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9th out of 45 books
—
4 voters
The Lucy Family Alphabet
by
Judith Lucy
Judith Lucy has been cracking jokes about her parents for years. But when a birth relative's casual comment implied that she despised them, Judith was shocked. Sure, she had been talking about Ann and Tony Lucy like they were one-dimensional Irish nut bags who had ruined her life for years, but there was always more to them and her own feelings than that.
So Judith decided...more
So Judith decided...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
2008
by Viking
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This is the most darkly hilarious, witty and sad book I think I've read. I know Lucy loved her adoptive parents, what I don't quite understand is why. And further, why 2 such desperate (her mother) & deluded (her father) people would want to adopt in the first place. I began to wonder if unhappy people ever realise the extent of their unhappiness, & what they'll be passing on to the people around them, or whether they exist by necessity in a bubble, convinced not even of their own normal...more
David Rakoff died recently. I only know his work through the radio show ‘This American Life’ (http://www.thisamericanlife.org/blog/...). They loved his work so much that they devoted a whole episode to him in memorium. One of the poignant things he said about himself in this show was something like “I practised being clever at the expense of intimacy”. It is true; his cleverness and humour is a shield against exposure. I heard this program just after reading the Lucy Family alphabet. There is so...more
I enjoy Judith Lucy's humour, though I believe she's not particularly loved by male audiences. This book revolves around Judith family and how she's managed to turn what, in many ways, was quite a distressing childhood into a source of humour. And there is a lot of humour here, but also a surprising yet totally understandable amount of sadness and hurt. Whilst it may seem that comedians are having a roaring time, all too often it masks a great deal of upset, and the mechanism of humour allows th...more
This was a great read. Judith Lucy is an Australian comedian whose stand up routines crack me up so I had high expectations of this book and they were met. Imagine finding out during a Christmas day family argument that you were adopted. This is what happened to Judith Lucy when she was in her 20s. This is where the book starts and she describes, with honesty and hilarity, growing up with her 'lunatic' parents. An experience so odd that she was often met with the response, 'You're adopted! You m...more
This book really surprised me. I am not the biggest fan of Lucy's stand-up, so I was expecting this to be a collection of gags (as some comedian memoirs can be.)
Instead, I found an amazing and, at times, painful journey through Lucy's upbringing, an upbringing she had to come to terms with and fully understand as an adult - having discovered at 25 she was actually adopted.
(I don't think it's a "spoiler" if it's on the back cover blurb, and this comes out in the first few pages.)
One book which th...more
Instead, I found an amazing and, at times, painful journey through Lucy's upbringing, an upbringing she had to come to terms with and fully understand as an adult - having discovered at 25 she was actually adopted.
(I don't think it's a "spoiler" if it's on the back cover blurb, and this comes out in the first few pages.)
One book which th...more
Aug 06, 2011
Bigmuzz
added it
a very interesting and eye-opening read into judith lucy's life, full of many fascinating facts i had no idea about her. i've been a fan of judith lucy's stand-up and comedy for a long time now, and this book continues in her laidback style and wit. a quick, easy read, but one that made me laugh out loud a couple of times and had me both fascinated and horrified about some aspects of her growing up with a crazy family
I've just finished reading "Drink, Smoke, Pass Out" and loved it so I moved on to this book in which Judith discusses her childhood and early adulthood. I love her style and her dry wit really comes through in both books (she writes as she speaks). Still, it's a sad read because her parents are far from ideal, yet she manages to still find love for them. She is an amazing talent and I hope that one day I can read another book of hers where she has all she wishes for.
I love Judith Lucy! I think she is hilarious and I found myself reading it with her voice, which is quite distinctive. I actually laughed out loud in many parts of this. Most of my male friends don't find her at all funny, so it will definitely appeal to females only. I recommended it to my mother and she felt Judith was quite cruel about her parents, but I didn't really feel that.
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Hilarious! I loved this book just as I expected I would. Judith Lucy is a fantastic comedian and the retelling of her life kept me giggling for hours! As i was reading I imagined her very unique voice and tone... you know the one... which made it even better. If this was ever to be made into an AudioBook Judith herself would have to read it!
For anyone who has a dark sarcastic sense of humour and enjoys Australian authors this book is for you.
Judith Lucy is known in Australian for her dark and rather "direct" sense of humour which those of us not easily offended enjoy.
Quirky read for those interested in childhoods in a dysfunctional family and finding themselves.
