Don't Let My Mama Read This: A Southern Fried Memoir

by Hadjii

Meet Hadjii.

He’s got a loving family, a taste for making trouble, and a wicked sense of humor. His first book, Don’t Let My Mama Read This , is a rarity—an upbeat memoir about a blessedly normal childhood written by a natural-born storyteller. In it, he offers a warm, witty look at the pleasures and pitfalls of growing up in a close-knit Southern family, from a young man who’s just like you, only funnier.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 2008

Reviews

[Lizzie Winns · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to an audio version of it. I laughed through out the book. A lot of the things that happened in this book has happened to me while growing up in an African American home. So I could totally relate.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever had a childhood where some grownup has aggravated you, you will understand where Hadjii is coming from. Knowing you would never, ever say to an adult the the things you want to say when you're little, nobody can stop you from thinking them. Hadjii is absolutely insane (I wrote him and told him so). I think he agrees! I laughed til tears "came out" my eyes.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the funniest work of non-fiction I have ever read. It takes a look into the life of a african-american boy living in the south. This true story is laced with so much humor, I almost spewed soda out my nose just reading it.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. Delcious to read, laugh outloud funny, and quirkily bruatlly honest about growing up as a black boy in the 80's. A great read for everyone.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, funny, funny...but seriously, don't let your Mama read it.

[Lissette Jorge- Uyehara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Funny, easy read, great for summer time reading.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took my longer than I expected to finish this book, I had to stop reading it every 15 seconds because I was laughing so damn hard!

[Brianna Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't stop reading this hilarious book! In the words of Hadjii "it be crackin' me up!" lol

[Brooklyn Tody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m glad that it tells actual humorous stories instead of just sounding like a boring autobiography.

[Cece Rotimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this on a short road trip, and I laughed the entire time! I have similar family experiences and could totally relate. I enjoyed this book and recommended it to a few people.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times completely hilarious . . . at others only mildly amusing . . . and at yet others, so beyond reality as to be almost boring. The best parts came when Hadjii described interactions with his family. He writes some passages completely in dialogue (as if it were a scipt), and these are by far the funniest. The way his parents dealt with him (and with each other) totally make the book. He also has some nice descriptions of games he and his friends would play when he was growing up. Some chapters, however, especially at the very beginning, describe differences between black children and white children. He makes fun of both blacks and whites, but I found most of these passages so ridiculous and cliche that they were somewhat boring. Maybe, as a white guy, I'm not supposed to get it, but the black/white differences he discussed did not ring true to me. I think they were supposed to be so crazy that they might offend people, but I just found them confusing. I found myself wondering why an editor didn't just cut those parts out. "More of your childhood! More of your parents! Cut out the overt black/white preaching!" I could hear an editor screaming. But, as I said, maybe I just didn't get it. Overall, this would be funnier as a play or a movie or a TV show. I'm not very familiar with "Everybody Hates Chris," but I imagine the family dynamic is very similar. So . . . in the final analysis . . . very funny, but it could have been considerably shorter.

[Kiki Vicente · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Book Is Called Don't Let My Mama Read This By Hadjii. It's A Memoir/Biography. This Book Is Mainly About How Some Boy Boy Named Hadjii Talks About Growing Up In The South And How His Family Is. He Uses A Sense Of Humor In All The Chapters. He Even Talks About How Black People Act, His Troubles As A Kid In Elementary School And A Teenager In High School. The Setting Is Mainly In His House, And Church In The South. He Gives Truth To The Situation But In A Comical Way. I Thought The Book Was Okay , Some Parts Didn't Hold My Attention Very Long Because Some Chapters Were Just Dull.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cracked up the whole time!

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really funny and easy read.

[Melanee · Rating 5 out of 5]

HIGHLARIOUS! From cover to end!!

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some funny moments in this.

[Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!!!

[Maggie Laplante · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were times when this book was hilarious but other times I was kind of bored.