THE SUNDAY REVIEW | SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS – AISHA TYLER

Comedian, actress, co-host of CBS’s daytime hit The Talk, and creator of the top-ranked podcast Girl on Guy, Aisha Tyler offers a collection of hysterical and unflinchingly personal essays about the spectacular mistakes she has made in her life and what those epic fails have taught her. A fun, revealing and savory read, Self-Inflicted Wounds is about the power of calamity to shape life, learning, and success-as well as a really funny book about a woman’s lifelong collection of wonderfully massive screw ups

On the hit comedy podcast Girl on Guy, comedian and actress Aisha Tyler talks with actors, artists, musicians, athletes and iconoclasts about their path to personal and professional success, in forthcoming and sometimes shocking conversation. The coda of the show is Self-Inflicted Wounds-where Aisha’s guests recount something they’ve done that was ill-conceived, dangerous, or just plain dumb-with hilarious or poignant ends. In her book Self-Inflicted Wounds Aisha turns the lens on herself, recounting spectacularly comedic mistakes and stories of crushing personal humiliation, along with what she’s learned. Riotous, revealing, and wonderfully relatable, Self-Inflicted Wounds showcases a sharp comedic voice on the rise. – Goodreads

I picked this book up entirely based on a mention of it in a Book Riot Roundup. About two paragraphs was all it took to draw me in. I went into it expecting comedy and inappropriate laughter. I came out of it with a new best friend I’ve never met.

I knew little about Tyler before reading Self-Inflicted Wounds. I didn’t even know that she was officially a comedian. All I knew about her was that she played Ross’ girlfriend on Friends, and that I had always considered her far too good for him in every single way. What I didn’t realize was that she was basically me. A 10 foot tall, gorgeous, black, hilarious me.

So not me at all, obviously. Except that nearly everything she wrote about, I could relate to. Growing up in a weird hippy vegetarian family? Check. Being a tall, slightly (okay very) clumsy kid? Check. Strange fashion fetishes? Check. Fear of tiny microbes? Check. Constantly carrying (at least one) book? Check.

I found in Tyler’s stories someone I could very easily relate to, despite her amazonian glamour.  (I only wish I were her physical twin. The girl is GORGEOUS.)

I guess what I’m getting at is that I am not really all that much like her, but I felt like I was as I read her stories. There’s a lot to relate to – and I imagine anyone reading will find things that’ll make them stop and go, “Wow. I thought that was just me.”

And on top of being smart, likeable, relatable and beautiful, the girl is funny. Capital “H” hilarious. It didn’t take me long to polish off this book, even though I was trying to ration it to make it last. But I couldn’t stop reading once I’d started. Even the footnotes had me in stitches, which is rare.

I am giving this book my heartfelt recommendation, particularly to those who enjoy their humour with an undercurrent of irreverence and a (slightly intimidating) level of intelligence. Tyler has earned a place at the table of my imaginary “If I Could Meet Anyone” party. There aren’t many spots, so this is a big deal. Aisha, if you’re out there, you’re officially invited for dinner, which will be happening just as soon as David Bowie gets back to me.

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