Jill

Best Thing since Bossy Pants

Revisado: 05-16-19

Thank god Lindy West is still out there, fighting tirelessly against everything I know is wrong but just can't face anymore. This book will make you infuriated but then - small victories! Lindy is inspiring in her bravery and resilience, and a role model for anyone who cares about injustice. I'm inspired by her in my struggle to find my own voice and just say "no" to the oppressors. WWLWD.
What's better - the book is endlessly entertaining, funny and heartfelt. In addition to an important work, it is an enjoyable read.

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Should Have Hired a Voice Actor

Revisado: 05-12-14

What would have made Let's Pretend This Never Happened (A Mostly True Memoir) better?

I have read Ms. Lawson's blog and I enjoy a lot of it. But these random stories are not interesting enough to keep me engaged for an entire book. I'll admit: I stopped listening midway.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jenny Lawson again?

No. Again, I like her blog but her voice and accent are irritating.

How could the performance have been better?

It would have been 100% better if she did not weird sing/chant the chapter titles. I think that alone was enough to bias me against her entire performance. Seriously, her singing is the most irritating sound I've ever heard.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Parts of it are funny. Her dad bringing home a dead squirrel puppet? Hilarious and explains so much about who she is. But parts of it are just boring.

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Engaging Yet Hammy, Like Nickelodeon Acting

Revisado: 05-12-14

What did you like best about Melissa Explains It All? What did you like least?

I loved hearing about how Melissa got started as a child actor: being brought to auditions by her mom, with her gaggle of siblings; being rewarded with new toys for bagging commercials?! Crazy.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting aspect is that she seems to have turned out pretty normal (with an expected degree of self-involvement, but then again, it's a memoir).

The least interesting aspect is her relatively normal life these days: I was semi-interested in her meeting her husband and whatnot but then there's a whole chapter where she describes different types of theme parties she's planned and I'm shouting "Why am I listening to this??" (and I love theme parties).

Do you think Melissa Explains It All needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No thank you.

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I Couldn't Get Through It

Revisado: 05-12-14

Would you ever listen to anything by Carl Reiner again?

Maybe.

Have you listened to any of Carl Reiner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

The only thing I've listened to was his speech at the 92nd St Y and this had a couple of the same anecdotes.

What character would you cut from I Remember Me?

I was hoping this would be more of a show biz memoir, especially about how he created the Dick Van Dyke Show, but if it's in there, he took too long getting to it. He mentions early on in the book that he had already written another memoir so maybe it's in that one.

Any additional comments?

The part about how he was questioned during McCarthyism was fascinating. And the bit about how he met his wife. I hate to give a bad review to the great Carl Reiner but, truthfully, it was a lot of rambling stories about people I don't know. It's ok, he's doing fine without my rave review.

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Engaging and Fun

Revisado: 05-12-14

What did you love best about I Don't Know What You Know Me From?

It was a charming book read by a charming author. I enjoyed hearing about her day-to-day life on set, and also during her real life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It was cute and not terribly self-indulgent for a celebrity memoir but it's like a sugary snack: good for in between meals but I can only take so much in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

I wish there were more details on how Ms. Greer got into the biz, her first auditions, her first roles (there were some anecdotes but not comprehensive). However, this is just my preferred subject, nothing I was promised. Overall, she seems down to earth and likable.

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Bravely Honest

Revisado: 07-08-13

If you could sum up Happy Accidents in three words, what would they be?

funny, fascinating, enlightening

What other book might you compare Happy Accidents to and why?

Any other funny lady memoir. It's like a darker Bossy Pants. Or an older Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? Probably most similar to Rachel Dratch's A Girl Walks Into A Bar or even Dick Van Dyke's My Lucky Life...

What does Jane Lynch and Carol Burnett (foreword) bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Obviously you want to hear Jane Lynch's voice when reading her memoir.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

One moment with her step-daughter which I won't spoil for you. Just in general, her struggles with her sexuality and alcoholism were moving and illuminating.

