Book Review Twenty-One: Official Book Club Selection

Official Book Club Selection by Kathy Griffin, published by Random House.

First of all, I LOVE Kathy Griffin. I think she is hilarious. I've seen her stand-up, I went and saw her live, I've watched "My Life on the D-List" and I used to watch "Suddenly Susan." So naturally I wanted to read this memoir. And true to her word, she leaves nothing out. Well, nothing except her spot on Celebrity Mole. Was she that ashamed of being on the show? Did she just not have enough room in the book? Was it not funny enough to her? I'm only complaining because I have it on DVD and I thought it was hilarious. She was truly funny on there, which was the first time I saw her be funny in reality. The show wasn't scripted and she just said whatever came to mind which was hysterical. If you ever have time to watch it, go and find it because you really will laugh your ass off, especially in the last episode.

But back to the book. I love the title and her little opening to Oprah. She pretty much says that Oprah should pick this book for her selection, mainly because she has this little feud with Oprah, and because I think she wants to sell millions of copies when Americans everywhere listen to the famous talk-show host and go buy it. Yes, Oprah has power. Yes, Kathy Griffin knows it. But no, she isn't scared. She will talk shit about anyone, but at least I know what she's saying is the truth. That's what's refreshing about Kathy Griffin: she is honest. I believed every word of her book. Maybe she caught some people on a bad day, or maybe they're sweethearts to everyone but her, but I believe that all of those encounters actually happened to Kathy the way they were written. Most of the time it's because I've already heard the stories in her stand-up shows. She can't make this shit up people!

Here's a good example. She made a joke about Dakota Fanning on the red carpet and this stand up is almost verbatim of what she said in her book.

What was surprising about her novel was the chapter about her brother. Basically she accused him of being a pedophile, of touching her when she was younger, not in the worst sense, but in being too close and just making her uncomfortable. She spoke about his abusive relationships with his girlfriends, and about his drug abuse. I wasn't so much surprised that she added this because she has always been upfront about difficult things in her life, one of the reasons I truly respect her, but more surprised that she wrote it with such depth and feeling. I was taken aback by how good of a writer she can be. She writes like she speaks which is hard for a lot of people but seems natural for her. The sections about her family in the early chapters were touching as much as they were revealing. It made me care for her family almost as much as she does (especially her parents).

The rest of the novel follows her career through its ups and downs, mostly downs until she discovers her talent at stand up. It's amazing how long it took her to make it, and even now that she's made it she's still not A-List material in the eyes of Hollywood. I think she's more than made a name for herself by now. She's proven to me that she has the determination and talent to breakthrough the D-List walls. You'll feel the same way after you read how long she has been trying to make it in the industry.

Kathy Griffin knows no boundaries when it comes to privacy and what to include in her book. She included dozens of emails she and Steve Wozniak send back and forth when they were dating/becoming friends. I'm still not sure if they were ever really a couple or if it was just a publicity stunt while they were hanging out. One of the emails is about how she found out he was getting married! Another example of her extreme lack of privacy is the chapter on plastic surgery. She actually includes pictures of her after her liposuction! Crazy when you think that no other celebrity would dare leak those photos. I bet no other celebrity would even want to take those photos. She's a character, that Kathy Griffin, but I wouldn't trade her for anything. She's out guilty pleasure. She's our link to the stars. She's our dirty little secret. And nobody, I mean NOBODY, can swear like she can.

Book Review Twenty: Kissing Kate

Kissing Kate by Lauren Myracle, published by Penguin Group.

Not to sound harsh, but this wasn't the best book I've ever read. Probably won't make it into the top 100. Not to say that it was a bad read, but it wasn't an original coming-of-age story. It focused on Lissa, a high-school girl confused about her emotions, and her best friend Kate. They happened to kiss at a party, which meant much more to Lissa than it did to Kate. Kate used being drunk as an excuse but Lissa, completely sober, used that kiss to open a new door in their friendship (a door that Kate did not want to go through). So most of the story follows Lissa and her confusion over whether or not she is gay or if she only wanted to be with Kate, her best friend, regardless of the fact that she was a girl. It's good for teens to realize that just because you're attracted to someone of the same gender that doesn't automatically make you a homosexual. Kate was the only girl Lissa was attracted to in her entire life. So naturally she had some questions and no one to talk to about them.

I liked Lissa's new friendship with Ariel and Finn. They were quirky and nice and good as friends for Lissa. They didn't seem to judge her because they were outcast-material themselves. I especially liked how Ariel annoyed Lissa in the beginning of their friendship and then grew on her. Lissa needed someone to confide in and someone to trust and Ariel kind of forced her to open up. They tried to share the lucid dream technique with each other, but I could tell Lissa wanted to tell someone about it but not compete with someone over it. Ariel's strong forward personality really brings Lissa out of her shell though.

I think this book had a ton of potential. It reminded me of Sarah Dessen through the quirky new friends trying to help the main character through her problem. Entrees on Trays reminded me of The Truth About Forever and the catering business. Myracle did an excellent job of introducing her characters and the storyline, but I think she could have taken it one step further. She could have developed the plot further than just the kiss with Kate. She could have further explored Lissa's sexuality especially since there was only one small discussion about it towards the end of the novel. I wouldn't have minded a little more of Lissa's relationship with her sister, Beth. I thought they were really good together and had a nice, healthy relationship. An exploration of Lissa's feelings about her parents dying in a plane crash when she was 8 would have really added a touching depth to her story. All in all, it was an easy quick read, but I feel like it was just a start and Myracle could have taken it so much further.