Tag Archives: Memoirs

So Gay For You by Leisha Hailey & Kate Moennig

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Overview
So Gay for You: Friendship, Found Family, and the Show That Started It All

Title: So Gay For You: Friendship, Found Family & The Show That Started It All
Author: Leisha Hailey & Kate Moennig
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Celebrity, LGBTQI, Memoirs
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2025

Thoughts

I’ve watched all of The L Word, except for the final season (and the reboot), so, when I saw that two of the actresses had written a memoir together, I was intrigued. And, I was definitely not disappointed. I mean, everything about this was interesting and intriguing. I enjoyed the insight into what it was like to be a part of The L Word team and how groundbreaking it was at the time. But, I also enjoyed how honestly and openly Hailey and Moennig wrote about their lives, before, after and during their hit show. I always love how insightful memoirs that are built around a TV Show (or movie) can be, and how it can provide an insight into the lives of others and different experiences.

Although I loved the insight into The L Word, mostly I just really loved the voices of Hailey and Moennig. They were smart and sassy, with a whole lot of honesty that I seriously appreciated. One woman was out before the show even came to form, the other slowly had her sexual recognition throughout her filming of The L Word. I loved how different their tales and journeys were, but how they built together. Particularly to the moments when they first met, how they felt about it, and then how they built a friendship that is the envy of all friendships. Their love for one another and honesty was enviable and I really enjoyed learning more about how other women have grown and found each other.

I read a lot of stories which feature Found Family and Soul Mates (not romantic Soul Mates, those friends who are forever). But I haven’t read many memoirs that actually feature the reality of this kind of relationship. I love how they were able to find each other in this insane world that we live in, and figure out a way to have each other’s backs. But, they aren’t romantically entangled – I love that Hailey and Moennig found each other and created their own Found Family – one in which they are accepted and beloved. That support and love is something that I think everyone deserves, and I absolutely loved reading about it.

Although I picked up So Gay For You because of my knowledge of The L Word, I love that this novel wasn’t actually all that much about it. Yes, it featured in it for a fair chunk of the book, but even then, it was just a part of a greater story. One which I really enjoyed, and would definitely enjoy reading further. Mostly though, the focus was on the beautiful friendship between these two women, and the ways in which they were able to find each other. The community that they built together and the way that their love for one another was supportive and helped them both to grow into better versions of themselves.

<- The Last Black UnicornThe Hospital by the River ->

Image source: Amazon

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

Title: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
Author: Lori Gottlieb
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Memoirs, Mental health, Psychology
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I’m writing this review a fair while after actually finishing the final page of this book (because adulting). But, honestly, even though it’s been a couple of weeks, I seriously can’t stop thinking about Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. I don’t know if it is how well written this book is, the relevance of the topic to my life at this point, or the unflinching honesty. But, regardless of the reason, I absolutely adored this memoir and will gladly read this again and again in the future.

Not only is Maybe You Should Talk to Someone a humorous memoir, it is also a great insight into one woman’s journey to becoming a therapist. As someone who is studying to become a counsellor, I can tell you that the majority of therapists and therapists-to-be that I spend my time with have entered the field in a somewhat convoluted manner. Gottlieb is no different, and I love how she is able to share those integral parts of her journey to working in mental health throughout the memoir. Then, she’s brutally honest about how she acted within her own therapy – and the pitfalls of ego that we all fall into. Sometimes to protect ourselves, but sometimes just because that’s what our brains do.

I really enjoyed how Gottlieb was able to intersperse the anecdotal tales she was sharing with actual therapeutic / psychological theory. It was great to read for anyone who is interested in mental health. But, as someone who wants to work more deeply in this field, it made me really question how I’m not only engaging with future clients, but how I’m engaging with my own therapist. I particularly loved how she talked about Unconditional Positive Regard and how challenging that could be in moments. Something that I will have to make sure I work towards myself in future endeavours.

My all time favourite aspect of this novel is how open and honest Gottlieb is about therapy and the therapeutic process. She doesn’t pretend that it is easy (on anyone), or that there are magical fixes. But she emphasises the growth and the change that people may experience, and shines a light on the fact that therapists of all calibres have their own challenges and sometimes are simply just humans who need a little bit of help too.