Any additional comments?

This is the best memoir I've read since Bossypants. Jane Lynch's life is fascinating, lucky, and at times, embarrassing. Definitely worth a read.

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Read the Abridged Version

Revisado: 06-18-13

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The protagonist (Ruth) is too passive and has no confidence. Ok, you have scars on your face. That must be hard. But you're a successful TV writer. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and stop complaining that nobody will ever love you because of your scars. Try online dating or something. She continually gives in to everyone in her professional life and she's even passive in the final resolution of her love life (no spoilers). It's hard to root for someone who can barely root for herself.

One more thing, which has to be said... the book (unintentionally) has a moral of "It doesn't matter if you don't love yourself. Just find a man to love you and everything will be ok."

If you’ve listened to books by Jennifer Weiner before, how does this one compare?

I have not.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration was too slow.

Was The Next Best Thing worth the listening time?

Depends how much time you have on your hands. There were a lot of things about this book that made me mad but, as someone interested in TV production, the subject matter was interesting. Ultimately, I did want to know what would happen next and I felt myself getting angry on Ruth's behalf as she got continually screwed in the pilot development process.

Any additional comments?

There were so many times that I wanted to yell, "I don't care what everyone in the room is wearing!" "I don't care about every item of food and drink that you served for dinner!" "Why, oh why, are you telling me everything that is contained in your grandmother's purse? Why??"

This is the problem with audiobooks. If I were reading, I would have just skimmed over these parts. This is why I recommend the abridged version.

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Fascinating Story of a Fascinating Man

Revisado: 11-12-12

Would you consider the audio edition of My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version but I thought Dick Van Dyke's performance was great.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dick Van Dyke is a really interesting, deep thinker. Not only did I enjoy his stories about his shows and movies, but I appreciated his thoughts on religion and the meaning of life. We could all learn a lot from him.

Have you listened to any of Dick Van Dyke’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Some of the reviews I read implied that DVD was too old to be reading at 85 years old, and that his voice sounded weak. I did not find that at all. I am aware that he is old, but his voice is strong and so is his performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It definitely pulls you in. Some parts are slower than others but it kept me engaged throughout.

Any additional comments?

Will probably listen to it again.

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Nostalgic Look at NBC in the 90's

Revisado: 10-10-12

What made the experience of listening to Top of the Rock the most enjoyable?

Hearing about the exciting events of the time from my favorite writers and stars.

What other book might you compare Top of the Rock to and why?

Live From New York (the SNL book). EXCEPT this book is much, much better to listen to because it (a) is not as long and boring, and (b) only has one narrator. The SNL book had too many narrators, which was really distracting.

What about Bob Balaban’s performance did you like?

He did a good job of reflecting the meaning of the words behind the quotes, without trying to imitate Seinfeld, for example.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

It's not that kind of book. But I guess the most impressive thing was all the moving parts that went into the successful spinoff of Frasier, especially considering how many things could have gone wrong, and how many spinoff disasters there have been before and since.

Any additional comments?

Really awesome book for anyone that loves TV.

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Cynical but Amusing

Revisado: 06-11-12

Would you listen to 'Hello', Lied the Agent again? Why?

Yes, I probably will. I'm interested in the television industry and he gave a very detailed account of what it's like to try to get a show (or 5) on the air. It was a unique insight you don't often find, especially since most books are written by people who got lucky and succeeded. This was a more average, win some/lose some perspective.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 'Hello', Lied the Agent?

At one point, he was saving the empty water bottle from every meeting he had and throwing it on the passenger side floor of his car. That visual sticks with me. He thought if he could just have a few more meetings, he could make his living on bottle deposits.

Which character – as performed by Ian Gurvitz – was your favorite?

It was a memoir, so...

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh often. It was a little too dark and depressing at times, but did not make me cry.

Any additional comments?

There were a few slow points, some times when I got tired of his voice, or when it got too cynical. But overall it was funny and worth listening.

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