Non-Fiction Review: Uganda Be Kidding Me by Chelsea Handler

Title: Uganda Be Kidding Me
Author: Chelsea Handler
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: March 24 2014
Source: Grand Central Publishing & Netgalley

Description via Goodreads:

Wherever Chelsea Handler travels, one thing is certain: she always ends up in the land of the ridiculous. Now, in this uproarious collection, she sneaks her sharp wit through airport security and delivers her most absurd and hilarious stories ever.

On safari in Africa, it's anyone's guess as to what's more dangerous: the wildlife or Chelsea. But whether she's fumbling the seduction of a guide by not knowing where tigers live (Asia, duh) or wearing a bathrobe into the bush because her clothes stopped fitting seven margaritas ago, she's always game for the next misadventure.

The situation gets down and dirty as she defiles a kayak in the Bahamas, and outright sweaty as she escapes from a German hospital on crutches. When things get truly scary, like finding herself stuck next to a passenger with bad breath, she knows she can rely on her family to make matters even worse. Thank goodness she has the devoted Chunk by her side-except for the time she loses him in Telluride.

Complete with answers to the most frequently asked traveler's questions, hot travel trips, and travel etiquette, none of which should be believed, UGANDA BE KIDDING ME has Chelsea taking on the world, one laugh-out-loud incident at a time.

★★★★

I'm a huge fan of Chelsea Handler. I watched her show and her sitcom and have read and enjoyed her books in the past. I adore her raunchy and blunt storytelling, and I'm happy to say that Uganda Be Kidding Me is chock full of the humor I've come to love so much from her work.

Uganda Be Kidding Me follows Chelsea and her group of friends on an African safari, and hilarity naturally ensues. I laughed aloud more than once to myself. I am mildly impressed with how relatable this group of girls is, especially Chelsea, when you consider the fact that I am not in fact a celebrity or rich enough to fly my dog on a private jet across the country. They just seem like the kinda group I'd want to have a drink (or six) with and listen to their stories. In edition to being funny, it's also extremely quotable. There are a lot of one liners in here that made me snicker and want to remember them for later use.

Humor aside, the book actually contains some useful traveling information. There are tips scattered throughout the book, some humorous, some not, that help to outline the less experienced traveler. Plus, in her narrative of her African adventures one gets more tips, and a healthy dose of facts and tidbits about the animals and hotels/camps in which the group of friends stayed. Another plus to this book is that there are pictures included of the trip, giving the reader a little more insight and a few more laughs.

My only real disconnect to this book was the last fourth or so. Prior to this chunk of the book, the theme had been traveling. It was mostly set in Africa, but there are a few other places involved as well. But towards the end it goes back to LA and stays there. While the stories even from her own back yard are also hilarious, it felt a bit disjointed from the rest of the book. Still perfectly enjoyable, but just a little mismatched.

I recommend this book if you're a fan of Chelsea Handler's comedy, comedic nonfiction, or joke-packed travel memoirs that are chockoblock with raunchy stories fueled by drugs, sex, alcohol, and pooping in kayaks. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.