NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Ali Wong’s heartfelt and hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero) cover everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and how she trapped their dad.“Knife-sharp . . . a genuine pleasure.”—The New York Times NAMED ONE OF THE BEST … Times
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Time • Variety • Chicago Tribune • Glamour • New York
In her hit Netflix comedy special Baby Cobra, an eight-month pregnant Ali Wong resonated so strongly that she even became a popular Halloween costume. Wong told the world her remarkably unfiltered thoughts on marriage, sex, Asian culture, working women, and why you never see new mom comics on stage but you sure see plenty of new dads.
The sharp insights and humor are even more personal in this completely original collection. She shares the wisdom she’s learned from a life in comedy and reveals stories from her life off stage, including the brutal single life in New York (i.e. the inevitable confrontation with erectile dysfunction), reconnecting with her roots (and drinking snake blood) in Vietnam, tales of being a wild child growing up in San Francisco, and parenting war stories. Though addressed to her daughters, Ali Wong’s letters are absurdly funny, surprisingly moving, and enlightening (and gross) for all.
Praise for Dear Girls
“Fierce, feminist, and packed with funny anecdotes.”—Entertainment Weekly
“[Wong] spins a volume whose pages simultaneously shock and satisfy. . . . Dear Girls is not so much a real-talk handbook as it is a myth-puncturing manifesto.”—Vogue
“[A] refreshing, hilarious, and honest account of making a career in a male-dominated field, dating, being a mom, growing up, and so much more…Yes, this book is addressed to Wong’s daughters, but every reader will find nuggets of wisdom and inspiration and, most important, something to laugh at.”—Bustle
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I had always been a huge fan of Ali Wong, enjoying her Netflix Stand up specials, Baby Cobra while she was 8 months pregnant, and her recent Always Be My Maybe. In this book, each chapter is a letter dedicated to her girls Mari and Nikki, detailing her most intimate feelings and advice to her daughters regarding dating and sex life, going through the stand-up circuit through the comedy clubs and late night shows, as an Asian American woman in a male dominated industry. She talks about how she met her husband, how to order food in restaurants, and other advice to her daughters on how to live their best lives like traveling abroad and learning another language.
This book was so funny to me and reads like a stand up show. her writing is real, raw, raunchy, and rambunctious Ali Wong Style. I loved that she says things I can only dare think about and completely relatable. I get her and I love that she is so real and the gritty honesty can make you squirm and uncomfortable and I love her for it.
The afterword by her husband as the last chapter was so poignantly written and shows just how beautiful their love and utmost respect for each other in the pages he writes. It is a sweet review of what Ali Wong narrates in a more sterilized fashion and truly heartfelt to read for his children as a father and a husband.
I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing book and highly recommend it for those not easily offended or too sensitive and know how to laugh about this adventure we call life.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and the author for the ebook copy. All opinions are my own.
This is such an honest and raw book. I love her personality and listening to the audiobook made me so happy. She’s like that type of friend who says anything that goes through her mind, straightforward and honest. She’s not ashamed to talk about her body, her adventures, intimacy, etc which I think everyone should not be ashamed of. She speaks about so many things. She’s just brutally honest which I love. In the last 30 minutes of the audiobook, we got her husband’s POV which I think was so cute. I recommend everyone to listen to it. It might not be for everyone but that’s fine. I love it!
I adore Ali Wong and I adore this audio. I’m sure the ebook or paperback would be great too but listening to her talk about “trapping” her husband into marriage and pining to be a well-kept woman who didn’t have to work and the “hustle and pho”…. well, it’s audio at it’s finest.
This was just foul. I didn’t make it past the first few pages.
Ali Wong is crazy funny. Baby Cobra does it again.
3.5
I got the audiobook for this one and I felt like it made it a better “read” – I’d often laugh out loud while listening in public. There are parts that are a little raunchy or shocking and I haven’t watched one of her stand-ups but from what I’ve heard it sounds very similar to her usual style. I really like her explanation for this book and how she wanted her daughters to be able to have a better insight into her life – something she wished she had from her dad after his passing. Not being a mom myself, I felt like there were a lot of things in this book that I couldn’t relate to or find interest in but it was still enjoyable.
Dear Girls is written to Ali Wong’s two daughters, but honestly, I cannot imagine a mother saying these things to her daughter. The book is raunchy and graphic. I am likely not the target audience for this type of comedy. I didn’t laugh at all, but this type of humor doesn’t appeal to me.
One thing that does come through is Ms. Wong’s love for her daughters, her husband, and her family. Although her mother embarrassed Wong when she was young, she appreciates her mother now. She also clearly adored her father and is trying to be there for her daughters.
The afterword by Wong’s husband, Justin Hakuta, is lovely. It is articulate and heartfelt.
I am sure this book would appeal to a younger audience (20-40), but it wasn’t for me.
#DearGirls #AliWong
Funny, bawdy, laugh out loud and touching, in parts. But yes, there’s a lot of touching so if you don’t like dirty humor, this isn’t the book for you. Personally, I find her writing a nice break from heavier reading.
Laugh-out-loud-hilarious. Raw, unapologetically honest and heartwarming all at the same time.
I LOVE Ali Wong – from her Netflix specials to live performances (got to see her in Nashville and it was one of the BEST nights of my life). She’s super funny, raw, and real, and this book is no different. What makes it special is the format as letters to her daughters, whom she loves dearly, and her husband – who we get to hear from in the last chapter! Her experiences, wit, and the way she views the world, marriage, motherhood, and family, will make you laugh out loud and put a smile on your face that will last long after you finish the book. I recommend the audiobook!
I really enjoyed Ali Wong’s “Dear Girls.” Ali’s voice comes through very clearly in her writing; I can picture her on stage saying some of these things in her act. Fair warning, however, that this book is not for the faint of heart or anyone who is easily offended by foul language or “dirty”/”taboo” subjects. Ali talks a lot about sex, bodily functions/fluids, and other things that some readers might find objectionable. That said, there were some very funny, and at times outrageous, stories included here, but also some pretty good advice along with a loving message for her daughters.
My favorite chapter was the one on Ali’s study abroad experiences. While my own year abroad in college wasn’t quite as colorful or adventurous as Ali’s, I totally agree with her that study abroad is something that all young adults should experience if they have the opportunity. I also enjoyed the afterword by Ali’s husband, which was very sweet and a nice way to wrap up the book.
Overall,”Dear Girls” was an enjoyable and well-written debut that made me laugh out loud quite a few times. I would definitely read more books by Ali Wong in the future.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
I’ve watched Ali Wong’s comedy specials, Baby Cobra and Hard Knock Wife, and I love whenever she’s on American Housewife. In the third season of American Housewife, Wong has had even more screen time then just during second breakfast, and I was so happy. I laughed so hard during her comedy specials and often chuckle when she’s in American Housewife, so I was really disappointed that her book was not more funny to me.
I think for me to enjoy her humor I need to see her performing it. Her facial expressions, her tone of voice, and how she gestures wildly towards her private parts really adds to the comedy. In the book she mentions numerous times how she would bend over and moon the audience. You just don’t get the same visuals reading a book as you do watching the performance.
And the end chapter by her husband really left a bad taste in my mouth, which is a horrible last impression for a book. He goes on about how much he is doing for their children and sacrificing for Wong to be able to do her job. Even typing this, I’m shaking my head in annoyance.
Now with all that negative feedback, if you like Ali Wong, I still think you should read the book. Maybe you’ll find it funnier than I did, and learning about her life and the struggles she had to go through to make it, was very interesting.