All That Happened At Number 26

by Denise Scott

All that Happened at number 26 now has a brand new cover with candid photos of Denise on the front. ‘I’ll never forget the first time John and I saw number 26. We just knew it was going to be ours. It was so awful and ugly and repulsive in every way, not to mention the fact that it was located in a suburb I had sworn I’d rather die than live in, that we knew we had a great chance of getting it.’ And so Denise Scott moved into number 26, with a husband, his circus equipment, a king-sized futon (but not a base), a Ventolin inhaler (to cope with stress-induced asthma), no savings to speak of and their newborn baby. The husband lost his eyebrows; the circus equipment multiplied, spilling over into any available space; the futon went mouldy; the Ventolin ran out; and another baby was added to the family, putting paid to any ideas of further savings. Forget about future plans, it was enough just to make it through the day. All lives have their hiccups, though, and this is no misery memoir - far from it. The life that Denise and her husband John created in their ramshackle house is one of warmth, humour and good old- fashioned ingenuity. When the roof leaked, the kids wore raincoats. When the kids developed eczema, Denise devised a menu consisting entirely of adzuki beans. And when the council dismantled play equipment at the local park, John built a cubby house with it – so what if it was sprayed with arsenic? It’s not as if the kids were going to lick the walls. Written with Denise’s trademark candour, is part memoir, part stand-up, this book is completely beguiling. Showing exactly what it takes to hold it all together when you want to follow your career dreams, maintain the love in a marriage, bring up kids who will get up off the couch, and look after an ageing parent – all while retaining a healthy sense of self-doubt – this book is a heartwarmer for anyone.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Memoir, Biography, Comedy, Autobiography

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really was a laugh out loud book. I had to keep apologising to people around me for laughing. I could hear Denise Scott's voice in my head and really enjoyed the journey she took me on with her family. This is a very honest and humorous reflection of Denise's life. I really enjoyed it. An easy read.

[Paul (Life In The Slow Lane) · Rating 3 out of 5]

We didn't have Oprah or Dr Phil crapping on about how to love yourself even though you're as fat and ugly and dumb as a huge steaming turd plopped fresh from a cow's arse.
Denise Scott - on how Australians are generally full of self-loathing and low self-esteem.

This book is like that person at a party who has everyone in stitches with their tales of their weird family happenings. It's probably one of the funniest memoirs I've read in a long time (Spike Milligan's Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall was probably the funniest) and I fully understand why Nino Cullota wrote They're a Weird Mob. From the outside, Aussies must appear pretty strange.

This is a great book if you need a pick-me-up, but don't expect literary genius. It's a great effort for a first book though.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I have seen the author Denise Scott appear a number of times on various ABC TV shows, and generally find her quite appealing. Her form of comedy / stand up isn't offensive, more reflective on day to day events, a narrative of her life. The book is the same. I think it would be better to hear the stories as a stand up routine - there aren't many if any laugh out loud moments in the book, but I can imagine finding the tales funnier if she were to tell them herself.

[Hannah Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very, very funny. Laugh out loud. Relatable.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

some of this is funny, but mostly it’s sad

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep seeing Denise Scott on Spicks & Specks and other comedy shows and I find her to be hilarious so I decided to read her biography. I found it to be very honest and funny account of her life and her family's. It was interesting to read how she put together her stand up acts and just how 'real' the antics were. The ups and downs of her relationships with her husband, her career and her life were described in unflinching and revealing ways and it was a very fascinating read!

[Paul Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very like a chat with an old friend who is great storyteller. Denise takes through her life in a "warts and all" memoir. She never spares herself in this wickedly funny narrative.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only recently discovered Denise Scott when she appeared on Have You Been Paying Attention. That led me to downloading All That Happened at Number 26. I'm so glad I did.

Being around the same age as Denise, her writing resonated with much of my own experience. Her vulnerability in sharing her life with the reader was a blessing and delight.

Some have been disappointed that Denise did not write this in the style of a stand up performance. I feel the opposite. She injected every chapter with humour and honesty. This is what made her writing so relatable and real. For me, there were plenty of things to raise a chuckle.

There is coarse language in the book, and I'm not a fan of that; however, how could Scotty be honest and genuine without it? It is part of her life and her story.

Denise, thank you for letting the reader into your life (and that of your family). Keep writing and being the delight you are.

[Kate Cubitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Denise Scott as a comedian and I always worry, when I read a comedian’s book that it will be a disappointment and change my view of their performed work. For example, Tina Fey’s ‘Bossypants’ is a spectacularly funny and insightful book as is Judith Lucy’s ‘Lucy Family Alphabet’ however, I found Amy Schumer’s book just lead me to suspect that her writing team is where the great talent in her work lays and that she is just a great performer of that written work. Denise Scott’s book proves her to be a wonderful, warm and hilarious writer, as well as a performer I very much enjoy.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bittersweet with a balance of humour and truth. You have to respect her honesty and openness, but also be prepared that you may not find the same level of amusement in her writing as you would in her TV appearances. She comes across much wittier in person, could be her pace and delivery. In any case, she is very likeable. A decent read

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3.5 stars! I did get a few giggles!

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny and honest, just what you would expect from Ms Scott.

