This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps, 321 pages

I know Busy Philipps from her talk show that was previously airing on E!, although it's since been cancelled. I really fell in love with her honest, witty and too the point attitude. Busy was recently very outspoken in regards to some things that I felt strongly about, which made me admire her more. I picked up her book and honestly, it's the best book I've read so far this year. This Will Only Hurt a Little was heartbreaking, hilarious and honest. I feel that Busy is a celebrity that you can relate with even just on paper. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good memoir.

Educated: a memoir by Tara Westover 334 pages

I struggle with how I want to describe this book.  It was riveting, but so unsettling.  This autobiography was remarkable in that the author got out and away from her upbringing as well adjusted as she did.  Don't get me wrong, I'll bet she's going to be struggling for the rest of her life to undo the damage growing up the way she did caused.  However, the fact that she was able to break away from her family and all their psychological problems and abuse is really impressive.  Her story is never really presented in a woe-is-me way, it is presented in a very matter of fact way that is almost more unsettling.  I love biographies and this is one that I will probably never forget. 

Hindsight: And All the Things I Can't See in Front of Me by Justin Timberlake, 288 Pages

I'm a huge Justin Timberlake fan, and an even bigger NSYNC fan, so I was super excited to read this book. I thought it was an interesting look at his life beyond what you normally see. The book also includes a ton of pictures from when he was a child, all the way up to his most recent tour. It was a quick and easy read, too, which I really appreciated. (I finished this in one sitting!)

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan 264 pages

This was a fascinating book.  Susannah Cahalan was young, driven and intelligent.  Suddenly she starts behaving in ways she can't rationalize or understand.  Eventually, she becomes someone her family and friends barely recognize.  This was a compelling story about a neurological disease that is barely understood still.  Susannah was lucky to have recovered as well as she did, others have not.  She is a reporter, and she wrote this book largely based on her investigative skills, by interviewing her family and medical teams, and by watching videos of herself during a period she has absolutely no recollection of.  I couldn't put this down, it was engrossing.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African childhood by Trevor Noah 288 pages

If you think Trevor Noah is smart and funny already, just wait.  This was such a great book, especially since I listened to it read by Trevor himself.  More than anything, it is a tribute to his mother, but the stories from his childhood in South Africa are compelling, funny and thought provoking.  This book never delves into current politics, or even talks about how Trevor got his career started in America.  This is strictly about his experience growing up under apartheid and its fall.  It's no wonder he is the intelligent, and thoughtful man he is, with his mother being the woman that she was.  I highly recommend this to everyone, I enjoyed it so much! 

Calypso by David Sedaris 259 pages

The most recent of works by David Sedaris was as enjoyable as any of his others.  While this one did have a significant amount of discussion of how our bodies fail us as we age, it was hysterically funny.  I was so happy that he included another exploration of idioms from around the world, as those are my favorites in his works.  This time it was "How do you tell off another driver when they, say, cut you off in traffic?"  The answers were so good, I may add them to my own repertoire.  As I always do, I listened to this read by the author.  In my opinion, this is the only way to go with Sedaris books.  His impressions of his family are so fun to listen to. 

Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham, 224 Pages

This has been on my To-Read list for a long time. I loved Lauren Graham as Lorelai Gilmore in the show Gilmore Girls, and feel so nostalgic when I watch it because I grew up watching it. Lauren talks a lot about the show and her feelings during it also during the revival, so this is a good read for anyone who loves the show. (Graham was also on Parenthood, I haven't seen that one! She does talk about her time on that show as well.) This was a feel-good read, and a nice break from my usual thriller novels.

Same Kind of Different as me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore, 96 pages

  This book worked well as an audio book, and the readers (Dan Butler and Barry Scott) were fabulous.

  I jumped into this one knowing nothing about it. I didn’t even look at the title or have a clue what kind of literature it was before listening to it. I just took the piece as the words came. The main characters/narrators are Ron Hall and Denver Moore, so my mind went reeling in new directions when the recording ended too soon for me with the spoken footnote that the book was written by Ron Hall and Denver Moore.

  I was sucked into Denver’s story from the first words. His childhood story painted a picture of Louisiana sharecropping in the South during the 30's and 40's that brought new, much appreciated insights to me. I liked Denver from the beginning even though he doesn’t necessarily seem to think he is more than, I believe he says, "No one telling anyone who will listen about someone everyone should know."

  Ron and Debra Hall met Denver when he was homeless and friendless in Texas after they each had lives full of experiences to share with each other. I’m glad they became friends and shared their combined stories for me to hear.

  This double autobiography is heart-warming, heart-wrenching, and potentially life-changing. My only complaint is that it's too short; I’m still checking to see if I accidentally lost the last half of the book.
  I see online that a movie version of the story was released in October of 2017.

Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir and Michele Fitoussi, 293 pages

  The stuff of great fiction here: princesses, kings, harems, palace intrigue, treason, murder, wrongful imprisonment, struggle beyond understandable human endurance, strong relationships, escape, capture, resolution, and hope. Elements of a great story (and a compelling book), however, aren’t necessarily experiences I would wish on actual people, and certainly not in relation to this particular story. This is an autobiography.

  Through these pages, with the assistance of journalist Michele Fitoussi, almost 50-year-old Malika Oufkir (former Moroccan princess) tells about her life.

  I’m glad that Malika got to tell her family’s story to the world and that I read it. My heart hurts for humanity that the experiences in the book actually happened.

