Survival of the Thickest (Unabridged)
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4.3 • 103 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
*Now a Netflix series—Season 2 coming soon!*
Stand-up comedian and star of Netflix’s Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall and creator and star of Survival of the Thickest delivers a collection of “hilarious…bracingly honest” (Real Simple) essays in her unique voice, cheeky swagger, and unapologetic frankness that’s “one of the year’s most relatable books” (Bustle).
If you’ve watched television or movies in the past couple of years, you’ve seen Michelle Buteau. With scene-stealing roles in Always Be My Maybe, First Wives Club, Someone Great, Russian Doll, and Tales of the City; a reality TV show and breakthrough stand-up specials, including her headlining show Welcome to Buteaupia on Netflix; and two podcasts (Late Night Whenever and Adulting), Michelle’s star is on the rise. You’d be forgiven for thinking the road to success—or adulthood or financial stability or self-acceptance or marriage or motherhood—has been easy, but you’d be wrong.
Now, in Survival of the Thickest, Michelle reflects on growing up Caribbean, Catholic, and thick in New Jersey, going to college in Miami (where everyone smells like pineapple), her many friendship and dating disasters, working as a newsroom editor during 9/11, getting started in stand-up opening for male strippers, marrying into her husband’s Dutch family, IVF and surrogacy, motherhood, chosen family, and what it feels like to have a full heart, tight jeans, and stardom finally in her grasp.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
If you don’t already know the hilarious, unfiltered actress and comedian Michelle Buteau, don’t worry—you’ll feel like her best friend after listening to this. In this series of (very!) personal essays, we get to know Buteau through each step in her journey, from growing up Caribbean American in New Jersey, through navigating disastrous relationships, to her first comedy break—opening for strippers. But these essays aren’t just hilarious. We were floored by Buteau’s candidness as she discusses going through miscarriages and IVF, standing up to her family’s disapproval of her career choices, and her pre-comedy experiences as a cub news reporter during 9/11. Her infectious energy is as dazzling in your earbuds as it is on stage, and her confessional, no-holds-barred storytelling is wonderfully refreshing. If you’re looking for a listen where nothing is off the table, Survival of the Thickest is just what you need.
Customer Reviews
Always choose peace.
What I admire most about this woman is her authenticity. It's rare to encounter someone so genuine and real. I usually watch her on TV, but when I discovered her book, I knew I had to get it. Reading this book was a joyful experience—it's incredibly funny and realistic. The best part is that she shares her life so openly: her thoughts, her experiences, the good times and the bad. She highlights how she's grown and flourished without hiding away. I truly appreciate people like her. ☕️
Love it!
I loved this book. I was in tears in some parts and then LOL’ing in others. Michelle is so real, raw, and vulnerable. I loved hearing about her life so much.
Fantastic journey
I listened to this book driving cross country and I laughed and I cried and I laughed some more… It was like having a road trip buddy entertaining me the entire way… Thanks Michelle!