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Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'
Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets, and Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
43 reviews
bherrmann525's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Death of parent
craftyfairy's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.0
Part of this is the fact that I'm not a big enjoyer of 'crass' comedy. I kind of just feel like piss/shit/cum/vomit comedy is overdone and there's not a lot that a comedian can do to make the genre fresh for me.
However, what made the book difficult to read was Wong's habit of repeating low-hanging jokes. She criticizes male comedians and wannabe-comedians for reusing other people's jokes and passing it off as their own, yet she makes dozens of cheap jokes about homeless people, addiction and drug users to name a few groups. She also makes a large number of fat-phobic jokes only to reveal close to the end (and very casually) that she has had experience with anorexia.
I understand that Wong is crafting a brand of comedy where she is bucking stereotypes of Asian women by making use of shock value, I just don't like it.
However, what made the book difficult to read was Wong's habit of repeating low-hanging jokes. She criticizes male comedians and wannabe-comedians for reusing other people's jokes and passing it off as their own, yet she makes dozens of cheap jokes about homeless people, addiction and drug users to name a few groups. She also makes a large number of fat-phobic jokes only to reveal close to the end (and very casually) that she has had experience with anorexia.
I understand that Wong is crafting a brand of comedy where she is bucking stereotypes of Asian women by making use of shock value, I just don't like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Vomit
Moderate: Fatphobia, Miscarriage, and Racism
Minor: Rape
siobhanward's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
Wong's humour is not really my style, but I've seen parts of her stand up that felt really human (between foul jokes of course) and it was enough to make me curious about her book. The book, a series of letters to her daughters somehow managed to be both sweet and raunchy at the same time. I really appreciated her reflections on pregnancy, they were very sweet and not the typical "oh my god I was so FAT and HATED it." No kid wants to hear that they've been a burden to their mother since before birth. Some of the book aged badly, since a great deal of it was devoted to her relationship with her daughters' father, who she split from three years after releasing the book. I hope they still have a good relationship.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Moderate: Miscarriage and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder
kitkathw871's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
Ali Wong's humor is not always for me so there are obviously parts of this book that didn't resonate, but I enjoyed her voice a lot. She self deprecates for her jokes but she is actually clearly smart and has her finger on the pulse on a lot of complicated topics like motherhood and racial representation. She's a hard worker who sacrificed much out of love for her passion and her family. It's a nice, funny read about an interesting person that sneaks up on you with heartwarming sentiments. I enjoyed this look into her life, just don't click with her type of humor and it took me out of the book sometimes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
mari1532's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
5.0
This is a reread of this book for me. I had purchased this book when it came out and devoured it immediately. Now I am on a quest to read all of the physical books that I own in some way. I needed a beautifully written and funny read so I immediately went back to this book.
Wong is such a brilliant, honest comedian that every minute of this book is fantastic and heartwarming. Although I have to say I did not like the graphic description of the long pinky fingernail...it's so descriptive it makes me gag every time.
Wong's detailing of her experiences for her daughters (and the general public) is an enjoyable read. I truly loved her discussion of how she met her (now ex) husband and how they fell in love and decided to have their two daughters. I also think that her current relationship with the father of her children is beautiful. Too often people disparage their exes and sometimes that can be called for, but the ability of Wong to openly discuss how she remains friends with her exes is so refreshing.
If you are looking for a great memoir to read and/or are a fan of Wong's other work I would highly recommend this book!
Wong is such a brilliant, honest comedian that every minute of this book is fantastic and heartwarming. Although I have to say I did not like the graphic description of the long pinky fingernail...it's so descriptive it makes me gag every time.
Wong's detailing of her experiences for her daughters (and the general public) is an enjoyable read. I truly loved her discussion of how she met her (now ex) husband and how they fell in love and decided to have their two daughters. I also think that her current relationship with the father of her children is beautiful. Too often people disparage their exes and sometimes that can be called for, but the ability of Wong to openly discuss how she remains friends with her exes is so refreshing.
If you are looking for a great memoir to read and/or are a fan of Wong's other work I would highly recommend this book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Excrement, and Pregnancy
Minor: Death of parent
annie_g_scott's review
dark
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
greenek3's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Vomit
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Racial slurs
lindsayvale's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
aformeracceleratedreader's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
3.5
Really enjoyed the audiobook as someone who hasn't seen any of Ali Wong's standup. I don't think I would've enjoyed this as much if I read the physical book. It was pretty funny and heartfelt in many parts of the book and went by quickly, but some of it felt off for me. I think part of the reason is because I don't like the word "pussy" and she uses it a lot. If you aren't into raunchy comedy at all, I'd say skip this. Another part that could be the reason it didn't work for me as much is when she is talking about being Asian it always comes off as very east Asian-centric, and it always makes me feel like if you arent that kind of Asian then you aren't Asian. Even tho she is Chinese Vietnamese and talks about her time in Vietnam, it was still super east Asian-centric. When discussing choosing Asian restaurants, she really only mentioned east Asian cuisine. Maybe this is just telling me I should stop looking for wider/inclusive Asian rep from east Asians.
Not to say the book is bad by any means, I overall did enjoy listening to the audio since she delivers it in such an engaging and entertaining way. It def isn't the worst non-fiction I've read, but it's not my fave either. It's a good, quick read if you are looking to fill a little bit of time.
Not to say the book is bad by any means, I overall did enjoy listening to the audio since she delivers it in such an engaging and entertaining way. It def isn't the worst non-fiction I've read, but it's not my fave either. It's a good, quick read if you are looking to fill a little bit of time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Pregnancy
Moderate: Drug use, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
1oddkatreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Miscarriage