Just the Funny Parts by Nell Scovell (Review by Julie Ramhold)
Rating: 4.9/5*
I wanted to pick one really great line from the book to highlight, but I gave up. I underlined and noted so many of my favorite parts that it was impossible to choose. This book is full of fantastic one-liners that will make you laugh, inspire you, or make you cry.
Nell provides concrete stats throughout the book that honestly shocked me. I know that women have it tough. They’re always underpaid, under-hired, dealing with behaviors that should not be acceptable from their male colleagues, or worse, all of the above. Still, seeing the stats about how few women are employed on different shows is so frustrating, especially in this current age. As a society, we tend to think that finding your dream job might include having the right connections and working hard to prove yourself. Unfortunately, Nell showed it’s not always enough. There have been several times throughout her career where she did everything right, and still didn’t get what she wanted simply because she’s a woman.
Through it all though, Nell is an inspiration. Reading her voice, she comes across as warm and approachable and completely humble. She easily feels like she could be your best friend. One of the best parts is that she doesn’t shy away from the mistakes she’s made. She’s candid about them, but there’s no denying she’s learned something from all the experiences in her life, good and bad. I wholeheartedly believe every woman should read this book. Just the Funny Parts is a misnomer of a title. Yes, it is hilarious a lot of the time–it made me laugh out loud. But there are also heart-breaking points that made me cry unabashedly. Whatever you call it, this book is an amazing rollercoaster ride.
Is this a good pick for the Girly Book Club? 100%