The Last Black Unicorn

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish, 278 pages

Tiffany Haddish is a funny, funny woman. The actress and comedian's career blew up after her appearance in last summer's Girls' Trip, though some may know her better as that hilarious woman who wears the same white designer dress to every fancy event (including the Oscars) or the person who launched the Who Bit Beyonce? debate on social media.

The Last Black Unicorn is her memoir, detailing her childhood, the rise of her comedy career, and her life as she adjusts to fame. Yes, it has plenty of hilarious bits, but there's a LOT of serious stuff discussed here too — Haddish had a rough childhood punctuated by a mentally ill mother and spending her teen years as a foster kid; she spent a bit of time dating a wannabe pimp (and subsequently stealing his prostitute away to become a pimp herself) before entering an abusive marriage; and as she struggled to make it as a comedian, she couch-surfed and then lived in her car because she couldn't afford rent. All that is rough to read or hear, yes, but Haddish relays it candidly, in her own voice, with a shot of humor to help us all cope.

I mention Haddish's voice there because I listened to the audiobook (read by Haddish) and absolutely loved it. At no point does it feel like she's actually reading a book — instead, it felt like she was just sitting there, telling me her story over some drinks. It was great, and I highly recommend experiencing this book that way.