Dear Girls by Ali Wong – Reader thoughts on the last book of the year :)

2019 is nearly over..a few more days and well, I don’t know what to say about this year. So I won’t go there. But what I can say for sure is, that my reading was great this year and I’m so grateful for all the authors who write and for all the amazing books that I read, that helped me get through life.

I could squeeze in another book before the year ends, but I want to take a break from reading for the next few days and maybe watch a little Netflix, or go and watch a few movies at the theatre and just chill with friends and family. Books are more than friends and family for me, but like everything good, I decided I should give it a few day’s of rest and start my next book only in January next year. And I am so excited to continue my reading journey into next year as well!

So, enough said about all that, let’s talk about Ali Wong’s book, Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets and Advice for living your best life. This was my last book of the year and what a fun read it was!! I was laughing all the way during my vacation while I was reading this book – be it on the quiet flight, or during the long and difficult waits in the airport or on the beach when my daughter was busy making sand castles. I was laughing so hard in some parts that my husband became curious and read a few of those sentences and laughed out loud himself! 😀 I know many people prefer reading romances, or murder mysteries for their beach reads and I would too, but I was glad I picked up this laugh riot of a book for my vacation read.

Ali Wong is one of my current favorite stand up comedians so I had to get the book not just because she is hilarious, but also because it won the Goodread’s award this year, in the humour category (I think) 😀 She writes this book as a letter to her two daughters as a legacy for them to know their crazy, funny and intelligent mother when they grow up. But I think every woman can learn something from these letters. They are just universally applicable.

What was even more fun was to see the similarities between an Asian family from Vietnam and China, and between my own Asian roots from India. I was literally drawing parallels between Ali Wong’s mother and my own mother, in all those references in the book, and they were hilarious and heart warming at the same time.

Readers might feel like this is a book for feminists or Asians only or women only, or women who have become mothers, or women who have made it big..etc etc. But I didn’t think or feel so. Her advise and her anecdotes from life just seemed normal and practical. She talks about equality, of how men, women and different races just need to stop putting each other in boxes and restricting their creative abilities and just put themselves out there, or enjoy wherever they are doing whatever they’re doing. There is no social loser in her world. There are just different people rocking at doing different things in her book, and I loved that. It was such an inspiring and feel good way to end the year.

I do think however, that Vegans might want to stay clear of this book, since there is a lot of animal love in the book – if by animal love you mean, loving to eat animals in all forms and kinds and shapes. I’m a meat eater myself, but I have my own qualms about not eating certain kinds of meat because I’m not brave enough I guess, but Ali Wong has none of those qualms and she loves her meat. The more exotic the better..lol. So, I warned you guys 🙂

I am nowhere close to being the wild child that Ali Wong is, but I still enjoyed her book, just as I enjoy her stand up comedy acts. So 2019, thanks for a great year of reading! And Ali Wong, thanks for all the laughs! 🙂

Psst: The next couple of blogs with respect to my reading life might be about a few reading wrap ups, if I get the time. I will also be writing a blog on my trip to Andamans with the husband and the toddler – so watch our for those 🙂

Questions to you guys:

Have you read any book that is written by a stand up comedian? If yes, did you enjoy it?

Which was your last book of the year and how would you rate it?