For those of you who aren’t familiar, Sarah Millican is a British comedian who I know, mostly, from her many appearances on the show QI. Being one of my all-time favourite shows, I’ve seen most of the episodes, so I’ve gotten the pleasure of seeing Millican in action many times as well. She has a brilliant mind, sharp wit and is so quick that there’s this moment of silence after she’s delivered a zinger before the uproarious laughter begins while everyone catches up with her. Her humour is dry, irreverent and often cutting, which is exactly the type I like best.
Being that I’ve enjoyed her so much, I decided it was time for me to seek out her solo work so I could get to know her better. In this book she is making use of her witty repartee, but she’s also taking us through her life one step at a time in order to share the lessons she has learned from both the highest and lowest points in her life so far. Because of that, this book is actually a great place to start if you’re new to Millican. You really do get to know her quite well over the course of reading this book, and she’s a delight to spend time with.
In addition to being a great introduction to the comedic stylings of Sarah Millican, this book is also just a great one to read if you’re in a bit of a rough patch. She’s blunt, practical, funny, but also wise and a lovely blend of “bad things often happen to me” and “oh well, things could be worse, so let’s just get on with it, shall we?” This is exactly the type of advice that hits for me. I am someone who is messy, emotional, often find myself overwhelmed and confused and will never, ever, ever, ever be a perfect example of any kind of woman. So the fact that Millican will openly share how many biscuits she consumes on a regular basis or that she changed her ex-husband’s name to “The Ass” in her phone as a way to cope while still cohabiting with the man she was in the midst of divorcin,g is just so wonderful. It made me feel seen, it made me feel less of a failure and it made me feel less alone. For someone who has very few friends these days, I’m always on the lookout for people whose work makes me feel a bit like I’ve found a mate, and Millican did that for me.
Though I didn’t find this to be as surprisingly and delightfully funny as in her on film bits, that turned out not to be the main thing I got from this book. It is very funny, and it’s also full of actual really great advice for handling all kinds of difficult situations in life. I loved every minute of this (I listened to the audiobook, which I’d also wholeheartedly recommend as it’s read by Millican and her voice is fantastic) and I know I’ll go back to it when it feels like the only good things left in life are my kid and, you know, biscuits.
Part autobiography, part self help, part confession, part celebration of being a common-or-garden woman, part collection of synonyms for nunny, Sarah Millican’s debut book delves into her super normal life with daft stories, funny tales and proper advice on how to get past life’s blips – like being good at school but not good at friends, the excitement of IBS and how to blossom post divorce.
If you’ve ever worn glasses at the age of six, worn an off-the-shoulder gown with no confidence, been contacted by an old school bully, lived in your childhood bedroom in your thirties, been gloriously dumped in a Frankie and Benny’s, cried so much you felt great, been for a romantic walk with a dog, worn leggings two days in a row even though they smelt of wee from a distance, then this is Your Book. If you haven’t done those things but wish you had, This Is Your Book. If you just want to laugh on a train/sofa/toilet or under your desk at work, This Is Your Book. – Goodreads
Book Title: How to be Champion
Author: Sarah Millican
Edition: Audiobook
Published By: Trapeze
Released: October 5, 2017
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Advice, Comedy, Best-Friend-In-A-Book
Pages: 304
Date Read: December 11-15, 2024
Rating: 8/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.18/5 (10,494 ratings)