Jancee Dunn’s first memoir, But Enough About Me, was a collection of stories about rock and roll interviews and crazy nights in the city interspersed with reminiscences about her wholesome upbringing and goofy family. In Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?, the goofy family takes center stage, which I really liked. There might not be any shocking information about your favorite celebrity in this memoir, but Dunn’s obvious love for her rather dorky parents (then again, doesn’t everyone have dorky parents) and her two sisters shines brightly on every page.
At the end of But Enough About Me, Dunn had met a boy. In Why Is My Mother Getting a Tattoo?, they are married and navigating life together. He acts as a voice of reason when it comes to the craziness of her family, as they weigh in on every decision she ever makes.
Dunn examines various aspects of her family life, like her father’s obsession with sending her newspaper clippings warning her about every hidden danger in her home. It’s silly, but she knows it’s his way of saying ” I love you”. Personally, my father likes to print out Wikipedia entries, annotate them, scan them into computer (who showed my dad how to use a scanner?) and email them to me. So I can relate.
Overall, this was a cute, fun read and not a bad way to spend a few hours. Dunn has a great voice and is not above making fun of herself, a must for this style of autobiography!
Since I’ve read the three books you reviewed after this one, I feel safe in assuming we might have similar tastes. I’ll have to pick up both of these.