Title: Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me
Author: Chelsea Handler
Started: 12/19/13
Finished: 1/7/14
Rating: 
Now I know what you’re thinking. My blog has fiction in the title and here I am reviewing a non-fiction book. I don’t really know what to tell you. Fifty Fifty Fiction and Non-fiction just didn’t have the same ring to it. So let’s just go with it.
I should start off this review by telling you that I did not read this book. I listened to it. I tend to listen to a lot of audiobooks (I have a long commute) and this is the latest one. Anyway onto my review.
I’d been wanting to read a Chelsea Handler book for a while. Not that I’m a huge fan of hers, but I do think she’s funny, and occasionally I like to watch Chelsea Lately. So naturally I figured a Chelsea Handler book had to be chock full of laughs. Looking back, I feel like this book probably wasn’t the best one to start with, and it may have tainted her other books for me.
Lies That Chelsea Handler Wrote Me is not technically written by Chelsea Handler. Instead, each chapter is written and read by one of Chelsea’s friends, family members or co-workers. Strike one. So here I am, looking to read a Chelsea Handler book, and what do I get? A book about Chelsea Handler. Not exactly what I set out to find. Yes, she does offer some short, stunted comments at the end of the chapters. But it’s really not enough.
Each chapter tells stories about instances where Chelsea Handler lied to the narrator. These stories are meant to be funny. They’re not. Strike two. They’re not exactly boring or uninteresting, but I guess I was just wanting the stories to be funnier than they turned out to be. I think this goes back to the fact that this book is a compilation of other people’s stories. These people (most of them, anyway) are not professional writers or comedians. Instead, they just happen to work with, be friends with or be related to a professional writer and comedian. So while Chelsea does do some funny things in these stories, the way they’re told isn’t as funny as it could be.
As the title tells you, Chelsea Handler is a big, fat liar. And not just the those-jeans-don’t-make-your-butt-look-big lies. I mean big humiliating ruin-your-life lies. Strike three. Now, I do find Chelsea Handler funny and talented. But after reading this book, I would never ever ever want to be friends with her. The things she puts her friends, relatives and co-workers through are kind of unforgiving. Sabotaging your wedding reception? Ruining your honeymoon? These kinds of lies are messed up, and I would never want one of my friends to do the kinds of things Chelsea does to hers. Not all Chelsea’s antics end with up with life-altering results, but many of them just seem a bit mean-hearted.
Overall, this book was entertaining enough, but it didn’t quite meet my expectations. I’m not sure I’ll pick up another Chelsea Handler book. I kind of wish I hadn’t in the first place.
Fifty Fifty Fiction 