A rollercoaster of a collection
4 stars
For background, like many readers of this book, I'm a great fan of Josie Long as a comedian. I find her standup funny, and her politics good and genuine. I first saw her performing around 2014 at a benefit show for an anti-eviction campaign in East London, and have nurtured my friend crush ever since. Contrary to many celebrities and comedians' books, this is the book of someone who approaches writing as its own thing, and aspires to be taken at face value as a writer. By which I mean: the stories here are not merely a different format for her standup, which is a brave thing to do. They allow readers to see a different (but coherent) side of her.
Some of the stories read like well-observed vignettes. I'm not sure if that was intentional, or if maybe they needed some more developing to have a full narrative arch. …
For background, like many readers of this book, I'm a great fan of Josie Long as a comedian. I find her standup funny, and her politics good and genuine. I first saw her performing around 2014 at a benefit show for an anti-eviction campaign in East London, and have nurtured my friend crush ever since. Contrary to many celebrities and comedians' books, this is the book of someone who approaches writing as its own thing, and aspires to be taken at face value as a writer. By which I mean: the stories here are not merely a different format for her standup, which is a brave thing to do. They allow readers to see a different (but coherent) side of her.
Some of the stories read like well-observed vignettes. I'm not sure if that was intentional, or if maybe they needed some more developing to have a full narrative arch. The fact that I'm not sure is probably not a good sign. At several points, though, the book 'changes gear', offering some truly excellent stories. Some of my favourites:
2021, 20/21 - A survivor of an abusive relationship is forced to interact with her abuser, who has moved in her neighborhood with his family. Twenty years after the break-up, she can finally see the abuse for what it was, but still feels the irresistible urge to know what is going on in his life, and that of his new partner. The not-quite-irrational anxiety at the the thought she may meet him at any point, the conflicting feelings of hoping his new relationship doesn't follow the same pattern, but also not wishing him to be happy... Poets rise - A black-mirror-esque story about a woman working for a surveillance / sabotage agency that targets left-wing people, trying to break down their spirit to prevent them to engage in activism. (the next time I forget my phone code, I'll know who to blame). Poets rise again - A funny-sad story about scammers getting scammed, that is mostly about how class-based societies are the real scam. (Only now do I notice these two stories form a series).