[Lyn Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing.

[Sian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read, amusing, forgettable. A beach read.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only interesting up to a point, then gets pretty boring. Oh yes, and aren't you clever for writing all those filthy words. You're mother would be so proud.

[Julie-Anne Mee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny lady ... with emotional baggage with a twist.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read. Parts of the book had me laughing so hard, the bed was shaking. I had to stop reading it in bed so my husband could get to sleep.

[Sally Nyaguy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious. Laugh out loud material. A good read.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Denise Scott - I have done since I was a teenager and I was disappointed I couldn't make it to her show (of the same title) when it came to Adelaide.

This book charts Scott's family life from their early days with a brand new baby to their current situation with the full nest and wondering what's coming next.

The book is an addictive series of very short chapters - almost like the books you often find that are a collection of pieces by a regular columnist, where each snippet is relatively the same length and has to cover a whole story within that tiny space.

The reason I only gave this three is because Scott is a stand-up comic - and so much of her humour works because of her delivery. (I remember her once on a panel show, turning to the young man next to her, asking his age and telling him, "I have a dressing gown older than you." When I retell this story, nobody laughs, because it's all about her tone of voice.)
I've heard some of these stories before in comedy stints here and there and they were nowhere near as funny in print (or it could possibly be because I'd already known what was coming.)

But if anything, this just galvanizes my opinion of Scott as a live performer.

I also found there were a lot of stories clumped around when the kids were really little, then as late teens/early adults, with not much in between. But when you're digging up some very raw stories from the past, I can appreciate why Scott might have been choosy (the last book I read was Amy Poehler's "Yes Please" where she continuously refuses to comment on her divorce, not wanting to lay her family life bare. Scott's whole career is kind of based on laying her family life bare.)

What I got out of the story is a reassurance to my doubts as a mother trying to provide on little resources and a good reflection of what life's like when everyone in the household is THE artist.

I might also give her birthday cake recipe a crack - just to see what happens!

[Meg Dunley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great light hearted read by Denise Scott that really could have been about what is happening in my house (except without Denise's great humour). A really well written and very funny book. The book is basically a memoir of her and her family's life whilst they lived at Number 26 and all of the goings on there. The ups and the downs, and the ins and the outs of life whilst they grew up. The crazy times of being with incredibly creative parents, but incredibly poor. Parents putting up with each other and kids having to put up with parents.

Denise is incredible to be able to look at her own life and poke a stick at it and a have a good laugh, even at the crap. It is endearing to to see the depth of the relationships that they have in their family, even through the humour.

Well put together. I wish that I was as funny as Denise and was able to poke a stick at myself as well as she does. Well done Denise.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I unashamedly adore Denise Scott. Every appearance she makes on tv has me in hysterics. So I had high expectations for this book and was worried I might be disappointed. I needn't have worried. This book is a hilarious read. Denise's world is very typical Australian. Her trials and tribulations with her children, her marriage, her mother and her job seem so familiar (especially to this middle aged female Australian mother). My favourite section was where she 'gives up' smoking! So funny. There are a couple of very sad moments in the book too, but of course she manages to find the humour in even her most depressing situations. PS Don't forget to read the acknowledgements in the end! Even those are funny! Highly recommend this book.

[Felicity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Not knowing much about the author as a stand up comedian, I found her writing style friendly, happy, straight to the point, funny, witty, heartfelt and just the style of writing I like to read! I like conversational writing. I like easy to read writing. I like writing that reads as if the author were speaking to me, and me alone. Denise….I like your writing! Thank you for a wonderful book that let me into your life and family ...at No 26.

[Whattheheckbec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Denise Scott doesn't fail to crack me up. There's something so authentic about this Aussie comedian and so much I learnt about her including reflecting back on awful situations with a sprinkling of humour like being married to a professional clown on stilts, dealing with his infidelity and her eventual love of her house which she initially thought of as a bit of a derelict mess that's falling apart. Kind of a metaphor for her life but learning to see the beauty in the chaos of life.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, you must read this book, for the laugh's and for seeing that this woman can write as amusingly as she can tell a story in her stand up routines.

Loved this book, so glad I spent the money to buy it, and will be pushing it onto my friends as a "you have to read this"

I loved her tales of being a parent, and the fact that I could so relate to them.

Great book!!

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very enjoyable, easy read. having heard denise doing stand up comedy its easy to imagine her voice telling the stories which she does with so much humour while not avoiding the difficult issues of her household. no flowery language just an entertaining way of looking at life & coping with the struggles. definitely recommend.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious and touching, Dennis Scott really captures her younger years of meeting her husband and the changes posed by family and long term relationship, the growing up of her kids, and how she fell into performing joining the circus and then on to stand up comedy. Her writing style is as dry and witty as she is in her stand up making truthful and funny observations about her life.

[Smitchy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very honest account of life from dennis scott as wife mother and stand up comedian. Always entertaining but not always laugh out loud. With many moments that I'm sure stay at home mums can relate too

[Sallyann Van leeuwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lighthearted amusing book from Denise, through all the highs and lows of family and gaining enough work to pay the bills. Loved reminiscing the glory days of the Big Gig and the other comedy shows that Denise was a part of.

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, light, fast read.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.