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I Kid You Not!: Chronicles of an Ordinary Family
Bestselling author of The Spoon Stealer brings more of her sharp Cape Breton wit to the follow-up non-fiction collection to Leacock – longlisted Are You Kidding Me?! I Kid You Not! is a follow-up to bestselling author Lesley Crewe's first hit column-and-essay collection, Are You Kidding Me?! Here Lesley is hilarious and insightful as ever, giving us her take on everything from hockey to wildlife to the ache of missing our ancestors in ninety essays.
She shares details of her proposal for the Mere Mortal Awards (Best Director goes to the "poor, long-suffering volunteer who organizes the parking lot at the Legion during the annual county fair"), whether she's used the pandemic as an opportunity to write more ("Piss off and leave me alone. I have a family-sized bag of M&M's to finish"), and what it's like to live with anxiety ("I?d much rather say I have the collywobbles or jim-jams.")
Threaded throughout the book is the thrum of delight and deep love Lesley feels at becoming a grandmother to "baby blueberry" in early 2020.
Lesley's columns have brought joy to readers for decades — I Kid You Not! will ensure that joy sustains for decades to come.
She shares details of her proposal for the Mere Mortal Awards (Best Director goes to the "poor, long-suffering volunteer who organizes the parking lot at the Legion during the annual county fair"), whether she's used the pandemic as an opportunity to write more ("Piss off and leave me alone. I have a family-sized bag of M&M's to finish"), and what it's like to live with anxiety ("I?d much rather say I have the collywobbles or jim-jams.")
Threaded throughout the book is the thrum of delight and deep love Lesley feels at becoming a grandmother to "baby blueberry" in early 2020.
Lesley's columns have brought joy to readers for decades — I Kid You Not! will ensure that joy sustains for decades to come.
264 pages, Paperback
Published August 23, 2021
16 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Crewe
18 books766 followersLesley grew up in Montreal, PQ. After graduating from Concordia University with a degree in English and Education, she and her hubby settled down in Homeville, Cape Breton and raised a family.
From 2000-2005, Lesley was a features writer and columnist (Home Fires) for Cape Bretoner Magazine, and from 2005-2009, a columnist (Lesley's Letters) with the on-line magazine, Cahoots.
In 2005 her first novel, Relative Happiness, was published by Vagrant Press, the fiction imprint of Nimbus Publishing. It was an instant bestseller, and was shortlisted for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. She has since written nine other novels.
In 2012, Relative Happiness was optioned for film, and in 2014, Lesley's characters came to life on the big screen. The movie was produced by Wreckhouse Productions, directed by Deanne Foley, and stars Australian Melissa Bergland (Winners and Losers), and homegrown Canadian talent like Susan Kent (This Hour has 22 Minutes), Jonathan Torrens (Mr. D, Trailer Park Boys), and Rob Welles (Trailer Park Boys).
From 2000-2005, Lesley was a features writer and columnist (Home Fires) for Cape Bretoner Magazine, and from 2005-2009, a columnist (Lesley's Letters) with the on-line magazine, Cahoots.
In 2005 her first novel, Relative Happiness, was published by Vagrant Press, the fiction imprint of Nimbus Publishing. It was an instant bestseller, and was shortlisted for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award. She has since written nine other novels.
In 2012, Relative Happiness was optioned for film, and in 2014, Lesley's characters came to life on the big screen. The movie was produced by Wreckhouse Productions, directed by Deanne Foley, and stars Australian Melissa Bergland (Winners and Losers), and homegrown Canadian talent like Susan Kent (This Hour has 22 Minutes), Jonathan Torrens (Mr. D, Trailer Park Boys), and Rob Welles (Trailer Park Boys).
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 1, 2022
I loved this collection of essays. I laughed and cried and felt so connected to the author because of our age, chin hairs, internal feelings of youth and our love of our grandchildren/family. Great read. #indigoemployee
October 1, 2022
Two of my most favourite books ever were written by Lesley Crewe. Let's add #3! Lesley Crewe knows what I want to read and delivers! Now I must decide which of her books to dive into next.
Subtitled "Chronicles of an Ordinary Family", I Kid You Not! is not a novel. Rather it is a collection of some of Crewe's non-fictional (and may I say oft times hilarious) articles/columns/musings. There are more than 90 of these 2-3 page offerings which is one of the enjoyable aspects of the book - so many diverse topics covered in a small amount of space. For me, this couldn't be better, as I usually had to take a brief time-out after each one to muse and chuckle over what I had just read. Not so easy to do or required with lengthy chapters.
