The Ugly Cry: A Memoir
- Downloads：7750
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-06-04 23:31:10
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Danielle Henderson
- ISBN：B08PP1R9Z7
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Kathleen Gray
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This beautifully written and painful memoir is buoyed by Henderson's resiliency and the strength and commitment of the grandmother who ultimately rescues and raises her。 Abused by her mother's partner who choses him over her children， she finds herself left with a tough but loving grandmother in a community where few looked like her。 It was awful in so many ways but somehow Henderson came through on the other side and figured out how to forgive her mother。 It's always hard to review memoirs beca This beautifully written and painful memoir is buoyed by Henderson's resiliency and the strength and commitment of the grandmother who ultimately rescues and raises her。 Abused by her mother's partner who choses him over her children， she finds herself left with a tough but loving grandmother in a community where few looked like her。 It was awful in so many ways but somehow Henderson came through on the other side and figured out how to forgive her mother。 It's always hard to review memoirs because it feels like you're judging a person's life choices but that's not the case here because there's so much to admire。 Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC。 I was not familiar with Henderson before reading this but I'm incredibly impressed by her courage and her willingness to take chances。 。。。more
Brenda Feinen
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This book - emotional rollercoaster。 Amazing writing。 One of the best memoirs I have read。 Ever。 As a survivor of child abuse including sexual abuse， oh this book hit all the feels。 Reading saved me as well - books， thirst for knowledge and good grades in school as a means to freedom。 This book is a love letter - not only to her younger self but to her grandmother。 Breathtakingly gorgeous and emotional。 Danielle recounts her first 18 years as a forty something adult。 Her mother's return to her m This book - emotional rollercoaster。 Amazing writing。 One of the best memoirs I have read。 Ever。 As a survivor of child abuse including sexual abuse， oh this book hit all the feels。 Reading saved me as well - books， thirst for knowledge and good grades in school as a means to freedom。 This book is a love letter - not only to her younger self but to her grandmother。 Breathtakingly gorgeous and emotional。 Danielle recounts her first 18 years as a forty something adult。 Her mother's return to her mother's house with Danielle's older brother， pregnant belly。Danielle's life consisted of her grandmother's house for the first few years， until her mother moved them into an apartment。 Later she begins dating Luke - the man of violence and abuse。 Until finally at the age of 10， Danielle is dumped at her grandmother's; a temporary solution that became long term， granting Danielle the love， stability and safety she desperately needed。 The love， laughter， sadness， abuse。 The harsh honesty of this book。One of the best books I've read。 。。。more
Leslie
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I read this book in one overnight session。 I'd give it 4。5 stars if I could。 Funny and heartbreaking at the same time。 Definitely going to research other work by Danielle Henderson。 I read this book in one overnight session。 I'd give it 4。5 stars if I could。 Funny and heartbreaking at the same time。 Definitely going to research other work by Danielle Henderson。 。。。more
Cynthia
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4。5
Janilyn Kocher
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The Ugly Cry is a terrific read。 Henderson is only a few years younger than me so I enjoyed reading all，the cultural references she made in her memoir。 She had a tumultuous childhood with the one central force that grounded her， her grandmother。 I loved reading about her grandmother。 She was the rock star of the book。 I loved her attitude， salty language， and how she reared two grandkids。 I admired the author’s determination and drive to get out of her home town。 Although dumped by her own mothe The Ugly Cry is a terrific read。 Henderson is only a few years younger than me so I enjoyed reading all，the cultural references she made in her memoir。 She had a tumultuous childhood with the one central force that grounded her， her grandmother。 I loved reading about her grandmother。 She was the rock star of the book。 I loved her attitude， salty language， and how she reared two grandkids。 I admired the author’s determination and drive to get out of her home town。 Although dumped by her own mother， Henderson did have a mother， her grandmother， who loved her， even if she didn’t express it often。 Thanks to Viking and NetGalley for the early read。 。。。more
Jess Witkins
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The Ugly Cry is a visceral telling of how someone survives a heap of trauma and keeps going in spite of it。 Danielle Henderson has managed to turn her unconventional upbringing into a memoir that is both funny and heartbreaking and exploding in personality。 You're gonna root so hard for this girl。 I'm so proud for her that this book exists。Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 The Ugly Cry is a visceral telling of how someone survives a heap of trauma and keeps going in spite of it。 Danielle Henderson has managed to turn her unconventional upbringing into a memoir that is both funny and heartbreaking and exploding in personality。 You're gonna root so hard for this girl。 I'm so proud for her that this book exists。Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Eva
