Official Book Club Selection

A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin

By: Kathy Griffin

Narrated by: Kathy Griffin

Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Official Book Club Selection is Kathy Griffin unplugged, uncensored, and unafraid to dish about what really happens on the road, away from the cameras, and at the star party after the show. (It’s also her big chance to score that coveted book club endorsement she’s always wanted. Are you there, Oprah? It’s me, Kathy.)

Kathy Griffin has won Emmys for her reality show Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, been nominated for a Grammy, worked and walked every red carpet known to man, and rung in the New Year with Anderson Cooper. But the legions of fans who pack Kathy’s sold-out comedy shows have heard only part of her remarkable story. Writing with her trademark wit, the feisty comic settles a few old scores, celebrates the friends and mentors who helped her claw her way to the top, and shares insider gossip about celebrity behavior—the good, the bad, and the very ugly. She recounts the crazy ups and downs of her own career and introduces us to some of the supertalented people she encountered before they got famous (or, in some cases, after fame went to their heads). Word to the wise: If you’ve ever crossed Kathy Griffin at some point in your life, check the index for your name.Along the way, Kathy reveals intimate details about her life before and after she made the big time. She opens up about everything from growing up with a dysfunctional family in suburban Illinois to bombing as a young comedian in L.A., from her well-publicized plastic surgery disasters to her highly publicized divorce, and more.

Only in this book will you learn how the dinner table is the best training ground for a career in stand-up, how speaking your mind can bite you on the ass and buy you a house, and which people in Kathy’s life have taught her the most valuable lessons—both inside and outside the entertainment industry. And as if all that wasn’t enough, there are also dozens of exclusive and somewhat embarrassing photos from Kathy’s own collection—featuring the diva of the D List herself, with her old nose as well as her new one, plus celebrity friends, foes, frenemies, and hangers-on for you to gawk at.

Refreshingly candid, unflinchingly honest, and full of hilarious “Did she really say that?” moments, Official Book Club Selection will make you laugh until you cry, or just puke up a little bit.

©2009 Kathy Griffin (P)2009 Random House

Critic reviews

“With a foreword begging Oprah to be on her show and a chapter called ‘Brooke Shields, Don't Read This,’ Kathy Griffin's autobiography, Official Book Club Selection, is everything you’d expect. What makes it a terrific read, though, is all the stuff you wouldn't expect: binge eating (her own, not Paula Abdul’s); her conviction that her late brother was a child molester; and her unflinching accounts of her plastic surgery and her divorce. Whether or not you’re a fan, you'll respect her tenacity, work ethic, and loyalty to her parents. And if you are a fan of Griffin’s celeb-tastic stand-up, skip to chapter 8, which should be called ‘Helen Hunt, Thomas Haden Church, and Ellen DeGeneres, Don't Read This.’ Everyone else, dive in. A–”—Entertainment Weekly

“Funny, honest, and refreshingly unsentimental. Griffin embraces Michael Corleone's mantra with a vengeance: All business is personal.”—New York Post

“You feel as if Griffin is in the room with you, excitedly gesturing as she recounts a story [and] that's the beauty of Official Book Club Selection—Griffin has been made a fool countless times in her career and her willingness to share those lumps, which, face it, you’ll never read in some Oscar-winning A-lister's autobiography, endears her tremendously.”—Richmond Times Dispatch

I Love Kathy!!

What did you love best about Official Book Club Selection?

I loved that Kathy read the book herself. It actually filled in a lot of questions about Kathy for me! LOVED IT!!

Shameless woman! I love you!

What did you like best about this story?

I just love Kathy Griffin. She's very fearless, and one of the funniest people EVER. Obviously any time she talks about her Mother and quotes her, I cannot stop laughing. I also thought the Dakota Fanning story was hilarious!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was SO sad to hear the details of her marriage falling apart. I felt like a friend of hers and I was saying out loud, "Oh honey" or "You have got to be kidding me." That's the power of her storytelling. She speaks as if you were there with her. Like we were at a Starbucks or something. Just great.

Any additional comments?

The only problem I have is her decision to share her story about her Brother. That put me in a dark place. I appreciate her raw honesty and fearlessness, but I just didn't want to hear it.

Hilarious and a bit scandalous

Would you consider the audio edition of Official Book Club Selection to be better than the print version?

I can't imagine reading a book like this, you simply must hear it straight from the source.

Any additional comments?

I love Kathy Griffin! This book gets into some serious material, so it's not all laughs and giggles. But her life story is pretty interesting and I must say I am impressed with her work ethic.There are some pretty hilarious stories in here, especially her account of an Andy Dick performance at a college, I nearly fell over with laughter.

Extras

I love that she goes off book into her own tangents sometimes! Such a good listen

Feels like Kathy is talking, not reading, to you

Would you listen to Official Book Club Selection again? Why?

Absolutely. Kathy tells a lot of stories within her story and its impossible to catch all of the details on the first pass. I listened to a few chapters more than once on my first pass through the book, and laughed harder each time. I also teared up, too, but most of Kathy's stories aren't too heavy.

What other book might you compare Official Book Club Selection to and why?

Happy Accidents: A Memoir (by Jane Lynch) is what I am listening to now and is definitely a book you could compare to "Official Book Club Selection" basically becuase they are both memoir's of comedic women in Hollywood. However, unlike Kathy, Jane is reading her book to you; Kathy is having a conversation with you except she can't you talking back. LOL!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It was definitely a book I would have listened to all at once if I ever had that kind of time. You cannot get bored by Kathy's stories and because its conversational, you never tire of her voice since its constantly changing while she tells her story and full of emotion.

Loved it!

I thought it was great. Kathy Griffin really shares her life. It was a pleasure listening to her voice reading to me!

Fascinating & Empowering

Exceeded my expectations and you get to really know Kathy and respect her for her hard work and work ethic.

Enjoyed this book

This book was insightful, entertaining, well read. In addition to telling funny tales, Kathy opens up about some serious, sad moments in her life that had me upset for her at times. I appreciate her perseverance, wit and humor. She always makes me laugh out loud.

Lol funny! Couldn't stop listening

From the beginning of the book I was hooked. I was amazed to hear all of the experiences she has had in her life and love that she never stopped giving up. I thought this was better than the new Amy Schumer book and just as funny as Tina Fey's Bossy pants. I look forward to reading her new book in November.

Official Book Club Selection

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I found it very humorous and initially thought it would all be jokes. Her sincerity was unsurpassed and the fact that she discussed her career track was amusing and serious.