Jan Brady was always jealous of her sisters on The Brady Bunch. She was smart but not as popular as they were on either the show or what counted as social media at the time. No one wanted to be perceived as a “Jan”. Happiness Included is the story ofContinue Reading
So you’ve watched every episode of Hell’s Kitchen and decided you want to be a professional chef? Before you get too wrapped up in the fantasy, be aware you are in for a lot of Salt, Sweat & Steam, as detailed in this memoir. Brigid is a Trinidadian immigrant workingContinue Reading
Drownproof tells the tale of a former Navy SEAL and the eight lessons he learned throughout his life. Using his own exciting life experiences as an example of how each lesson works keeps the book compelling. The author’s life story is more impressive than most. While there are life lessonsContinue Reading
Just when you thought there is no way to live an adventurous life anymore in modern day America comes North of Ordinary. Who knew you could still make a good living as a trapper for furs with a large team of dogs? Or run a remote bed & breakfast inContinue Reading
Were you a fan of America’s Next Top Model? Did you wonder how the models felt when the judges were so harsh about their looks and abilities? If so, You Wanna Be on Top? is a must read because behind-the-scenes it was so much worse. Girls treated like cattle, shovedContinue Reading
Hannah is a twenty-something server working as a Cellar Rat, stocking bottles in a wine cellar, on her path to becoming a sommelier in NYC’s fine dining restaurants. Now a couple of decades later, she looks back at a career that was both a love affair and an addiction. HannahContinue Reading
Have you ever wondered what being a contemplative (as opposed to a teaching or nursing) nun is like? If so, Cloistered is the memoir for you. Being shut into a convent year after year is definitely not for everyone. However, Catherine is drawn to the sisterhood in equal measures byContinue Reading
Are you ready for a memoir about working front of house in a fancy restaurant? While not as shocking as Kitchen Confidential, Your Table is Ready does offer a few sweet behind the scenes tidbits that you may have been more comfortable not knowing. Your Table is Ready is perfectContinue Reading
Some New Kind of Kick is the story of a Hispanic gay punk’s journey from a confused adolescent to guitarist with The Cramps. It’s the late 1970s. Punk rock is just beginning in Los Angeles. Here is your chance to take a drug-fueled lap around the club and gay sceneContinue Reading
The Official Amazing Race Travel Companion is an uneasy mixture of a travel guide and a behind-the-scenes television show memoir. I found the memoir much more interesting. It begins with how the show was created and continues through the 2021 season. I expected more from the travel guide. I wantedContinue Reading
Uncultured is the memoir of a woman born into a cult, who escapes only to join the army, which feels increasingly like a cult too. Cult life is even worse from a child’s point of view. Unprovoked spankings and sexual abuse from a young age is a normal day inContinue Reading
Welcome to the jungle! And the jungle is LOUD! The first female roadie, for bands like The Who and AC/DC, writes her memoir. Of course, it’s chock full of sex, drugs and rock and roll. But, also, it shows her courageous battle for equity at a time when women wereContinue Reading
As a person gets older, they begin to reflect on decision points where their life could have moved in a completely new direction. Ice-T, and his former companion in crime, Spike, must be at that point. In Split Decision, they look at each of those points and try to seeContinue Reading
If you watch Britbox in the United States or BBC2 in the United Kingdom, you might have seen the authors on season 3 of This Farming Life. But they are already established in that show. Here in Our Wild Farming Life, you can read their backstory that also includes whatContinue Reading
“By senior year of high school, I felt like I knew who I was as a person. I knew I didn’t care what people thought about me, I knew I liked playing with the meaning of gender, and I knew I wanted to be an actor.”—from My Name’s Yours, What’sContinue Reading
Originally, I thought Tacky would be a psychological or nostalgic look into millennial pop culture of the 2000s. While that culture is described here, it is used solely as a backdrop to the author’s personal memoir. The book also emphasizes sex and bad relationships that may be inappropriate for youngContinue Reading