Since winning the 2008 if.comedy Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for her debut solo show, Sarah Millican’s Not Nice, Sarah has firmly established herself as a household name, having been nominated three times for The British Comedy Awards People’s Choice: Queen of Comedy and winning the award in 2011.
I think Sarah Millican really lives out the ‘be kind’ philosophy in many ways. “Don’t be mean to people you know and don’t be mean to people you don’t. You have no idea what someone is dealing with at the time. Be nice or be quiet.” I am full of admiration for the #JoinIn hashtag she initiated at Christmas 2011. If you don’t know what it is, it’s where people on their own and feeling lonely can connect with others on Twitter on Christmas Day. I think this is such a lovely thing to do and shows just what a caring and big hearted person Sarah Millican is. I love to give her a big squishy hug for this wonderful campaign alone. But that’s maybe a bit stalkerish!
If you’ve ever worn glasses at the age of six, worn an off-the-shoulder gown with no confidence, been contacted by an old school bully, lived in your childhood bedroom in your thirties, been gloriously dumped in a Frankie and Benny’s, cried so much you felt great, been for a romantic walk with a dog, worn leggings two days in a row even though they smelt of wee from a distance, then this is YOUR BOOK. If you haven’t done those things but wish you had, THIS IS YOUR BOOK. If you just want to laugh on a train/sofa/toilet or under your desk at work, THIS IS YOUR BOOK.
Sarah’s debut DVD, Chatterbox Live!, was the biggest selling stand-up DVD by a female comedian of all time, shifting over 150,000 units in the first five weeks of release alone. Her latest title, Sarah Millican: Outsider, was released in November 2016 and went straight to number one in the sales chart upon release. A two time BAFTA nominee for The Sarah Millican Television Programme, Sarah’s other television credits include two appearances on The Royal Variety Performance and four appearances on flagship BBC stand-up show Live At The Apollo. As well as her live and TV work, Sarah is also the founder of Standard Issue magazine for women. She lives with her husband Gary, dog Commander Tuvok and cats Chief Brody and Lieutenant Ripley.
About the Author
From the back of the book
Part autobiography, part self help, part confession, part celebration of being a common-or-garden woman, part collection of synonyms for nunny, Sarah Millican’s debut book delves into her super normal life with daft stories, funny tales and proper advice on how to get past life’s blips – like being good at school but not good at friends, the excitement of IBS and how to blossom post divorce.
It’s not very often I review an older book but I enjoyed Sarah Millican’s autobiography How To Be Champion so much that I just had to write about it. I am a big fan of hers and think she’s hilarious, and so often spot on with her humorous observations about being a modern woman.
Sarah Millican is honest too about the times she has experienced depression and anxiety. She speaks about all the many things she was bullied for as a child and my heart went out to the young Sarah. She also spoke about online trolls which is really the same thing in the present day. I really like what she has to say on body image. “Am I beach body ready? I’ve got a book and no socks on so yes.” I whole-heartedly agree that what you look like or wear doesn’t matter – it’s what on the inside matters.
I read and reviewed my own copy of this book.
How to Be Champion is published by Trapeze Books
and available from all good book retailers.
This book this is, as I expected, very funny and full of anecdotes from the author’s childhood right up to what was the present day when the book was published in 2017. I am just a few years older than her so lots of the stories about her childhood and growing up were very familiar to me. I had a bit of a disastrous perm myself much like her Kylie one. I call it my spaniel look and it is, of course, one of the school photos still up in my mum’s house!
I thought this was a great read, funny and uplifting but also rather touching in parts. Although I could imagine Sarah Millican’s voice in my head when I was reading, I really wish I’d had the audiobook version so I could actually hear her lovely accent. Now that would have been just champion!
The importance of the love and support she receives from her family shines through this book and she so obviously loves them all too.
You can follow Sarah Millican on:
Twitter: @SarahMillican75
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sarah-Millican-9367549505/
Instagram: @thesarahmillican
SARAH MILLICAN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH, FEEL NORMAL AND PROBABLY SNIFF YOUR LEGGINGS.
