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.

Book Review: Nita Prose's The Maid

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of Nita Prose’s novel The Maid.

Molly Gray is proud of her profession as a maid at a top London hotel. She values cleanliness, manners, and discretion, happy to complete her mission of returning every hotel room back to a “state of perfection.” Recently, Molly has suffered a major loss when her beloved gran, the woman who raised her, passed away. Molly, who is just in her early twenties, is now completely alone and struggling to make ends meet.

To add to her troubles, Molly discovers the body of a high-profile hotel guest and is now part of the police investigation. Her situation is amplified by Molly’s trusting nature and inability to recognize social cues, which leads to the wrong people seeking to take advantage of her. Readers quickly learn that this stately London hotel is filled with sordid characters looking to take advantage of Molly.

I throughly enjoyed The Maid. Prose has written a solid mystery with compelling characters and a perfect balance of humor and humanity. I fell in love with sweet Molly and the relationship that she has with her gran. It hurt to see Molly get involved in so many bad situations, including some of her own volition, however, as anyone can imagine, our protagonist prevails in the end and her victory is even more poignant. The story has a lovely theme of finding family in the people around you, not just blood relatives. As I am in a similar situation as Molly, with no living relatives, this theme resonated strongly with me.

Molly’s logic and unintentional sense of humor had me smiling throughout. The Maid is a delightful read and I really hope that Prose is planning a sequel, as I could use more Molly Gray in my life!