I seldom read memoirs. Knowing the broad strokes of a person’s life is usually enough for me. Ironically, as a self-proclaimed nosy person, the genre should be right up my alley. I also have to admit I bristle when young people write them. Come back when you’ve banked a few more decades of life experience, and then maybe I’ll tune in to see what the craic is.
And then I read Happy, thank you. More, please, by Kyla Cobbler, the hilarious Cork-born, London-based comedian. Lads, do yourselves a favour and grab a copy. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never heard of her (despite her 1.2 million Instagram followers). Even if you’re not Irish, can’t pinpoint Cork on a map, or aren’t up to date with the comedy scene, pick it up anyway and dive straight in.
The broad strokes are: born in Cork, identified with dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia, lived in Milan and Barcelona, had difficult relationships with men and alcohol, her comedy journey and finding peace with it all. Happy, thank you. More, please, is so much more than that. It’s an origin story grounded in strong women: her mother, grandmother, siblings and friends. I think it’s an accidental homage to womanhood.
Do you believe in the power of the Universe? Kyla Cobbler definitely does. The book is peppered with moments when the universe provided exactly what was needed, right when it was most needed. But there are rules. Ask for what you need. Put in the work to help things along, and be grateful every step of the way. If you’re happy, say thank you. If you need more, say please.
Cobbler is a heck of a storyteller, and some of her tales are completely bonkers. Imagine moving to Italy or Spain with severe learning difficulties, without knowing a lick of the language and somehow making it work. She did. She also writes with raw honesty about navigating a coercively controlling relationship.
How about this one? Have you ever been arrested in Milan for being an accidental drug mule? Cobbler has. Buckle in for that anecdote because it’s incredible. To top it all off, she made her stand-up debut just five years ago, built a million-plus online community, and has now sold out Dublin’s 3Arena for her Not My Lemons show. I have my ticket for Friday, 26th February 2027, and I can’t wait.
Settle in for a fantastic read. It’s conversational, and her authentic voice shines through. It’s raw, honest, bonkers, unbelievable and funny. It’s full of grit, resilience, rebirth, and, more than anything else, a story of gratitude.
I loved it, and I’m grateful to her publisher, Brazen, for a copy. See what I did there? More, please.
