My Favorite Reads in 2023
ππππππππππππππππππ
Hello and happy last week of 2023! I thought Iβd share my year-end favorites for the next few days. Apologies in advance for momentarily clogging your inbox.
I donβt really consume fiction anymore, even though I do love it. I think itβs because I listen to most books on audio while powering through my morning routine, and itβs difficult for me to multitask while following a narrative. I do have a stack of books Abe read/loved by my bedside and in my officeβ¦ just havenβt had the bandwidth to crack them open and read. Something to work on in 2024. Maybe.
End Credits: How I Broke Up with Hollywood (Patty Lin) β I seriously think about quitting show business every few years. This is validation that it is, indeed terrible and inspiration that people do it. They just donβt write about it. So I appreciate Patty Lin for going there.
Uncle of the Year: & Other Debatable Triumphs (Andrew Rannells) β As a fellow childless actor with many many niblings, I related.
Want Your Self: Shift Your Self-Talk and Unearth the Strength in Who You Were All Along (
)β Iβve talked about this many times this past year because Katie is a long-time friend (and I faciliated the Q&A at her Los Angeles book launch, below). But I truly got so much out of reading this book (2x)!!! and think you will too.You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir (
) β Maggie is an internet friend; she supported my directorial debut not only by watching it but also tweeting about it to her massive following in the thick of the pandemic. I have become a huge fan of her poetry and writing. This book is just exceptional.Tell Me Everything: A Memoir (Minka Kelly) β Iβve only watched Minka Kelly act in a few episodes of Friday Night Lights (a show I know I should watch more of, I just havenβt) and was deeply moved by her story.
Life in Five Senses: How Exploring the Senses Got Me Out of My Head and Into the World (
) β I have already read all of her books, and I listen to her Happier podcast regularly, so I really did not think Iβd have anything new to learn. But there were several things I kept mulling over after listening. I may do it again in 2024!The World's Worst Assistant (Sona Movsesian) β I was an Administrative Assistant for a few years right after college, and this book brought me back to those days. This was such a light, fun read. I occasionally listen to Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, and itβs great to hear her hilarious voice on its own.
I'm Glad My Mom Died (Jennette McCurdy) β I noticed the cover in my local bookshop and was like, βCLICKBAIT TITLE!!! I WILL NOT GIVE IN.β And then I was putting together my own book proposal about my own experiences growing up in show business with an eating disorder (still putting it togetherβ¦) so I knew I had to give it a chance. Very glad I did.
Run Towards the Danger: Confrontations with a Body of Memory (Sarah Polley) β I think weβre seeing a trend here, LOLβ¦ re: how shitty the entertainment industry is. But this book is a lot more than just the harsh reality of growing up a child actor. Itβs about being a human in the dangerous world β in the past, and the present. With hope for the future.
Tracy Flick Can't Win (Tom Perrotta) β This is one of the few fiction books I did read, and thatβs because Tom Perrotta is one of my all-time favorites and I was dying to know what happened to Tracy Flick after Election.
P.S. Full 2023 Reading List, 2022 Reading List
The paywall has been removed through the end of the year, plus Iβm offering a 20% discount off annual subscriptions!
My aim is to keep these posts sponsor-free, so if youβd like to support me directly with a paid subscription, that would be very helpful. Please note: I do use affiliate links and may earn a commission when you purchase something.
Omg! Iβm honored WANT YOUR SELF is included here - thank you for being such a fierce cheerleader for this book, and me. Xoxo
Love this !