Lauren Graham: Talking as Fast as I Can

Asking for this for Christmas was a no-brainer for me. I was obsessed with Gilmore Girls long before it was age appropriate. My friend Andrew and I used to sit in his basement on our lunch hours and watch episodes when we were only twelve or thirteen (sorry Andrew). The only person I know who may be a bigger Lauren Graham fan than me is my friend Marijke, who until recently swore she was naming her first daughter Lorelei.

The humour in the first few chapters was quite cheesy, and I was unhappy about it. I don't know Lauren Graham but I certainly feel like I do and I couldn't help but think "come on... you're funnier than this... you don't have to try so hard!" But then I realized how awkward it must be to introduce a book you wrote about how cool your own life is and cut her some slack.. and then that initial cheesiness went away completely and it was honestly the most heartwarming book I've ever read. It may not be quite as touching if you aren't super obsessed with her television shows but... I probably don't care about you that much anyways if that's the case...

If you know me, you know there is literally nothing that fascinates me more than the real relationships celebrities form during filming. I could seriously talk to anyone for hours about the bond Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio still have today (he walked her down the aisle at his wedding like COME ON). Graham dove head first into this by literally going through each season of Gilmore Girls, discussing her relationships with the other cast members, her favourite episodes, her favourite moments, etc. and I had basically died and gone to reading heaven. 

Lauren Graham and both her TV daughters. I love this photo so much.

For example, she writes that Rory's speech to Lorelei at graduation still brings her to tears and this is the stuff I love to know... I also well up hearing this speech and even used part of it in an Instagram post on mothers' day (I am a kiss ass). One thing I will say is that there have always been rumours Graham didn't get along that well with Scott Patterson (Luke) and I didn't want to believe them but after reading this I do feel they could be true. She definitely didn't say anything mean but she doesn't gush about him the way she gushes about other cast members.

Now if you weren't as into Gilmore Girls but were super into Parenthood, do not fear, this book was written for you too. 

"Don't you hate it when one of your friends starts dating someone fabulous, or gets a cool new job or an unexpected promotion, and they're so excited and happy and they can't stop talking about how lucky they are and how amazing everything in their life is, and generally just won't shut up about it? That's what me telling you about the experience of doing the show Parenthood is going to be like."

She goes into great details about her relationships with all the cast members, and how they're still so close today (she still has a regular "family dinner" with her children from the show, Mae Whitman and Miles Heizer). Again, this is the stuff I can't get enough of. She also talks a lot about how fun it was to film Parenthood. They all had some liberties with the dialogue at family dinners, etc. and these details make me love the show even more. Ugh, the end of Parenthood might have even been worse for me than the end of Gilmore Girls. 

Sarah's wedding on Parenthood was my ideal wedding. I don't know how I'm functioning without the Bravermans.

Along with these amazing details about her work on these two shows, she talks a lot about becoming an actress and how she could never be where she is without other strong female actresses opening all sorts of doors for her. Girl power. There's a lot more information on this topic in her semi-autobiographical fiction book called Someday, Someday, Maybe (2013) which I haven't read.

I also LOVED the sections she wrote on her romantic life because they were perfect, not preachy, and brief. Graham actually dates Peter Krause who plays her brother in Parenthood. He's the only traditional TV dad I'd ever admit to finding sexy and she has the most adorable things to say about him in this book. I won't ruin all of them for you but she tells this amazing story about how years before they would start dating they are asked to present a Golden Globe together and he asks her if she wants to hold hands as they walk out on stage. 

"Because here's the thing: I was fine on my own, and so are you. But it can be hard when you feel ready for Happy Couplehood and you seemed to have missed the train. As my friend Oliver Platt used to say to me about hopes and dreams I'd share with him: 'It's coming, just not on your time frame.'"

How cute are THEY?

She also wrote a beautiful few paragraphs on how much she admires Carrie Fisher. She obviously wrote this before Fisher died but I read this book like, the day she died, and it made it so much more special knowing Graham genuinely singled Fisher out as being courageous. I love when actresses gush about other actresses. 

I don't want to get egged but I didn't love the recent Gilmore Girls revival and part of me wished I had just left it at the original ending which despite all its cliffhangers, I actually really loved. She also annoyingly alludes to the fact that the end of the revival was also a cliffhanger and is all coy about how we should potentially expect more... Anyways, I am SO glad I read this and if I haven't made it clear I highly recommend it. It's short, easy to read, and perfect for anyone who is a Graham fan (which everyone should be).