I listened to the audiobook of The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop (narrated by the author). Someone in blogland recommended this to me, but I can't figure out who. If it was you, THANK YOU.
I was a fan of Gilmore Girls and honestly, Emily is the best character in the show. This is a memoir of Bishop's life and it made me love her so much. She got her big break as a dancer in the Broadway show A Chorus Line and never wanted kids, but always has rescue dogs and she's pro-choice and was a smoker for decades and believes in psychics. I adore her and I adored this book. I listened to the audiobook and if you're a fan of show biz stories with someone who doesn't really want to spill the tea and the most scandalous is gets is that she had pre-marital sex, this might be the book for you.
5/5 stars - I adore Kelly Bishop.
Lines of note:
One of the many comments during those ironing talks that really stuck with me was her observation - not a complaint, simply her truth - once you have children, you'll never be free again. Apparently even as a little girl I sensed that freedom was going to be an essential part of my life because when she told me that, my first and only thought was, well, then, no children for me. (Chapter 2)
I feel like I had this exact moment of my own when I was a young girl.
Your more likely to look for, as the Garth Brooks song goes, Mr. Right for Mr. Right Now. (Chapter 8)
I think Garth was the only non-Broadway musical artist mentioned in this book. You know what? I love Garth, too!
Don't cry because you think your best days are gone, smile because you had them in the first place. (Chapter 13)
Aging is a privilege. I repeat this to myself daily.
Hat mentions (why hats?):
Without Kelly, I never would have been able to have a room completely dedicated to hats in the middle of New York City. (foreword by Amy Sherman-Palladino)
sparkly beige top hat (Chapter 3)
I have had this book on my list forever! I agree that Emily was the best character on Gilmore Girls. I am rewatching the series with my kid (after not having seen it for more than a decade) and I identify with her SO MUCH.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I went from identifying with Rory to Emily and never had a Lorelai phase. I wonder what that says about me?
DeleteI'm never seen Gilmore Girls. I know, I frequently feel kind of left out because of that. This book does sound good though. And yes, ha- once you have kids, your days of freedom are gone.
ReplyDeleteI think it's fine if you've never seen GG. It's a good show and a comfort show for me, but it's not going to change your life.
DeleteI've never been able to get into Gilmore Girls, because that mom character makes me cringe... (Sorry to anyone who's a fan!!) But this book does sound interesting!
ReplyDeleteHa! I think Lorelai is supposed to make you cringe sometimes. But still root for her, you know?
DeleteMy cousin just finished that and loved it. I never saw Gilmore Girls but am very familiar with Kelly Bishop from her Broadway work. It sounds so nteresting.
ReplyDeleteYes - the book is a lot about her Broadway and dancing career, not just the television/moving acting part of her career. I think you'd find the first part of the book super interesting. I did and I don't even really know much about Broadway.
DeleteI did not love her Gilmore Girls character as much - she went too far into cruel on many occasions in my opinion, rather than just amusingly rigid and formal. When Lorelei called off her wedding and they got drunk together and Emily said something like "you can be a strong and independent woman all on your own" and Lorelei was so happy and moved and it was such a beautiful moment, and then the next morning Emily sobered up and started listing all the ways canceling the wedding was going to inconvenience her, i went cold on her for life. But i do love the actress, and will read the book. I loved Gilmore Girls when i watched it - kind of wish i had skipped the latest installment.
ReplyDeleteHa! I think Emily is right most of the time and Lorelai is a spoiled brat. Even in that scene, Emily isn't wrong. LOL.
DeleteI kind of wish I had stopped with GG as soon as Logan was introduced. He ruined the show for me!
I love the GG so have been wanting to read this. But she was definitely NOT my favorite character on the show! This was one of the contenders for our 2025 book club reads and I wish it had won!
ReplyDeleteOh, Emily and Richard were the best characters hands down! Such fun writing on that show.
DeleteI'm almost half way in this book, and I'm loving it! My daughter gave me a physical copy for Christmas or my Birthday. TEAM RICHARD AND EMILY all the way! I mean, Emily would be a nightmare to have as a mother, and maybe you'd turn out to be an idiot like Lorelai (I call her that because she's so self-destructive, not because she's stupid in other ways). I fell in love with Emily with this line pretty early on in season 1: "Oh, your father. Your father doesn't know what he wants. He'd get his hair cut at the butcher if I let him." HA!
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying the book, though I have little to no interest in Broadway or musicals whatsoever. I think the audio book would be charming!
I don't have interest in Broadway specifically, but I do like hearing about how creative people work and this did such a good job with that. And she was so NICE in her reflections. I just really admire Kelly Bishop after reading this!
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