I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley. This was a surprisingly touching memoir from Louie Anderson. In these letters to his mother, he is revealed as an introspective, empathetic person. I appreciated his insight into a challenging childhood and how it shaped him as a person and comedian.

I loved the writing style of this book, as I felt like Louie was writing to me. This book was funny and insightful. Highly recommend!

Hey Mom was terribly funny at times and terribly sad at other times. The chapters are short so it makes for easy stop-and-go reading. Louie's letters to his deceased mother were sometimes cleverly written but sometimes painful to keep reading. I didn't leave the book with an overall feeling of being inspired or educated, just impressed with the sadness of his childhood.

Hey Mom by Louie Anderson surprised me. I expected the book to be rather comic. While Anderson's wry wit is present throughout, his personal, reflective letters written to his mother to keep her up-to-date on his life since her death are poignant, endearing, reflective, sweet, pointedly questioning, heartbreaking, unflinchingly honest, vulnerable and courageous.

Anderson manages to write a memoir about his mother and his own autobiography in the same book; a novel approach that works because it is so very well done. The effects of his father's alcoholism on Anderson's large family was immense; it scarred the bodies and souls of his mother and siblings and changed them forever. Louie Anderson obviously loves his mother, and credits her with everything good about his childhood and himself as a human being. Yet he doesn't hesitate to ask hard questions of her and wonder how their lives could have been changed had she made different choices.

This book touched my heart again and again and again; it is a fascinating read that I hated to see end. Thank-you, Louie, for being so honest and open about your family. All families share similarities of one type or another; I am sure your story will resonate with more readers than you can begin to imagine.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Touchstone for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased opinion.

Anderson's previous book explored one of the fundamental foundations of comedy--mining personal pain to find humor, and his dysfunctional family was an endless font. This follow-up turns to his mother and her struggle with an alcoholic angry husband and large number of kids forced on her by the hard limits to women's legal and social freedoms in the rural midwest. For actors, this is of particular interest, as Anderson talks about developing the maternal character on Baskets via his own mother, and embodying that particular type of femininity rather than playing the character as drag.

Very interesting insight into Louie Anderson. If anyone feels alone because they had an alcoholic parent or had a tough upbringing, they should read this book. You won't feel alone and might even be inspired to look outside of yourself to help others.

After reading this book, I will definitely check out the TV show Baskets.

Thanks for sharing such personal information about your life. I know it will comfort many!