Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
Written by Ashley Kelmore, Posted in Reviews
Three Stars
Best for: Fans of Lauren Graham, fans of Gilmore Girls. If you’re just a fan of her work on Parenthood, there’s only one chapter in here for you.
In a nutshell: A loosely chronological collection of essays by Lauren Graham, discussing how she got into acting, her time on Gilmore Girls, and her time filming the recent series of films for Netflix.
Line that sticks with me: “What was it I’d encountered that day, and those other times? Why would anyone assume I’d need help with, or take credit for, something that wasn’t my work? Was it … sexism?”
Why I chose it: I really enjoy the characters of Lorelai Gilmore and Sarah Braverman, and I’m a sucker for a memoir written by a woman.
Review: I read this book in an afternoon plus one 30-minute session on the elliptical. It’s well-written, amusing, and offers some very sweet insight into Ms. Graham’s experiences as an actress. She even (for the first time) sits and watches all seasons of Gilmore Girls to give us readers her insights.
This book was fine. It’s definitely not bad, so I’m not sure why I’m leaning towards three stars instead of four. Maybe I was hoping for more? I’m not sure why – Ms. Graham seems extremely guarded (which is totally her right), and this book fits with that. I don’t think I learned anything surprising about her from her, although I made a few inferences of my own from what was included – or not.
The stories she tells are fun (thought rarely laugh-out-loud funny, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) and kind and generous to her colleagues. I did thoroughly enjoy the Gilmore Girls-specific chapters, but did wish there was more about her time on Parenthood.
As an aside, there was one section, however, that might just change my life as far as my writing is concerned. In one chapter, she shares advice she received from a fellow writer, called “the kitchen timer.” It’s obvious as hell once one reads it, but I’m using it right now and honestly, it’s really helpful.
