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.

@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.

@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.

@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!

@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.

@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.

@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!