Judith Lucy is known in Australian for her dark and rather "direct" sense of humour which those of us not easily offended enjoy.
Quirky read for those interested in childhoods in a dysfunctional family and finding themselves.
Just loved this laugh till you cry, cry till you laugh again visit with the Lucy family. Thanks to daughter Judith, the Lucys will live on in the minds and hearts of readers forever. I feel a little sad these colourful people have gone, for now I will never have the chance, no matter how slim, to meet them in person.
I love Judith Lucy! She is the epitome of a true to self person. Her story about being adopted and discovering her birth mother was entertaining, riveting and hilarious. I could not put this down! I really hope Judith looks into writing more books as she has a compelling writing abilities. Highly recommended.
Not a bad book. Was interesting to see what sort of background she had and how that influenced her comedy. She has a creative way of expressing herself and I could picture her reading it to me as I worked through it. You've got to have the voice there as well....!
Really enjoyed this one. Such an honest account of some pretty poor parenting, but funny and warm - takes the edge off. Makes me see Judith Lucy in a new light. If I ever get the chance to see her, I will.
Judity Lucy has been cracking jokes about her parents for years. But when a birth relatives casual comment implied that she despised them, Judith was shocked.
Very black in some cases but witty humour promising the reader at least a few out loud chckles.
What a strange upbringing Judith Lucy had. It is no wonder she is an alcoholic.
Darkly funny and quite touching examination of the family life of comedian Judith Lucy.
I was unsure whether Judith Lucy could make to transition to author but she manages to kick it out of the ballpark. Well done.
I've met Judith's biological mum and some of her cousins so I found this pretty damn interesting.
raw and funny... really enjoyed it
I really enjoyed reading this.
This is the first book in a long time that has made me laugh out loud. Judith Lucy is as clever a writer as she is a comedienne.
MUST READ!
MUST READ!
Loved this book, devoured it in a day. Judith Lucy is a very dry, funny Aussie comedienne.
This book takes the piss out of her family, yet is interesting, honest with serious social commentary as well, there's plenty of family dysfuction here. Being an Aussie I can relate to the times, the crazy family and the way we are a tough and a proudly irreverent bunch. Neil Diamond can never to be looked at the same again, I think of Judith Lucy's father now and shake my head.
A funny read from a funny lad...more
This book takes the piss out of her family, yet is interesting, honest with serious social commentary as well, there's plenty of family dysfuction here. Being an Aussie I can relate to the times, the crazy family and the way we are a tough and a proudly irreverent bunch. Neil Diamond can never to be looked at the same again, I think of Judith Lucy's father now and shake my head.
A funny read from a funny lad...more
I loved this. But ***definitely not suitable for children!***
Judith Lucy takes us through her relationship with her parents and some of her funny life stories via the alphabet. You'll laugh & cry with Judith as she finds out she's adopted (in her mid-twenties) and see how she deals with having the least normal family when she was growing up in Perth. And grieve with her when she loses those parents.
Classic Lines (from the dustjacket):
"Oh my God, you're adopted ... you must be so relieved."
Judith Lucy takes us through her relationship with her parents and some of her funny life stories via the alphabet. You'll laugh & cry with Judith as she finds out she's adopted (in her mid-twenties) and see how she deals with having the least normal family when she was growing up in Perth. And grieve with her when she loses those parents.
Classic Lines (from the dustjacket):
"Oh my God, you're adopted ... you must be so relieved."
funny ha ha ha
I enjoyed this, but probably because I really like Judith Lucy's sense of humour and I grew up in Perth (where she did) so I got a lot of her references.
People looking for Funny lady, Judith Lucy in this book will be disappointed...She is writing her family's story and she does have some funny parts, this book is a walk through her childhood and the odd people who raised her. Coming from a very similar family, I saw a lot of my childhood here.. but I am not adopted :)
An easy to read book, it has very short chapters and we get to loook behind the stage presence of Judith Lucy.
An easy to read book, it has very short chapters and we get to loook behind the stage presence of Judith Lucy.
Witty, dry, morbid and moving memoir about the colourful life of Judith Lucy. Her writing style is sharp and witty reflecting her personality brilliantly. Contains great stories with humour, delving into the weird and bizarre world of her family life and childhood conveying a sense of how it all seemed normal to her at the time. Well written, and with a good overall arc.
We listened to this as we drove to the Whitsundays with Judith Lucy narrating. It was a funny tale of Judith's life. It was also very distrubing to hear of her up bringing by her adopted parents.
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