My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke
Much like Betty White, and Dolly Parton, Dick van Dyke is an American icon representing the best of us, and his autobiography delves past his wholesome image to honestly discuss his struggles with balancing his career and marriage, his alcoholism and some of his issues with his father. He’s very Midwestern in his writing, matter of fact without self-pity or excuses for mistakes. But he sees it as a way to grow. But it is only about seeing the man behind the tap shoes, he gives behind the scenes look to his work on the Dick Van Dyke show, Bye Bye Birdie, his co-stars and you can feel his graciousness in having such a long career to be proud of.
Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories by Nichelle Nichols
Many know Nichelle for her role on Star Trek, but this biography shows us how she is so much more than her character. I got to learn about her family values, her really cool parents (although she admits it took awhile before she could connect and recognize her mother’s strength and not just her flaws), her work ethic, and her relationship with Gene Rodenberry.
I never watched Star Trek but I was struck by the vision behind it, the ethos that built the show, and the intense care each actor had for their characters and what they represented. Plus we also get to hear Nichelle’s side of the story about the infamous Bill Shatner vs everyone feud, and cast pranks and hijinks on the movie set/comic-cons.
Also I have to shout-out Nichelle’s excellence in other areas as song and dance, her eloquence and her openness in sharing her failed marriage, giving birth young and her run-in with the mafia. She’s such a cool woman.
Enter Whining by Fran Drescher
The lucky lady from Queens delivers a hysterical book about her roots. Literally as she has several chapters devoted to the funny mishaps in styling her hair, her clothes and her infamous voice. Her family is just as righteously funny as their fictional counterparts (the wedding chapter actually made me put the book down so I could stop laughing). Never taking herself too seriously, Drescher delivers career highlights, what pushed her to producing and big celebrity meet-ups like Princess Di, Robin Williams and John Travolta. Fun beach read.
America’s Prima Ballerina by Maria TallChief
A moving memoir looking back at Maria’s dual life. I enjoyed learning more about her time on the Osage reservation, and how she attempted to balance her dreams (which started as being pushed by her mother’s Hollywood dreams) with the discriminatory stereotypes and others dismissing her potential. It’s clear that Maria holds great respect for her family members, and the traits they gave her to fearlessly pursue her ballet career. It was fascinating to learn more about her travels, and her famous relationship with George Balachine. Plus readers really get a sense of what dance means to her and how it fulfills her creativity.
It Rhymes with Takei by George Takei
Takei’s previous graphic novel on his internment during WW2 continues unofficially in this graphic novel that tackles his sexuality and how it intertwined with his politics and career. He’s very articulate in how denying this part of himself hurt his psyche but why it felt necessary, highlighting the blacklisting and fearing surrounding gay people in the 40s-, especially with the AIDS crisis. The illustrations aid in visualizing the emotional highs and lows of Takei working toward his career, and his feelings of guilt and cowardice in not speaking his reality. One can really feel the heart in this graphic novel, sharing his joy at his parents supporting his acting career, getting the right to be married to his long-time lover, Brad, as well as the pain and frustration of being excluded and harassed by strangers and loved ones.
Art of Gravity Falls by Alex Hirsch
You can’t go wrong with an art book in my humble opinion. Featuring thousands of GF art, concept designs and insight into the tv-making process, you can feel the joy Alex, Rob, and everyone else the Gravity Falls crew put into making a worthwhile, continuity-dense conspiracy that touches childhood and the weirdos around the world. It makes one admire the thought they put into the lore even more, as well as made me want to binge watch the entire series again.
An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln by Lois Romano
Mary Lincoln was at the center of politics at a time when society’s expectations for women were rigid and circumscribed. The product of Southern aristocracy, she grew up among an influential clan of politicians and elites who founded Lexington, Kentucky. Mary’s early exposure to the male-dominated world of politics instilled in her a keen political acumen and a fierce ambition. Proclaiming as a child that she was destined to become the wife of a president, she played a crucial role in boosting her husband to greatness.
But her hopes for a triumphant experience at the pinnacle of power were lost to the Civil War and unfathomable family tragedies. Still, Mary persevered. She steadfastly supported the Union war effort, visited encampments, tended to wounded soldiers, and generously donated money and gifts to refugees from slavery. She was an unconventional, larger-than-life character who dressed too ostentatiously, grieved too publicly, suffered a shopping addiction, and seemed unable or unwilling to corral her emotions, her temper, and her opinions. She made enemies—influential men who wrote her story for her, often unfairly. After Lincoln was assassinated, she was all but abandoned by the nation he had given his life to defend and preserve.
A great biography that thoroughly tracks Mary Todd’s life from her sheltered childhood as a Tenneesee belle to her courtship with Abraham Lincoln and how her savvy and ambition pushed him to become one of the greatest presidents. However, she’s primarly known for being a crazy shrew? Why’s that? Romano covers this too as she details the contemporary enemies (like Lincoln’s former law partner. They hated each other and he made sure to malign her after Lincoln’s death. Her surviving son committed her too out of somewhat misguided embarassment. Still awful), the stigma and lack of knowledge around mental health and PTSD and the growing movement to uncover the woman behind Lincoln beyond the perceptions history has placed on her.
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