Review: Have I Told You This Already?

I, like many of my generation, watched every single episode of Gilmore Girls. Multiple times. Sure, the show and characters may not hold up these days, but I loved it and I loved Lauren Graham in it. I’ve read most of her other books and really enjoy getting in insight into her life so I was definitely interested in her latest book of essays, Have I Told You This Already?: Stories I Don’t Want to Forget to Remember. It was a lot of fun to read!

Here’s the book’s description:

Candid, insightful, and wildly entertaining essays about life, love, and lessons learned as an actress in Hollywood, from the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and New York Times bestselling author of Talking as Fast as I Can.
With her signature sense of humor and down-to-earth storytelling, Lauren Graham opens up about her years working in the entertainment business—from the sublime to the ridiculous—and shares personal stories about everything from family and friendship to the challenges of aging gracefully in Hollywood. In "RIP Barneys New York," she writes about an early job as a salesperson at the legendary department store -- and the time she inadvertently shoplifted; in "Ne Oublie" she warns us about the perils of coming from an extremely forgetful family; and in "Actor-y Factory" she recounts what a day in the life of an actor looks like (unless you’re Brad Pitt).
Filled with surprising anecdotes, sage advice, and laugh-out-loud observations, Graham's latest collection of all-new, original essays showcases the winning charm and wit that she's known for.

In an age where celebrity memoirs can be overly gossipy and tell-all-like, it was kind of refreshing to read Graham’s carefully curated stories. They were still so very her and gave some insight on her life, the work she’s done, and the people she’s met, but it was still very private. I totally respect that and appreciate her giving just as much of herself to us as she felt comfortable doing. And I didn’t feel like I missed out on any juicy stories. It was just like a friend with a super cool job was telling me some stories of her life. It had a good vibe! I think that vibe can be attributed to what the description calls “down-to-earth” storytelling. Graham wasn’t trying to shock us or spill all the tea. Just tell us some good stories.

While I got an egalley to review from the publisher, I ended up listening to the audiobook (thank you, library!) because Graham narrates it herself. That probably added a lot to my enjoyment of the book - it was almost like we were sitting together over a drink as she was telling me her stories. Not all authors (or actors) are good narrators but Graham is. It was a really satisfying listen.

This is not a long book, sitting at just 183 pages. I might be a little bit disappointed that it wasn’t longer but only because I feel like there are so many more stories Graham could have shared. I’m trying to tell myself it was as long as it needed to be but, honestly, I wish there had been more.

Have I Told You This Already? is a book for Lauren Graham fans. In this latest book of essays, she tells us a few stories from her life - both personal and professional - she thinks we’ll enjoy and enjoy them we do. If this one sounds like one you’d like to pick up, I’d recommend the audiobook so you can listen to Graham tell you her stories herself.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Someday, Someday, Maybe

Like most Gilmore Girls fans, I just about lost my mind when I found out Lauren Graham had written a novel. I've been a little bit in love with Graham since she first showed up on my TV screen as the beautiful and hilarious Lorelai Gilmore. Someday, Someday, Maybe, Graham's debut novel, was a really enjoyable read and had the same kind of tone and characteristics we've come to expect from Graham's work.

Here's the synopsis:

It’s January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing “important” work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters, and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Her roommates―her best friend Jane, and Dan, an aspiring sci-fi writer―are supportive, yet Franny knows a two-person fan club doesn’t exactly count as success. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan, and though she can almost picture moving back home and settling down with her perfectly nice ex-boyfriend, she’s not ready to give up on her goal of having a career like her idols Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. Not just yet. But while she dreams of filling their shoes, in the meantime, she’d happily settle for a speaking part in almost anything—and finding a hair product combination that works.Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class, where she’ll finally have a chance to perform for people who could actually hire her. And she can’t let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, even though he’s suddenly started paying attention. Meanwhile, her bank account is rapidly dwindling, her father wants her to come home, and her agent doesn’t return her calls. But for some reason, she keeps believing that she just might get what she came for.
Someday, Someday, Maybe is a story about hopes and dreams, being young in a city, and wanting something deeply, madly, desperately. It’s about finding love, finding yourself, and perhaps most difficult of all in New York City, finding an acting job.

I liked the fact that this novel took place in 1995. In a way it reminded me of watching older Sex and the City and Friends episodes (in fact, Franny's dad suggests she tries out for that new sitcom.) I loved that she had a Filofax (and that there were illustrations from her planner throughout the novel) and received scripts via fax. Sometimes I forgot that this book was taking place almost 20 years ago. Which, I suppose, is a good thing? Perhaps not for aspiring actors since they're still struggling in the same way they were in the nineties! I also found myself wondering, probably far too often, how much of Franny's life was similar to Lauren's own experiences as she was trying to make it as an actress.

I absolutely loved Franny's dad. Their interactions were mostly through phone calls or messages but their relationship added amusement to the novel. One of the parts that stood out the most in this book was when her dad finally leaves a message on the answering machine because it's been so long since they've talked. I don't have a finished copy so forgive me for paraphrasing...he says something along the lines of "Franny, it's your father. From Connecticut. In case you've been mistakenly calling your other father." Basically, he had a good sense of humour and you could tell through the various interactions that he really cares for his daughter.

I went into reading this novel with really high expectations and, while I still really enjoyed reading it, I think I wanted a little something more from the story. I think I struggled with really connecting with Franny. Sure, I cared about her and was rooting for her but I didn't have that "Oh my god, I wish she was a real person because we could totally be best friends" feeling that I sometimes get.

Overall, I really did like Someday, Someday, Maybe. Lauren Graham wrote an entertaining debut novel that provided a little bit of insight into the world of a struggling actress. It was cute and real and I think Graham's fans will be pleased. I hope that Graham continues writing and look forward to what she comes up with next. For now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have myself a little Gilmore Girls marathon!

Happy reading :)

*I received a copy of this novel from Random House of Canada in exchange for an honest review.*