Audiobook Review: I Don't Know What You Know Me From by Judy Greer

Title: I Don't Know What You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star

Author: Judy Greer
Narrated by: Judy Greer
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
Publisher: Doubleday, audio by Books on Tape
Genre: Non-Fiction/Celebrity Memoir
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository; Audible
Source: Purchased

You know Judy Greer, right? Maybe from The Wedding Planner, 13 Going on 30, Carrie, Arrested Development, orThe Descendants. Yes, you totally recognize her. And, odds are, you already feel like she’s your friend.

In her first book of essays, I Don’t Know What You Know Me From, Greer writes about everything you would hope to hear from your best friend: how a midnight shopping trip to Walgreens can cure all; what it’s like to wake up one day with stepchildren; and how she really feels about fans telling her that she’s prettier in person. Yes, it’s all here—from the hilarious moments to the intimate confessions.

But Judy Greer isn’t just a regular friend—she’s a celebrity friend. Want to know which celebs she’s peed next to? Or what the Academy Awards are actually like? Or which hot actor gave her father a Harley-Davidson? Don’t worry; Greer reveals all of that, too. You’ll love her because, besides being laugh-out-loud funny, she makes us genuinely feel like she’s one of us. Because even though she sometimes has a stylist and a makeup artist, she still wears (and hates!) Spanx. Because even after almost twenty years in Hollywood, she still hasn’t figured everything out—except that you should always wash your face before bed. Always.

I've been a fan of Judy Greer's for a while now. While she may not be instantly recognizable to some, her acting resume is impressive and varied. She's been in Thirteen Going On Thirty, The Wedding Planner, Arrested Development, The Village and 27 Dresses. One of my favorite roles of hers is Cheryl/Carol from the animated series Archer, in which she plays a psychotic railway heiress who likes auto-erotic asphyxiation, bobcats and country music. She often plays the best friend or kooky co-worker, which suits her well as she seems like she would be a really great girlfriend. In my imaginary celebrity life, she, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Garner would be a part of my bestie girl crew and we'd have epic dinner parties and sleepovers complete with a dance montage (I said it was imaginary).

I Don't Know What You Know Me From tells the story of Greer's childhood and eventual rise to Hollywood co-stardom. She takes us from the suburbs of Detroit all the way to Hollywood, telling her story through funny anecdotes, letters and journal entries. Greer has a dry wit and self deprecating manner that make you like her, not hate her for getting to make out with the likes of Ashton Kutcher and George Clooney. Greet tends to ramble a little bit, which can be endearing or annoying, depending on your view. I didn't have a problem with it though. The book jumps back and forth in time a lot which I found a little bit confusing at times but didn't detract from the overall experience.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book which is narrated by Greer herself. Greer is a voice over veteran and there is no one better to narrate her story than herself. Listening to her, I can easily imagine that we're just two good friends having a late night chat. I admit that I was a little sad that she didn't yell out any quotes from Archer, but I'll get over it. 

This book is very similar to how I imagine Greer to be - sweet, funny, and down-to-earth. Greer doesn't take herself too seriously and seems genuinely happy and grateful for the career she has. While this book isn't really going to give you any deep insight into the Hollywood system or tons of juicy celebrity gossip, it's a light and entertaining read that made my weekly commute a bit more bearable. I would recommend the audiobook if you can get it, as I think hearing Greer's story in her own voice made for a better read.

*All images are property of the respective film and television studios. Images are meant merely to illustrate Greer's career and no harm or infringement is intended.

Relish: My Life In The Kitchen - Review

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen
by Lucy Knisley

Publication date: 2 April 2013 by MacMillan/:01First Second

ISBN 10/13: 1596436239/978-1596436237 
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | IndieBound | Book Depository

Category: Memoir, Biographical, Nonfiction
Keywords: Food, Graphic Novel, Memoir, Recipes
Format: Paperback, e-book
Source: Purchased

Synopsis from GoodReads:

A vibrant, food-themed memoir from beloved indie cartoonist Lucy Knisley.

Lucy Knisley loves food. The daughter of a chef and a gourmet, this talented young cartoonist comes by her obsession honestly. In her forthright, thoughtful, and funny memoir, Lucy traces key episodes in her life thus far, framed by what she was eating at the time and lessons learned about food, cooking, and life. Each chapter is bookended with an illustrated recipe—many of them treasured family dishes, and a few of them Lucy's original inventions.

A welcome read for anyone who ever felt more passion for a sandwich than is strictly speaking proper, Relish is a book for our time: it invites the reader to celebrate food as a connection to our bodies and a connection to the earth, rather than an enemy, a compulsion, or a consumer product.

Review:

This may seem odd, but I love reading cookbooks and cooking magazines.  When I have time, I love cooking and sharing meals with friends. I also enjoy a good graphic novel.  So, when a friend told me about Relish: My Life In The Kitchen by Lucy Knisley, I knew I had to check it out.

