I’m noticing a trend in the books I’m reading- a LOT of celebrity memoirs. This must be a holdover from when I would read the gossip/fashion sites like Go Fug Yourself and DListed. It also could be that having read a few, search algorithms are now pushing even more of them on me, and with my limited time I’m trying them out, and for the most part, they seem to be quick, light, reads.
My familiarity with Busy Philips started with Dawson’s Creek. She was the 5th season add in, and because I didn’t like her character all that much there was some minor dislike/disinterest in the actress as well. I found Freaks and Geeks once it hit streaming platforms a few years ago, and while I appreciated her character there a bit more, I was still “meh” on Busy. So I’m really not sure why I read this book, but for the most part, I really enjoyed it. I listened to the audiobook which is read by the author, and she does a great job of bringing her words to life (something that I assumed authors, particularly actors, would be great at, but have found that often not to be the case). A lot of the book is a mixture of humorous anecdotes, harrowing stories from when she was in high school, and behind the scenes stories of being a working actress in Hollywood. The stories of her personal life were gut wrenching in parts, and it was hard to listen to, but were extremely well written and poignant. She also gives a lot of insight into the ins and outs of getting work in the industry, and how difficult it can be even if you’re booking a lot more than most other people in the business.
The last chapter or two of the book is where things really fell apart for me. It felt really rushed, and when she was discussing the problems in her marriage and her ultimate career goals, it just felt like a really different tone from the rest of the book and put me off a bit. Overall I think it was an enjoyable book, but I wish it would’ve finished stronger.