Read This Book…

If you didn’t recognize Quinta Brunson’s name when this book came out in June 2021, you would probably recognize her now considering her incredible success with the Emmy award-nominated sitcom Abbott Elementary. Prior to that, if you are a person who has been on the internet at all in the past half dozen years, then you’ve likely seen or heard one of Quinta Brunson’s many hilarious viral videos, many of which were from her time working at BuzzFeed.

I have a soft spot in my reading heart for memoirs by comedians. I’ve read so many of them by some of my favorite comics from Margaret Cho to Aisha Tyler to Jo Koy. I’m definitely adding Quinta Brunson’s book to this beloved list of mine. I honestly doubt she has peaked and I’m so excited to continue following her career. She’s only in her early 30s, which pops up in the book during the parts where she talks about pop culture things (films, music, etc) that are meaningful to her.

Brunson grew up in Philly and she writes a lot about her family and upbringing. Her elementary and high school experiences were really remarkable in ways that 1) don’t exist anymore and 2) ways I can’t even fathom having access to when I was in school. Her education experiences really shaped who she is and what remains important in her personal life.

One of the most relatable parts of her book is where she talks about the culture shock of moving from Philly to Los Angeles. I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area but I went to college in LA and I lived in LA for years. The scene down there is… unique. And so are the people, especially if they work in entertainment.

A big theme of this memoir is around Brunson staying true to who she is, what she stands for, and the family she came from. It makes for a strong first memoir and yes, there are definitely some moments where I’ve laughed out loud. I want to note a quick content warning for gun violence.