Summer Book Club with Hales
It’s been a while since I’ve written a post on here, but what else is new? Luckily, I just went on a trip to Colorado, so stay tuned for that post lol.
When I travel I tend to pick up reading again. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Hales, what do you mean by “pick up reading?”
Well, I’m what you can call a picky reader. There’s the picky eaters of the world who have a very specific palate meaning their go-to at restaurants is usually something of the American “you can make this at home” cuisine choices such as chicken fingers/french fry basket. No sauce except maybe ranch, if they’re not too picky. (You know who you are.)
Though I am by no means picky when it comes to food, I tend to have a specific taste in books. It took me a while to get here, but at some point in time I realized that if I’m not interested in the book I’m reading, then why continue it? There’s literally MILLIONS of books out there available for me to read - about 145 million if you ask Google - so why waste energy and time on a book that isn’t keeping me hooked?
I’ve even developed a cool trick to help me identify books that aren’t worth my time: I fall asleep… lol (surprise!). Some of you may be thinking, “Well, duh, Hales. You have narcolepsy. Of course you’re going to fall asleep reading.” To that, my dear friends, I will reciprocate your “DUH” because if I don’t fall asleep reading, then clearly the book is holding my attention and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. :)
Over the years, I’ve done my fair share of reading, but like I said before, it tends to come in waves. I’ll go from being really into reading to not picking up a book for months. Honestly, I kind of blame our culture of constant stimulation. Whether it’s the newest binge-watchable series recently released on Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., or it’s New Music Friday/ the latest episode of a podcast (of every topic) is finally up on whatever audio streaming service, or it’s the latest movie coming out in theaters — there’s just so many options to spill my attention and time into that books don’t always make the cut. (I’m sorry to all of my book nerd friends for hurting your hearts with that truth.)
I wish I could read non-stop like my brother. Steve read 27 books in 2018 a.k.a. 13,308 pages (source: his profile on the Goodreads app.) If you do that math, he read a little more than one book every two weeks last year or a little more than 36 pages per day - which is insane to me!
Anyway, over the last year or so, every time I get back onto the reading wagon, I find myself enjoying the same genre of book — autobiographies/memoirs written by comedians/actors.
Below, in no specific order (but kind of definitely specific), are some books you may want to pick up this summer on your way to the beach, park, bathtub, that cool new hipster coffee shop/microbrewery on the corner, the floor of Barnes & Noble if you don’t like to buy the book and just want to read it, or if you’re one of those people who listens to audio books in the car which isn’t technically reading, just listening (actually that’s probably really great practice for most men out there) and you need to download books - just wherever you do your “reading.”
(SIDE NOTE: DOWNLOAD THE GOOD READS APP AND FIND ME ON THERE.) :)))))
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood.
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Stars: FIVE FO-SHO
I put this book first on the list because it has by far been one of the best books I’ve read in the last few years. This book is not only hilarious, but Trevor Noah also gives insight as to what it was like as a biracial kid growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid. It was really eye opening to me to tell you the truth because I obviously had an awareness of the Apartheid, but never really learned about it in school. After reading this book, I walked away with a much better understanding of the institutionalized racism and segregation that happened during those years in South Africa. Trevor Noah does a glorious job of painting a picture for you during countless comedic anecdotes starting from when he was a five-year-old kid shitting on some newspaper in his grandma’s house becasuse he didn’t want to use the outhouse, to post-high school when he and his friends started a deejaying business, all the way to landing The Daily Show. Not to mention there is also a real twist throughout the book about his mom that makes it a real page-turner. (That was a mild spoiler alert and I do not apologize).
Scrappy Little Nobody.
2. Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick
STARS: FIVE
Now if you’re assuming one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book was to get Anna Kendrick’s tea on what it was actually like to be on the set of Twilight, then you aren’t wrong. However, this book is SO MUCH more than that. It is a collection of effortlessly funny, mildly self-deprecating short stories from Anna’s life that are actually incredibly relatable to even someone like me whose only theater experience was playing one of the three wisemen in a Catholic elementary school Christmas play where I had no lines lol. One of my favorite parts of this book is when she explains how the n00bs are styled for red carpet events (I think we owe some teen stars from the early 2000s an apology). Overall, it’s an extremely entertaining read with humor that kept a smile on my face throughout its entirety (which was probably either weird or a refreshing change from my RBF to people at work eating lunch around me in the cafeteria). So, if you appreciate my humor, you will definitely appreciate Anna’s (we’re on a first name basis now, obvi.)
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns)
3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
STARS: FOUR
If you enjoy watching The Office (so literally anyone), then you will probably like this book. (Also, you can’t say you don’t like Mindy Kaling, but you do like The Office because she wrote a bunch of those episodes/jokes - fun fact.) Anyway, Mindy Kaling writes the same way she talks which helps you feel her authenticity through every story — like I literally read it in her voice. This book is a collection of reflections and lessons from her life starting from when she was in high school (her tip: don’t peak in high school lol we all know those people) all the way up to being a writer on The Office. Disclaimer: some of her humor is pretty inappropriate, so if you’re a prude, maybe just don’t…?
Why Not Me?
4. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
DEEEJAYYY KAAAALING — ANOTHA ONE.
STARS: 4 for Kelly Kapoor
This is the lovely book I mentioned at the beginning of this post that got be back into reading. I read this book in a mere THREE DAYS - that’s really fast for me, you guise. Most of the stories Mindy tells in this book are set post her days as Kelly Kapoor and a writer at The Office. She still gives B.J. Novak a big ole shout out because that’s her bestie, but I appreciated that this book was enough of its own entity that I didn’t feel like I was just rereading the one above. A few things that stuck with me from this book: she was describing a hypothetical situation/future and said “Elizabeth Warren is president” which I thought was oddly timely and wonder if she looks back on it now and says “HA! I TOLD YOU ALL!”, she dabbled in a relationship with one of Obama’s secret service agents which is just cool af to be able to say and in a culture where body dysmorphia is quite prevalent (even for men), Mindy dives into her take on her body and the media. It was an easy read with, again, some humor that some might find inappropriate, but I quite enjoyed.
Bossypants.
5. Bossypants by Tina Fey
STARS: 3.96 — It’s my blog, I can rate how I want to.
Tina Fey’s Bossypants is the O.G. book for me. It was the book that introduced me to this comedian/actor memoir genre. It was the very first one I read and made me realize how much I enjoy reading stories from people’s lives as told by those people. I read it in 2013, so it’s been a few years but even as a college student who didn’t have a lot of time to “read for fun,” I flew through this book in about a week. Tina touches on a little bit of everything starting with when she was five and got attacked by a stranger in an alleyway that gave her the scar on her left cheek (Google it.), her journey to becoming a comedian on Saturday Night Live including her time as part of the Chicago-based improv group The Second City where she met her BFF Amy Poehler, and of course, what it’s like being a working mom eating food off of the floor. All in all, I think this book offers something everyone can appreciate.
Yes Please.
6. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
STARS: Three. Just three.
So to be fair to Amy on my rating, after thoroughly enjoying Tina Fey’s book, my expectations were pretty high for Amy Poehler’s book. I mean she is Tina Fey’s BFF, u kno? I also LOVE Parks & Rec (highly recommend anyone watch it if you enjoy The Office (so anyone reading this)) and this was the second book of this genre that I read. Although it didn’t live up to my expectations, it wasn’t a bad book by any means. Similar theme to all of the other books mentioned in this blog, Amy offers up a plethora of personal stories about sex, love, friendship, parenthood, etc. with a little bit of advice intertwined (take some, leave the rest). I love Amy Poehler’s humor and learning about all of the improv groups she was in when she was just starting out as a comedian. It wasn’t my favorite book, but I liked it enough to include it on this list. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
