NON-FICTION: TRYING TO BE FUNNY
Amy Schumer is one of the most talked-about comedians of recent years. The 35-year-old shot to massive fame with the release of her film Trainwreck — the publicity blitz surrounding this big-screen venture made it impossible for anyone to avoid the actor. She also released an HBO stand-up special, performed as an opening act for Madonna, and landed a book deal for a reported eight million dollars.
However, the actor hasn’t been able to maintain the momentum since her meteoric rise. Schumer has been over-promoted to the point of audience fatigue, hounded by plagiarism accusations, criticised for some of her more controversial statements, and has put her television show on an extended hiatus amidst falling ratings.
After her jump from newfound fame to overexposure, she published The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, a collection of candid essays about everything from her family to her relationships.
Confessions that appear to have been undertaken for form’s sake
Schumer begins by saying the book — the title of which is a play on Stieg Larsson’s bestseller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — is not an autobiography, acknowledging that she has “a long way to go until [she] is memoir-worthy.” Instead, she describes it as a set of stories from her life as a “daughter, sister, friend, comedian, actor, girlfriend, one-night stand, employee, employer, lover, fighter, hater, pasta eater, and wine drinker.”
As expected, there are anecdotes about dating athletes and a musician (whose identities are not revealed), and listicles about things that make her happy and things that make her “insanely furious,” but she doesn’t shy away from delving into heavier topics either.
Born into a well-to-do family, several twists of fate changed the course of Schumer’s life. Her parents lost their wealth when she was a child, her father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and her mother subsequently had an affair with Schumer’s best friend’s father, which led to her parents’ divorce. She also shares the harrowing experiences of being in a physically and psychologically abusive relationship and being sexually assaulted by a boyfriend. Also discussed is the tragic shooting in a theatre at a showing of Trainwreck which claimed the lives of two young women, an incident that has since led her to advocate for gun safety.
In several chapters Schumer talks about difficult personal and social issues, broaching topics that many wouldn’t be comfortable discussing openly. Readers are likely to be impressed by her boldness and strength, and find her body-positive attitude inspirational. Also, it is obvious that she cares deeply about her sister and brother and her love for them is endearing. Perhaps that is why her words are at their most powerful when she writes about her family.