Synopses & Reviews
Ann Leary's hilarious, poignant, surprising, and heartfelt memoir, "An Innocent, a Broad, is a phenomenon -- a fascinating, hugely entertaining chronicle of two simultaneous, unexpected births: of a baby and a major show-business career.
When Ann and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties, neither anticipated the adventure that was in store for them. Ann, in her second trimester of pregnancy, looked forward to a carefree mini-vacation in England before the onset of motherhood. Denis saw his upcoming appearance on a BBC comedy program as the opportunity he needed to rocket his career forward. Although they had packed for only two nights, it would be five long months before they would be able to return to the United States.
Ann's premature labor began the morning after the couple arrived in London and she suddenly found herself an unwitting yet grateful hostage of Britain's National Health Service -- a stranger in a strange land, abruptly plunged into a world of breast pumps and midwives, blood oxygen levels, mad cow disease, and poll-tax riots. Desperately worried about the health of their tiny, prematurely born son, Jack, Ann struggled to adapt to motherhood and make sense of a very different culture while, simultaneously, Denis found himself an overnight sensation on London's comedy scene.
At once an intimate family memoir, a lively travelogue, a touching love story, an inside look at the entertainment industry, and a side-splitting comedy of errors, Ann Leary's "An Innocent, a Broad is an utterly engaging and unforgettable look at the bizarre twists and hairpin turns one can encounter on the road of life -- whether thatroad winds through a familiar neighborhood or a frustratingly foreign land.
Review
“Belongs next to David Sedariss Me Talk Pretty One Day and even Mark Twains Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court.” Ben Sherwood, author of The Man Who Ate The 747
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“Witty, engaging ...a poignant story with sprinklings of good old American neuroticism.” Elle
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“Fresh, heartfelt and hilarious...What a broad, what a mom--what a writer. I loved this book.” Michael J. Fox
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“Funny, irreverent, witty and wise…compulsively readable.” Dani Shapiro
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“Uplifting, heart-cheering, and-in the most warm and human way-very, very funny….” Christina Bartolomeo, author of Cupid and Diana
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“Sharp and funny and snide and soulful… Id hate her guts except that I want to be her best friend.” Cynthia Kaplan, author of Why I'm Like This
Synopsis
When Ann Leary and her husband, then unknown actor-comedian Denis Leary, flew to London in the early nineties for a brief getaway during Ann's second trimester of pregnancy, neither anticipated the adventure that was in store for them. The morning after their arrival, Ann's water broke as they strolled through London's streets. A week later their son, Jack, was born weighing only two pounds, six ounces, and it would be five long months before mother and son could return to the States.
In the meantime, Ann became an unwitting yet grateful hostage to Britain's National Health Service -- a stranger in a strange land plunged abruptly into a world of breast pumps and midwives, blood oxygen levels, mad cow disease, and poll tax riots. Desperately worried about the health of her baby, Ann struggled to adapt to motherhood and make sense of a very different culture. At once an intimate family memoir, a lively travelogue, and a touching love story, An Innocent, a Broad is utterly engaging and unforgettable.
About the Author
Ann Lembeck Leary has written for television and film. She is married to actor Denis Leary. They have two children, including a now healthy and hearty teenaged Jack, and live on a farm in Connecticut.