<- Bits and PiecesFrog ->

Image source: Booktopia

I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokpokki by Baek Se-hee

Book Review, ,
Overview
I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki: The International bestseller: I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki Baek Sehee Bloomsbury Publishing - Bloomsbury

Title: I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki
Author: Baek Se-hee
Rating Out of 5: 3 (On the fence about this one)
My Bookshelves: Memoirs, Mental health
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2018

Thoughts

Reading this off of the back of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone made this a mental health memoir that had a lot to live up to. And, quite frankly, this did not live up to it. Honestly, this whole book for me was just a huge transcript of someone’s therapy. But, with all of the important parts pulled out. There was none of the honesty that a good mental health memoir should have. Rather, it felt kind of self-indulgent and as though the author still wasn’t actually ready to face up to her own shit. 

Image source: Bloomsbury

Frog: The Secret Diary of a Paramedic by Sally Gould

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Frog | Book by Sally Gould | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster AU

Title: Frog: The Secret Diary of a Paramedic
Author: Sally Gould
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Medical, Memoirs, Mental health
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2025

Thoughts

I absolutely adored this memoir, and it’s one that I actually can’t stop thinking about it. Even though it’s been a while since I turned that final page. It was intense, it was well written, and like all of the best memoirs, it was brutally honest. Honestly, I just couldn’t put this down and I love how honest Gould is not just about her journey into becoming a paramedic, but also her own mental health challenges and difficulties. One of the best medical memoirs I’ve read in a long while, and a reminder of why I like this subgenre.

In Frog, Gould talks about her first three years as a paramedic in Australia. She doesn’t give any specifics of where, but it felt like a lot of the suburban hubs that make up our wonderful country (I am intrigued as to where though, because I’m nosy). She’s honest about her drives and why she wanted to pursue this career path, but, most importantly, she’s honest about the challenges that she faced. Some of the anecdotes are kind of funny and a little bit quirky. Others, not so much. They run the gambit of difficult training officers, to somewhat insane patients and the tragic endings. If it was a pivotal moment for Gould, she has included it.

Being someone who works in the “helping professions”, I understand that the risk to mental health is higher than in other areas. I really loved how honest Gould was in her memoir about the impact that her career has had on her mental health. And also the consequences of this. I absolutely adored this, although, I read Frog at a bit of a triggering time, so some of the passages were ones that I had to put down and aside. It was incredibly intense and potent, but, again, the ability of Gould to be open and honest about difficult to talk about topics made it so much more powerful.

Everything about Frog was fantastically written. It was a wonderfully insightful memoir, and was a reminder of why I really enjoy diving into this style of book every now and then. Plus, for me, it was all that much more potent because it was an Australian woman working in a “helping profession”. I really hope that Gould writes more books in the future, because I will definitely be keen to dive into them!

<- Bits and PiecesWe Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families ->

Image source: Simon & Schuster

My Fight / Your Fight by Ronda Rousey

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: My Fight Your Fight
Author: Ronda Rousey
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Memoirs, Sport
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2015

Thoughts

As a Martial Arts practitioner, I already knew who Ronda Rousey was – I mean, you can’t really follow Women’s UFC without knowing who the woman is. But, I didn’t really know much beyond she was awesome. Actually, reading this kind of put me to shame in my knowledge for the birth of Women’s UFC (of which I really enjoy following). For starters, although I knew Rousey was a pioneer in the sport, but I didn’t realise that she was literally the first woman to fight on UFC Card. It was really fun reading about this while I actually watched those first fights that Rousey talks about. And then constantly sharing the extra bits of information with my poor partner who is not interested.

I always love reading a good memoir, partly because it’s just interesting how other people live and function. But, it also helps to solidify some of my understanding of myself. In the case of Rousey’s story, it really just solidified for me that I’m not a competitor. The dedication and commitment alone is pretty intense, but also that unwillingness to lose. I just… don’t care if I win or lose a match, as long as my opponent finds me interesting. But Rousey’s dedication and literal inability to lose is just astounding. It speaks so highly of her commitment, but also shows just how driven you really have to be to rise to the top like this.

Before each chapter of My Fight / Your Fight started, there is a bit of a quote from Rousey that kind of highlights the theme and the topic that is about to be uncovered. I really liked this. It was a way to give context, but also provide an extra snippet from her life that otherwise wouldn’t have fit into the overall chapter arc. It was a great way to set the tone and start you off in the right head space for each snippet of her life that she was about to impart. Some of these small chunks were actually my favourite parts of the whole memoir. They gave a great insight into some of the daily life and struggles of a Pro MMA fighter. And just into Rousey’s life and thought process as a general.

