Yes Please

Yes Please, by Amy Poehler

Reading Yes Please is like sitting down with your wackiest, most honest friend, the one who tells you everything, warts and all.

I’d recommend this book to fans of comedy, SNL, Parks and Recreation, or Poehler’s movies…others might find it less interesting.

I enjoyed reading Poehler’s stories of her childhood (she was deeply cherished and told she could do anything, not a surprise when you see her optimism and cheerful spirit). She discusses her early career in comedy and how she made her big break onto SNL. She also talks of motherhood and being a professional woman, albeit a celebrity one. She speaks fondly of her friends, colleagues, and ex-husband Will Arnett…and warmly tells stories of making and tearfully ending Parks and Rec.

And she confessed one of her shameful secrets…being part of a SNL sketch that made fun of a disabled child, and trying to make amends after she learned what she had done. Honest to a fault though, she waited awhile after being called on the situation before she could ask apologize and ask for forgiveness.

I love Poehler’s brand of feminism: being unabashedly proud to be female; upbeat, optimistic, and fun; and embracing male allies, but not taking any shit, which she continues to espouse in her Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls videos and Facebook page. And best of all, like me, she cherishes her women friends, as important to our souls and spirits as food and water are to our bodies. She lives out this philosophy in her work (Leslie Knope’s Galentine’s Day and adoration of her best friend) and in her life (as she writes about one of her main collaborators, Tina Fey).

So if this sounds appealing to you, sit down with your imaginary best friend Amy for some funny, poignant, and touching tales.

In the World of Downton Abbey

The World of Downton Abbey, by Jessica Fellowes

Mike picked this up at the library, as we are both Downton Abbey fans. Jessica Fellowes is the niece of the series' creator, Julian Fellowes.

Although this book is ripe with rich photos of the beautiful costumes and characters, what I valued most about it was reading the history behind the series. In particular, my favorite part was reading about American heiresses like Cora, or "Buccaneers," who saved many of the British aristocrats with their fortunes...while having to adjust to the uptight society and cultural mores of their new home. I'm always interested in the British-American matches, for obvious personal reasons!

It didn't take me long to get through this photo-rich book, but I greatly enjoyed it!

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: Interesting, but I wanted more...

Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned by Alan Alda

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Interesting essays by Alda, but I wanted to know more about how he managed to stay married and involved in his kids' lives while being a TV star...



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Slumdog Millionaire (or Q&A): Weaker than the movie

Slumdog Millionaire by Vikas Swarup

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This novel was actually called "Q&A," but they changed the title after the movie was made. Many reviewers say the movie is actually BETTER than the book, and I believe I agree.

I had mixed feelings about the book. I'm not generally a big fan of plots that jump around in time, and this novel did that in every chapter.

The plot and circumstances were infinitely implausible, and it seemed as if the main character, Ram Mohammed Thomas, had both the best luck and the worst luck possible.

Some Indians have commented that this story does not make India look very good, and others have criticized the movie for the same reasons. The author is an Indian diplomat, who grew up in a privileged environment. I imagine that he has no direct experience of the Indian slums in Mumbai, Delhi, and Agra.

What I find fascinating about India is the combination of beauty and horror, tragedy and comedy, poignancy and pain. This book touches on all of these, but doesn't do so in a particularly elegant way.

I've read a lot of Indian fiction, and this was not in my top 10. But it was an interesting story about an orphan boy who wins big...as long as you are able to suspend belief for a couple of hundred pages.



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Here's the Story: Marcia Brady's sad life

Here's the Story by Maureen McCormick

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Recently I got my sons watching "The Brady Bunch" and was feeling nostalgic, so I checked out Maureen McCormick's recent memoir. It was like cotton candy...sweet, but ultimately not very satisfying. McCormick briefly talks about her life as Marcia, but mostly the book is about her wild life and dysfunctional family.

Post-Brady, McCormick dabbled in cocaine, bulimia, promiscuity, and spousal abuse. She comes across as a bit of a spoiled brat at times. At the same time, her mother was tortured because she had contracted syphillis at birth and bore horrible shame throughout her life. One of her brothers essentially went wacko and took over her father's life, while shutting out Marcia and her brother. Granted, McCormick does endure some sad experiences.

But. Much of the book is filled with self-pity. Her husband is long suffering. She spends a good deal of her life cursing her Marcia role...and also feeling sorry for herself because she can't get any good acting work. After portraying Marcia, she felt that Hollywood wouldn't give her a break.

At the same time, I kept reading for nostalgia sake. I loved "The Brady Bunch" as a kid...even though viewing it now, I see it is such a throw-back! Apparently McCormick was embarrassed to be on such an uncool show, especially when the much cooler "Partridge Family" came out (also a fave of mine)!

Some inconsistencies and gaps were obvious. In the photo collection, she has a photo of her family with the Clintons in the White House, but doesn't mention this incident in the book.

Overall, though, I enjoyed parts of the book and was not inclined to put it down--even though I was a bit embarrassed to be reading it!



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