The Wreckage of My Presence: Essays
(Libby/OverDrive eBook, Kindle)

Actor (SNL, Happy Endings) and podcaster (Bitch Sesh) Wilson's first memoir is, at first blush, as big and kooky as one of the characters she has crafted or portrayed. In chapters ranging in topic from her love of lounging in bed and the Real Housewives franchise to spiritual explorations and family vacations, she is way out front, seemingly willing to bare her soul on the page. Rather than set up situations to showcase the glamour and glitz of her life as an actor, Wilson turns the trappings of fame into rich fodder for highlighting the absurdities of her Hollywood life. Her humorous writing flows in a rapid-fire, conversational tone, but underneath the laughs, the constant, human, and very relatable undercurrent becomes more apparent: this is also a woman seeking her footing through the grief of losing her mother and finding her place in the world. These personal (and yes, big and kooky) essays will appeal to fans of other funny female essayists like Chelsea Handler and Mindy Kaling, whether or not they are already devotees of Wilson's work.

Famous for breaking the Watergate story with Bob Woodward, Bernstein backtracks to his early-1960s experiences as a teenage reporter at the Washington Star in Chasing History.

Actor (SNL, Happy Endings) and podcaster (Bitch Sesh) Wilson's first memoir is, at first blush, as big and kooky as one of the characters she has crafted or portrayed. In chapters ranging in topic from her love of lounging in bed and the Real Housewives franchise to spiritual explorations and family vacations, she is way out front, seemingly willing to bare her soul on the page. Rather than set up situations to showcase the glamour and glitz of her life as an actor, Wilson turns the trappings of fame into rich fodder for highlighting the absurdities of her Hollywood life. Her humorous writing flows in a rapid-fire, conversational tone, but underneath the laughs, the constant, human, and very relatable undercurrent becomes more apparent: this is also a woman seeking her footing through the grief of losing her mother and finding her place in the world. These personal (and yes, big and kooky) essays will appeal to fans of other funny female essayists like Chelsea Handler and Mindy Kaling, whether or not they are already devotees of Wilson's work. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Famous for breaking the Watergate story with Bob Woodward, Bernstein backtracks to his early-1960s experiences as a teenage reporter at the Washington Star in Chasing History. Structured around Gwendolyn Brooks's "We Real Cool," Punch Me Up to the Gods recounts award-winning poet/screenwriter Broom's upbringing in Ohio as a Black boy crushing on other boys, falling into wild sex and drug use, and finally finding his way. Laden with Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG, and Grammy honors, Foxx pivots here to talk about raising two very different daughters in Act Like You Got Some Sense (400,000-copy first printing; originally scheduled for October 2020). In The Windsor Diaries, published posthumously, Howard records staying with her grandfather at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park during World War II and befriending princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan, a viral sensation, pulls out the Southern charm to tell funny stories about life and celebrity in How Y'all Doing? (100,000-copy first printing). Having started the YouTube channel Dad, How Do I? to hand out the fatherly advice and how-to tips he wishes his dad had been around to give him, Kenney here reiterates that advice while surveying his childhood and how the channel went viral (75,000-copy first printing). In Sparring with Smokin' Joe, Lewis, director of journalism at York College, CUNY, recalls the months he spent in 1981 in the gym and on the road with boxing great Joe Frazier. Brat Packer McCarthy relates a life that encompasses acting, directing, and working as an award-winning editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler. In Sunshine Girl, Margulies shows how she created order amid the chaos of a difficult childhood to become an Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning actress. In Sinatra and Me, Oppedisano, a longtime confidant and key member of the singer's management team, reflects on Sinatra's life, loves, and commitment to his craft (100,000-copy first printing). Finally, in The Wreckage of My Presence, actress/podcaster Wilson offers funny but heartfelt essays ranging from the joys of eating in bed to her obsessive need to be liked (100,000-copy first printing)

SNL alumna, Bitch Sesh podcaster, writer, and actress Casey Wilson always knew she was destined to be famous; it didn't matter that no one else agreed with her. She paved her own way, even if it meant hijacking Susan Sarandon's assistant's phone line to book her own shows, or auditioning for roles while on the job. Reading Wilson's essays is not unlike being trapped in an elevator between floors with a high-strung friend who doesn't know when to stop talking, in the best possible way. Completely shameless, but also incredibly endearing, Wilson's essays share the elements that frame her existence: her closest relationships; the unexpected passing of her mother; and her "seeker" mentality that's helped along by psychics and Flywheel instructors, among others. Wilson's incredible collection of essays shines throughout, especially when seamlessly moving from gasp-worthy, low-brow humor to deeply heartfelt epiphanies about confidence, motherhood, and food addiction. VERDICT Equally irreverent and heartfelt, this collection is a roller-coaster, as Wilson shares her journey through the best and worst parts of her life. You might cry and scream, but you'll be eager to get back in line to take another ride. For fans of Samantha Irby, Judy Greer, or Sarah Silverman.—Alana Quarles, Fairfax County P.L., Alexandria, VA