The Comedienne

Rating:
Summary: Joan's crazy life
Review: Chatting with an interviewer about her foibles and success, Joan Littler reminisces about the last twenty years of her life with her ailing mother, failed relationships with women, and madcap life. Joan got her sense of humor from her mother, and after a sort of dare from an ex-girlfriend, Joan tries her hand at stand-up comedy, which turns out to be but the first step to success and happiness and love. "The Comedienne" is a lively and often funny story of a woman struggling with loneliness and love. Val Lee has a sharp style that might be a challenge for some American readers, but is well worth the effort.

Rating:
Summary: A wonderfully witty and engrossing book!
Review: Joan Littler is a well-known TV comedy writer in England. Beginning with sections of a taped interview, she tells us about her life and loves, from the lonely 23-year-old woman still living with her mother in Birmingham to the successful writer she is today.

Joan introduces us to two of the main female relationships in her life: her mother, Dolly, a witty woman with a penchant for crosswords, always has a remark about the women she brings home, especially for the no-good Susan; and Susan, the love of her life who walked out on her but still manages to keep herself in Joan's thoughts. It's the experiences with these women and with her friends and lovers that give her the self-confidence to change her life, to try her hand at stand-up comedy.

Which doesn't go so well.

Until one night at a party, she creates Freddy -- the perfect lover and companion. After the party, she goes home and creates a life for her fictitious other half, jotting notes about music and travel and creates such an involved life that she must make additional notes to remind her to whom she told what about Freddy.

I will leave you with that. Revealing any more would ruin the story.

Author V G Lee has written a very involving story with strongly developed and lively characters with whom I was able to connect. Her sense of humor is
wonderfully witty and not overdone. This is a highly recommended book that I am making sure my friends read!