Laugh Cry Rewind – A Memoir

Laugh Cry Rewind is Author Judy Haveson’s beautifully written memoir that will truly make its readers laugh, cry, and possibly rewind back to their own childhoods. The first thing I noticed about this book was how Judy spoke to her readers. I felt as if she was my new best friend, and we were out for coffee, trading stories about our lives. One subject flowing freely to the next where one minute we would be tearing up over a very sad life occurrence and within a few minutes saying, “but remember when…” and then coming up with some outrageous story. I absolutely could not put this book down once I started reading it.

A young girl growing up in a nice Conservative family in Texas, Judy shared an August birthday with her older sister Celia. Of course, she looked up to her sister, and although Judy was a bit of a little pest as a child, as the sisters grew older, they became closer. The lessons that Judy learned from her sister and loved ones would carry her through her years into adulthood. There were a lot of funny stories in this book, including the one in which Judy’s mother brought her to the morning kindergarten class instead of the afternoon one. I also got a giggle out of some of the dates she went on before meeting her husband. There were a lot of signs of the time that Judy documented in her book, including her mother, Barbara, needing permission from her husband to teach Black children. Barbara stood up for herself, and this was just one of the lessons Judy learned growing up. Of course, anyone who grew up in the 90s would be jealous of Judy’s jaunt in the music industry, working with Vanilla Ice, and meeting Sir Elton John.

The saddest part of the book is when Celia is diagnosed with cancer and passes away at only twenty-six years old. Celia’s positivity and strength throughout her fight is something else Judy remembers and carries in her heart. I say this because there are many times in the book when Judy tells a story, she comes back to think about what advice Celia would have given her in her current situation.

In our lives, we have ups and downs. Judy was able to do a wonderful job of chronicling her own life in Laugh Cry Rewind. I recommend this book to any and all readers who love great memoirs.