Book Review- Georgia Pritchett's My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety

Thank you to LibroFM and Harperaudio for providing me with a copy of Georgia Pritchett’s memoir My Mess is a Bit of a Life: Adventures in Anxiety.

I was initially attracted to the catchy title and the theme. Although I don’t suffer from anxiety, the topic has been coming up a lot with my friends. I wanted to better understand what they are going through and I hoped that Georgia Pritchett’s memoir would give me greater insight. I’m not sure if it accomplished that goal, as I feel that Pritchett’s personality and deflection through humor reflects her experience with anxiety and that likely to a person suffering from anxiety, some of what she is going through might be highly relatable, other aspect, not. I don’t mean to say that Pritchett is even attempting to speak for all people who have anxiety, only that I had the realization of how personal the problem can be.

Pritchett is an enormously talented television writer, her projects include Veep and Succession. I picked her memoir without connecting the dots that this was the same Georgia Pritchett as in the credits of some of my favorite shows. Connecting the dots was a delightful surprise. Her memoir is quirky, hilarious, and deeply intimate.

I don’t know what Pritchett’s voice sounds like and she does not narrate her audio book. The book is narrated by Katherine Parkinson who is fantastic at capturing Pritchett’s dry wit and the pacing of the piece, especially ramping up in anxious moments. The combination of Pritchett’s humor and of Parkinson’s narration reminded me of David Sedaris, whom I adore. I enjoyed the entire memoir, but I was particularly fond of Pritchett’s childhood stories. She had such a peculiar perspective on adults and other children. I felt like she’s a kindred spirit.

I can’t wait for the next season of Succession, but I also hope that Pritchett will find time to share more non-fiction writing. She’s fabulous!

Book Review- Jami Attenberg's I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home

Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco, and LibroFM, for providing both print and audio versions of Jami Attenberg’s memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home.

Author Jami Attenberg examines what it means to live a creative life, especially during times of doubt and struggle. Although previously published, Attenberg didn’t obtain commercial success until her third novel. The Middlesteins ( brilliant and worth adding to your TBR pile) was published in 2012. Attenberg details changes that she made that helped this success, such as changing agents and marketing strategies. I think in many situations, people would feel defeated if their first or second novel wasn’t a big success, but Attenberg shows that persistence and a shift in strategy can pay-off dividends.

I Came All This Way to Meet You is pitched as a book for writers, and it does give great insight into the publishing process and writer’s life, but really I think it is a great memoir to encourage anyone to keep following their dreams, no matter what they may be. Attenberg has tenacity. She has a love for writing that keeps her going even when money is scarce and times are tough. I liked reading about her travels around the United States and how different landscapes and communities inspired her imagination. I was reminded to take opportunities in whatever form they may present themselves and to focus on the present while working towards the future.

Book Review- Bob Odenkirk's Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama

Thank you to LibroFM for a free audio copy of Bob Odenkirk’s memoir Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama.

Writer and actor Bob Odenkirk writes his first, mid-life memoir, sharing details from his long career in show business. Although his commercial success came about ten years ago with his role of Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, Odenkirk has had quite a long career in show business, including writing for Saturday Night Live.

I have to confess, that I had not heard of Odenkirk previous to his work with Vince Gilligan. Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama does talk about his work on Gilligan’s projects, but those chapters come at the end of the memoir. A majority of the book is centered on Odenkirk’s early career, including his love for improv and comedy writing and his work with David Cross on Mr. Show. Odenkirk repeatedly expresses his passion for comedy writing. He also goes into great detail about the amount of hard work, rejection, and bit of luck that it has taken for him to reach this point in his career. It is no means discouraging for budding writers and actors, only a realistic look at how crazy your trajectory in this field can be, including many times that the excitement for a project can build, only to fizzle and land in obscurity.

Odenkirk narrates the audio book and hearing his voice, his inflection, really added my enjoyment of his memoir. I highly recommend this memoir for both Odenkirk fans and those interested in comedy writing or show business.