First published 2022
Hannah Gadsby opens her story in Tasmania, where being gay was still illegal when she came of age. She walks readers through the moments that shaped her journey from local open mic nights to creating Nanette, the stand-up special that made her famous worldwide while announcing her exit from comedy. Gadsby reveals how she built her career on self-deprecation, then explains why she chose to abandon that approach. She discusses her late diagnoses of autism and ADHD, her evolving relationship with performance, and her decision to reject misogyny in her work. The book shows how each step led to Nanette's central message about the power of truth-telling. Gadsby demonstrates how a broken person can rebuild herself stronger than before, turning personal pain into art that challenges audiences and changes conversations.
Genres: autobiography, memoir, non-fiction, biography-memoir, comedy
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, personal-growth, self-discovery
Setting: Tasmania
Period: 21st-century
387 pages · Hardcover · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: anxiety, depression, mental-illness