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Dear Fatty
 
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Dear Fatty (Hardcover)

by Dawn French (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
RRP: £18.99
Price: £10.09 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Price For All Three: £20.94

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Century (2 Oct 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1846053447
  • ISBN-13: 978-1846053443
  • Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 14.6 x 4.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (86 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 1,313 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #7 in  Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Film > Biographies
    #7 in  Books > Biography > Film, Television & Music > Actors & Actresses
    #13 in  Books > Music, Stage & Screen > Performing Arts

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review
It's become a cliché in Britain to call somebody in the entertainment field a national institution -- but that's exactly what Dawn French is. As both comedienne and actress (the latter in both comedy and straight parts), she has become one of the best loved entertainers in the country. Her range is not wide (unlike her dimensions -- and that's the sort of joke she’d crack), but she is utterly winning in everything he does. And that quality continues in Dear Fatty, a truly entertaining memoir of an event-packed life.

The form of the book is a series of letters by French, conjuring her transformation from a West Country RAF girl to a star of the cult alternative comedy group The Comic Strip. This was followed by the groundbreaking all-female Girls on Top (which did much to establish the position of women in British comedy), the astonishing success of the TV series French and Saunders (with French’s equally talented friend Jennifer Saunders) and the sitcom The Vicar of Dibley, where French’s wickedly sardonic touch keeps the tweeness of the basic situation -- female vicar in a rustic town -- at bay.

For French, early dreams of becoming a ballerina or an air hostess came to nothing, but the loss to the worlds of dance and aviation was a gain for TV audiences. All of that, of course, is covered in this frequently hilarious and often moving collection. We are invited into her most personal relationships with (among others) her mother and father, her husband (fellow comedian Lenny Henry), and, of course, her most important comedic ally, Jennifer Saunders. Everything French describes -- from the agonies of being a teenager to the death of her father -- and (of course) the way in which society defines her by her generous size -- is treated with a highly diverting insight. Fans of Dawn French's TV appearances will lap it up, but Dear Fatty has a lot more to offer, even to those only vaguely familiar with her. But is anyone in Britain only vaguely familiar with Dawn French? --Barry Forshaw

Review
'something of a revelation. Beacuse in among the the gags and photos of her bare bosom, there is intellectual rigour and real emotional intelligence ... heavens, she's a funny lady. I can't remember the last time a book made me laugh so much.' --Sunday Telegraph

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Customer Reviews

86 Reviews
5 star:
 (49)
4 star:
 (17)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (5)
1 star:
 (10)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (86 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
125 of 129 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Find out about the career AND the person..., 17 Oct 2008
By Michelle Moore "bookclubforum.co.uk" (Kent, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Dawn French doesn't need any introduction - she is a well known comedy actress, loved by many, and is most well known for being half of French and Saunders, and as the wonderful Vicar of Dibley.

What surprised me about this autobiography is the fact that the focus isn't really on her career, and her fame. It's certainly a large part of the book, outlining her early days in the Comic Strip, the films she took part in, as well as her recent roles.

However, the fascinating aspect of this book is the way that Dawn shares her life growing up, the relationships she's had, her heartaches and her joys. She fiercely loves her family, her friends, and her colleagues, and that shines through. (However, she most certainly does not like Madonna! ;))

The book is written as a series of letters, to various people.. a large proportion of these are written to her father, and it's easy to understand why, as he had such an affect on her. One particular letter had me in tears, and I was so glad to see Dawn reaching a type of resolution by the end of the book.. which did make for a good place for it to finish.

Dawn's voice is obvious in the book, you can almost hear her speaking it in your mind.. in her own unique style. There are serious moments in the book, but the humour that you expect is always there. Who else would write a letter to her niece, talking about her life ahead of her.. including what it may be like to have a big bosom?!

For anyone who has enjoyed watching Dawn French over the years, I would highly recommend this autobiography, not only as a peek into her life, but also as a better understanding of the sort of person she is.
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39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Moving, funny, uplifting and sometimes surprising., 17 Oct 2008
By L. Cross (Oxfordshire, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I really enjoyed this autobiography. I was expecting lots of the usual, 'woe is me, what a bad life I've had' diatribe that's usually found in autobiographies, but no. Dawn French is witty (obviously) but also self-effacing. She remains positive even when discussing the death of those closest to her.
The format of writing a collection of letters to loved ones also gave this a personal touch and a heart-felt warmth.
I'm no ardent Dawn French fan and I don't think you need to be to appreciate the humour and candid nature of her writing.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant read!, 7 Oct 2008
By K. Duce - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is one of the best autobiographies I've ever read. It's a very funny, clever and sometimes sad look at the life of one of Britain's comedy greats. From her relationship with her father, to when she first met Jennifer Saunders and the spiralling celebrity which ensued, this book is packed full of brilliant insight into Dawn French's life. I urge you to buy it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
I was really looking forward to this book but by the end I couldn't wait to get to the back of it and give it away. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Plovo241

3.0 out of 5 stars Dawn French
Writing letters to friends as an autobiography is different and unusual but still worth reading. Its an easy to read book and worth taking on holiday.
Published 1 month ago by C. Mcpeak

1.0 out of 5 stars Boring, boring, boring
First of all I must state that I'm an avid reader. HOWEVER this book, the format of it, the content, the style just bored me to tears. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Millie

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
I love watching Dawn French on TV and so I naturally had to have her book when it was released.

The book takes the less-used form of a collection of letters written... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kirsty B

5.0 out of 5 stars Fab book
This book made me laugh SO much. It also has sweet tender parts and I liked how it was written in letters, it made it easy and enjoyable to read. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Lightblue22

5.0 out of 5 stars dear fatty
quick delivery, good condition. the way she wrote to the people in her life made the book more interesting, and unusual. Liza Tarbuck was a very good choice to read it.
Published 2 months ago by Ms. Deborah Pope

2.0 out of 5 stars Dear Fatty
I am an avid reader and have read many autobiographies. This biography is in the form of letters written by Dawn French to various members of her family and friends. Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. Davidson

4.0 out of 5 stars Dear Dawn
This is to say what a wonderful, quirky different autobiography Dear Fatty is. You take us not on a journey from beginning to the here and now, but through lovely letters to those... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Joanne D'Arcy

2.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable but you might be disappointed
I read this because someone in my book group chose it. I should say that although I read a wide variety of books I don't normally read autobiographies. Read more
Published 3 months ago by K. Wotton

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book to Listen To
This is a must have and a great way to enjoy Dawn's book is to listen to it being read by Liza Tarbuck. Highly recommend and you'll be laughing out loud with her.
Published 3 months ago by K. Penson

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This is the Best British Autobiography that there has EVER BEEN!!!! 0 January 2009
If you liked this, try reading this 0 December 2008
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