March non-fiction book of the month: Sara Pascoe's Animal. Sara's answers back!

[RachelMumsnet]

We've selected Sara Pascoe's brilliant investigation of the female body; Animal, as our March non-fiction book of the month. Comedian Sara Pascoe often talks about femininity and female sexuality on stage and her first book delves into these issues in more depth. Animal combines autobiography and evolutionary history to create a funny, fascinating insight into the forces that mould and affect modern women.

We have 50 copies up for grabs and Sara will be answering questions about the book. Apply for a copy and post up questions for Sara Pascoe before 30 March and we'll upload her answers in early April.

[SaraPascoe]

@Annamaria0

I was wondering if Sara was working on another book? I'd like to ask what she is working on at the moment?

Hello! Yes, I am writing my next book and I have the Edinburgh festival coming up where I’ll be performing a new show and then I’m recording a series for Radio 4 about anthropology in the Winter! Also W1A is coming back and I’m in a couple of episodes, and of course more panel shows in the meantime!

[SaraPascoe]

@CountTessa

I'm so sorry, I've been sent a copy and I completely forgot about when you would be asking Sarah questions. Pleased to see she went to Sussex uni like me.

I'm interested to know what the trigger was for writing your ideas down in a cohesive tale? Do you feel that your lifestyle choices affect your perception of your body and how you feel about other peoples? And do you look back at your younger self and say' I wish I'd known I was gorgeous then'

That is a very interesting question- I am sure lifestyle choices do affect body image. I think there are things we can do, and people to spend time with that make us feel better about ourselves, that grow our confidence and self-belief. And when we feel low we should seek those things out, and speak to each other about how we are feeling. And for the younger self thing- I don’t wish I could have thought I was gorgeous, but I wished I just thought I was ‘alright’ at least. Self-hatred steals time, and leads to self-destructive decisions.

[SaraPascoe]

@Polyanthus

Me too please - would love a copy.

My question is what one piece of advice would you give to your teenage self (and would your teenage self have taken any notice of the advice?!)

I think the book IS my advice to my teenage self. I think that is everything I know, that I have learned about the mysteries that concerned and upset me when I was a teen.

[SaraPascoe]

@mumofmadboys

Very readable book. Some of it had me laughing out loud! I agree with the previous poster who asked how the experience of writing a book compared to the instant feedback of standup.Have you any other books planned?
Thank you Mumsnet for giving me a chance to read a book I may well not have picked up in a bookshop.

hey yes, I am writing my next book at the moment. It is much more about the male body and the sex industry!

[SaraPascoe]

@Celama

I found this a refreshing read and although I didn't agree with all your views, I enjoyed reading them. I loved your recollection of your interview for Cambridge - did the unexpected rejection have an impact on how you prepared for similar events in the future or because of your outlook, did it just bounce off you?!

Hmmm, I don’t know. Do you mean, did I prepare better for interviews? No I don’t think so. But I don’t think I have ever been as out of place again as I was there. I have had lots of jobs since, and work in an industry with lots of rejection, and I haven’t found anything has got easier. It certainly doesn’t bounce off. I auditioned for drama school for 4 years and had a big folder of rejection letters that I eventually made into a collage to stop me rereading them, hoping I had missed some piece of advice or glimmer of hope.

[SaraPascoe]

@starlight36

Thank you for this book. I'm about halfway through and enjoying the read. So brave of you to reveal so much of your life - I'm currently reading the Body chapter and your honesty and frankness is really going to help others who have either made the same decision or face making the decision themselves. (I'm intentionally not giving away any spoilers on this thread)

My question is how did you enjoy the experience of writing a book as opposed to writing for a stand up show? Was it strange not to get instant feedback?

Yes it was! People always ask about hecklers with stand up, but it actually happens so rarely- all I really get from an audience is a laugh ‘yes that’s funny, we like that’ or silence ‘oh dear, that bit needs more work’. But with writing a book, I was hearing all the voices in my head, very mean, insecure voices- and so much worse than a heckler. Working through that to continue writing was tricky! But when it was finished, it felt like a real achievement, which stand up never has because it is so fleeting.

[SaraPascoe]

@jammy388

Thank you for this book- I found it really engaging and thought-provoking, and admired the care Sara took to be inclusive and open minded, so that I felt part of the discussion even when some of my experiences were very different. My question for Sara is - Did you have a particular audience/readership in mind as you wrote?