I absolutely devoured My Fight / Your Fight, not only was it subject matter that I am intensely passionate about (and live daily to a degree), but it was also just a really interesting and well written memoir. There is a cost to being at the pinnacle of your sport, and Rousey does not shy away from this. Rather, she fully embraces that there are many sacrifices you have to make. And she’s willingly made them. But, even more powerfully, she’s shared those sacrifices and challenges in her writing, showing us the dedication and commitment it takes to be a trail blazer in Women’s Sports and MMA.

<- A Woman in the Polar NightGogo Mama ->

Image source: Penguin Books

A Cup of Water Under My Bed by Daisy Hernandez

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: A Cup of Water Under My Bed: A Memoir
Author: Daisy Hernandez
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Immigrant, LGBTQI, Memoirs
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2014

Thoughts

This was such an amazing biography and memoir – there was something about the lyricality and non-linear story that I just absolutely devoured. Not only was Hernandez able to share her story and experiences, but she managed to do so in a way that was entirely unforgettable. I mean, there was just… something about her writing style that hit my deep in the soul, worming it’s way into my daily thoughts and dreams.

A Cup of Water Under My Bed was one of those memoirs that really made me stop and think. It just wormed my way into my mind and wouldn’t let go. I can’t say that many author’s actually have the talent to do this so thoroughly. And the part that stuck with me the most was how Hernandez talked about language and how she felt, as a child, that she had to hate Spanish to be able to move along to English. It’s a stark reminder of the intensity and confusion that comes along with a total upheaval of your life and culture. One that I still can’t understand, but definitely have Big Feelings around.

Not only does Hernandez unapologetically talk about her experiences as the child of immigrants, but she also talks about her bisexuality as a Latino women, and the unique challenges that this comes with. Rather than being a big deal, this part of her story is seamlessly woven in amongst the rest of her tale. She discusses how differently her aunts dealt with her sexuality and, that, ultimately, it was something that was kind of just… ignored. Hernandez is honest about how her sexuality sits in amongst her daily life, then and now.

The first read through of this was wonderful, and this felt like one of those layered tales that I would love to read again. Gaining something new in the lyrical prose that I wasn’t expecting, learning something and seeing the moments that I’ve missed. It might be a little while, but I can almost guarantee that this will be one that I will actually read again in the future (not something I frequently do with memoirs).

<- BlackoutThe Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl ->

Image source: Gulf Stream Lit Mag

Bits and Pieces by Whoopi Goldberg

Book Review, , ,
Overview

Title: Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me
Author: Whoopi Goldberg
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Celebrity, Family, Memoirs
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2024

Thoughts

Bits and Pieces is one of the most beautiful literary love letters that I’ve read in a long while. Whoopi Goldberg’s love for her mother and brother just leaps off of the pages with every single word. I mean, I picked this up because I wanted to learn more about Whoopi, someone I grew up watching and was definitely a household name. And it was a really interesting biography, but what I found the most intriguing and amazing was the fact that everything comes back to her mum. We are shaped by our families, and this connection is absolutely clear in the way that Goldberg is able to write about it.

I’m not going to lie, as someone who has recently lost her dad, there were parts of this that I found a little difficult – I mean, this is literally a biography that centres around a beloved parent, and I’d just lost mine. However, I did find that the final chapter of Bits and Pieces was actually really helpful. I love the way in which Goldberg is able to deal with loss and death with compassion and kindness. Honestly, when I started this final chapter I was kind of filled with trepidation, but I actually found it really supportive and helpful.

Although I grew up knowing Whoopi’s name, voice and face, I didn’t really know much about her early career. Mostly because I just wasn’t alive at this point. It was absolutely fascinating and introduced me to another side of Hollywood that I hadn’t quite anticipated. I really enjoyed learning more and finding out how she rose to fame. I didn’t even know that Goldberg was a mum, so the idea of embracing your fame and chance, whilst also trying to single parent was pretty intense.

Whoopi Goldberg is wonderfully honest about the challenges of juggling motherhood and a career. Not only in her own life, but the empathy she feels towards her mum in her own challenges. I particularly found her compassion for Emma (her mother’s) breakdown and how she was committed to hospital against her will. I just can’t even imagine the fear and uncertainty that the whole family experienced and how strong these women were to pick themselves up from such an upheaval and move forward in their lives.

I knew that I liked pretty much everything that I had seen with Whoopi Goldberg in it, but I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy her biography anywhere near so much. I absolutely demolished this in a really short period of time and I was really disappointed when it finished. This is definitely parts of a fascinating story and a life well-lived so far, and I’m disappointed that there wasn’t more to digest!

