I get it, there’s a lot to binge on TV. Why would you want to curl up with a good book that you have to read yourself when you could watch the first season of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina or catch up on all the dope Halloween specials you missed? However, there are four excellent books that all came out in October, all written by very talented authors who you will probably recognize from either having starred in or created some of your favorite television shows. These stories are all very different, fun to read, and incredibly personal. And, okay, fine; I told you I get it, and I won’t judge you if you get these on audiobook. Whatever way you read them, I’m here to tell you why these four books should be first on your reading list this fall.
1. She Wants It by Jill Soloway
If you’re familiar with Jill Soloway, you know them best from creating Transparent and I Love Dick. If you’re an old-school fan, you may know them from their writing on 6 Feet Under or United States of Tara, or maybe you’ve read their first book, Tiny Ladies in Shiny Pants. The story, based on Jill’s real life, begins with their parent coming out as trans and how their family dealt with this news – you may recognize this as the storyline of Transparent. The book follows Jill’s experience after this, including the film and then show being picked up, and their own journey through gender identity. It’s a remarkably honest behind-the-scenes look at both Jill’s life and work.
2. This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Phillips
Busy Phillips has been one of my favorite actresses for a while. Her performances always capture some archetype of ‘girl’ with an authenticity and familiarity that she makes her own. No one can do Kim Kelly or Laurie Keller the way Busy can, and why should they? In her memoir, she talks incredibly candidly about difficulties she experienced as a kid; truly life-changing things, like being raped, dislocating both knees, and having an abortion while in high school. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything and speaks to the reader as if they’re her close friend. While reading it myself, I felt I did not deserve to hear any of her stories, yet I was happy to be able to. She opens up about the excitement and devastating loneliness of being an actress on Dawson’s Creek, and again the excitement and loneliness of being a new mother. Busy is such a natural storyteller, you won’t want it to end.
3. I Might Regret This by Abbi Jacobson
You probably know Abbi Jacobson best for co-creating and co-starring in Broad City. You may have this idea of her being similar to her character because she’s previously released three books with illustrations similar to that of her on-screen persona. However, you don’t know this Abbi. This Abbi is vulnerable, this Abbi is sad, this Abbi is honest to a fault; most of all, this Abbi is inspiring. She inspires us to take hold of those feels and feel them, even when it sucks the most. She’s working through something we’ve all been through, yet it feels so new through her eyes. The premise of her book is that she went through a break-up with an unnamed woman and decided to go on a road trip to find herself or some sense of closure. This book wasn’t written with years or decades between the break-up, which happened in the summer of 2017. It’s been one year, so it’s all still so fresh. She doesn’t necessarily come to some major epiphany but rather multiple, smaller “Aha” moments. It’s beautiful and raw, and is sure to make you cry; but it’s also cathartic and, honestly, sometimes we need that.
4. Everything’s Trash, but It’s Okay by Phoebe Robinson
There’s a line from the forward of this book that stuck with me throughout. The forward is written by Ilana Glazer and she says reading Phoebe Robinson’s first book was like having a tiny Phoebe on your shoulder reading it to you. That is the perfect way to describe it. If you’ve listened to her podcasts (Sooo Many White Guys or 2 Dope Queens), or seen her HBO special 2 Dope Queens, then you know Phoebe has a very particular way of speaking. She abbreviates everything she can, uses hashtags in real-life talk, and is just always authentically herself. You might not like it, but I don’t think she cares. Because, honestly, that’s just who she is – and why would she not be that way? This book is fun and funny and discusses topics close to her heart, like feminism and interracial dating, but in a way that only she can. If you want to feel like you, too, have a tiny Phoebe sitting on your shoulder reading this book, then I highly recommend it.
Whether you’re in need of some hilarious stories about Hollywood or love reading about your favorite powerful creators pushing through difficult times, any of these books will fill that void. And, yeah, I know, everyone is talking about the Haunting of Hill House and a brand-new season of Follow This just dropped; but you owe it to yourself to take a break from TV, just for a little bit, and read even just one of these books.
So, go down to your local bookstore, or log on to Audible, and let me know what you think.
