Book Review: "Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef" by Slutty Cheff

I’ve been wanting to read this for a few weeks, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I was today years old when I realized this is a memoir and not a novel! (That realization didn’t affect me; I clearly didn’t pay close attention to the blurbs I read!)

“There are two things in my life that are a constant reminder that pleasure exists: food and sex. And I am learning about the different forms they may come in.”

Anonymous chef and columnist Slutty Cheff quit her marketing job after a workplace relationship went sour. She decided the thing she enjoyed most was cooking, so she went to culinary school and eventually did a trial run at a London restaurant. The energy, the camaraderie, even the stress captivated her, and the trial run turned into a job.

She is quickly enamored of her job and craves more responsibility. While it’s hard to be the only woman working in the kitchen, she more than holds her own. But the 60+-hour workweek, coupled with late nights fueled by alcohol and drugs with her colleagues, exhausts her both physically and emotionally.

The book follows her love/hate relationship with being a chef and the whole restaurant culture. She gets overwhelmed by the pressure and the lifestyle, but misses cooking when she’s not doing it. At the same time, she gets involved with several men over time, and realizes that sex gives her the same high.

You know how much I like books about chefs, cooking, restaurants, etc., so this was definitely right up my alley. This is one of those books you shouldn’t read on an empty stomach, and at times, it’s quite steamy, so be prepared. It’ll make you think twice about staying until a restaurant is nearly empty, too!

Book Review: "Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith" by Phil Hanley

Thanks so much to Henry Holt for the complimentary advance copy of this book. It’s available now.

“I always prayed I’d wake up smart.”

Growing up, Phil Hanley had a horrible time in school. His teachers thought he was lazy and not trying, and some thought he was stupid. (He thought so, too.) But actually, he was dyslexic, something that wasn’t diagnosed until well into his adolescence.

Although he was able to get help once educators figured out his challenges, he was scarred by the way his teachers treated him. It definitely caused him to have issues with self-esteem and confidence.

Despite knowing that there was justification for his issues with school, Phil took a different path after graduation: he did some modeling before eventually deciding on a comedy career.

This was a moving and humorous memoir. I didn’t know much about Phil but his determination, and the support of his mother, was really impressive. This book would be inspirational for anyone dealing with obstacles.

Book Review: "The Loves of My Life" by Edmund White

Edmund White was the first gay fiction author whose work I read back in the 1980s. He’s definitely one of the legends of the genre, and at 85 years old, he’s still writing. This memoir was my book club’s pick for the month and it certainly provoked a lot of discussion!

“Did I always endure unreciprocated love because I could only love (and write about it) when I was rejected? Did my low self-esteem seek out rejection, as in I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that would accept me? Or does everyone hope to trade up to a newer, better lover? Not social climbers but amorous climbers?”

This memoir isn’t your typical chronicling of White’s literary career or anything like that. In this book, White looks back on more than 60 years of sexual encounters. He touches on everything from his childish escapades while growing up and taking his curiosity a few steps further as a teenager, to sex he paid for (and, in some cases, was paid for), as well as the risks he and many other men took, given the illegality of homosexual activity both in the U.S. and abroad.

White doesn’t mince words when describing some encounters and the men he was with. Some of his memories may be shocking, some were tame, and some were tremendously poignant, given how AIDS decimated the gay community in the 1980s and 1990s. And while the sheer number of encounters may seem unbelievable, for many men during that time, having the opportunity to be free from hiding their true selves often led to unbridled activity.

True to the title of the book, White touches on his romantic relationships as well. He shares both good memories and bad, and there are clearly some men he was fonder of than others.

I’m definitely not a prude, but after a while I felt like some of White’s recollections became excessive. However, I love how he captured the changes in society and sexual freedom through the decades, and how he views sex now that he’s in his 80s.

Book Review: "Two Women Walk Into a Bar" by Cheryl Strayed

Sounds like the setup to a joke, doesn’t it? But this story by Cheryl Strayed definitely packs an emotional punch.