One of my greatest desires now is to meet Lesley Crewe face-to-face to a sit-down for a good ole chin-wag with her. She seems to be exactly my kind of human - we share many things in common, including age range and being Maritimers.
I Kid You Not! includes topics that range from coping with COVID times and its restrictions, to the birth of her first grandchild; to her love of all animals; to being married for close to 45 years and her family's ups and downs; relationships & loss; and so very much more. If you don't have an inkling as to who she is, or what she's about upon completing the book, then you haven't paid much attention.
There are some serious, thoughtful offerings spread throughout, but most of my time saw me with a huge smile on my face, or a loud laugh (the cat was not amused), and/or a long shake of my head as I acknowledged complete understanding.
This was a follow-up to another collection called Are You Kidding Me? which I must now get my hands on. It was long-listed for a Leacock award.
Lesley Crewe is sitting 3 for 3 in my ratings system so far. Number 4 is soon coming up. Can't wait! Thank you, Lesley. I look forward to a long literary relationship with you and your work.
Subtitled "Chronicles of an Ordinary Family", I Kid You Not! is not a novel. Rather it is a collection of some of Crewe's non-fictional (and may I say oft times hilarious) articles/columns/musings. There are more than 90 of these 2-3 page offerings which is one of the enjoyable aspects of the book - so many diverse topics covered in a small amount of space. For me, this couldn't be better, as I usually had to take a brief time-out after each one to muse and chuckle over what I had just read. Not so easy to do or required with lengthy chapters.
One of my greatest desires now is to meet Lesley Crewe face-to-face to a sit-down for a good ole chin-wag with her. She seems to be exactly my kind of human - we share many things in common, including age range and being Maritimers.
I Kid You Not! includes topics that range from coping with COVID times and its restrictions, to the birth of her first grandchild; to her love of all animals; to being married for close to 45 years and her family's ups and downs; relationships & loss; and so very much more. If you don't have an inkling as to who she is, or what she's about upon completing the book, then you haven't paid much attention.
There are some serious, thoughtful offerings spread throughout, but most of my time saw me with a huge smile on my face, or a loud laugh (the cat was not amused), and/or a long shake of my head as I acknowledged complete understanding.
This was a follow-up to another collection called Are You Kidding Me? which I must now get my hands on. It was long-listed for a Leacock award.
Lesley Crewe is sitting 3 for 3 in my ratings system so far. Number 4 is soon coming up. Can't wait! Thank you, Lesley. I look forward to a long literary relationship with you and your work.
January 15, 2022
I love to read Lesley Crewe. This book is a compilation of her newspaper columns. It is like getting together with a good friend and just chatting about all the things you like and all the things that annoy you in life. A perfect read after the stress of Christmas in COVID and the beginning of a winter of restrictions. I will pick it up again if I need an old friend to talk to.
June 19, 2023
A great read. A collection of short tales or vignettes in no particular order, but poignant and telling. I laughed and cried and even dog-eared the book in multiple places for bits that particularly spoke to me.
January 28, 2024
Love Lesley Crewe - this book was just what I needed in January. Light read, quick little stories of everyday life. Relatable. Funny. Recommend.
January 31, 2023
4.5 star... trust me, this is a very high rating from me
Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed this book despite the fact that I typical do not read non-fiction nor do I at all choose to read short stories! However, I picked this book up from a fee library because I had just been chatting about Lesley Crewe's books that day. I am in three bookclubs and all of them have chosen Crewe's books this year and one of the groups will be honoured with an appearance by Lesley in March so when I saw this book staring at me, I thought it must be a sign. And I am so glad I picked it up. It is a series of mostly funny, sometimes heart-wrenching ('Forever'), and always relatable musings about our world written through the challenging Covid lockdown months. What shocked me so much was that it's as if Crewe was channeling me and my thoughts in so many of her chapters - 'Time Savers' and 'The Power of Family' to name two. Anyway, her anecdotes and views really resonated with me and I absolutely cannot wait to chat to her in our bookclub. Now on to read 'The Spoon Stealer'.
Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed this book despite the fact that I typical do not read non-fiction nor do I at all choose to read short stories! However, I picked this book up from a fee library because I had just been chatting about Lesley Crewe's books that day. I am in three bookclubs and all of them have chosen Crewe's books this year and one of the groups will be honoured with an appearance by Lesley in March so when I saw this book staring at me, I thought it must be a sign. And I am so glad I picked it up. It is a series of mostly funny, sometimes heart-wrenching ('Forever'), and always relatable musings about our world written through the challenging Covid lockdown months. What shocked me so much was that it's as if Crewe was channeling me and my thoughts in so many of her chapters - 'Time Savers' and 'The Power of Family' to name two. Anyway, her anecdotes and views really resonated with me and I absolutely cannot wait to chat to her in our bookclub. Now on to read 'The Spoon Stealer'.
November 6, 2021
I’ve loved most of this author’s novels, but this wasn’t a novel, rather it was a selection of columns that she wrote for her local newspaper in Cape Breton. They were funny, heartwarming, and sad, but mostly hysterically funny. Laugh out loud funny because I have been in so many of the situations she has described so articulately, being a woman of a similar age. It’s like she crawled into my skin these last 10 years, lived my life, then wrote about it. I enjoyed it a lot to the point of reading many paragraphs aloud to my husband, who also laughed, out of recognition! Truly, this lady is my favourite Canadian author!
June 29, 2025
This 2021 compilation is a collection of Canadian author Lesley Crewe's columns from the Chronicle Herald. There were both tender and light moments, not necessarily in chronological order, but they covered a large range of topics, such as COVID-19, motherhood, marriage, women's work, grandparents, traditions, etc.
This book was my June selection for the 12 for 12 challenge. It was my mother who recommended I read a Lesley Crewe book. I have read other titles by this author and highly recommend that others check out her fiction and nonfiction written work.
Goodreads review published 28/06/25
This book was my June selection for the 12 for 12 challenge. It was my mother who recommended I read a Lesley Crewe book. I have read other titles by this author and highly recommend that others check out her fiction and nonfiction written work.
Goodreads review published 28/06/25
August 27, 2023
I very rarely give five stars on any book, but Lesley Crewe makes me giggle snort, laugh hysterically, chuckle, ponder life, and bawl my eyes out. She and I are sisters from another life, I'm sure. All of the odd things I think about she voices. If you are feeling a little down, and you're overweight, and you're husband is an arse sometimes, and you don't like people anymore, this is the book for you!
April 2, 2022
Lesley Crewe, you are amazing!
PS. The memories of those first months were spot on- only funnier, now that we have lived and adapted two years into this world changing event.
More importantly , your loving description of loss and arrivals within your family are poignantly written. I salute you, Lesley! Well done!!!
PS. The memories of those first months were spot on- only funnier, now that we have lived and adapted two years into this world changing event.
More importantly , your loving description of loss and arrivals within your family are poignantly written. I salute you, Lesley! Well done!!!
January 10, 2022
Lesley Crewe delivers such ordinary, everyday experiences in such hilarious, see-yourself ways - her writing, omG!!! Truly makes me laugh out loud!! A great read during this pandemic to give you a lift! Loved it!
January 26, 2022
Lesley Crewe,favorite Canadian Author...
Read this and found myself laughing out loud,even read parts to my husband who got a great chuckle out of it.
A good book to read to lift your spirits during these dreary,snowy days.
Absolutely LOVED IT!!!!
Read this and found myself laughing out loud,even read parts to my husband who got a great chuckle out of it.
A good book to read to lift your spirits during these dreary,snowy days.
Absolutely LOVED IT!!!!
January 28, 2024
I loved every story in this collection. They were heartfelt and relatable, and some had me laughing out loud! I am a huge fan of Lesley Crewe, and this book gave me a clear insight into her life, family, and writing process.
March 18, 2024
As a Maritimer I enjoyed reading these short snippets. I personally prefer a longer story that draws me in. I could relate for sure but found many commonalities to my own life and upbringing. I much prefer Lesley Crewe’s novels.
November 24, 2024
I liked this author so wanted to read this. I much prefer a good book than a bunch of essays. Having said that- Lesley Crewe is always very relatable and funny in her perspective of everyday life. Enjoyed many of these essays.
August 30, 2022
As usual, Lesley Crewe doesn't disappoint. This book is full of humour. So much of it is relatable to most of our lives.
January 24, 2024
Such a light hearted, easy read. Short chapters to pick up and read one in between doing other things during the day. Definitely recommend!
March 23, 2024
A fun easy book of very short stories
December 5, 2024
Amusing.
December 24, 2021
Another collection of enjoyable tales. Just as good as Crewe's: Are You Kidding Me?
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews