My Book Reviews: Pt3
I wanted to publish some book reviews.
I have so many book reviews on my Instagram page: @jakubreads
So, I thought I’d publish some on my Medium … cause why not?
My previous post in this series:
The Actor’s Life, Jenna Fischer
You know I usually don’t read books like this. But I’m researching celebrity culture for the blog and was sincerely impressed with Anna Kendrick’s autobiography, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
Jenna Fischer’s book is okay. It’s nothing close to being worth recommending to an average reader who isn’t interested in actors, though. That being said, aspiring ppl in the business could find it helpful(?) — according to Steve Carell at least, I don’t know since I don’t aspire to that lifestyle.
The book does not explore motives as much as it could and/or the fakeness of Hollywood, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed Kendrick’s book so much. Fischer, on the other hand, spends more time focusing on how to get an agent, how to manage auditions and other things that would only interest someone in the business. That is why it’s called a ‘Manual.’
Still, it would be fantastic if she was able to either write a new book with more biography or if she added more personal stories into the advice she gives young aspiring actors/actresses.
The structure & content of the book hence limits its potential for a wide audience. It could, however, be helpful to the few that are tricked by the glamour of Hollywood.
The Mirror Effect, Drew Pinsky
This is one of the most illuminating books I’ve read on the topic of celebrity culture. I was truly impressed with Pinsky & Young.
Both of them are practicing clinical psychologists (at least at the point this book was written) and work with A-list celebrities to overcome some of the pathological behavior they display in public. They mention Lindsey Lohan, Johnny Depp, Britney Spears, the Kardashians, John Mayer, among others, and diagnose them universally as textbook narcissists.
They helpfully distinguish between a healthy dose of self-respect/love & the unhealthy self-obsession that is so commonly associated with Hollywood.
I’ve been thinking about self-absorption a lot lately. It was initially the reason why I did not use Instagram a lot and now is the reason that I purposefully unfollow (and avoid) following celebrities on social media (apart from a handful of exceptions). It has now made me re-think how I use social media. I want to add value through book reviews and music, so that I could hopefully add life to others.
I know how much a good heartfelt song feels like on a difficult day and how much meaning an uplifting or insightful book can bring to the curious mind that celebrates discourse. I think if we aspire to embody the ‘good’ that we want to see, we’d be able to bring a lot to the world.
Celebrity culture is arguably why Donald Trump was elected, among other reasons. America’s obsession with wealth & prestige (the American dream) is probably the largest contributor to this problem. I am biased as I say that, I do realize that. That is why I’m researching the early beginnings of celebrity obsession. Thus far, I believe my opinion is based on credible evidence.
I very much recommend this book!
Global Discontents, Noam Chomsky
‘Global Discontents’ is the first book I’ve read by Noam Chomsky. It’s an understatement to say that I was surprised with his level of insight and advice he provides in such a short volume (some 200 pages).
This book is in the form of a handful of interviews, ranging from topics on the presidency of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, Brexit, international relations (Israel and the USA, China, etc.), the Iraq war, climate change, the educational system, College debt, Obama’s presidency, etc. Truly a fascinating amount of topics that I’ve never this far had the chance to look into.
It was a great introduction to this man and his ideas. I plan on coming back to it many times in the future and also on reading many more of his books. It makes me wonder if we didn’t have men like Chomsky, how would we actually know the truth? That is probably one of the best reasons to educate ourselves on important issues with a critical lens. Chomsky serves well in achieving that goal.
Before you go…
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I write to keep you thinking and to keep me thankful and reflective. Cheers and until next time,
keep reflecting.
