From the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and the New York Times bestselling author of Talking as Fast as I Can comes a candid, insightful, and wildly entertaining essay collection about her years in show business, featuring stories that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Lauren Graham has graced countless television screens with her quick wit and larger-than-life personality, earning a reputation as a pop culture icon who always has something to say - and fast. Now Graham shares personal stories about her career in entertainment, from her early days navigating Los Angeles as a struggling actress in a red Volkswagen, to her first appearance on late-night TV, to the challenges of ageing gracefully in Hollywood. With her signature sense of humour and down-to-earth storytelling, she tells all and never spares a detail (as long as she hasn't forgotten it). In 'R.I.P. Barneys New York' she writes about an early job as a salesperson at the legendary department store (and the time she inadvertently shoplifted); in 'Ryan Gosling Cannot Confirm' she attempts to navigate the unspoken rules of Hollywood hierarchies; in 'Ne Oublie' she warns us about the perils of coming from an extremely forgetful family; and in 'Actor-y Factory' she recounts what a day in the life of an actor looks like (unless you're Brad Pitt). She also welcomes back her alter ego Old Lady Jackson to share some more homespun wisdom ('Buy wrapping paper in January when it goes on sale') and reveal the easiest recipe for orange marmalade you'll ever find (which isn't actually easy, because easy recipes for marmalade are a total time suck and just another internet lie). Filled with surprising anecdotes, sage advice, and laugh-out-loud observations, these all-new, original essays showcase the winning charm and wry humour that have delighted Graham's millions of fans.

From the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and the New York Times bestselling author of Talking as Fast as I Can comes a candid, insightful, and wildly entertaining essay collection about her years in show business, featuring stories that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Lauren Graham has graced countless television screens with her quick wit and larger-than-life personality, earning a reputation as a pop culture icon who always has something to say - and fast. Now Graham shares personal stories about her career in entertainment, from her early days navigating Los Angeles as a struggling actress in a red Volkswagen, to her first appearance on late-night TV, to the challenges of ageing gracefully in Hollywood. With her signature sense of humour and down-to-earth storytelling, she tells all and never spares a detail (as long as she hasn't forgotten it). In 'R.I.P. Barneys New York' she writes about an early job as a salesperson at the legendary department store (and the time she inadvertently shoplifted); in 'Ryan Gosling Cannot Confirm' she attempts to navigate the unspoken rules of Hollywood hierarchies; in 'Ne Oublie' she warns us about the perils of coming from an extremely forgetful family; and in 'Actor-y Factory' she recounts what a day in the life of an actor looks like (unless you're Brad Pitt). She also welcomes back her alter ego Old Lady Jackson to share some more homespun wisdom ('Buy wrapping paper in January when it goes on sale') and reveal the easiest recipe for orange marmalade you'll ever find (which isn't actually easy, because easy recipes for marmalade are a total time suck and just another internet lie). Filled with surprising anecdotes, sage advice, and laugh-out-loud observations, these all-new, original essays showcase the winning charm and wry humour that have delighted Graham's millions of fans.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER: with a new bonus chapter

In this collection of personal essays, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood reveals stories about life, love, and working as a woman in Hollywood-along with behind-the-scenes dispatches from the set of the new Gilmore Girls, where she plays the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore once again.

In Talking As Fast As I Can, Lauren Graham hits pause for a moment and looks back on her life, sharing laugh-out-loud stories about growing up, starting out as an actress, and, years later, sitting in her trailer on the Parenthood set and asking herself, "Did you, um, make it?" She opens up about the challenges of being single in Hollywood ("Strangers were worried about me; that's how long I was single!"), the time she was asked to audition her butt for a role, and her experience being a judge onProject Runway ("It's like I had a fashion-induced blackout").

In "What It Was Like, Part One," Graham sits down for an epic Gilmore Girls marathon and reflects on being cast as the fast-talking Lorelai Gilmore. The essay "What It Was Like, Part Two" reveals how it felt to pick up the role again nine years later, and what doing so has meant to her.

Some more things you will learn about Lauren: She once tried to go vegan just to bond with Ellen DeGeneres, she's aware that meeting guys at awards shows has its pitfalls ("If you're meeting someone for the first time after three hours of hair, makeup, and styling, you've already set the bar too high"), and she's a card-carrying REI shopper ("My bungee cords now earn points!").

Including photos and excerpts from the diary Graham kept during the filming of the recent Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, this book is like a cozy night in, catching up with your best friend, laughing and swapping stories, and-of course-talking as fast as you can.

Advice for graduates and reflections on staying true to yourself from the beloved Gilmore Girls actress and New York Times bestselling author of the memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and the novel Someday, Someday, Maybe. "If you're kicking yourself for not having accomplished all you should have by now, don't worry about it. Even without any 'big' accomplishments yet to your name, you are enough." In this expansion of the 2017 commencement speech she gave at her hometown Langley High, Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, reflects on growing up, pursuing your dreams, and living in the here and now. "Whatever path you choose, whatever career you decide to go after, the important thing is that you keep finding joy in what you're doing, especially when the joy isn't finding you." In her hilarious, relatable voice, Graham reminds us to be curious and compassionate, no matter where life takes us or what we've yet to achieve. Grounded and inspiring-and illustrated throughout with drawings by Graham herself-here is a comforting road map to a happy life. "I've had ups and downs. I've had successes and senior slumps. I've been the girl who has the lead, and the one who wished she had the bigger part. The truth? They don't feel that different from each other."

