Lies My Mother Told Me: Tall Tales from a Short Woman

If you were a fan of Joan Rivers, you will definitely want to read her daughter Melissa’s account of growing up with a mother who wasn’t afraid to tell a tale, embellish a story or, when in need, make one up. It seems she had an answer to every question Melissa could throw her way and some she didn’t. It must have been fabulous to have a mother who could come up with a million and one zingers. While many of the rest of us suffered mightily with parents who were fond of saying, “I don’t know or because I said so.”

Not only was this a fun book to read, but I found myself laughing out loud several times, especially when Melissa once asked why they didn’t celebrate Christmas and when Melissa’s hope of being a professional athlete was dashed from the get-go. Plus, anyone with a degree in social science will likely fully understand Melissa’s career conundrum.
This is a wonderful tribute to a mother by a loving daughter, full of satire, memories, and entertainment galore, showing that Joan Rivers was in a class of her own.