Cheryl and her husband Brian get the news that Brian’s mother Joan is dying. It’s not unexpected news but obviously it’s still a blow, and it causes major upheaval in their lives. As they work on moving Joan into the assisted living facility in her community, Cheryl reflects on their relationship, nearly 20 years to the day that Cheryl first met Joan.

“Over the previous two decades, we’d come to love each other, but it was a particular, conditional sort of love, one based on circumstance and courtesy rather than connection and compatibility.”

Like many relationships between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, there was always a note of competition between the two, fighting for superiority in Brian’s life. Joan praised Cheryl, but always with qualifiers or slight condescension. (She once said, “You’re big, but you’re firm. Like sculpted butter.”) Joan was always a small reminder of Cheryl’s mother, who died of cancer when Cheryl was much younger.

This was beautifully told, full of humorous and poignant moments. Cheryl not only has to process her own emotions in the wake of Joan’s impending death, but also be sensitive to Brian’s grief, and help their two young children comprehend the loss of the only grandparent they’d ever known.

If you’ve recently experienced loss, this may be a bit triggering for you. But as always, I’m struck by Strayed’s storytelling ability, making you care about people you don’t know.

Book Review: "Cold Kitchen: A Year of Culinary Travels" by Caroline Eden

I love how evocative a particular food or meal can be. There are certain dishes or foods that can take you back to a particular point in your life, or remind you of a specific person, place, or time.

That concept is at the core of Cold Kitchen. Caroline Eden is a food, travel, and arts writer in the UK, who has written two food books chronicling her travel and culinary adventures. In this book, she recalls past trips and meals from the vantage point of her basement kitchen in Edinburgh.

“Sometimes what we choose to cook mirrors what our soul misses, and sometimes the food we eat is a reflection of past routes taken.”

Each chapter of the book represents a particular dish and a particular trip. In a chapter about Russian hand pies, she recalls a seven-day, 5,772-mile railway journey she took with her husband to Vladivostok, on the Pacific edge of Asia. At the end of each chapter is a recipe of the dish she discussed.

This is a very interesting book, in that less-familiar ingredients from Europe, Asia, and Africa are explored. There’s a springtime soup from Georgia (the country), an apple strudel from the Ukraine, and a watermelon and feta salad which takes inspiration from the winter melons of Uzbekistan.

If you’re well-traveled or have a travel bucket list that includes some of these countries, this book is for you. And if you’re an adventurous chef, this book is for you. It’s truly a fascinating read.

Book Review: "Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations" by Alton Brown

“To me, food is best when it’s not fussed over. Cook it as simply as you can, make it taste as good as you can without overcomplicating matters, serve it on a fairly simple, tasteful plate (if it’s chipped, even better), toss on a bit of parsley, and let it go. Do not fuss. Do not wipe down the edge of the plate. Do not position the stack of fries just so. Do not manipulate the Brussels sprout leaves with tweezers. We are humans, and wonderfully, imperfectly so. If it turns out that fussing is simply part of your DNA, do your imperfect best to not let it show, as it scares the rest of us.“

If there’s a chef who writes a book (not a cookbook), chances are I will read it. I’m fascinated by the paths that people followed into the culinary world, especially those who have some longevity, given people’s constantly changing tastes.

I used to be addicted to Food Network. On the weekends in particular, I’d watch a ton of cooking shows. And as much as I loved new recipes and techniques, I also loved understanding the science behind cooking, which is what drew me to Alton Brown and his show Good Eats.

Brown is a quirky personality but he is an absolute fount of culinary knowledge. His show not only taught ways to cook better but also helped viewers understand where their problems might lie. His humor was always on full display.

This book isn’t quite a memoir; it’s more a collection of essays, the majority of which center around food and how it became part of his life. From his early days of consuming every type of sugared cereal to reflections on his perfect martini, Brown provides insightful, fun, and thought-provoking commentary. He also talks plenty about Good Eats and his participation on Iron Chef America.

