Life As a Page-Turner

I’ve been spending beach time this summer reading memoir (I guess I should say “autobiography”, because technically a “memoir” is a book about a certain portion of your life, not the whole thing, although if you call it “memoirs” plural, you can probably get away with it). Here’s the tally so far, along with elements of each I could and should incorporate in my own future memoir(s):

Playing with Myself--Randy Rainbow

 

Randy Rainbow (real name!) grew up a proudly gay kid staging elaborate musicals in his backyard with the neighborhood gang, then progressed to making hilarious music parody videos in his NYC apartment which have garnered millions of views and several Emmy nominations. Randy became buds with Stephen Sondheim (the preeminent lyricist of his generation, who called Randy’s lyrics “brilliant—as good as anyone writing today.”) The great Carol Burnett is also a big fan. 

 

Note to self: Too late to change name to... “Elise Iridescent”? Sondheim may have passed away, but Lin-Manuel Miranda is still here! Send my knock-socks-off Hamilton parody as soon as I come up with one.

 

Going There--Katie Couric

 

Spunky, smiley girl next door Katie wrote an engaging book which really was just a rundown of her rather ordinary (!) existence. Listen, I watched the Today show too, and witnessed first-hand her many fascinating interviews, her effortless back-and-forths with Bryant and Matt, and for a while I wore my hair approximately the same way! Add that to my spunkiness and smiley-ness and you have basically the same person!

 

Note to self: Somehow re-frame my years as a church worker to reflect pre-dawn limo rides to studios where my makeup and wardrobe were completely handled. I did have a few pre-dawn (though makeup free) bus rides to catch planes to mission trip locations, so there’s that.

 

Bookends--Zibby Owens

 

Zibby is a well-known book blogger whose semi-charmed, ultra-rich NYC life is chronicled here. While she has had some personal tragedy, she also married her much younger tennis pro, went to Harvard Business School, and has four adorable children, plus homes on the Upper East Side and in the Hamptons. Her schtick is a series of podcasts and anthologies titled “Moms Don’t Have Time to…(Read Books, Lose Weight, Have Kids,") etc. 

 

Note to self: Too late to change name to… Zippy? And I could totally add “Moms Don’t Have Time to...Vacuum, Floss, Iron, Interview Maids and Nannies.” 

 

Happy-Go-Lucky--David Sedaris

 

Another wild trip through the funhouse that is Sedaris family life, this one anchored by the death of their very difficult 98 year old father Lou. David manages to make a beach house called “The Sea Section” sound almost normal. 

 

Note to self: Connect with David’s agent (he regularly tours all over, just reading from his books. ME TOO.). Make time to write incredible essays for The New Yorker, come up with several eccentric siblings, and live in an eccentric old house in France. 

 

My summer work is cut out for me!! NYT bestseller list here I come!!