tatumreads's review against another edition
5.0
What a great book to start off the new year. Clinton Kelly is witty, honest, and a brilliant writer. This book is half memoir, half motivational/self-help, but not in an annoying way.
brendaclay's review against another edition
3.0
I've been a Clinton Kelly fan since college and loved his book Freakin' Fabulous, so I was excited to see a new memoir from him. The stories in this book encompass the full range of his life and a full range of tones, from funny to shocking to serious. Turns out he writes silly sitcom pilots as a hobby, and includes one based on his What Not to Wear experience in the book. Meanwhile, one stream-of-consciousness chapter about a mundane day in his life in Miami was unexpectedly profound. I enjoyed it.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
readingwithhippos's review against another edition
3.0
Most people know Clinton Kelly from What Not to Wear, the TLC show in which he and Stacy London got many a suburban mom into darker, more streamlined jeans. I have watched my fair share of that show, but when I really started to like Clinton as more than a snarky self-appointed fashion expert was when I was a stay-at-home foster parent. The Chew came on in my kitchen every weekday at noon, and it was like a life preserver thrown out onto a tumultuous ocean of disposable diapers and those Gerber puff things that taste like nothing and stick to everything. Clinton on The Chew seemed mellow, approachable, fun--and he’d even teach you crafts!
The Clinton in this recent memoir is sort of an average of the two Clintons we’ve seen on TV. He’s occasionally catty--he’s not one of those celebrities who hesitates to call someone out by name (but I couldn’t really blame him, because I too find Paula Deen detestable). He also has no problem telling unflattering stories, either about himself or his friends. But he clearly has a heart buried somewhere beneath all that cynicism and seersucker. (Does Clinton wear seersucker? I just threw that in because I liked the alliteration. Probably not. He probably abhors seersucker. I don’t know about these things--that’s why they pay him the big bucks, I guess, to go on TV and know shit about seersucker.)
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
The Clinton in this recent memoir is sort of an average of the two Clintons we’ve seen on TV. He’s occasionally catty--he’s not one of those celebrities who hesitates to call someone out by name (but I couldn’t really blame him, because I too find Paula Deen detestable). He also has no problem telling unflattering stories, either about himself or his friends. But he clearly has a heart buried somewhere beneath all that cynicism and seersucker. (Does Clinton wear seersucker? I just threw that in because I liked the alliteration. Probably not. He probably abhors seersucker. I don’t know about these things--that’s why they pay him the big bucks, I guess, to go on TV and know shit about seersucker.)
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
mmk4725's review against another edition
1.0
Don't waste your time. Choppy. What the heck was the point of this book? Sorry Clinton
sjtowry's review against another edition
3.0
This book was very entertaining. I went in knowing some details, like that his relationship with Stacy London wasn't this perfect friendship that it looked like on tv. So I was prepared. But I still enjoyed this read and had several laughs.
agmaynard's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
Lively, funny, a memoir in essays. Fused essays of his young life and later career, through the Chew show. Dishes no dirt but shows the hard work and sometimes drudgery in the reality/talk show world, among other things. And reveals a basically kindly, thoughtful heart. “Don’t be an asshole” will guide you well.