The stand up comic shows herself to be a formidable writer. Hannah Gadsby's fame now stretches the world over, but her unpropitious beginnings were in the north Tasmanian town of Smithton. As described in Ten Steps to Nanette, the northern half of Tasmania was rampant with homophobia before the gay law reforms of the early nineties. It was then unremarkable for major public figures to stoke fear and violence against gay people. Gadsby chronicles this terrible time in considerable detail. While Nanette presents as a memoir, it's a multi-faceted, left-of-field one. Gadsby depicts the struggle of growing up queer in a hostile environment and the trauma that ensues. She also examines the art and psychology of comedy, how tension is built and released in an audience. At one point Gadsby confesses to being able to play her audience like an instrument. Finally, Nanette works as a confessional, delving deeply into Gadsby's troubled psyche and then resurfacing victorious, having subdued many personal demons. There's a good deal of therapy and working through problems in these pages. Fans of Hannah Gadsby won't be disappointed with this intelligent, perceptive and often very funny memoir. A substantial work of autobiography with not a word wasted. Ten Steps to Nanette, by Hannah Gadsby. Published by Allen & Unwin. $49.99 Review by Chris Saliba Comments are closed.
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