7 Awesome Irreverent Memoirs by Hilarious Women ...

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I can't talk about awesome memoirs by hilarious women without discussing Tiny Fey's Bossypants. Tina is an astounding woman, and a true role model; she's been working hard for so long, and she deserves every ounce of recognition she receives. We all knew she was a great comedy writer, but she's also a fantastic writer in general. Period, end of sentence, she's fantastic. This book is a testament to that, but you also get to experience Tina's awkward years – the younger ones, that is, not just the ones she shares with us now. Seeing how she came up through the male-heavy comedy industry is inspiring.

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This is actually one of my favorite books of all time. Sarah Thyre is hilarious and her childhood was often cringe-worthy, in a way I can empathize with on so many levels. From accidentally pooping during a childhood game to a desire to completely change her station in life (NOKD, anyone?), her life is your life is my life. If you don't know this hilarious woman, think back to the days when you watched “Strangers with Candy” with the lovely Amy Sedaris – or watch Conan, because she's the woman behind the adorable Andy Richter.

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Laurie Notaro is another delightfully awkward girl – and a Loudmouth Girl and an Idiot Girl, at that. She has tons of memoirs and essays, all of which are hilarious. I include this one not just because I'm about to be the fat bride, but also because it's the book that introduced me to her wit. If you've ever been dumped for a girl who follows the Ren Faire circuit or gotten into trouble for flushing your tampons down the toilet, you'll relate. And then you need to move on to I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies), It Looked Different on the Model, and The Potty Mouth at the Table, among many, many others.

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Whoopi Goldberg is just … she's everything. I'm not just a fan of her movies, although The Color Purple kills me every time and I can no longer read the book without picturing her, but her comedy shows are amazing. She taught me what to expect from menopause decades before I'll ever have to worry about it. She's into the whats and whys and reasons behind human behavior, which she explores in this book in a way that makes it hard for me to keep my mouth shut in public.

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Ellen DeGeneres is one of my idols. Her iconic coming out did amazing things for me, and her comedy has always touched me. She's the greatest procrastinator I've ever seen (see her show Here and Now), she's gracious, gorgeous, kind, funny, vulnerable, and just a goddess. This book gives you a look into her life lately, from the pointless to the poignant and everything in between. It's not her only work, though, and I strongly suggest reading pretty much every other book she's ever written as well.

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If you only know Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, stop. Just stop. No, but seriously, she is so much more than that. She's an accomplished writer with a number of excellent books spanning different genres; from Postcards from the Edge to Shockaholic to Wishful Drinking, however, she's in all of them. So are her famous mother and father, and all their famous dalliances. Wishful Drinking is particularly poignant, however, especially if you read the book and watch the show of the same name. This woman is a marvel – and her father was excellent at comforting women with his, ahem, penis.

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I don't know what it is about Sarah Silverman, but I kind of have a girl crush. It wasn't always there; I used to view her with indifference, if not outright disdain. Why? No idea. This book changed that, as did several of her latest comedy specials. The Bedwetter is just as out there as you'd expect it to be, but it's also very sincere, even vulnerable in many ways – and yes, there are instances of bed wetting. However, you also learn about Sarah herself, and what sometimes hides between the laughs and the jokes and the deadpan deliveries.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, some of these are very irreverent. Some are downright raunchy. That being said, however, they're all touching in their own way, and they all have something to share. Laugh with these women, like they're telling their stories just to you, over coffee or cocktails or cheesecake. And don't worry – I have my copy of Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? waiting to be devoured, I just haven't gotten to it yet. But you've been in these places, haven't you? Only some of the details change. Who are your favorite hilarious women? Why do you relate to them so much?