of her mother and really that is it. There were a few moments that felt emotional but overall it lacked emotion for such heavily weighted subjects. It was a sort of limbo between funny and deep rarely dipping into either for me. I still really like Tig and will always be a fan and do not regret the experience either way.

4 people found this helpful

Great book about the strength to persevere

I loved the book and am a fan of Tig. Going thru similar life crushing circumstances in a short period of time, I relate. I do wish Tig would have included a bit more about how she and Stephanie grew to love eachother but I do understand some things need to be kept inside ourselves because they are so precious.

3 people found this helpful

Not the read I was hoping for

I'm a long time fan and was hoping for a little more comedy infused into this read. 95% of this book focuses on her her history of losses and trauma around cancer, her mother a cdiff. Very honest and real but also not funny and more depressing than anything. She also read the book in a very monotone nature which surprised me. All in all, it is an honest autobiography and should be a good read for folks interested in hearing a story about resilience and realism. I would not recommend it for someone looking for a laugh or a pick-me-up.

5 people found this helpful

A very Personal look at breast cancer

I wasn't even aware of this person as a performer and had not seen her comedy show. I heard about it on the Ellen Show and thought,why not read the book,might be interesting. It was one of the few books I've read that I could not put down. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it,and have, to any one wanting to know what it's like to be a single person with breast cancer.

2 people found this helpful

Hilarious and Smart

I loved hearing Tig's story. We've seen her live, and this was a beautiful combination of honesty, self-reflection and humor.

2 people found this helpful

Reads a lot like her shows

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I enjoyed Tig's book overall, but felt that there was a lot of parts picked up straight from her shows. Like the Santa siting. I had just listed to the Largo show and to hear Tig saying her act after just hearing it felt weird. I guess some of the stuff needs to be in the book, but as a fan who has followed the comedy performances, it was tough to hear them again just spoken.
It also felt like there were a few sections where the story folds back on itself. A bit confusing at times. Especially when Tig talks about her step-father. I think this story may actually read better than work as an audio book.
Tig's performance is well done. No one can do Tig better than herself after all. And the story was moving and humbling. I had not realized how her mother died and that was all new to me. And I have no idea how she did it.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have preferred shorter references to the show materials as noted above. A discussion about the joke versus a re-saying of the joke. Something that if I know the bit, I recognizer it and if I do not know it, I want to seek it out.

1 person found this helpful