Quick Shots of False Hope

Quick Shots of False Hope
Laura Kightlinger
Published by Avon Books in 1999.

Laura Kightlinger. Beautiful. Dark-witted. You may have no idea who she is. Oh, she is in The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman. In any case, here's a book to tell you about her, written in her own words, which is no longer in print. It is called Quick Shots of False Hope.

Personal stories about Kightlinger, running through her adolescence to her young adulthood are in this book, and as per the norm for the upbringing of the comically-minded, the upbringing of Laura is filled with pain. From the personal embarrassment of doing a poor rendition of the song "Car Wash" in front of her entire High School, to working at Ponderosa Steak House, to dealing with her Mom hiding from her Father behind the couch when he came over to visit after being with his other family.

The stories proceed from her adolescence to her college years, where she is horribly dumped by a boyfriend It goes on from her post college years to her being a stand-up on the road, leading her to a long and frightening story about being raped in a hotel room which is only an allegory for how horrible the stand-up road can be.

There's stories about writing for Rosanne, there's stories about the horror of being on Saturday Night Live in 1996 and dealing with Adam Sandler, and on and essentially this whole book is about going through a lot of pain, despite success.

At the end, her Grandmother dies.

Sorry to give that away.

Overall, If you would like to read a book about a female comedian and the pain she has gone through, look no further than this book. The book is written well, with Kightlinger's self-deprecating wit throughout. There aren't many autobiographical books out there that so honest, dark and dark.