Menasha Public Library (Elisha D. Smith)

If it's not one thing, it's your mother, Julia Sweeney

eng

autobiography

no index present

non fiction

If it's not one thing, it's your mother

800031595

Julia Sweeney

While Julia Sweeney is known as a talented comedienne and writer/performer of her one-woman shows, she is also a talented essayist--and the past few years have provided her with some rich material. Julia adopted a Chinese girl named Mulan and then, a few years later, married and moved from Los Angeles to Chicago. She writes about deciding to adopt her child, strollers, nannies, knitting, being adopted by a dog, The Food Network, and meeting Mr. Right through an email from a complete stranger. Some of the essays reveal Julia's ability to find that essential thread of human connection, whether it's with her mother-in-law or with an anonymous customer service rep during a late-night phone call. But no matter what the topic, Julia always writes with elegant precision, pinning her jokes with razor-sharp observations while articulating feelings that we all share.--From publisher description

Prologue -- Week one: unto me a child is given -- If it's not one thing, it's your mother -- Just tinking -- Channeling food -- China sweeney -- Strong and beautiful -- Letters from camp -- Week two: independence -- Three Chinese nannies -- Arden -- Big strollers are bad -- Three boyfriends and reflections on a high school crush -- The birds and the bees -- A fan letter -- Sphexy -- Week three: death -- The decline and fall of practically everybody -- Starter gods -- Pussy -- Baby on board -- The color of skin -- Phone bill -- Week four: dependene -- My nemesis -- A proposal at Starbucks -- An education -- Hinky dink is sinking -- Tomorrow they arrive