I definitely wanted the book not to exclude anyone, I wanted to make sure that even as a book about the female body that I would not excluding women born in male bodies, or indeed men themselves. Even though there was a lot of science to squeeze in, I knew I wanted everything to be comprehensible for teenagers, but not patronising for people who had science degrees. That is where the comedy and personal stories comes in handy, I was trying to make the book interesting and relevant enough that any human person would find something they didn’t know in it.

[SaraPascoe]

@mutuallyexclusive

My question is:
Where do you get all your brilliant cat tips/dresses? In jealous awe!

I am so glad you asked! One great place is Miss Patina that you can find online, they do the cat collars. But otherwise I just type ‘cat’ into Etsy or Asos after a glass of wine and see what is out there. I worship cats, and I love wearing catty things in their honour.

[SaraPascoe]

@Hercule

Me please - funnily enough I've just been watching her on You Tube at The Melbourne Comedy Festival.

My question is "You surprised everyone with your remarkably good rendition of Chandelier by Sia on Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief. When you were younger did you ever consider going into music or other performing arts or have you always wanted to be a comedian. And do you have any other hidden talents?"

When I was 14 I joined an amateur dramatics group at the local church and loved singing and dancing about. I had a couple of ‘Redcoat’ type jobs when I was 18 and 19 but found that the singing always made me feel shy. When Comic Relief asked, I had a good word with myself “you’re a big girl now, stop being scared” and was glad I did it. Although waiting in a hydraulic lift to sing live on the BBC is perhaps tooooo scary to want to repeat it!

[SorchaMumsnet]

Hi folks - Sarah's been super speedy and we've got her answers to put up now :)

[RachelMumsnet]

Thanks everyone for the questions. We'll be sending them over to Sara and will upload her answers as soon as they are back.

[Annamaria0]

I was wondering if Sara was working on another book? I'd like to ask what she is working on at the moment?

[Annamaria0]

Thank you for this book, I was very happy to receive it and read it straight away. I now want to buy a copy for all my friends, and any teenage girls I know (I know it'd be good if boys and men read, but it is not likely). It made me both laugh and cry. If you enjoy books by Caitlin Moran, Bryony Gordon and Lucy Mangan, you should read it.

[CountTessa]

I'm so sorry, I've been sent a copy and I completely forgot about when you would be asking Sarah questions. Pleased to see she went to Sussex uni like me.

I'm interested to know what the trigger was for writing your ideas down in a cohesive tale? Do you feel that your lifestyle choices affect your perception of your body and how you feel about other peoples? And do you look back at your younger self and say' I wish I'd known I was gorgeous then'

[Polyanthus]

Me too please - would love a copy.

My question is what one piece of advice would you give to your teenage self (and would your teenage self have taken any notice of the advice?!)

[mumofmadboys]

Very readable book. Some of it had me laughing out loud! I agree with the previous poster who asked how the experience of writing a book compared to the instant feedback of standup.Have you any other books planned?
Thank you Mumsnet for giving me a chance to read a book I may well not have picked up in a bookshop.

[Celama]

I found this a refreshing read and although I didn't agree with all your views, I enjoyed reading them. I loved your recollection of your interview for Cambridge - did the unexpected rejection have an impact on how you prepared for similar events in the future or because of your outlook, did it just bounce off you?!

[starlight36]

Thank you for this book. I'm about halfway through and enjoying the read. So brave of you to reveal so much of your life - I'm currently reading the Body chapter and your honesty and frankness is really going to help others who have either made the same decision or face making the decision themselves. (I'm intentionally not giving away any spoilers on this thread)

My question is how did you enjoy the experience of writing a book as opposed to writing for a stand up show? Was it strange not to get instant feedback?

[jammy388]

Thank you for this book- I found it really engaging and thought-provoking, and admired the care Sara took to be inclusive and open minded, so that I felt part of the discussion even when some of my experiences were very different. My question for Sara is - Did you have a particular audience/readership in mind as you wrote?

[Nikitasol]

Oooh me me me please!! I really need a feminist based laugh after separating from my partner. That sounds like I'm being sarcastic! I'm not. I just want to read good books by brilliant women. As well as drinking gin to deal with the chaos

[Booboobedoo]

I've been boring on about this book to anyone who'll listen/stand still for a couple of months now.

It's impassioned, eloquent and wonderful.

[TheresALight]

Love Sara's comedy. I'm just becoming conscious of my body again after having a baby nearly a year ago so the book'some themes are spot on

[highinthesky]

This thread has encouraged me to pick up my copy and read it, thanks!

[TittyGolightly]

This is one of my favourite books. It's just brilliant. Sara is a smart cookie.

[nobodysbabynow]

Me please! I love Sarah Pascoe, she's brilliant