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When Danielle Henderson was ten， her mother left her and her brother in the care of her grandparents in order to start a new family with a drug-addicted， abusive boyfriend。 This book， which is at turns hilarious， harrowing and heartbreaking， follows Danielle’s childhood both before and after her abandonment。 Henderson’s writing is funny and engaging， but also raw and honest as she probes some of the most painful moments of her childhood。 At the heart of the story is Danielle’s relationship with When Danielle Henderson was ten， her mother left her and her brother in the care of her grandparents in order to start a new family with a drug-addicted， abusive boyfriend。 This book， which is at turns hilarious， harrowing and heartbreaking， follows Danielle’s childhood both before and after her abandonment。 Henderson’s writing is funny and engaging， but also raw and honest as she probes some of the most painful moments of her childhood。 At the heart of the story is Danielle’s relationship with her grandmother， who， although she can be rough， sharp-tongued and profane， clearly loves her grandchildren fiercely， a love which ultimately saves Danielle’s life and sanity。 The memoir also touches on themes such as growing up a latchkey kid in the 80s， growing up black in a mostly-white suburb， and the sometimes-tough-love lessons of self-reliance that Danielle also learns from her grandmother。 A compellingly-written memoir， and a voice I’m very interested in hearing more from。 TW: Child abuse， violence， molestation I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
susie
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There is no book i’ve ever been more excited to read。 PRE。 ORD。 ERED。
Migdalia Jimenez
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Comedian， writer， and podcaster Danielle Henderson uses her talented and original voice to tell the story of being abandoned by her mother at the tender age of 10 and subsequently being raised by her grandparents。 In a series of intimate and highly entertaining stories， she shares her outrageous childhood adventures growing up as a latchkey child of the 80’s- skewering the overly-permissive parenting style of the time as well as recounting her experiences being a Black girl in a mostly white tow Comedian， writer， and podcaster Danielle Henderson uses her talented and original voice to tell the story of being abandoned by her mother at the tender age of 10 and subsequently being raised by her grandparents。 In a series of intimate and highly entertaining stories， she shares her outrageous childhood adventures growing up as a latchkey child of the 80’s- skewering the overly-permissive parenting style of the time as well as recounting her experiences being a Black girl in a mostly white town。 Her search for stability and love over the backdrop of a turbulent childhood is at once deeply personal and universal。 Honest， and full of larger than life characters and anecdotes that’ll either break your heart or make you laugh out loud， this book is recommended for readers looking for Own Voices， unputdownable reads， books set in the 80s & 90’s， fans of memoirs， and anyone who needs a good cry or a good laugh- or both。Full disclosure - I received a copy of this book from Net Galley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jessica Gentile
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This book is filled with traumas and triumphs and left me feeling A LOT in the best possible way！
Becca Sloan
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Henderson had me moving from laughing out loud to tearing up from page to page。 Written with humor， honesty， and grace， this memoir moves through Henderson’s life and the actions of her caretakers beautifully。 I imagine it is difficult to describe the actions and personalities of those who have raised you， hurt you， formed you， and endangered you in a balanced way， but Henderson hits the nail on the head。 Excellent writing and a clear eye make this memoir very much worth a read。
Margo
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3。5！ This was a great book， but I found several important + interesting parts were spoken of fleetingly and I wanted to hear more ！
Jenny Lawson
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So， so painfully good， y'all。 So， so painfully good， y'all。 。。。more
Virginia
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I came to this book because I know a few people who were raised by their grandparents and wanted something that would bring light to the situation in a funny way。 This book gave me that as well as so much more。 I would describe this book as heartbreakingly funny。 Danielle Henderson is raw and open about her childhood， describing scenes of abuse in one house with scenes of humor in her next living situation。 She starts her story at the beginning， talking about how her mother ran away from home on I came to this book because I know a few people who were raised by their grandparents and wanted something that would bring light to the situation in a funny way。 This book gave me that as well as so much more。 I would describe this book as heartbreakingly funny。 Danielle Henderson is raw and open about her childhood， describing scenes of abuse in one house with scenes of humor in her next living situation。 She starts her story at the beginning， talking about how her mother ran away from home on a wild romance but came back with a son and another baby on the way。 She then moves into her early childhood， poking fun at the world in the 80s and the excessive freedom she was given as she grew up in an era when child safety wasn't as much of a concern。 The story turns dark though when her mom falls in love with a man who turns out to be wildly abusive。 After a horrifying event， Danielle finds her and her brother left on their grandma's doorstep with no where else to go。 This is where the humor comes back as we see the generational clashes between Danielle and her grandmother， who clearly loves her grandkids but refuses to coddle them。 This memoir runs the gamut of emotions， but each scene is on purpose。 Without understanding what she comes from， how can we see where she goes next？ Danielle's relationship with her grandmother is the best part of the book， showing how tough love and a wide generation gap aren't really obstacles as much as features that define a pretty decent life。 Danielle shows that no one is perfect， least of all herself， and that honesty will make you fall more in love with her family。 Her storytelling is top notch and her humor is laugh-out-loud good。 I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read stories about dysfunctional families and coming of age tales。 **Read thanks to an ARC from Viking** 。。。more
Jillian Doherty
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