I thought this was a great book, as it was right up my alley. Even if you’re not familiar with Brown, if you’re a fan of food and cooking, there will definitely be something in here to enjoy!

Book Review: "In Gad We Trust: A Tell-Some" by Josh Gad

From the first time I saw him stumble onto the stage in The Book of Mormon, I’ve been a fan of Josh Gad’s. Whether seeing his face or just hearing his voice (as Olaf in Frozen), his presence in a show adds laughter and heart.

I’m always fascinated by funny people and what makes them tick. Where did their sense of humor and desire to make people laugh come from?

For Gad, his “radioactive-spider-bite-inception moment” was in kindergarten, when his mother threw his father out of the house for being unfaithful to her.

“The trauma of going from a full family unit to a broken household in a matter of minutes was fairly earth-shattering to me, but it would also set me on a course to become the entertainer I would one day be.”

What I enjoyed about this “Tell-Some” was the combination of Gad’s humorous asides and times when he addressed things that affected him emotionally. He talks about his parents’ divorce, his struggle with his weight and self-image, and what it felt like to become a father in the midst of his career trajectory starting to rise.

I don’t read a lot of memoirs, particularly celebrity memoirs, but there’s something about Gad that reminds me of myself. (In the fat Jewish kid who desperately wanted to show all of his doubters how talented he was way, not the Tony-nominated actor way.) It definitely revealed his complexity and served as a reminder that you never know what a person is going through just by looking at them!

Now…do you want to build a snowman?

Book Review: "The Jolliest Bunch: Unhinged Holiday Stories" by Danny Pellegrino

“I was an emotional kid, who turned into an even more emotional adult—one who mourns the good times as much as he mourns the bad. Perfect days end with me wiping up the same tears that result from the crappy days.”

The holidays always seem to bring out healthy doses of both joy and craziness. I guess that’s why they’re such great fodder for writers. In The Jolliest Bunch, Danny Pellegrino, host of the podcast “Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino,” shares some of his holiday memories. They’ll either make you feel good about your own experiences or make you think he doesn’t know what crazy really is.

Having read his last book, How Do I Un-Remember This, I really enjoy Pellegrino’s voice. His stories never seem so wild as to be preposterous, but they’re always at least a notch or two beyond the usual holiday experience.

Some of my favorites include: “The Nativity,” which meshes your typical Christmas play story with an overly dramatic child with abandonment issues; “Black Velvet,” in which he gives Mrs. Claus her long-overdue adventure; “The Night Before,” about his mother’s annual meltdown before hosting a Christmas Eve party; and “The Ghostly Duo,” where he recounts his experience being haunted by a gay, pop culture-savvy ghost.

Not every story was a winner for me, but many of them touched my heart, reminded me of my own experiences, and/or made me laugh. No matter what Pellegrino talked about, it reminded me to always find the joy in being with those I care about, because you never know when circumstances will change.

While I mostly read fiction, this book was a fun departure for me. This reminds me a bit of a David Sedaris collection but it has a charm all its own.

Book Review: "From Here to the Great Unknown" by Lisa Marie Presley and RIley Keough

I’ve been an Elvis fan for as long as I can remember. My parents used to play his music, I watched a lot of his movies while I was growing up, and I distinctly remember people being upset when he died. A few years after college, a friend and I even road-tripped down to Memphis and visited Graceland.

As an Elvis fan, Lisa Marie Presley also fascinated me. I enjoyed her music and was always fascinated by her life, and felt it was really tragic when she died. Needless to say, when I heard her memoir, which was finished by her daughter, was going to be published, I knew I needed to read it.

This book was an emotional one. Not only was it sad to read about how devastated she was to lose her father when she was 9, but she struggled her entire life with so many things. Addiction. Depression. Being such a subject of fascination for the public. Finding and keeping love. Grief.

