Reader's Review: We're Going to Need More Wine: Stories that are Funny, Complicated and True


As a fan of many of Gabrielle Union's films, I was thrilled to see 'We're Going to Need More Wine' in the available audiobook section of Libby. The title was definitely catchy. I mean, who doesn't want to listen to a celebrity dish while drinking wine?! I prefer listening to memoirs on audiobooks, especially when they're read by the author. I think they are more authentic than books read by voice actors. I think it would have been nice if the subtitle "Stories that are Funny, Complicated and True" was included on the audiobook.


The first thing the reader needs to know is this is not a comprehensive memoir, but instead a collection of essays. My husband joked "is she even old enough to have a memoir?!"

"Nickie" as she is called by her family and friends grows up in affluent suburbia but spends her summers in Omaha. A lot of the book centers around her time in high school. We learn about her friendships, relationships, puberty, promiscuity, drinking/drugging, parents' divorce, sexual assault, friend's battle with cancer, and more. What we do not find out about, that I would have liked to know is more about her rise to fame, overcoming Dwayne Wade's cheating. But, it's her story to tell, and she chose not to include those chapters.

A few things that put me off in the book:
1) The first was the overuse of the word "pu$$7" - I don't even want to type it because hearing it so many times really put me off.
2) Her pettiness when recounting certain things from high school and her prenup. It sounds like she may still be holding grudges.

Overall, this wasn't "OMG FANTASTIC" but it wasn't bad either. I waffled between rating this book as a 2 (more of a 2.5) or a 3. What tipped the scale in favor of a higher rating were some of her more impactful stories: Surviving rape, and becoming a voice and advocate for the crusade against sexual assault as well as realistic discussions on fertility issues, step-parenting (especially raising black boys), and a discussion of racial identity (including colorism).

If you're looking for a quick read that gives a glimpse into Union's life, this may be the book for you. I wasn't a huge fan of the crude tone in part of the book, but overall Union does come off funny and authentic.

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