The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

There are some virtual friends I made during the pandemic, and many of them I have decided to keep. Those friends include Amanda Kloots, Glennon Doyle, and this special woman, Amy Schumer. Early on, I watched all the episodes of “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook,” a series featuring her loving husband, Chris Fischer, shot by their nanny while their son Gene napped. Then I watched the three-party HBO series “Expecting Amy,” which was riveting.  Every minute of that HBO series kept me glued. I then read her memoir: “The Girl with The Lower Back Tattoo,” which was published in 2016. You can follow Amy’s projects in any order, but what is the biggest take away for me is how fascinating she is; so larger-than-life, and yet down-to-earth. This book is a collection of essays about her life as a comedian, writer and actress. Growing up she found herself in a lot of pain, stemming from her parent’s divorce, her mother’s affair with her best friend’s dad, her dad’s diagnosis of MS, and her family’s bankruptcy. As a teenager, she started journaling to help cope, document and make sense of the drama she saw in her family. Later when she became a comedian, she turned some of this pain into humor, which is what makes her work so vulnerable and successful. There is pivotal moment in the HBO series in which she goes on stage, very pregnant and uncomfortable, but continues to give an incredible performance, despite her morning sickness. You know from this moment on she is funny, she is talented, but more than anything else, she is incredibly strong to the core. And good news for us: She is only getting started. This is her first book but not her last book. I suggest you run toward anything with Amy Schumer’s name on it. To buy this book on Amazon click here.