While there wasn’t much in the book that necessarily surprised me (although I had forgotten she was briefly married to Nicolas Cage), it still was gripping to read her thoughts. The counterpoint and further details Riley Keough provided definitely deepened the story through her perspectives.

I often wonder if life in the public eye truly prevents a person from living a “normal” life and enjoying it. Certainly from this book you can see how Lisa Marie’s fierce parenting protected Riley from falling into many of the same traps that her mother did.

This was moving and powerful. I’m so glad Riley decided to ensure that her mother’s story didn’t remain untold after her death. And I feel grateful that the Presleys shared their talent with the world.

Book Review: "What I Ate in One Year (and related thoughts)" by Stanley Tucci

“Sharing food is one of the purest human acts.”

If you had told me a few years ago that I would absolutely love a book in which someone essentially listed what they ate over the course of a year, I would’ve thought you were crazy. But then again, if it wasn’t Stanley Tucci telling me about his meals, it might not have been the experience this book was.

I fell in love with Tucci’s earlier book, Taste, and also really enjoyed his show, Searching for Italy. There’s just something so appealing about his love of good food, sharing it with family and friends, and mastering the preparation of it, not to mention recognizing the errors he or others made.

A diary of sorts, Tucci recorded what he ate in 2023, sometimes sharing specifics—location, his dining companions, what he thought of the food—and sometimes just being general. At times he’ll talk about why he liked or didn’t like a particular dish; other times he’ll share a memorable anecdote. (Even some recipes!) He and his wife Felicity both love to cook and entertain, and they do a great deal of it in the book.

You won’t want to read this on an empty stomach, especially if you’re a fan of Italian food. Tucci’s literary voice is so clear and direct—he doesn’t beat around the bush when he has something negative to say. Boy, I’d love to grab a meal with him or just talk food!!

“Part of the beauty of a certain dish or a meal is that it is ephemeral. It can be repeated but it will never be the same. Like the performance of a play. The lines and staging will be the same, but the result will always be a little different.”

Book Review: "Be Ready When the Luck Happens" by Ina Garten

The Barefoot Contessa’s memoir is finally here. How great is that?

Years ago I went to culinary school and worked as a personal chef and caterer for a while. One of the people whose recipes I loved and often adapted was Ina Garten. It’s amazing how an incredibly wealthy woman with an amazing house in the Hamptons who hobnobs with celebrities seems as down to earth as she does.

Amazingly, this culinary icon got her professional start writing nuclear energy papers for the Ford and Carter administrations. But she was bored and didn’t feel like her work had an impact, so heeding her husband’s advice to do what you love, they bought a small gourmet shop, The Barefoot Contessa, in the Hamptons. Never mind the fact that she had no experience in the food business!

It was so easy for me to get caught up in this memoir, as if Ina was telling me her life story over dinner. She touches on her unhappy childhood and her desire to do things that weren’t traditionally appropriate for young women. She found her independent streak early and it’s never abandoned her.

As much as I loved her stories about her finding her footing in the food business and her stepping into the spotlight, the most entertaining parts of the book are when she recounts meeting her husband Jeffrey while she was still in high school. Their love story is often satirized but theirs is a sweet relationship.

I enjoyed this book so much. To me, it came across exactly as she does on television—full of joy and gratitude at the good fortune she has found. Such a delight.

Book Review: "The Third Gilmore Girl" by Kelly Bishop

“I’ve been blessed with a career that’s had its disappointments, but for the most part it’s been a series of dreams come true. The fact that I’ve done it on my terms, without compromising my privacy, my integrity, and my relative anonymity, makes it even more gratifying. I can’t imagine having done it any other way and still looking back on it with the joy and the satisfaction I do today.”

I was obsessed with the movie Dirty Dancing when it came out. While I loved everything about it, Kelly Bishop’s small role as Baby’s mother definitely made me laugh. But at that time, I had no idea that she was a Tony-winning actress, with a career in theater, dance, and movies.

