Customer Reviews

Notes from the Underwire: Adventures from My Awkward and Lovely Life

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This quote made me spit my breakfast onto my desk - and it's not even that far into the book. This whole thing is riotous! Quinn's book is one hysterical essay after another, mostly about her family, her work and her pets. (The chapter about her cat getting high off her bedding was especially snort-inducing - good thing I read it alone.) And she's whip-smart, relaying her observations with a humorous, no-nonsense attitude. More, please!

It is the hardest thing in the world to be funny, Quinn Cummings doesn't seem to be able to not be funny. Every page of this book was a joy to read. Quinn is honest, touching, funny, this is the kind of book you read and think, "I wish she was my friend."

The surprising part is that aside from being funny, Quinn is a gifted storyteller, and a terrific writer. Buy extra copies to give to your friends, they will thank you.

I think that sums it up - I laughed so hard at one point, I had to put the book down and calm myself. The book is nonfiction - a series of funny (and occasionally sad) essays about Quinn Cummings' life (she apparently has a famous blog which I haven't read yet.) Kind of like Laurie Notaro if she were a parent.

Like many people who will buy this book, I was a big fan of Quinn Cummings, child actor. However, after reading this book I am an even bigger fan of Quinn Cummings, author, Mom and pet caregiver. She is funny, extraordinarily intelligent, clumsy, self-deprecating, generous and entertaining. When I read this book, I felt as though we were sitting at my kitchen table drinking wine and laughing over her stories and misadventures. I found myself laughing out loud and saying "me too" back to the book. Go buy this book...you will love it!

Raising a child and a significant other is not easy. Raising a child and a significant other while under the influence of being a former child star is still not easy, only funnier. Braving the actor infested streets of LA, a mouth that has a mind of its own, painful clumsiness, and summer camp mania, this Golden Globe nominee triumphs over her "awkward and lovely life" with wisdom and humor.

Quinn Cummings' 15 minutes of fame are her childhood roles in the movie The Goodbye Girl (1977) and the TV show Family (1977-1980). After her acting career, Quinn lived as a typical teenager (well, typical for LA) while dealing with parental illness and loss. Upon becoming an adult, she tried her hand at being a talent agent with hilarious results. Going forward, she invested in a home with an attitude that forced her to endure out-of-control home remodelling and repairs. Finally, Quinn embraced the joys of a committed relationship with "Consort" and immersed herself in the wacky pleasures of being a stay-at-home mother. Meanwhile, Quinn's interactions with the animal kingdom border on the bizarre while touching the heart of pet owners everywhere.

Notes from the Underwire is an amusing autobiography in the same vein as Erma Bombeck. Quinn's ability to charm and move the reader with her hilarious accounts of her daily life as a mother, a partner, and a former child actor ("Former child actors aren't people...they're memories from your childhood...) proves that the accolades her web blog (The QC Report) received by Newsweek and USA Today are well deserved. Spend an evening with Quinn Cummings and go to bed with a smile on your face and a good feeling in your heart.

I laughed. I cried. I laughed again and again. And I cried just a little bit more. I loved this book full of anecdotes and tales of Quinn's good intentions gone awry. Tucked amidst the laughs are bits of parenting wisdom and hilarious observations. Buy it!

Do not eat, drink or operate heavy machinery while reading this book, as intense and sudden bouts of laughter could cause harm to yourself or others. It is the rare book that makes me laugh out loud, but this book brought me to tears on several occasions as I just could not stop laughing. Quinn Cumming's writing style and humor move the book along at breakneck speed, bringing the end of this incredibly enjoyable reading experience to a close far too soon.

There is no doubt that Quinn Cummings has proven that no one should think of her as a "former child actor" but as an enormously talented writer with an uncanny ability to point out the wackiness of day-to-day life.

Notes from the Underwire has definitely gained a place on my list of all time favorite reading experiences!

Click on "Add to Cart" as fast as you possibly can - you will love this book. Quinn Cummings' delightfully well-crafted essays range from hysterically, tea-snortingly funny to poignant and reflective. She is wise yet self-deprecating, and writes with an immediacy that will leave you feeling like you've just had a wonderful chat with a good friend. I haven't wanted to put this book down since it arrived!

It's true, you will laugh out loud, and your spouse/kids/dog (or the folks next to you in the coffee shop) may look at you quizzically, but this book is completely worth it. Looking forward to her next book.

A delightful, funny and charming collection of short stories written from the perspective of one who expects to "die from good intentions". Razor sharp writing and wit. Perfect for those times when you have 15 minutes to read. But beware, you'll laugh out loud, so don't sneak it into church.

I read this book in about 2 days. I couldnt put it down. I laughed, I cried, but mostly just enjoyed having some me time and getting lost in a good boot. It takes a lot for me to laugh out loud at a book, but I found myself being "that" girl on the airplane laughing out loud while reading a book. I sat on the plane and waited for all the other passengers to get off first because I just couldnt put the book away.