Scan barcode
jess_mango's review
4.0
I'm between 4 and 4.5 stars for this one.
Bess Kalb, a writer for The Jimmy Kimmel Show, shares her memories of her grandmother in this humorous and endearing family memoir. Most of the book is filled with stories that Bess was told by her grandmother. Bess & her grandmother were very close and it shows. Bess shares the stories her grandmother told her along with her own memories of the two of them including visits to various places in NYC including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and tea at The Plaza.
Two thumbs up for this quick, heartwarming read.
Bess Kalb, a writer for The Jimmy Kimmel Show, shares her memories of her grandmother in this humorous and endearing family memoir. Most of the book is filled with stories that Bess was told by her grandmother. Bess & her grandmother were very close and it shows. Bess shares the stories her grandmother told her along with her own memories of the two of them including visits to various places in NYC including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and tea at The Plaza.
Two thumbs up for this quick, heartwarming read.
scigeek22's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
This was a quick listen narrated by the author, Bess Kalb. Wonderful and funny memoir. Brought tears of sadness, love and laughter. This is a beautiful book that will brighten your day and warm your heart of a special relationship between a grandmother and her granddaughter.
taylersimon22's review
5.0
A beautiful story of a life woven together by a loving granddaughter. I cried so much thinking about my own grandmothers I lost. Kalb did a great job recreating the voice of her grandmother and telling these stories of three generations of women.
amyrobins's review
5.0
One of the loveliest, funniest, most charming books I've ever read. Short and sweet and made me miss my grandma. Bess Kalb does a great job narrating her book in her grandmother's voice.
wanderingmole's review against another edition
5.0
A great read. A funny and tender impression/ retelling of a life in a chain of wild and resilient lives.
————————————————————
“Bessie, if you try on a dress and you don't immediately want to parade outside the dressing room and show it off to everyone in the store, take it off and forget it ever existed.”
“Bessie, if you ever finally find a lipstick that actually, certifiably looks good on you, buy twenty of them. If it gets discontinued-and it always does-you'll never forgive yourself. Ever. Don't say I didn't warn you.”
‘There's only one other building that makes him more proud: his tree house. It was 1965 and the whole country was panicked about the possibility of a nuclear missile. Our neighbor in Ardsley dug an enormous hole in his backyard and poured in a concrete shell. He brought in pallets of canned soup and an oxygen tank and sleeping bags. A fallout shelter. It fright: ened me. I asked your grandfather, "Hank, should we build a bunker?" He said, “I’ll do you one better." That weekend, he brought in lumber and a cherry picker, and he built an enormous tree house in the elm tree right on our property line with the doomsday neighbor. When it was done on Sunday night, he brought me up the ladder. There was a table and chairs, a white tablecloth, and a bottle of champagne and two crystal glasses. "Bobby, when the bomb hits, here's where I want to be. Up in the sky with you”’
“No matter what happens, keep walking. My zayde always said that if the earth is cracking behind you right up to your heels, you put one foot in front of the other. You keep going. Nothing's as important as moving forward.”
————————————————————
“Bessie, if you try on a dress and you don't immediately want to parade outside the dressing room and show it off to everyone in the store, take it off and forget it ever existed.”
“Bessie, if you ever finally find a lipstick that actually, certifiably looks good on you, buy twenty of them. If it gets discontinued-and it always does-you'll never forgive yourself. Ever. Don't say I didn't warn you.”
‘There's only one other building that makes him more proud: his tree house. It was 1965 and the whole country was panicked about the possibility of a nuclear missile. Our neighbor in Ardsley dug an enormous hole in his backyard and poured in a concrete shell. He brought in pallets of canned soup and an oxygen tank and sleeping bags. A fallout shelter. It fright: ened me. I asked your grandfather, "Hank, should we build a bunker?" He said, “I’ll do you one better." That weekend, he brought in lumber and a cherry picker, and he built an enormous tree house in the elm tree right on our property line with the doomsday neighbor. When it was done on Sunday night, he brought me up the ladder. There was a table and chairs, a white tablecloth, and a bottle of champagne and two crystal glasses. "Bobby, when the bomb hits, here's where I want to be. Up in the sky with you”’
“No matter what happens, keep walking. My zayde always said that if the earth is cracking behind you right up to your heels, you put one foot in front of the other. You keep going. Nothing's as important as moving forward.”
tuabaxl's review
4.0
A love letter to the author’s grandmother. Sweet, entertaining, historical, and engaging. I especially enjoyed it as an audio book with the author narrating.