<- The GapWe Wish To Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families ->

Image source: Target

The Prison Doctor by Dr. Amanda Brown

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: The Prison Doctor
Author: Dr. Amanda Brown
Series: The Prison Doctor #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Medical, Memoirs, True crime
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I haven’t actually read this trilogy of memoirs in order – I read Women Inside (the second book) first. So it was really good to see just how Brown ended up in her chosen career as a prison doctor. I mean, it’s a pretty big leap to go from a GP to a prison doctor. And I’d imagine a pretty steep learning curve, both mentally and emotionally. It was definitely interesting reading just how Brown was able to make this leap and how she processed all of the extreme changes that such a change bought about in her life.

I found, aside from how interesting all of Brown’s anecdotes were, that this was a great reminder to stop, take a deep breath and just appreciate what you have. I mean, how could stories of people who have to spend a good portion of their lives incarcerated not make you stop and think? Or maybe that’s just me… there is so much compassion and sympathy throughout this story, it’s definitely a humbling read.

This is an amazing journey and a humbling tale. I want to help people, but this is a whole other level of assistance and giving that I can’t really fathom. I mean, helping people is one thing, being in a situation that can feel potentially dangerous to do so? A whole other level. And, there is a whole lot of surprising stories throughout that make you feel even more strongly for those who are battling to carve out their own lives.

I honestly expected a whole heap of danger and violence from this memoir. I mean, it’s about a woman who goes and works in prisons. But there is almost none of that. Yes, the violence is touched upon. And the challenges faced. But mostly this is a story about the triumph of humanity. The ways in which we are able to fight against all odds and come out on top. At least, that’s how it read to me.

<- More Dr. Amanda BrownThe Prison Doctor: Women Inside ->

Image source: Amazon

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: I’m Glad My Mom Died
Author: Jeanette McCurdy
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Actors, Celebrity, Memoirs, Mental health
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2022

Thoughts

I’m not going to lie, this was an incredibly difficult book to read. Where I normally tend to just dive into a book of this quality and get really stuck into it, I definitely had to stop and start this one quite a few times. A lot of what McCurdy writes about it really hard to stomach. And heartbreaking. And difficult. But it was also written with a sense of humour and humility that left me smiling and wanting more, more, more.

There would have been so many nuances throughout McCurdy’s life and experiences that she could have written about. But, as the title indicates, this story really focuses on her mother and the lasting impressions that she has left upon her daughter. Where it would be easy to just write this with anger and hurt (I mean, the woman did a number on her), McCurdy is able to write with humour and love. The realism of the fact that you can both hate and love a person. That you can be aware of their bullshit, but also still want their approval. McCurdy was able to indicate this complex mix of emotions beautifully.

I think what I found the most confronting about this story was the amount of love that is there. It is so easy to be angry and hateful. It is hard to heal when you are stuck in that negative. I can’t imagine having the strength of personality and kindness to not be angry and hateful to be completely frank. I mean, there is a whole lot of other stuff throughout this to be angry at too. But in particular, the relationship with family and the different influences that have been around since childhood – it was hard.

I’ve never had an eating disorder, but I know plenty who have. And, more than that, I completely understand the work and difficulties that come with overcoming your mental health nonsense. The fact that McCurdy has been able to do this is honestly inspiring. The fact that she is able to be open about her struggles even more so. I absolutely loved this memoir and it is definitely one I would probably enjoy reading again in the future.

<- Twelve PatientsBlack Saturday ->

Image source: Amazon

This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: This Much is True
Author: Miriam Margolyes
Rating Out of 5: 2.5 (Readable, but not worth reading again)
My Bookshelves: Actors, Biographies, Celebrity, Memoirs
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2021

Thoughts

I really struggled to get into this biography – I really, really wanted to like it. But I just, couldn’t. Which was incredibly disappointing. Maybe I’ll try again in the future.

Although I struggled to get into this, I still skim read the whole book and found it well written and humorous. Margolyes is self-deprecating and realistic about her flaws. She’s also quite witty in what she writes.

Honestly, I think that the reason I couldn’t really get into this was because there is a huge gap in lived experience. Yet, it’s still within the same culture, so it’s similar. There wasn’t enough of a gap for this to be a whole new experience, but too much for it to feel familiar. Plus, I seriously can’t relate to wanting to be the centre of attention all the time…

<- Long Walk to FreedomJane Austen: Obstinate Heart ->

Image source: Goodreads