Of course, she hit her stride as Emily Gilmore in Gilmore Girls. It was (and still is) one of my favorite shows, and she was utterly perfect as the appearance-obsessed matriarch, who fiercely loved her family and wished she could connect with Lorelai as well as Lorelai connected with Rory.

Ever since I found she had a memoir coming out, I was eager to read it. And it was so good, truly written in her voice (which I could hear the whole time). This is an account of her career, from her early days as a dancer to Gilmore Girls and beyond. It’s also a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of A Chorus Line, and the way she helped shape her role as Sheila.

At the same time, it’s also a chronicle of her relationship with her parents, particularly her mother. She also recounts her romantic life, the ups and the downs through the years. Bishop tells it like it is but she is never mean, and she refused to embarrass anyone by name.

Celebrity memoirs can be unpredictable, but I absolutely loved this. It’s funny, emotional, self-deprecating, and full of details about Bishop’s career. What I loved the most, however, is her warmth and her gratitude about the path her life has taken. (And she’s unabashedly Team Logan, IYKYK.)

Book Review: "The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World, Second Edition" by Alan Downs, PhD

I don’t read much nonfiction beyond an occasional memoir, but this was our book club pick for August. We read the second edition, which was revised in 2011; the original was written in 2005.

The book is organized in three stages that the author believes describes the journey of most gay men. The stages are arranged by the primary manner in which gay men handle shame, from being “in the closet” and fearful of their own sexuality, to overcompensating by being more “successful, outrageous, fabulous, beautiful, or masculine,” to building a life based on their own values instead of feeling like they have to prove themselves.

“While we are different, we are at the same time very similar to all others. We want to be loved and to love. We want to find some joy in life. We hope to fall asleep at night fulfilled from our day’s endeavors. In these aspirations and appetites we are like all men and women. The problem is, our path to fulfilling these basic human needs has proven to be fundamentally different from the well-worn paths of straight humanity.”

While I recognized moments from my own coming out journey in the book, I also felt at many times the author was making generalizations that didn’t necessarily apply to me. I do understand that some may have a poor relationship with their fathers because of their sexuality, but that wasn’t the case for me.

What we found from our book club discussion is—unsurprisingly—every person’s experience is different, so the book resonated in different ways with each person. Some felt this was a powerful and valuable resource; others didn’t feel as connected to the book.

I probably wouldn’t have read this if it weren’t for the book club, but it definitely made me think. And sometimes that’s what reading does for us.

Book Review: "T-Shirt Swim Club: Stories from Being Fat in a World of Thin People" by Ian Karmel and Alisa Karmel

“To be fat in America is to be subject to a ceaseless and powerful campaign to make you feel ashamed of yourself. It happens directly, it happens indirectly, on purpose and by happenstance, but no matter how it happens, it’s cruel and constant and consistent.”

Ian Karmel is a comedian and comedy writer who was the co-head writer for The Late Late Show with James Corden. He’s also struggled with his weight for the majority of his life—he’s weighed as much as 420 pounds and now is comfortable with where he is. (Mostly.)

In this deeply personal, funny, and thought-provoking memoir, Karmel recounts his experiences growing up fat, from his early childhood to the days where he was at his heaviest, as well as his reflections on his journey to a place where he feels more in control of his weight. He touches on everything from dealing with the ridicule of his classmates (not to mention teachers and other adults), the myriad diets he tried, his success as a football player in high school, and what it was like trying to find someone to date.

“Now that I’m an adult, I can see all the terrible places I went, physically and mentally, because I was a fat kid.”

The last section of the book, “What Now?”, is written by Karmel’s sister Alisa, a psychologist who provides counseling for weight-centric concerns. She also struggled with being fat, so her section deals with more of the facts than the feelings.

As someone who has dealt with weight issues for most of my life, this book definitely hit close to home for me. The emotions, the shame, the diet attempts, the reaction of others—my experiences were similar but different. I found this very meaningful and cathartic in a way.

