The Ugly Cry: A Memoir is a heartfelt, humorous nonfiction novel that revisits the author’s childhood. Raised by her fiercely independent grandmother in New York, Danielle has a life filled with unexpected challenges and hilarious lessons. The memoir dives into Danielle’s experiences growing up in a busy family environment, including her mother’s absence, struggles with racism as a Black girl in a white town and the resilience she had. Her grandmother’s tough love, sharp wit and unique parenting style play a major role in shaping Danielle’s identity. Throughout the book, Danielle talks about heavy topics like trauma, abuse and abandonment with humor.
I love this book so much because it is so raw, relatable and inspiring. I loved how she uses humor to make tough topics more understandable. What makes this memoir truly stand out is Henderson’s ability to make even the darkest moments humorous. The author’s voice is both fierce and vulnerable, making this book as inspiring as it is entertaining. At first, I wasn’t too sure about reading this book because nonfiction books seemed boring. However, after reading this book, I realized that the truth really is more interesting than fiction. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good book that will make you laugh and cry because it is an amazing combination of the two.