Nonfiction November: Yes Please

I was given a pretty (and heavy! nice paper!) newly-released paperback copy of Yes Please by Amy Poehler to review. Though I had this lovely paperback, I was told repeatedly that I *had* to listen to it on audiobook. So I got on the library hold list and, when it was available, I started a co-read of sorts. And now that I've done it, I want to recommend it to everyone else who hasn't read this book yet. Poehler's humor comes through in both mediums but there are benefits to each one. If you listen to the audiobook, you get Seth Meyers, Patrick Stewart, Carol Burnett, Kathleen Turner, and even Amy's parents chiming in. If you get the book, you get to see childhood and teen pictures of the young comedienne. I definitely feel like I got to have the best of both worlds on this read.

This book is funny and profane, sometimes dark and sometimes thoughtful. It was a little disorganized but I'm guessing that there wouldn't be a simple way to organize such diverse content. My favorite parts were the discussion of Parks and Recreation (which I didn't start watching until last year and now I still haven't quite finished because I don't want it to end) and the insider look at SNL. I loved Amy's potty mouth/keyboard and her parents' Boston accent. I wasn't so into the semi-frequent drug mentions or her talk about smoking (though she seems to have quit now). Overall, this was a very honest sharing of her life both in and out of "the business" that was as comfortable as a late-night talk over drinks with a friend.

Peeking behind the curtain,
K