Saskatoon StarPhoenix

SHARING HER SOUL

Schumer book keeps it real

- LINCEE RAY The Associated Press

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo Amy Schumer Gallery Books

Amy Schumer is a powerhouse in the entertainm­ent industry, thanks to her Emmy-winning TV series, Inside Amy Schumer, and the feature film box-office smash, Trainwreck. A comedian, actress, writer, producer and director, Schumer is on her way to adding “bestsellin­g author” to her list of achievemen­ts with this new book.

Schumer is a talented storytelle­r. She’s known for standing in a spotlight and sharing every corner of her soul with thousands of strangers. So it is no surprise that her book is packed with hilarious, honest and often vulnerably raw details of her life.

Her self-deprecatin­g essays reveal a young Amy navigating the tricky waters of adolescenc­e, including new love, lost friendship­s and the accidental discovery of what the naked body of an older woman looks like up close and personal.

Readers also get a peek inside Schumer’s “new money” world. She chronicles the better part of a decade when she hustled comedy clubs for work to make a name for herself. She notes that her achievemen­ts are the result of hard work, never passing up a chance to get on a stage, and the ability to poke fun at herself.

Schumer writes that life isn’t all butterflie­s and rainbows. She’s been the subject of emotional and physical abuse. Her parents’ divorce was painful. Her father suffers from a debilitati­ng disease. And she’ll never forget the dreadful night when two young women were killed in a shooting while watching her movie at a theatre. As a result, she’s an advocate for awareness on gun violence and domestic abuse. Through all the pain, she’s used each experience to grow into the version of Amy Schumer that she’s supposed to be.

Readers will laugh and cry, and may put the book down from moments of honesty that result from uncomforta­ble details from her life. The essays challenge readers to harness their own stories and know that they’re good enough. Be bold. Love your body. It’s OK to fail and make mistakes. And lower-back tattoos can only make you stronger.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada