George's Reviews

Jenny Lawson is one of my favorite people that I don't actually know. I just feel like I know her because she writes terrific books and a great blog and she is funny as hell and she also happens to suffer from anxiety and depression and she's a wonderful artist and, well, that's a lot, but it's all true and you should go out and buy her books, especially this new one which is extra cool because it's filled with her doodles and drawings and also her thoughts, which are always very clever and interesting. You can color the pictures if you want to, or you can just look at them and get inspired to draw your own, or you can do nothing. No pressure. Enjoy. - George

The Carol Burnett Show first aired on television in 1967, the year I turned five. For the next 11 years, Carol Burnett and her incredible cast—Vicki Lawrence, Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, and Lyle Wagoner—entertained me and the rest of the world with Burnett’s Emmy Award–winning variety show—a show that almost didn’t happen because network executives didn’t think a “girl” could host an hour-long comedy show. Burnett proved them wrong, and her new book is really a love letter to that amazing show. Full of personal stories about some of her favorite episodes and favorite guest stars, In Such Good Company also includes wonderful photos and excerpts from actual scripts. It is an inside look at one of the best—and funniest—shows ever on television, told by one of the funniest people on the planet.                     —George

Jenny Lawson (Let’s Pretend This Never Happened) does not like to hold back. She will be the first to tell you that she’s crazy. And she is. For most of her life, she has dealt with mental illness. She suffers from depression, anxiety, and a variety of other disorders and she has found that writing is one of the things that helps her survive. She also happens to be one of the funniest people in the world. Luckily for her (and for us), she has written another book. It is a roller-coaster ride through Lawson’s amazing head or, as she says, “a compendium on ‘how-to-thrive-in-spite-of-your-brain-being-a-real-bastard.’” She somehow manages to candidly address the debilitating diseases of depression and anxiety while making you pee your pants laughing. Yes, that’s what I said. I don’t know how she does it, but I’m glad she does.

Jenny Lawson (Let’s Pretend This Never Happened) does not like to hold back. She will be the first to tell you that she’s crazy. And she is. For most of her life, she has dealt with mental illness. She suffers from depression, anxiety, and a variety of other disorders and she has found that writing is one of the things that helps her survive. She also happens to be one of the funniest people in the world. Luckily for her (and for us), she has written another book. It is a roller-coaster ride through Lawson’s amazing head or, as she says, “a compendium on ‘how-to-thrive-in-spite-of-your-brain-being-a-real-bastard.’” She somehow manages to candidly address the debilitating diseases of depression and anxiety while making you pee your pants laughing. Yes, that’s what I said. I don’t know how she does it, but I’m glad she does. Don’t believe me? Join us at our event with Lawson on Friday, December 4th.  --George

Anna Quindlen is a best-selling author and a Pulitzer Prize winner. She is also a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, and a successful woman with a lot to say about the ups and downs of getting older. Chapter by chapter, she shares her philosophies on motherhood, marriage, friendship, solitude, and faith, weaving them all together into a warm and candid memoir about the changes, the lessons, and the losses we all (women in particular) experience as time goes by.

Ask a woman to write about her mother and she will, invariably, have a lot to say. Ask 31 women to write about their mothers, and you will have a book. This thoughtful collection of essays – some funny, some painful, but all moving - describes the complex, intense, and fascinating world of mother/daughter relationships based on one simple theme: a gift – be it physical, emotional, or spiritual – that each woman received from her mother over the course of a lifetime. A beautiful premise. A beautiful book.

Ellen DeGeneres is one of the funniest stand-up comics in the business. Her brain works in wonderful and mysterious ways; her imagination is terrific; and her timing is impeccable. She also happens to be incredibly charming and adorable, which doesn’t hurt. In her new book, Seriously…I’m Kidding (which, by the way, is one of my favorite titles ever), DeGeneres entertains us with more of her random thoughts and feelings on a range of topics from gambling to the secret of life. Interesting, thought-provoking and, most importantly, funny, you should put this book on your list of “things to read when I’m having a crappy day.”

Okay, I admit it: I don’t actually play the guitar, but I do own one—a decent Yamaha acoustic that I bought at a garage sale from some guy who obviously didn’t play it either. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love guitars! In fact, I do. And if you or someone you know does too, then check out this beautiful book. Filled with images and specs of hundreds of amazing guitars (both acoustic and electric) it’s a wonderful collection for anyone—professional, amateur, or wannabe—who has an appreciation for one of the world’s most popular musical instruments.

Most people probably know Jane Lynch for her well-deserved, award-winning performances as Sue Sylvester, the ruthless cheerleading coach on the hit TV show “Glee.” I first fell for the talented and hysterically funny Ms. Lynch in 2000, when I saw her portray domineering dog trainer Christy Cummings in the brilliant Christopher Guest comedy, “Best In Show.” Anyway, as if she isn’t busy enough being a big star, Jane Lynch has written her first book, Happy Accidents: A Memoir, and fans everywhere will now have a chance to get to know her a little bit better. She discusses everything from growing up in the Midwest to getting sober to, eventually, coming out of the closet and living the life she always wanted to live. And just like the woman herself, Happy Accidents is funny, poignant, and inspiring.