Is It Just Me? by Miranda Hart
5/5 STARS
Genre: Autobiography
Author: Miranda Hart
Published: October 2012
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 323 {pages}
Initial Thoughts After Finishing
Of course this was absolutely hilarious – it’s Miranda, people! I loved this so much, just you wait until you see all the quotes I’ve written down.
Is It Just Me?
So it’s easy to say that this was sheer genius. Miranda is such a funny person and I wish I could read a book a week that gave me this many laughs. If you watch her TV show, Miranda, or even Call the Midwife, then you’ll understand what I’m talking about. This book is actually full of wonderful advice and makes me feel slightly better about the prospect of turning into a crazy cat lady – life is fun on your own.
“At eighteen, one has such grand plans for oneself. World domination hardly begins to cover them.”
Miranda is just hilarious and I feel like she’s the embodiment of everything fun in the world. Imagine if the world had more people as happy as Miranda, that’d be amazing.
“I accept that beauty is an entirely subjective issue, and that anyone can find anyone attractive for any one of a million reasons.”
What Happens
So this is obviously an autobiography and therefore I believe this is going to be a much shorter review than usual – it’s very hard to make something last several pages when there are no dragons, frogs, or even romance, very tricky indeed. Chapter by chapter this book addresses different areas of Miranda’s life and assesses them with the wonderful bonus of hindsight. The structure of the book is that Miranda is offering advice to her 18-year-old self and we readers have the joy of listening in. Of course, she addresses us too.
“Excellent. Then it isn’t just me. We’re on the same page (figuratively speaking, of course – obviously we’ve been literally on the same page ever since you started reading the book. Do you see? Hello? Anyone there? Oh, come on, it was mildly amusing).”
Throughout the course of the book we’re given lots of prompts and challenges that involve rolly-pollys and random exclamations. Very Miranda style. It’s a very interactive book if you take up all these challenges and that’s the best sort of book, isn’t it? Miranda has some brilliant ideas about changing the world but the greatest thing about this book has to be the advice she gives. None of which I’m really going to tell you because there’s no way I could deliver it in a manner that would do it justice.
“Forget exercise, fun-ness is the only way. Let the streets be filled with galloping commuters, moonwalking postmen and hopscotching office workers.”
Miranda
I’ve officially decided that if I could adopt a best friend then Miranda would be it. She’s funny and inspirational and her book absolutely gives me hope that the future isn’t going to be bleak in any way. I would be proud to make an idiot of myself as much as she did/does. If there was anyone in the world to go to for cheering up then it’s jolly well her.
“I have written the only diet book that I believe needs to exist, and here it is: CHAPTER ONE: Eat a bit less. CHAPTER TWO: Move about a bit more.”
I loved getting this peek into her life both now and before, I think that’s a pretty brave thing to do. And she goes into everything. This woman knows no bounds. I could just hear her narrating this story to me in my mind, as well, which obviously made it amazing. I hope that she has done an audiobook version of this because I think that’d be something spectacular to behold.
“Firstly, it’s called a surgery. Surgery. A grim, drawly word, I’m sure you’ll agree, thick with images of blood and scalpels and general sickly grimness. If you’re ill, why can’t you go somewhere positive and fun-sounding: the Hug-Me-Better-Love-Dome, perhaps, or the Health-O-Sphere?”
Obviously being quite the tall lady who is prone to horrendously embarrassing accidents, she’s has plenty to share with us. My personal favourite has to be the check list of pros and cons for being so tall. She just takes everything in her stride and bumbles on like the beautiful idiot she is.
Why I Loved This So Much
There were several things that I loved about this book but the first thing has to be the way it’s written. This is my kind of writing – it’s so easy to follow along and really makes you feel like you’re in a conversation with her.
On The Mother: “I mean, really, what happens? Christmas is supposed to be a relaxed and joy-filled occasion of mega-jolly fun times, but at around mid-morning on Christmas Day, this normally relaxed figure morphs into what appears to be an over-caffeinated, tinsel-decked Captain Mainwaring from Dad’s Army who’s just been hit on the head with a novelty cracker.”
I loved all the lists she makes, there’s something amazing about lists. She just has endless things to talk about and argue over and it’s wonderful. I particularly loved her Mirandaland rules with everyone wearing clogs and what not (I have to say, that is perhaps the one thing I disagree with her one, I fail to imagine how wooden shoes can be comfortable but alas I haven’t actually tried them).
“Remember: you should always put ‘Do a To Do list’ at the top of [a to do list] so you can immediately tick something off.”
Her 18-year-old self is also hilarious. It gave me stitches giggling over everything that she got up to and I just love this way of writing when people reflect on a young them. I enjoyed immensely how she danced around the subject of marriage and boyfriends with her younger self.
Summary
Basically, this book is one big fat yes from me. I loved it cover to cover and was very sad when it finished. I proffer many thanks to my good friend Kate for letting me borrow this book because IMAGINE IF I’D NEVER READ IT? *gasp* What a terrible life that would’ve been. If you like Miranda then I cannot recommend this book enough. In fact, HOIYAAHH, dodge that as I throw the book at you. One thing’s for sure, I’m going to be binge watching Miranda for a while.
You might also like . . .
If you love other funny people then here are a couple who have also written autobiographies:
May I have Your Attention, Please? by James Cordon
Dear Fatty by Dawn French
Life & Laughing: My Story by Michael McIntyre
Have you read this?
What did you think? Let me know below!
Upside-Down Books 
Sounds like a fun read. We all need those books that make us chuckle now and then. I see by your review that it was more than a chuckle and you have laughed your heart out reading it
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You bet it! Miranda knows how to tickle your funny bone that’s for sure.
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I’ve been looking to expand my reading horizons with different books, and this memoir sounds absolutely hilarious. Thanks for your recommendations!
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No worries!! I hope you enjoy 😄
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