Customer Reviews

Dear Fatty

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I don't normally enjoy memoirs or anything written like pages from a diary. DEAR FATTY by Dawn French is the exception to that rule.

A gifted and talented performer, I have been a fan of Ms. French since I first saw her in a French & Saunders sketch. There, she was a dynamo who broke the limits and fractured (if not bent) every rule. It seemed to me that her comedy was too much to be contained, at least for one, central character.

WRONG! Her series: GIRLS ON TOP and THE VICAR OF DILBY proved me wrong. She is not only funny but one of those rare performers who can handle any type of comedy - whether it be broad or frace. Then I saw her in JAM AND JERUSALEM (or whatever we called it here in America) and I was taken aback by the multi-dimensional character she created. Dawn French's talents are limitless. Because of all the attraction Absolutely Fabulous received, I was always irked that the character of Patsy wasn't given to Ms. French (In her book, she notes that she was about to become a mother at the time and quite happy not to go that route).

In her series of entries in DEAR FATTY (who, by the way, is Jennifer Saunders) she writes to various important people in her life including: her father/ her brother/ her child/ old boyfriends/ her best friends/ Peter Tork of the Monkees.

Funny, touching and down-to-earth, it is a must read for any Dawn French fan. No, you won't walk away from the book shocked at the behind-the-scenes gossip or fascinated by the volume of lovers she entertained. But you will read a real story about a very real person. With no pretenses and with unflinching honesty, Dawn French shares with you her life. And for that, we should all be thankful.

If you love the comedy of The Vicar of Dibley and French & Saunders, you'll really enjoy this book. Written in the form of letters to various people she has (and has not) met, Dawn is by turns funny, insightful, and serious, always truthful and discrete about everything and everyone but herself -- where she is quite willing to share some raucously funny anecdotes. By turns amusing and touching, the story of Dawn's life is very well written and organized, with plenty of interesting glossy photos along the way. Oh, and jokes. There are lots of jokes about a life that is not always funny. Whose is? Very well done. Easy, fun and meaningful to read. Highly recommended to those who applaud Ms. French's work, humor, intelligence and love. Her story is personal with a universal appeal grounded in humble realism.

I think it unfortunate that you have not made Dawn French your bestest friend in the whole world. Or at least the world that is Britain.

She's funny and smart. Not the best writer (as one poor review states), but who cares? I applaud her efforts and her decision to make the book a series of letters written to family members, adolescent crushes, former lovers, and famous persons. Including you, Madonna (not of the virgin birth). You'd laugh, maybe.

I did. While the book has it's serious moments, it frequently gave me cases of the church-giggles. You know... the ones you get at those inopportune times that you can't control, no matter how hard you try. You hold your breath until you almost pas out, but the giggles persist. Sometimes to the degree you end up choking on your spit and coughing uncontrollably.

If you don't care to include Dawn in the close circle of friends you already have or watch all of her television appearances, at least read the book. You may develop a newfound respect for a person you know you want to meet. And maybe have as a backup dancer on your next tour.

Who is the real Dawn French, and where did she come from? I've often wondered. This memoir of a life in progress is presented through a series of letters shedding light on different aspects of Ms French's life. These letters are addressed to various people including her father (who died when she was 19), Jennifer Saunders (Dear Fatty), Madonna (the singer, not the mother of Jesus) and others. Those of us who enjoy the comedy of `Absolutely Fabulous', `French and Saunders' and `The Vicar of Dibley' should enjoy this book. Dawn French is observant, insightful, humorous and pensive and reading about her life before she became famous provides another dimension.

These letters provide snapshots of Ms French's life from childhood (including a meeting with the Queen Mother), her life at school (including some crushes on various pop stars) and her life as Dawn French (woman, wife, mother and actor). I liked the snippets shared and enjoyed the snapshots of different phases of Ms French's life.

Memoirs can be unreliable, and will always be incomplete. Dawn French's life is a work in progress, and I'm looking forward to the next instalment.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Wondrously written, and such a wonderful and extraordinary life. An insight into one of my favourite comedienne's life, and one that fills you with laughter throughout, as well as having some very moving moments. Dawn French is simply wonderful.

The tremendously funny & talented Dawn French wrote this lovely collection of letters to her friends, family and colleagues (with a few odd celebrities thrown in for good, pop-culture measure), serving as both a memoir and series of monologues.

Often touching, frequently laugh-out-loud hysterical and always from the heart, the letters are an entertaining insight into the prolific comic (iconic in the UK, lesser known to the general public of the USA). If you are familiar with her work, you will certainly appreciate this read. If you have yet to discover her gifts, this may encourage you to investigate further.

This is a great book for all fans of Dawn French. Written in letter form to many friends and family members, it gives one a true look into what influenced this funny lady. A great light read with insight into what makes a funny person!

Dawn French is an exceptionally-talented woman. I loved French and Saunders, Clatterford, the Vicar of Dibley, and Lark Rise to Candleford. But...

...this book feels like it was slapped together to make a quick buck. There are some very funny bits, as well as some very sad bits. But honestly, I didn't feel like I knew her better after reading it. She talked about Lenny (who she is now separated from), and refers to an "incident", without actually saying what it was, but making excuses for it all the same. Huh? I didn't get it.

All the same, I am SO jealous of her for kissing Richard Armitage. Go girl!

If you are a fan of Dawn French you'll love this book. The structure of this book was quite refreshing. Each chapter is a letter written to someone who had a great impact on her life. Dawn delves into past relationships with family and friends. Of course the book title refers to one of her best friends and co-stars of Absolutely Fabulous, Jennifer Saunders. Fatty is Jennifer's nick name. I loved this book, it flows well, it's especially great as a before bed read. Highly recommended!

This book was enjoyable. The love of her father, and the loss of her father, comes through the pages and breaks your heart. As like most famous people there was talent from the beginning with a little bit of luck tossed in, and you see how she carved out her life in the spotlight. Her grandmother on her mothers side sounded like a character from a Charles Dickens book.

I was disappointed with the choice of storytelling through letter writing. Some may find this endearing but I found it a bit confusing. With one or two of the characters you are a bit lost on who they are. Dawn said she wrote in letter fashion so that she could cover herself in case she couldn't remember the dates or facts correctly. She is a comedic pioneer and should have known she could have written the book without worry about rules. The letters jump forward and back at times and I would have enjoyed the book much more had it been in a timeline and written as a simple biography as she remembered. Overall if you appreciate her humor and career I give it a thumbs up.