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A review by jmbrown99
The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek
2.0
If you loved the wit and playfulness that Alex Trebek brought to Jeopardy!, you will not find this memoir fulfilling or meaningful. It lacks substance. Instead of offering a glimpse behind the stoic façade of quiz show lore and SNL legend, this is a collection of “If I do ever write a book, I can’t leave out my bit about Frank Sinatra.” This book is not exciting, revealing, or deep.
Even the parts that shoot for depth end up sounding less than relatable. One of these misguided attempts is when Trebek talks about his WorldVision donations, which spirals into a caveat about donating to any/all charities. Or then saying, “My financial planner told me to start my own foundation, so I did.” Without any substantive reasoning - other than looking for a way around taxes, Trebek creates a foundation. No details about the foundation, who it supports, or what causes it champions.
When it’s clunky, it is super choppy and thoughts aren’t ever tidily wrapped up. I think Alex Trebek was a noteworthy individual, who should be celebrated for his contributions to television.
But also, you can do that without reading this book. I suggest that: do not read this.
Even the parts that shoot for depth end up sounding less than relatable. One of these misguided attempts is when Trebek talks about his WorldVision donations, which spirals into a caveat about donating to any/all charities. Or then saying, “My financial planner told me to start my own foundation, so I did.” Without any substantive reasoning - other than looking for a way around taxes, Trebek creates a foundation. No details about the foundation, who it supports, or what causes it champions.
When it’s clunky, it is super choppy and thoughts aren’t ever tidily wrapped up. I think Alex Trebek was a noteworthy individual, who should be celebrated for his contributions to television.
But also, you can do that without reading this book. I suggest that: do not read this.