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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Have you accepted Andrew Rannells as your Lord and saviour?
In all seriousness, this is one of my favourite — if not my absolute favourite — memoirs I have ever read. The feeling of thinking you have everything figured out and slowly realizing you’re nowhere near where you thought you would be is brutally relatable, but the idea that it’s never too late to adjust your life to what you want it to be is a breath of fresh air.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to watch every possible interview and performance of his that YouTube can provide me with.
In all seriousness, this is one of my favourite — if not my absolute favourite — memoirs I have ever read. The feeling of thinking you have everything figured out and slowly realizing you’re nowhere near where you thought you would be is brutally relatable, but the idea that it’s never too late to adjust your life to what you want it to be is a breath of fresh air.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to watch every possible interview and performance of his that YouTube can provide me with.
funny
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
I was one of the rare few that didn't cling to Andrew Rannells when he took the stage in Book of Mormon. I wasn't a fan of his singing, his acting, or him as a person from what I had seen in interviews and heard from friends who worked with/met him, but this book has given me new respect for the Broadway star. This memoir, a collection of essays detailing his first few years in New York as well as memories of his childhood and adolescence, was one of the most relatable pieces of nonfiction I have read in a long time. As a gay man and former actor (before COVID 19 wrecked the theatre world this past year) I knew exactly the kind of experiences Andrew spoke of when maneuvering the world post high school and outside of the jurisdiction of his parents for the first time. I understood the unrequited loves and the short romances he spoke of post-coming out and coming into his own as a gay youth. His rampant "sex-capades" in his twenties and troubled past with older men who used him and abused were also sadly relatable. Coming from a catholic school experience and small town background I understood the way the world seemed to open up like a cornucopia of opportunities, while also hitting us hard with reality. Overall, what I mean to say is Mr. Rannells is a good writer and has lived experiences that many will be able to relate to. Especially, being young and chasing a dream with your eyes full of stars and thinking anything is possible.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
a fun little memoir. especially because i got to meet andrew rannells and hear him speak.
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
“Hey. That person is a lot like me. And if they exist and they act and think similarly to me, that must mean that I am not a mistake and maybe, just maybe, there are even more people out there like us.”
i have known and loved andrew rannells since i was an awkward theatre hyper-fixated eighth grader and because of this memoir, i think i will always love him. it was so interesting hearing the backstories of so many moments me and all of my internet mutuals poked fun of when mindlessly searching his digital footprint (cult classics being HOOKER 2000 (i remember making that my twitter display name at the ripe age of 15), Pokémon Live!, and It’s Karate, Kid). I have always and obviously respected online boundaries and treated him as a human, but it really fascinated me hearing about who is actually is and his story— the andy of andrew rannells. the memoir had great shifts between dark to back to lighthearted and funny. i truly felt like i was listening to his inner monologue, perhaps a long winded therapy session with him and thomas. i can’t wait to read his next.
i have known and loved andrew rannells since i was an awkward theatre hyper-fixated eighth grader and because of this memoir, i think i will always love him. it was so interesting hearing the backstories of so many moments me and all of my internet mutuals poked fun of when mindlessly searching his digital footprint (cult classics being HOOKER 2000 (i remember making that my twitter display name at the ripe age of 15), Pokémon Live!, and It’s Karate, Kid). I have always and obviously respected online boundaries and treated him as a human, but it really fascinated me hearing about who is actually is and his story— the andy of andrew rannells. the memoir had great shifts between dark to back to lighthearted and funny. i truly felt like i was listening to his inner monologue, perhaps a long winded therapy session with him and thomas. i can’t wait to read his next.
I'm giving this 4 1/2 stars only because I wanted MORE and I hoped it would cover his more recent success. Full disclosure: I am an unashamed HUGE fan of Andy Rannells and think he is fantastically talented and wonderfully funny - and this book completely reinforces my thoughts. I laughed a lot, I shed a tear, and if at all possible, it made me admire him even more.
I’d been hoping for more stories from Mormon or Girls, but a lovely, funny, heartwarming memoir.