Book Review: "We Are Experiencing a Slight Delay" by Gary Janetti

Do you enjoy traveling? Not just being in new places, but do you like the actual process of travel? Gary Janetti’s new book is a funny and thought-provoking look at some of the high and low points of travel, and it seriously made me laugh out loud more than a few times.

“To me, a vacation is doing exactly what I would do at home, only with better weather and room service. I don’t want a list of activities designed to push me beyond any mental or physical limits I may have. I like my mental and physical limits where they are.”

Gary Janetti is a television writer and producer, and seriously, one of the funniest people I’ve ever read. His first collection of essays, Do You Mind If I Cancel? (Things That Still Annoy Me), had me laughing so hard I cried. He’s a bit crankier and more particular than I am, but we’re definitely on similar wavelengths!

In this book, he shares his philosophies on packing (don’t check a bag), eating alone in a restaurant if you’re traveling by yourself, and staying in a hotel rather than with family or friends. He also shares some hysterically funny anecdotes of cruises he has taken with family; trips to Mykonos, where he met his husband; an experience with a pop-up version of Noma, once the highest-rated restaurant ever, and other travel highlights.

What made this book work for me was that it never felt too outrageous to be true, and some of his thoughts definitely mirrored my own. It's a bit less zany than David Sedaris, but I laughed like I usually do when I read his books. This was a tremendously enjoyable read, with moments of poignancy which balanced the humor.

Book Review: "My Mother and Other Wild Animals: An Essay" by Andrew Sean Greer

I’m all about irony, so on Father’s Day, when I’m missing my dad, I decided to read this essay by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Andrew Sean Greer, about his mother.

“Not just in youth do we need new vistas, or new ways of looking at an old one: a tilted view, to baffle and amuse.”

As he plans to drive home to San Francisco from a month-long writer’s residency in Wichita, Kansas, Andrew gets a surprise from his mother: she wants to fly out to meet him and they can drive back together. His mother, a chemist, has always been a serious person, not prone to flights of fancy.

Andrew plans the perfect road trip home, designed to amuse his mostly unflappable mother. They travel through kitschy tourist attractions, and if there’s a unique place to stay, he books a reservation there. They stay in a wigwam-themed resort, a haunted Wild West hotel, and many others.

While Andrew has always thought of his mother as a serious person, she has made some waves in her own life—telling him that she is a lesbian shortly after he came out as a teenager, and ending her marriage to live her true life.

This was a moving essay, full of emotion, humor, and highlight-worthy sentences. I’m glad to have been a secret passenger on this road trip!

Book Review: "Bite by Bite" by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

As you might have figured out from previous posts, I love food. I went to culinary school a number of years ago and worked as a personal chef for a while. I’m a bit of a foodie (although not to the extreme), and definitely love reading food writing and books where cooking factors into the plot.

All of this to say, when I saw Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s new book, Bite by Bite, sitting on a bookstore shelf, I picked it up immediately. In this book of short essays, she looks at how food can be linked to memories and how our senses can be awakened and enhanced by the foods we encounter.

“For what is home if not the first place where you learn what does and does not nourish you? The first place you learn to sit still and slow down when someone offers you a bite to eat?”

In this beautifully illustrated book, Nezhukumatathil touches on foods both familiar (e.g., apples, butter, maple syrup) and more “exotic” (e.g., rambutan, jackfruit, mangosteen). She talks about her introduction to these flavors and the memories they convey. She discusses how these foods and tastes intersect with her heritage and she also shares her hopeful perspectives and memories raising her children.

“I wanted to be there when my boys first grab the berries from my hand and nibble on them with such abandonment, such a love and hunger and thirst that their mouths end up looking like those goofy bloody bunny pictures.”

This is such a lovely book, one you can open and read from any point. It would make a terrific gift for almost anyone—and Nezhukumatathil has given us quite a gift as well.

