Rutabaga's Reads 2019: Part 18

Nonfiction is an area in which I’m lacking, and when I read nonfiction, it’s usually because it was written by a comedian/comedic actor. I’ve got a little more than usual going on with this post, and it’ll be the only nonfiction post for 2019.

            Please note 1: I did not read “Becoming” because of a political standpoint. I read it because Michelle Obama seems like a cool lady. She led Team USA in a win against James Corden’s Team UK in “Late Late Show” celeb dodgeball. And she likes French fries.

            Please note 2: I read “Dear Ally, How Do You Write A Book?” with a specific childhood friend in mind. She knows who she is. *smile*smile*wink*wink*nudge*nudge*

Becoming (Nov. 13, 2018) by Michelle Obama.

Former FLOTUS Michelle Obama is candid in her memoir from her growing-up years on Chicago’s South Side all the way through residing in the White House. She shows readers the almost obsessive tenacity that held her up all throughout life; she didn’t automatically become the resonant but warm woman she is through sheer luck or being in the right place at the right time. It took years of hard work, true grit, immeasurable mental and emotional strength and the love and support of family and friends. From young peers asking her, “How come you talk like a white girl?” to being accepted to Princeton after her school counselor said she’s not “Princeton material” to attending Harvard Law to growing beyond being a successfully practicing lawyer to meeting Barack and struggling with ugly politics to being a mom, Michelle lays it all out on the table. No holds barred.

            As mentioned above, I did not want to read this book for political reasons. I wanted to read it because Michelle Obama seems like a cool lady (she is). Her memoir showcases thoughtful reflection and winsome storytelling. There are triumphs and setbacks, enthusiasm as well as anxieties, high drama and quieter, engaging moments. All of these things, so often from her private life, are shared with equal parts spunk, jocularity and a professional frankness that isn’t often observed in the political realm. Michelle is an icon. She exemplifies what it is to be a persevering human being. The tone isn’t that of an over-confident celebrity (though a superstar she is), but one of humility with the wonderment of how her life unfolded how it did. Just as she has handled the public spotlight with grace and humor and managed to raise two well-adjusted daughters within that spotlight, so, too, has she written her story with grace and humor. This memoir is an inspiring tour de force, a representative of refinement.

Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book? (Mar. 26, 2019) by Ally Carter.

Is it your dream to write the next Great American Novel, but you don’t know where to start? Or are you great at starting a book, but quit after a handful of chapters? Do you have a finished manuscript and are wondering how to find an agent who will in turn help you find a publisher and hopefully get your book in print and on bookshelves? If you have questions, this book will have answers, though be prepared for a lot of them to be, “It depends on …,” or “This will vary from author to author.” A common theme, and it’s true, is that if you want to be a writer, you have to write, even on those days where finding 10 minutes seems like a stretch or when you’d really, really, really rather be binge-watching that show you found on Netflix. This book contains advice and tips for the aspiring writer, no matter which stage the writer is in and no matter if you want to write for fun, to escape or to hopefully, someday, develop your craft into your career.

            This is a nonfiction how-to guide from YA author Ally Carter. While this is written with teenage writers in mind, the book is an asset for any aspiring writer, especially one writing for the YA or middle-grade sets (as middle-grade can so often crossover, especially as main characters age within a series). Carter presents this book in an accessible format in which she answers so many questions on everything from finding one’s process to world-building to the importance of researching agents to why it takes so long to publish a book and so many things in between. She isn’t on her own, either, including answers gathered from a diverse group of established YA and/or middle-grade authors. Those authors include Kiersten White, Marie Lu, Cassandra Clare, Soman Chainani, Shannon Hale, Melissa de la Cruz and David Levithan (David’s also the editor of this book). This book is conversational and friendly, but also informative and encouraging. The reiterations are that no one process will work for everyone, you can only be a writer if you write, and you’ve got to write that first book for yourself. Or maybe even the first 20. Don’t write right away for the masses you hope will one day voraciously read your stories; write for yourself. And it’s okay if self-doubt creeps in each day; it happens to these established authors every day, too.

This Will Only Hurt a Little (Oct. 16, 2018) by Busy Philipps.

It would appear that Busy Philipps has always been meant to be an actress. From the time she was two and “aced out in her nudes” (her mom’s line) to leaving Scottsdale, Arizona, for Hollywood at age 19 to audition for her next acting gig as an adult again and again and again, Busy has remained headstrong and driven through it all. The often-comedic actress is exceedingly open about all aspects of her life from her accident-proneness (multiple knee injuries and a stitches-required laceration) to drugs to her “first-time” (traumatic) to the sexist system in the entertainment industry to a physical encounter on the set of a cult-classic TV show to body shaming to natural childbirth. She shares with readers the tumultuous relationships she’s had with guys, especially in her teenage years, and does not skirt around the most painful moments of her life. But Busy also reminds readers that she has a comedic side and shows that she has the ability to love so deeply (even when that love is misplaced). She is drama, but she’s also joy and mirth. Busy Philipps is one tough cookie.

            This book isn’t entirely what I expected, and it is to Busy’s credit, with her sparkly personality and comedic effervescence, that I had no idea. All of her stories are candid, which is refreshing and impressive, but many stories are tough. I was angry at so many people from her past (all of them male, by-the-way). I know I was expecting more humor, and I simultaneously think she’d be an awesome friend but found all of the crying to be excessive and too much. Clearly she feels things very profoundly, as her emotions showcase this. I also really wanted to tell her younger self, “Make better choices!” Busy is a conversational storyteller, and this book is filled with candor. Her memoir held my attention throughout. She is an entertainer who has worked hard to get where she is and continues to work hard to carry her into the future. Busy Philipps surely has a super high pain tolerance (after all, a no-drugs natural childbirth times two, y’all), because “this will only hurt a little” must be code for “this will crazy hurt a lot and most others would be down for the count or just die, but not Busy.” Busy Philipps, the you that you are now is pretty darn awesome. Keep on KILLING it!