By Jamie Maletta
Canadian comedian and actress Katherine Ryan dives into book writing with her debut memoir The Audacity. Katherine is best known for her risqué stand-up comedy, as well as her (truly hilarious) show The Duchess, which I shamelessly binge-watched in one evening. Don’t come at me; put the kids to bed and jump into this Netflix original. LOVE. And Katherine, if you happen to come across this review I have one question for you: WHERE IS SEASON TWO?
Now let’s get to the book! I won’t lie, I had never heard of Katherine Ryan prior to receiving this book from her publisher. (Shame, as I too am from Ontario, and have spent some time in her hometown of Sarnia). I quickly realized I’ve been living under a rock as everyone knows who this woman is. I opened the book with an open mind and no specific idea of what to expect and was not disappointed. She’s hilarious.
This memoir acts as a how-to guide, based on her life experiences, with each chapter appropriately named “How to Skip Town for Good,” “How to Get Plastic Surgery,” “How to Survive Controversy,” and so on. She recounts her childhood, teenage years, and early adulthood navigating life, and leaving nothing to the imagination. We learn early on that Katherine is unique, stands out, and has a confidence that most of us don’t find until our thirties. She dreams big and gives her all to everything she sets her mind to. From acting in local theatre as a child, to being crowned “Miss Hooters Toronto,” to auditioning in music videos, and finally to taking the stage with her comedy shows. She recounts it all, leaving no cringe-worthy story out and keeping it 100% real.
A topic she covered that I truly enjoyed was her experience as a woman in comedy, a profession and industry heavily dominated by men. She recounts the struggles, the hoops women are expected to jump through in comparison to their male counterparts, and what it takes to “make it.” I feel that this is a topic so many women can relate to, regardless of their profession, and I loved her approach to and thoughts on the subject. It’s a topic that needs to be talked about more, and I’m glad it was included.
If you’re conservative in nature, this book may not be your thing. Nothing is off limits, which is something I personally loved about it. It’s funny and raunchy, with no boundaries surrounding the topics discussed. If you can read it for what it is, I think it’s a book that you’ll truly enjoy as a memoir-meets-comedy-meets-how-to! Grab your copy today!
Thank you so much to Penguin Random House for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!