Book Review: "I Finally Bought Some Jordans" by Michael Arceneaux

“No matter how bad things get, if I feel my hair is together, I believe more firmly that I can deal with what is thrown at me.”

Can I get an amen? I believe I’ve actually spoken these words (albeit less articulately) before, because I do feel better when my hair doesn’t look like an overgrown shrub.

As it was with his first essay collection, I Can’t Date Jesus, Michael Arceneaux imbues his writing with sly humor, wry observations, rich emotions, and thought-provoking ideas. There were definitely instances throughout this book when I felt truly seen, and identified with the feelings he was expressing.

Whether he’s talking about the realization that trolling celebrities on the internet sometimes comes back to bite him, his fear that no one would show up to his book signings, his working on his relationship with his parents during the pandemic, or finally feeling secure enough financially that he can splurge every now and again, Arceneaux is thought-provoking and at times either side-splittingly funny or poignant.

Sometimes an essay collection is a great change of pace for me, and I’ve found some great writers over the last few years. If you give this a chance, you may find yourself wiping away a tear one second, and laughing out loud the next. I don’t know about you, but that’s what makes reading fun.

Book Review: "Uncle of the Year & Other Debatable Triumphs" by Andrew Rannells

When I read his first memoir, Too Much Is Not Enough, a few years ago, I remember thinking I could totally be friends with Andrew Rannells. Sure, he’s a Tony nominee and has been both on television and in movies, but we still have a lot in common.

After reading his collection of essays, Uncle of the Year & Other Debatable Triumphs, I’m further convinced we have similar senses of humor and similar anxieties, so while I probably wouldn’t go to karaoke with him (he’s starred in several musicals, after all), maybe we’d get along, or crack each other up.

This book is thought-provoking, hysterically funny in places, and poignant in others, and many times I found myself recognizing feelings and thoughts. In one essay he ponders when he became an adult. “Was it in my twenties, when I started my career? Was it after my first big breakup? Was it when my dad died? Was it when I started living on my own without roommates?”

Rannells recounts highs and lows in his life, from pretending to be straight so he and a friend could get on a talk show to the many rejections he experienced auditioning. He touches on dating disasters (like hooking up with a married Christian co-star), landing his starring role in The Book of Mormon, and what it’s like to be nominated for—and lose—two Tony Awards. And in the title essay he talks about the fact that while he never really wanted children of his own, he loves being an uncle (even a great-uncle) and how interesting it is to date a man with grown children.

I really enjoyed this. Even if you have no idea who he is, I think if you identify with some of the themes he touches on, you may find this to be fun and moving. And while I promise not to stalk him, if you know Andy, tell him we should be friends.

Book Review: "Songs on Endless Repeat: Essays and Outtakes" by Anthony Veasna So

In 2021, Anthony Veasna So’s debut, Afterparties, was published to great acclaim. His stories about the children of Cambodian immigrants living in California dealt with issues of culture and sexuality, and were really fantastic. Sadly, however, So never got to see the response to his book; he died of an accidental drug overdose in December 2020. He was only 28.

In addition to his fiction, So wrote and published a number of essays. These were collected, along with a number of linked chapters of unpublished fiction, and recently released as Songs on Endless Repeat. The combination of essays and fiction really demonstrate the depth of his talent and the tragedy of his death.

So’s essays are funny, thought-provoking, fascinating, and emotional. He touches on what the film version of Crazy Rich Asians meant for the depiction of Asians in the movies, his love of and struggles with reading, and in the strongest essay in the book, he reflects on his grief following a close friend’s suicide. (The words are especially poignant in the light of So’s death.) The fiction is chapters from an unpublished novel called Straight Thru Cambotown,” in which three Cambodian-American cousins stand to inherit their late aunt’s loan shark business. It’s funny and insightful.

I had worried that this book would be a collection of writings that So never felt compelled to publish, but that’s not true. It's some really good stuff. With this book and Afterparties, at least his talent and his voice can live on.