Someday, Someday, Maybe, I'll Be As Cool As Lauren Graham

April 22, 2013 Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, television 56

Happy Monday, Bookworms!

I just finished reading Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lorelai Gilmore Lauren Graham. Why yes, this is a novel written by an actress. A novel. Not a memoir, not a cookbook, not a lifestyle tome. A novel. And you know something? It’s pretty good!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I am a ginormous Gilmore Girls fan. Like, I own all 7 seasons on DVD, and I sincerely hope that Luke & Lorelai ended up having twins just like Lorelai dreamed that once time before she and Luke were ever an item… Lauren Graham is the actress behind Lorelai Gilmore. I adored the characters on the show, obviously, but I once saw a little behind-the-scenes feature where Amy Sherman Palladino (head writer) mentioned that Lauren Graham got the majority of the pop culture/literary references that were written into the script. You guys, this was a SMART show. Fast paced witty banter referencing Norman Mailer and Pushkin and the Nag Hammadi documents? You’ve got to have some brains to appreciate the brilliance of it all. Which is exactly what Lauren Graham has. Did you know she has a degree in English Literature from Barnard? Barnard is a seven sisters school, which were the Ivy League equivalents for women before women were allowed to attend Ivy League schools… AND she got into college BEFORE she was famous (not that you aren’t brilliant, Natalie Portman, but I’m sure your acting chops didn’t hurt your application to Harvard…)

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I know what you’re thinking. “Yes, Katie. We know. You’re a Lauren Graham fan girl. But tell me about the damn book already!” The most cliche advice writers get is to “write what you know.” It seems that Lauren Graham did just that. Someday, Someday, Maybe is about a struggling actress named Franny Banks in New York City. Franny pays her bills by waiting tables in a comedy club, but she dreams of being a working actress. She shares an apartment in Brooklyn with her BFF Jane and their roommate Dan, attends acting classes, and battles both her her curly hair and her intense desire to consume mass quantities of cheese puffs. (I love me some cheese puffs, and I love Franny for her weakness.)

Franny gave herself an arbitrary 3 year timeline to succeed as an actress, and when we meet her, she is a mere 6 months away from her success deadline. Her backup plan is to move to Chicago and get back together with her college boyfriend who is about to graduate from law school. Franny LOVES to act, but she faces an uphill battle. Franny, despite her penchant for cheese puffs, is a healthy woman. She runs regularly and wears a size 8. Unfortunately, a size 8 in a world of size 2’s isn’t ideal. And her unruly curls? (This part feels VERY authentic- I think Ms. Graham did battle with her curls on auditions too.) The best part about Franny, though, is that her awkward antics tend to be her most charming feature. Falling out of her chair and potentially flashing the audience? Callbacks. Screws up a scene? Ends up making out with a hottie. Gets flustered and comes out with a bizarre laugh? She gets a part.

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I pictured Franny looking like Lauren Graham circa 1995. Plus a scrunchie.

This was a great way to shake off the shadow on my psyche left by Amity & Sorrow. This book takes chick lit to a fun, witty place, and it does this without relying on email or text message humor (because it’s 1995!) Occasionally I crack up when she talks about banks of pay phones, because PAY PHONES. And scrunchies. And FAX machines. The nostalgia is a tasty sauce on top of this delicious bite of chick lit. If you’re looking for something light and fluffy without being vapid and shallow? Someday, Someday, Maybe is the book for you!

Full Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’m really bad at lying, so you shouldn’t be worried about me compromising my integrity or anything. 

Let’s be ridiculous and squealy shall we? How happy are you when you find out your favorite celebs really ARE smart and interesting and probably aren’t rude to their assistants?!

56 Responses to “Someday, Someday, Maybe, I'll Be As Cool As Lauren Graham”

  2. auntadadoom

    Oh I was so hoping this would be good! Lauren Graham is a witty, bubbly delight when she makes the talk show rounds, so I thought it had a decent chance. Now I’m excited to read it!

    Reply

  5. JoulesDellinger

    I love her and am so happy that her book rocked. Because frankly, how could she NOT rock?! She is awesomesauce, covered in hotty boombatti. She is my spirit animal and I want to be Lorelai Gilmore when I grow up. And yes, my husband had to repetitively veto the name Lorelai or Rory from baby naming discussions…

    Reply

  6. Megan M.

    I love Lauren Graham, she’s amazing! I’m so excited when celebrities don’t disappoint me. (Reese Witherspoon, I thought you were cool! Shame!) I wish my hair looked as great as LG’s, but I just can’t get my waves to comply.

    Reply

    • Words for Worms

      I understand the worry, but it’s all good. It’s chick lit, so if you don’t like that, you probably won’t like this, but it’s well done.

      Reply

      • Laura Lynn

        I usually like a little chick lit, it can be very very good ala Bridget Jones’ Diary or really awful ala some of Candace Bushnells tripe. Depends. If its got a strong central female I’m all for it. Screamy, whiny, need a man? Nope.

        Reply

  8. Nadia

    I love Gilrmore Girls and like you, I own the series on dvd as well. I was actually thinking of having a Gilmore Girls marathon soon 🙂 Anyhow, I had heard she’d written a book and I read a mixed review of it, so I wasn’t too sure about it. But after reading your post, I think I’m definitely going to get it. I’m going to kindle it for this weekend 🙂 Great post! Love your enthusiasm!!

    Reply

  9. Rory

    I love Gilmore Girls and I can’t tell you how excited I was as a teenager when I TV show came on with a main character named Rory (and she’s female and a book worm, it was love at first viewing). I’m glad to hear Lauren Graham put together a good novel and, wow, she went to Barnard – smart lady. I know Claire Danes is probably smart too, but I doubt her Golden Globe at age 15 hurt her chances of getting into Yale.

    Reply

    • Words for Worms

      I know, right? I’m far more impressed when people go to good schools BEFORE they’re famous. Seriously, there is basically no better TV character to share a name with. Rock on with your Rory self!

      Reply

  11. Monika

    LOL I love the wording for your disclosure!

    Sounds like a really great, light read. I need that every once in a while (don’t we all?). 🙂

    Reply

  12. Lori

    This book seems like a nice, light, and fun read. I’ve never watched an episode of Gilmore Girls, but funny that I’ve heard so much about the series from various book blogs. I’m now very interested to watch this series! I know Lauren Graham from her current series “Parenthood” which I LOVE. It’s very nice to know that favorite celebrities are smart and I’m always relieved to find out they are . . . kind.

    Reply

  14. therelentlessreader

    Confession: I’ve never seen one single episode of Gilmore Girls. :/ Can you believe it? I wonder if it’s on Netflix? Because you know what I need? A new obsession! Oh yes. It’s not bad enough that I’m glued to Mad Mad/Breaking Bad/The Walking Dead..etc. 😉

    Reply

    • Words for Worms

      I hope they have it on Netflix! Otherwise I’ll have to like set a webcam to watch my TV while I skype you or something, because no Gilmore Girls is just not an option! 😛

      Reply

      • Charleen

        Speaking of whom, I’ve Got Your Number comes out in paperback tomorrow. *happy dance* (Actually she has a new release coming out tomorrow too, but I think I’m more excited about the paperback… I rarely buy books so this is a VERY big deal.)

        Reply

  16. slynn21

    I adore Lauren Graham! Gilmore Girls is my favorite television show. I must confess, I’ve even considered naming my daughter (if I ever have one) after Lorelei.

    Reply

  17. Sarah Says Read

    I somehow never really saw Gilmore Girls. I think I’ve seen snippets, but that’s it. I feel like this is a bit of a girl-fail on my part.

    But this book does sound fun! And yay for smart actresses! And LOL pay phones… I’m always surprised when I see one these days.

    Reply

    • Words for Worms

      I suppooooooose I can forgive you for lack of GG knowledge. You know, as long as you don’t actively hate it or something, in which case my head might implode. And yes pay phones! Every time she’d use one I’d be like “that’s so cute!”

      Reply

  18. Shannon

    I was a little apprehensive about reading this, even though I have a soft spot for Lauren Graham, too. I was worried that I wouldn’t like the book and have a somewhat lesser opinion of her. Glad to hear it’s worth checking out!

    Reply

  19. Leah

    Ermagerd I need to read this! Fellow Gilmore Girls fangirl here. I don’t own the DVDs, but I’m on about my fifth pass of the series on ABC Family. How does it never get old?! (Probably partly because I get more and more of the references each time I watch an episode.) GG must be the only thing that has consistently made me happy since age 14… except Harry Potter.

    And Lauren Graham is amazing, and I’m very excited that she wrote a book, especially since you describe it as”light and fluffy without being vapid and shallow.” Sounds like a good balance!

    Reply

  20. Amber

    I follow Lauren on Twitter so I knew she had a book coming out. I so cannot wait to read it. I love Gilmore Girls as well. I own every season and I’m training my daughter to love it too. She’s 6 and she already goes, “Gilmore Girls?” if she so much as hears someone go, “Ba ba ba ba ba..” like the background music of the show.

    Reply

  21. SheilaA

    I also own all 7 seasons of The Gilmore Girls, and have become a fan of Bunheads, Amy Sherman Palladino’s latest show. I can’t wait to read this book!

    Reply

  22. Zen A.

    Definitely adding this to my list. I love Lorelei, even though towards the end I stopped watching the show. The plot sounds fun, and I have been on the look-out for a fun new chick-lit. Thanks for posting about it. 😀

    Reply

  23. CorrieP

    So the ultimate question is Dean or Logan? Seriously…love this show still (my 5 year old despises it cause I turn it on and interrupt the always eloquent Mickey Mouse). Cannot wait to read this, love light books in the summer time!!

    Reply

  24. Charleen

    So, I just came back and read this (again), because I just finished the book. I’m not sure at what point it went from being just a fun and cooky story to one with a little more heart, but it did. I think it also helped that I saw a lot of myself in Franny in the way that she overthinks everything and is just constantly in her own head….

    Plus the hair thing. Totally get the hair thing. It’s taken me 30 years and chopping most of it off to figure out how to deal with mine (and even now it’s a battle).

    Reply

    • Words for Worms

      Yes! I couldn’t relate to Franny’s hair because I have the world’s most boring flat hair… But the eyelash curler? That would so be me! It makes me unreasonably happy to know that the woman behind Lorelai Gilmore could produce this. I want to hug her.

      Reply

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