Dear Fatty [IMPORT] (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Dawn French is one of the greatest comedy actresses of our time, with a career spanning nearly three decades and encompassing a vast and brilliant array of characters that would eventually establish her as a national treasure.
She first appeared on the British entertainment scene as part of the groundbreaking alternative comedy group, the Comic Strip, which marked a radical departure from the more traditional comedy acts of the time. Later came the all-female Girls on Top with Jennifer Saunders, Ruby Wax and Tracy Ullman. Then, as part of the wildly successful duo, French and Saunders, Dawn helped create a repertoire of brilliantly observed recurring characters parodying popular culture and impersonating everything from Madonna and Harry Potter to The Exorcist. Dawn’s more recent role in The Vicar of Dibley again has showcased not only her talent but also her ability to take a controversial issue and make it mainstream and funny.

From her early years as an RAF child to her flat-sharing antics with Jennifer Saunders, from her outspoken views on sizeism to her marriage to Lenny Henry, Dear Fatty will chronicle the fascinating and hilarious rise of a complex, dynamic and unstoppable woman.

About the Author

Dawn French trained to be a drama teacher at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama where she met Jennifer Saunders, leading to one of the most successful partnerships in British comedy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Century (November 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846053447
• ISBN-13: 978-1846053443
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.8 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #161,199 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dear Dawn . . . Thank You, December 3, 2008

By	Joseph Albanese "The Joe Show" (New York, New York United States) - See all my reviews

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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 although she created it in a short skit with Ms. Saunders, 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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dawn's Awesome Memoir, November 16, 2008

By	samscello "samscello" (USA) - See all my reviews

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dear Madonna (the singer, not the mother of Jesus),, July 18, 2009

By	Matthew E. Coenen "Matt" (Des Moines, IA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.