The Audacity: Why Being Too Much Is Exactly Enough: The Sunday Times bestseller

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As much as I liked to think of myself as an adult from birth, I was a teenager when this happened and it left quite a traumatic imprint that I’ve had to work very hard to overcome for the benefit of my healthy relationships with men. Are you a budding Director? Producer? Screenwriter? Are you collaborating with friends to make a funny video? Then we are looking for YOU! The private party did go ahead but it became something of a sombre wake; people murmured quietly for a bit, offered their condolences to any crying staff and left early. That’s how it happens,” Mum answered bleakly. “If you leave them, they sometimes kill you. No reporters will come. This happens all the time.” Duly f***ing noted. Having not yet made this connection, I flew around the house in a furious rage, ranting about how the bar should have immediately closed for observance, about how international news cameras would soon be descending upon the town to cover the story and about how wild it was that a young woman we knew was killed by a man we were also familiar with. He wasn’t a stranger or a demon or a masked intruder but a person Jessica had once trusted and loved.

The Audacity: The first book from superstar comedian The Audacity: The first book from superstar comedian

Whatever strangers think of me is fine with me. How audacious is that? I can always take a joke, I don’t waste time worrying about things I can’t control. I embrace the reality that you just can’t please everyone, so you might as well put yourself out there and have a laugh. As my mother always said, "Katherine, if we all liked the same thing, we’d all be married to your father." I don’t read non fiction or memoirs all that often (I think this is probably the second I’ve read in over a decade) but I genuinely really enjoyed this, and getting to learn more about Katherine as a person as opposed to her curated stage persona was really interesting. It is clear that Ryan is all about taking chances, from auditioning as a dancer for a Sean Paul video to entering comedy competitions such as the Funny Women Awards which she won in 2008. The thread that runs through this book is Ryan’s incredible work ethic, whether it’s comedy, mothering or waitressing at Hooters she puts her all into it.Kate Stone is the editor of Funny Women and an award-winning script writer. She has written comedy sketches for the BBC's 100 Women project and created the Funny Women Awards Comedy Shorts category. Its funny, it’s sad, it’s engaging, I loved it. I like how she didn’t shy away from the less good things that she has experienced and seemed to put in all the important life events instead of just adding the good and funny ones.

Katherine Ryan: The Audacity - Funny Women Katherine Ryan: The Audacity - Funny Women

I think maybe The Audacity suffered from the fact that I’ve read so many truly brilliant memoirs lately; by comparison, it fell flat for me. Something about Ryan’s voice and approach just felt… off. She has a very matter-of-fact tone, which I’d normally like, except it was coupled with 20/20 hindsight; she doesn’t really bring the reader along with her. Katherine is one of the smartest, funniest voices in comedy... an icon of our time. This book is absolutely hilarious, deeply insightful and truly original. You will love and devour The Audacity * Lou Sanders * Dread and confusion spread through the building before the worst was confirmed by police showing up to question Jessica’s friends who’d last seen her. There are no secrets in a small town, so when we opened our doors, customers came in already privy to what had happened. Jessica’s close friends at the restaurant were understandably hysterical, so many of them went either home or to the police station. So, I love Katherinne Ryan for her Netflix comedy special Glitter Room, so I was pretty pumped when I found out she was releasing a book. Jessica wasn’t my sister or my best friend, and I realise I’ve centred myself quite a lot here but that’s because I’m writing a book and her life and brutal murder is something I still consider often, nearly 20 years later.

Summary

While I've been very blessed to have worked in comedy for over a decade, The Audacity gives me the opportunity to connect with people more fully and honestly than a panel show allows. I've learned to be a sharp-shooter on stage, but there are so many stories that I'm eager to tell in more sincere, longer form. I hope it gives people a laugh, an insight, and hopefully some encouragement on how to live their most fulfilled, authentic lives.'