I started reading Relish while hanging out at one of my favorite little cafés, Heirloom Café in South Pasadena.

Doesn't this look like the perfect treat to snack on while reading a book about food?!  By the way, this deep dish caramel apple pie was fabulous.  But back to the book...

Knisley's description of her early years.

Knisley begins by introducing herself as "the child who was raised by foodies".  Her memories of childhood were associated with food.  I got a laugh out of her making salad dressing with her father in the evening and "tossing back a capful of Kressi vinegar" or learning to open an oyster with her uncle.  She would hang out in the kitchens where her mother worked snacking on all kinds of gourmet treats.  When her parents divorced, Lucy moved out of New York City to upstate New York and the food adventures continued.

Recipe for Huevos Rancheros included in the book.

Each chapter of the book looks at a different aspect of Knisley's life from birth to college.  At the end of the chapter, readers will find a special recipe (Carbonara, Huevos Rancheros, her favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe to name a few)  that relates to the memories being shared.  The book is filled with fond memories of family and friends, the various vacations taken with her parents, and even her rebellion against her parents by choosing junk food.  Knisley manages to fit a lot into 173 pages, and if the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"is true then the use of the graphic novel format was a wise choice.

Whether you love food memoirs, recipes, graphic novels or something with a little of all of them in it, Relish is a fun read that will have you planning your own food experience.

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Visit the author online at Live Journal, www.lucyknisley.com, like her on Facebook, on vimeo, and follow her on Twitter @lucyknisley

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Tough Sh*t: The Story of a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good - Audiobook Review

Tough Sh*t: The Story of a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good 
by Kevin Smith
Read by Kevin Smith

Publication date: 20 March 2012 by Gotham

ISBN 10/13: 0446574503 | 9780446574501
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Audible

Category: Adult Biography/Comedy
Keywords: Comedy, biography, inspirational, film
Format: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Source: Purchased from Audible

Thuy's Review:

Let me start off this review by saying that I am a fan of Kevin Smith. I’ve seen all of his movies, listen to his podcast, am a regular attendant at his Hall H panel at Comic-Con every year, and even visited his comic shop, Jay and Bob’s Silent Stash, back when they had a location in Los Angeles. When I heard that he had a new book coming out, I knew that it would be funny and entertaining, like the man himself.

Tough Sh*t: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good, is partly and inspirational tome and part biography. In it, Smith chronicles his rise to indie fame with his first film Clerks and his film industry education at the hands of Harvey Weinstein. Smith leaves no rock unturned and chronicles each of his films, from Clerks, which was funded by credit cards and sold at Sundance, to his newest film, Red State, which he sold the rights to himself for $20 and took on tour through indie movies houses across the U.S.

A lover of all things pop culture, Smith’s book is peppered throughout with references to comics, Batman, Wayne Gretsky, and John Hughes, all of which had a large impact on his life. Smith also gets into the nitty gritty of life in Hollywood, telling of his falling out with Harvey Weinstein as well as the story of which star on the set of Cop Out was a nightmare to work with (hint – it wasn’t Tracy Morgan). But the book isn’t all film and Hollywood gossip. Smith talks extensively about his family, namely his father, wife Jenny and their daughter Harley Quinn (best name ever!). Smith may be the most humble man in Hollywood as he makes it clear that much of his success and sanity are due to the support and talent of his friends and family.

Through all of these life lessons and experiences, Smith’s message is clear – if a fat f*ck like him can make a living doing what he loves, then so can you. Smith encourages you to dream big and “follow your whimsy.” Life may not turned out the way you planned, Smith says, but keep an open mind and it may turn out to be a slightly different and more over the top version of what you were aiming for. In an age of cynicism, following your dreams may sound too idealistic, but Smith has his own unlikely and inspirational story to hold up as an example. He’s built an empire just by being himself.

Smith is the perfect narrator for his own book and I couldn’t imagine anyone else doing it justice. For the past few years, Smith’s been doing a weekly podcast and it’s clear that he’s comfortable behind the mic. Already funny on the page, his words take on a whole new life coming from the source (especially the cuss words). Smith speaks with charm and enthusiasm and his attitude is infectious. I actually wanted to stay at the gym a little longer just so I could keep listening (and it takes a lot to keep me at the gym, folks). The audiobook is also peppered with little asides from Smith as he reads – little side notes not in the book that are an added bonus of getting the audiobook.

Fans of Kevin Smith will no doubt be highly entertained by this book. If you've been listening to Smith for a long time like I have, some of the stories may be familiar. But this doesn't detract from the book because Smith has a way of never telling a story the same way twice. I'd recommend this for fans of Kevin Smith and those with an open mind who don't mind some crude language and humor.

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You can find Kevin Smith all over the internet. Find him on Twitter @ThatKevinSmith, View Askew, and SModcast.