I've experienced a whole lot the last few years and I have a lot to share. So I hope that you'll take a moment to sit back, relax and enjoy the words I've put together for you in this book. I think you'll find I've left no stone unturned, no door unopened, no window unbroken, no rug unvacuumed, no ivories untickled. What I'm saying is, let us begin, shall we?

Reviews

This latest collection of humorous riffs from DeGeneres (The Funny This Is...) goes down as easily as one of the comedian and talk show host's monologues. Arranged loosely around the idea of happiness and how she's found it, the term "loosely" is used loosely, since DeGeneres veers into topics as diverse as mirrors that magnify your pores (avoid them) and the secret of life (spoiler: it's kale). She's at her best and wittiest when her mind leapfrogs from topic to topic, as in the segue-or lack of one-between a chapter entitled "Ideas," in which DeGeneres recounts a thought that once came to her while hanging upside down in a Pilates machine, and "Gambling," where the reader learns such helpful tips as if you don't win the slot machine jackpot, don't despair, just go to the roulette table. There's also a smattering of serious issues-identity, homosexuality and gay marriage; inner beauty; and the dangers of labels and stereotypes-but DeGeneres handles each with humor: in "Babies, Animals, and Baby Animals," she addresses the much-asked question of whether or not she and wife Portia de Rossi will have children (no, but she can tell which end of a baby you feed). Whatever the topic, DeGeneres's compulsively readable style will appeal to fans old and new. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

In her third book (after The Funny Thing Is. and My Point.and I Do Have One), DeGeneres discusses many of her favorite topics, such as how to be a supermodel ("#6 carry a giant oscillating fan with you at all times. No exceptions"), honesty, common courtesy, her bucket list ("#8 call more people rascal"), cures for boredom ("#9 photograph geese"), and gambling tips like when to walk away from slot machines. She also writes about the stuff her mom had to take with her when she moved, which included a VHS tape of Abs of Steel and three harmonicas. This memoir covers her time on American Idol and her marriage to actress Portia de Rossi. DeGeneres is very funny, and this book is a light, easy, laugh-out-loud read. Verdict Highly recommended for fans of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and others who appreciate humorous celebrity biographies and memoirs. Consider also for those who enjoyed Tina Fey's Bossypants and Jane Lynch's Happy Accidents. [See Prepub Alert, 4/11/11.]-Sally Bryant, Pepperdine Univ. Lib., Malibu, CA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.