From the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and the New York Times bestselling author of Talking as Fast as I Can comes a candid, insightful, and wildly entertaining essay collection about her years in show business, featuring stories that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Lauren Graham has graced countless television screens with her quick wit and larger-than-life personality, earning a reputation as a pop culture icon who always has something to say - and fast. Now Graham shares personal stories about her career in entertainment, from her early days navigating Los Angeles as a struggling actress in a red Volkswagen, to her first appearance on late-night TV, to the challenges of ageing gracefully in Hollywood. With her signature sense of humour and down-to-earth storytelling, she tells all and never spares a detail (as long as she hasn't forgotten it). In 'R.I.P. Barneys New York' she writes about an early job as a salesperson at the legendary department store (and the time she inadvertently shoplifted); in 'Ryan Gosling Cannot Confirm' she attempts to navigate the unspoken rules of Hollywood hierarchies; in 'Ne Oublie' she warns us about the perils of coming from an extremely forgetful family; and in 'Actor-y Factory' she recounts what a day in the life of an actor looks like (unless you're Brad Pitt). She also welcomes back her alter ego Old Lady Jackson to share some more homespun wisdom ('Buy wrapping paper in January when it goes on sale') and reveal the easiest recipe for orange marmalade you'll ever find (which isn't actually easy, because easy recipes for marmalade are a total time suck and just another internet lie). Filled with surprising anecdotes, sage advice, and laugh-out-loud observations, these all-new, original essays showcase the winning charm and wry humour that have delighted Graham's millions of fans.

"NEW YORK TIMES "BESTSELLER
From Lauren Graham, the beloved star of "Gilmore Girls "and" Parenthood, " comes a witty, charming, and hilariously relatable debut novel about a struggling young actress trying to get ahead―a nd keep it together―in New York City.
It's January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing "important" work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters, and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Her roommates―her best friend Jane, and Dan, an aspiring sci-fi writer―a re supportive, yet Franny knows a two-person fan club doesn't exactly count as success. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan, and though she can almost picture moving back home and settling down with her perfectly nice ex-boyfriend, she's not ready to give up on her goal of having a career like her idols Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. Not just yet. But while she dreams of filling their shoes, in the meantime, she'd happily settle for a speaking part in almost anything--and finding a hair product combination that works.
Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class, where she'll finally have a chance to perform for people who could actually hire her. And she can't let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, even though he's suddenly started paying attention. Meanwhile, her bank account is rapidly dwindling, her father wants her to come home, and her agent doesn't return her calls. But for some reason, she keeps believing that she just might get what she came for.
"Someday, Someday, Maybe" is a story about hopes and dreams, being young in a city, and wanting something deeply, madly, desperately. It's about finding love, finding yourself, and perhaps most difficult of all in New York City, finding an acting job.
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"A winning, entertaining read . . . Lauren Graham] has smartly mined just the right details from her own experience, infusing her work with crackling dialogue and observations about show business that ring funny and true."--"The Washington Post"
"A charmer of a first novel . . . Graham] has an easy, unforced style and, when the situation calls for it, a keen sense of the ridiculous."--"The Wall Street Journal"
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"With insight, care, and an abundance of humor . . . Graham demonstrates that her acting chops are not her only talent.""--Library Journal"
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"Thoroughly charming.""--Entertainment Weekly"
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"Sweet, funny, and full of heart . . . a dazzling debut."--Emily Giffin, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Something Borrowed" and "Where We Belong"
"Warm and funny, charming and smart."--Diane Keaton, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Then Again"
"Graham deftly captures what it's like to be young, ambitious, and hopeful in New York City."--Candace Bushnell, "New York Times" bestselling author of "Sex and the City" and "The Carrie Diaries"
"Fresh and funny and full of zingers, Lauren Graham's charming writing style instantly drew me in."--Meg Cabot, bestselling author of the Princess Diaries and Heather Wells Mystery series

Lauren Graham was three weeks away from turning twenty-one-loving college life, her friends, and her family-when her life was turned upside down and changed forever. She was diagnosed with cancer-specifically, with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma. In her memoir, Lauren considers the everyday life of a cancer patient and recalls all the challenges she experienced with humor and brutal honesty. Her unique storytelling, presented through the e-mails that she wrote over the course of nearly three years of cancer treatments, provides an intimate window into her struggle with cancer.

Week by week, month by month, and treatment by treatment, she shares her journey and experiences in group e-mails to family and friends with wit, fear, stubbornness, faith, and candor. After recounting the procedures, tests, and general medical things she experienced, she ends each e-mail with several wonderful quotes, which offer as much solace to her as they would to those reading her e-mails.

Seriously-Cancer? I Do Not Have Time for This tells a true story of inspiration for anyone who is facing illness or difficulties in life.

"Lauren is a real trooper who viewed her cancer treatment in such a positive, relatable, inspiring, and hilarious perspective. ...This book is a must read for all young adults battling cancer, for healthcare providers, and for families and friends supporting their loved ones during their treatment." -Brenda Muriera-Noggy, senior research nurse, Leukemia/Lymphoma Department, Division of Pediatrics, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center