What am I Reading? - October 2021 - BRAT: An 80's Story

 I love Andrew McCarthy. Maybe it comes from his somewhat aloof but secretly sweet persona in all of those 80's movies, but I have always wanted to know more about his life. Whether it was confessing to Ally Sheedy he was secretly in love with her in St. Elmo's Fire, or charming Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink, he seemed like an old soul. What's his story?  At the end of the day, McCarthy's story is like many of his era- kicked out of high school, some teen movie era fame, some bad press, some drinking, more adult roles and a turn on Broadway, a few marriages, a stint as a travel writer, a Hollywood comeback story, and finding bliss in directing and booking tv roles in some of the hottest shows, like 13 Reasons Why and The Resident. It's the typical story, right? 

McCarthy has so much more to tell. He developed an addition to alcohol long before he became a Brat Packer, mostly due to troubles at home stat started around age 12. He looked for his father's approval for years and studied the craft of acting in the hopes of learning more about himself, and maybe finally accepting his family for who they are. 

Read this book if you're looking for a journey of self-discovery, and to learn more about Weekend at Bernie's II. I give it 5 stars! 

 

What Am I Reading? - June 2021 - The Wreckage of My Presence

 

I cannot remember the last time I've been reading lines from a book out loud to my boyfriend. He really started to enjoy some of the stories and passages, many of which I had heard outlined in Casey Wilson's podcast, Bitch Sesh: A Real Housewives Breakdown Show. Wilson discusses parenting, Real Housewives, getting fired from SNL, and shares many cringe-worthy stories about her beloved father, Paul.   

What Am I Reading? - July 2021 - Amish Romance Novel BEACH READ

This is one of the worst books I've ever read, hands down! Not only was there no action in this book, but the very act of letting your hair down was the shameful reason Nellie and Caleb's love could last. From what I gathered, this was 2nd in a book series of The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, set against the backdrop of Nellie's Amish community splitting to a more natural order. Jacob remains on the traditional side and Nellie's family has been leaning toward the more progressive order. Her sister even leaves home and buys a car! At the end of this book, Nellie ends up alone. What a snooze!

My main complaint with the book, was the confusing switch of narrative. One chapter would be from Nellie's point of view, then her father's, then a sibling on the other side of town, then a flashback to the accidental drowning of Nellie's sister. It was impossible to keep straight who was talking every time the POV shifted. 

What am I Reading? - April 2021 - Turning the Tables

 

It started with a table flip, and ended with a ride home from a federal prison... I was very familiar with the story of Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice, a seemingly short-tempered, cash-flashing housewife. In Turning The Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again, we hear more of the nuance of the story, concluding at the time of her release from prison in 2016. A collection of old stories, musings, and journals let us into the inner psyche of the woman, whose husband, "Juicy Joe" left  to begin his own sentence at the beginning of her freedom

The most straining part of this story was to see two people that seemed like they used to be so in love, now so broken. When reading about their heartfelt calls and visits at the Danbury correctional center, when  compared to the reality of their draining separation, I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle. Granted, both have served prison sentences, lost parents, and Joe was deported back to Italy by ICE since he was technically an illegal immigrant as a child and never got a green card.  I really have to thank Co-author K.C, Baker for whatever she did for this book, which I suspect is turning it from half sentences and incorrectly used phrases, and making it easy for a human to understand. Watching her speak to her friends and family on TV can be a stressful experience if you like to hear people speaking the Queen's English, but I digress..., I now can see some shred of humanity to this woman that I hadn't seen before. She cares deeply for her friends, her kids, and her family. She also believes in the importance faith, fitness, and being a polite housemate. I think her time away taught her some humility and patience, which she was in short supply of up until that point. After all, she did almost black out in rage and flip over a table in the middle of a restaurant... As Countess Lu says, "Money can't buy you class."

via GIPHY

I give it a 4 out of 5! Minus a point for Juicy Joe, just as person. 

What am I Reading? - March 2021 - Natural Disaster

 

My bookshelf gained a new book this month! Over the pandemic, I have fallen in like with ABC's Chief Meteorologist, Ginger Zee. She forecasted and broadcasted from her basement for most of 2020, letting her hair's natural curls take center stage and  parenting while on live TV when her kids interrupt her reports, as seen in this clip  from Access Hollywood. 

I began following/stalking @Ginger_Zee on Twitter early in the pandemic because she seemed  like a relatable person on-air. I quickly learned that people direct message and @ her daily, dumping on  her fashion and hair choices (as Stephanie Tanner says, "How Rude!") She takes this abuse with grace and poise, reaching out to the fans and defending herself and her fashion choices. She wants to make every hater into a follower, and she does this well. 

In early Winter 2020, I discovered the  Narcolepsy 360 podcast, where a recent guest was, you guessed it, Ginger Zee. I learned she has suffered from the disease since her teen years, and had battled it while working through on-site storm coverage and 10+ weekend shifts earlier in her career. I immediately ordered myself this book, which catches us up to the present.  

Through reading this story, I learned about a courageous woman whose love of storms in her childhood propelled her to study meteorology in college. I had no idea schools offered degrees in meteorology. The chapter about her work covering Hurricane Katina is heartbreaking, and shows her heart and courage.  I give it 5 out of 5!

Book Club: Can I Get A What What For Jane Austen

     My book club recently finished ready Mindy Kaling's Why Not Me?, an engaging set of essays that detail life in Hollywood, struggles with weight and working out, camp, filming a TV show, dating a White House bigwig, having life-draining friends, and finding a person who is truly your "Soup Snake." We give it a wholehearted thumbs up. It was impossible to read the 200+ page boon in segments over 4 weeks because we just wanted more. Special shout out the the chapter where Mindy imagines her Rom-Com life as a Latin teacher at a hip NYC prep school. Two thumbs up from the whole group!

      Our next target is Laurie Viera Rigler's Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, because we've already read Pride and Prejudice enough times. A 21st century woman ended up trapped in Regency England after some troubling times. You know there is not enough wine in those times to drown your misery of having to put on a corset every day.

Cheers til next time, book friends!
 

Book Club: Let's Get Chatty With Mindy K

     I'm starting a book club with some dear friends and I can't wait! We're reading Mindy Kaling's second book Why Not Me? I can't wait to dive in! This book is a follow-up to Kaling's first book, 2012's Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me (And Other Concerns).

The creator of Hulu's successful The Mindy Project finds a way to bring her everyday Hollywood problems and childhood traumas to the audience with humility and grace.