Not My Father’s Son by Alan Cumming, 304 pages

  I picked up a recording of this book when I wanted to listen to something in the car and didn’t have time to look through selections on the library shelves. I wouldn’t ordinarily choose to read a celebrity autobiography, but I knew I wanted to listen through to the end of this audiobook from the first few moments.

  The author himself read the story he’d written as a way to work through traumatic childhood experiences that lurked about and sometimes assaulted his adult psyche. As a singer, actor, and performer with a lovely Scottish accent, no one could have read this particular text better. I felt as though I were listening to a friend read a long letter he’d written, and I liked being the recipient of his thoughts as he worked through his memories and kept me up-to-date with what and how he was doing in the present.

  This is not a story of fame. It is a story of a real person making his way in the world, bravely sharing his vulnerabilities to strengthen himself and others. Well done, Alan Cumming. Well done.

Fast N’ Loud: Blood, Sweat, and Beers by Richard Rawlings 224 pages

Fast N’ Loud is an autobiography of Richard Rawlings, the owner of Gas Monkey Garage in Dallas, Texas. Richard shares the story of his earlier days being a policeman and a firefighter to getting shot over his 1965 Mustang fastback. He also gives readers insight into creating Gas Monkey and how it almost never-was. Richard also takes readers behind the scenes of some of Gas Monkey’s famous car builds, as well as the people who make up Gas Monkey.

This was read by Alexander Cendese and Richard Rawlings. 

Go Big or Go Home: The Journey Toward the Dream by Scotty McCreery 256 pages

Scotty McCreery was just a kid from Garner, North Carolina who had a thing for country music when he auditioned for American Idol at the age of 16. He ends up winning the 10^th season of American Idol. But before that, he was a little boy who loved Elvis. Go Big or Go Home gives insight into Scotty’s life as well as the process of American Idol that you don’t see on TV.

I don’t normally read biographies, but I really enjoyed this one and it was by Scotty McCreery. 

Tim Gunn: The Natty Professor by Tim Gunn

Let me begin by saying, I love Tim Gunn!  Does that make me biased in this review?  Probably, but I don't care.  I love Tim Gunn.  He is the quintessential example of what a gentleman should be...actually what we should all be.  This book was his take on teaching.  What it means to be a good teacher, and just as importantly, a good students.  The best teachers never really stop being students.  His approach was anecdotal and often humorous.  I love that this was not a so-you-want-to-be-a-teacher handbook, but more that we all find ourselves in the role of teacher, mentor or student during our lives.  How can we be effective, inspiring, and motivating, while letting our students, or children, or employees, or whomever find their own voices?  He told of his failures, as honestly as his successes.  Sigh.  Did I mention I love Tim Gunn?

'Tis: a memoir by Frank McCourt 367 pages

This sequel to Angela's Ashes is a memoir from the time Frank McCourt came to New York until after his parents' deaths.  Frank had a rough time after he came to America.  His eyes had infection, his teeth were terrible, he was completely broke, and he was full of aspirations that had trouble being realized.  He has such a conversational and funny (albeit dry) way of telling his stories, I really enjoyed this book.  It was made all the more pleasurable because I listened to it read by the author.  He has a wonderful way of telling a story so you feel like you were there.  This was the first thing I ever read by Frank McCourt and I'm really glad I gave it a try.

El Deafo by Cece Bell 233 pages

This graphic novel is a semi-autobiographical recounting of Cece Bell's childhood.  The characters are all rabbit people, so it's not Persepolis accurate, but it's a really great book.  When Cece is 4 years old, she gets Meningitis and it causes substantial hearing loss.  The rest of the book is her trying to navigate a world she has lost one point of contact with.  We see her struggle with finding a friend who doesn't take advantage of her, or boss her around, or pity and talk down to her.  Let's face it, childhood is rough enough without feeling like you are completely unlike your peers.  Cece has a special hearing aid that requires her teacher to wear a microphone.  This ends up being a real perk when Cece begins hearing her teacher even when she's not in the room doing a lesson.  All's well that ends well, as the real Cece Bell grew up to write this wonderful book.  I hope a lot of kids read this and get a better feeling about making friends with those who have special needs of all kinds.  Those boxes may have different locks, but the treasures are just as rich if you manage to open them.

Yes, Please by Amy Poehler 329 pages

I have always really liked Amy Poehler.  I was a huge fan of Upright Citizen's Brigade and I was really pleased to see her career keep advancing.  After listening to her Yes, Please, I have to say I respect her very much, too.  Her attitude toward everything is obviously one of gratitude, never taking anything for granted or as an entitlement.  Her stories are told with warmth and humor, and she never forgets where she came from or the people that helped her get where she is.  I love her optimism and general pleasantness.  This book was funny and fun, whimsical, but not saccharine, it was just a really fun read...or listen...as I enjoyed the audiobook read by Amy herself.  I highly recommend this one!  When you're done, make sure you watch Parks and Recreation on Netflix streaming.  You won't regret it!

So, Anyway by John Cleese 392 pages

First of all, I wish that this had been an audiobook read by the author.  Having said that, it doesn't really matter, because I don't think anyone would be able to read this without hearing Cleese's voice in their head.  The interesting thing is that it really didn't talk about Monty Python's Flying Circus.  Most of the book was about Cleese's youth and early career.  His stories were funny and unexpected.  I had no idea that he was friends with so many really acclaimed actors.  I especially enjoyed reading about his antics with Graham Chapman and his recounting of working with Peter Sellers and Marty Feldman.  I have always been a big fan of John Cleese's work, but now I am a fan of him as a person, too!  I don't know if people who don't know anything about Cleese or the Pythons would enjoy this as much as I did, but I would still recommend it to anyone.