Last September, the world lost a comedic legend in Joan Rivers. Say what you will about her, but no one could match her quick, cutting wit. She said what we were all thinking and never apologized for being who she was. I loved that despite the things she said in her act, she was never afraid to make fun of herself. I've listened to both of her recent books, Diary of a Mad Diva and I Hate Everyone...Starting with Me, read by the master herself - entreating in its own right. I was so pleased that Joan's daughter Melissa Rivers recently released a tribute to her late mother, The Book of Joan.
Through a series of hilarious essays, Melissa gives us an idea of what it was like to grow up with Joan as a mother - the ups, the downs, the in-betweens. Rivers writes with a touching honesty and humor not unlike what made her mother so famous. While I won't say it read like a biography, I can't entirely say it read like a memoir either. Imagine taking some of the most prominent memories of a dear family member and writing about them. That is exactly what Melissa did. I laughed, laughed, and laughed some more. Next thing I knew, I was turning the final page and reading about their last minutes together, and I was crying. This book was a very fast to read - less than a day of total reading time for me. Rivers tells a beautiful story of Joan, who is missed by so many. If you are a fan of Joan at all, you must read this.
4 (of 4) dusty book jackets.
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