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 overall liked it

kathy grifit is one of my favorite perfoemers. liked this book a whole lot 10/10

Funny, Honest, and Just What I Needed

If you could sum up Official Book Club Selection in three words, what would they be?

I loved hearing Kathy Griffin tell her life story in this informal and chatty audiobook. After a few chapters, I couldn't put it down (in the figurative sense, of course) and listened to the whole thing while cleaning my house. It was just what I needed!

Kathy is hilarious

Kathy Griffin is hilarious and it was very interesting to learn more about her life.

Kathy Griffin

I've seen a few shows of hers and I never really was a fan of hers but after this book, I love her!She's so hilarious! I totally recommend it.

felt like an authentic visit with KG

Where does Official Book Club Selection rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

one of my faves by a comic

What did you like best about this story?

Kathy Griffin was perfectly expressive reading her own book. She didn't seen to need an audience's reaction to bring magic to her words. In fact, she was so personable in tone that I felt I'd just had a nice visit with the author herself. I loved the mix of funny scenarios and serious subject matter. A very satisfying listen.

What does Kathy Griffin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It was like we were conversing. I can't imagine anyone else reading her memoir. Her voice was full of spunk and charm--and down-to-earth. She shared her perspective and key points of her life in this book. Hearing her voice made it feel even more like I'd been invited into her thoughts.

Entertaining Storytelling

Kathy is the master of honest and crazy storytelling. I loved this book and especially appreciated Kathy's honesty.

Not A Bad Date

What did you love best about Official Book Club Selection?

Kathy has a lot of energy and does seem like a fun person. I do like dark humor, and I was able to figure out what she was saying most of the time. I don't follow Hollywood much, including not having cable for my TV or subscribing to People Magazine. I would look up celebrities from time to time to learn who she was talking about.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

She went into her Mother's character for awhile, and I could relate to the economic advice that was given though mine was from a depression-era father. Good chuckles.

What does Kathy Griffin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It does make a difference to hear her voice rather than just read the words. I'd watched one of her nightclub performances before listening to the book. The book was like attending a show at times.

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

This is a long book, and I planned to space it out when I got it, which is what I did.

Any additional comments?

I don't have the best memory in the world, but the early part of the book that tell of her acting lessons and her boyfriends, was amusing. Late in the book I got some laughs when Kathy described a comedian she was watching at a Florida college. She knew the school had made the wrong choice to entertain the students. She was an acquaintance of this guy. Her professional stories of shows, celebrities she's personally known, and others she's used for her act, are matched with stories of her personal family life. I wouldn't say the family stories were always for laughs. She had good parents who made efforts for their kids. It sounds like she's made some smart career decisions to not party too hard.

Entertaining

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

I found this book to be engaging and entertaining.

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

Tough Sh*T: Life advice from a Fat Lazy Slob who did Good. By Kevin Smith. Both books are narrated by the authors & are hilariously truthful.

Have you listened to any of Kathy Griffin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I definitely laughed.

Amazing

Spoiler Alert: AMAZING.
A pedo brother? An eating disorder? Botched plastic surgery? Alcoholic parents? Amazing story.

shocking and amazing

Amazing!!!! I loved it. I see Kathy on a whole different level now!