A True Fan Fiction

As a fan of the art of comedy, I feel the roots are sometimes neglected.  Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Joan Rivers are the modern masters, but we mustn't forget our Rembrandts, Da Vincis, and, especially, Artemisia Gentileschis. 

I Am Sophie Tucker: A Fictional Memoir by Susan and Lloyd Ecker, Prospecta Press (2014)

Considering how little has been written about Sophie Tucker, who influenced so many performers, most notably Bette Midler, I so much wanted to like this book more. I can't fault the authors' passion for their protagonist; they've made a documentary about Tucker ("The Outrageous Sophie Tucker") and hope to bring her story to Broadway as a musical. The error they made was to write this biographical novel in the first person.  Even if one is familiar with Tucker's raucous and raunchy voice, the book reads like a recitation of facts or a comprehensive "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" type essay.  Even when the family secret that drives part of the narrative is revealed, it is more "oh" than "OH!" The result is an ambitious "fan fiction" rather than a novel as fully-fleshed as its subject.

I'm looking forward to seeing the documentary, and do hope the Eckers can bring the show to Broadway so as to introduce a new generation to the person whose influence can be seen, and sometimes acknowledged, in the performances of not only Bette Midler, but Bridget Everett, Lady Gaga, Amy Schumer, and others.