Scrappy Little Nobody

by Anna Kendrick

A collection of humorous autobiographical essays by the Academy Award-nominated actress and star of Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect.

Even before she made a name for herself on the silver screen starring in films like Pitch Perfect, Up in the Air, Twilight, and Into the Woods, Anna Kendrick was unusually small, weird, and “10 percent defiant.”

At the ripe age of thirteen, she had already resolved to “keep the crazy inside my head where it belonged. Forever. But here’s the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out.” In Scrappy Little Nobody, she invites readers inside her brain, sharing extraordinary and charmingly ordinary stories with candor and winningly wry observations.

With her razor-sharp wit, Anna recounts the absurdities she’s experienced on her way to and from the heart of pop culture as only she can—from her unusual path to the performing arts (Vanilla Ice and baggy neon pants may have played a role) to her double life as a middle-school student who also starred on Broadway to her initial “dating experiments” (including only liking boys who didn’t like her back) to reviewing a binder full of butt doubles to her struggle to live like an adult woman instead of a perpetual “man-child.”

Enter Anna’s world and follow her rise from “scrappy little nobody” to somebody who dazzles on the stage, the screen, and now the page—with an electric, singular voice, at once familiar and surprising, sharp and sweet, funny and serious (well, not that serious).

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Biography, Humor, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

275 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2016

About the author

Anna Kendrick is an American actress and singer, born and raised in Portland, Maine. She is widely known for her roles in The Twilight Saga, Up in the Air, and Pitch Perfect. Throughout her acting career, Kendrick has received various awards and nominations.


Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

All I knew about her going into these books was Pitch Perfect and Twilight... and I have learned that she essentially plays herself.

But here's the thing about crazy: It. Wants. Out.

I love it.

Her book is quirky, endearing and fun. She swings from:

Maybe we all have impostor syndrome and perpetually feel like our real life is right around the corner.

to:

'Oh my god, I just made out with Legolas!' Again, I’m not going to name that actor, as I wish to respect his privacy

every few pages and it really worked well. I would've expected such variation to come across as seeming wild and scattered, but honestly, I adored it.

I love rules and I love following them, unless that rule is stupid.

One moment she's waxing poetic about singing in her first stage play and the next she's making out with boys. (though...I could've done with a bit less boys and a bit more introspective reflections/quirky jokes.)

I really enjoyed her recollections of the startup of her career and her thoughts on child acting. If you are looking for a light-hearted beach read, then look no farther!

Audiobook Comments
She read her own audiobook - and she was fabulous at it. Her voice was pitch perfect (ha) throughout and bumped this book from a 3.5 to a 4.

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[Khurram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another reviewer said a lot of what I think, and quite honestly, if I had read their review earlier, I probably would not have bought this. I acknowledge I am not the target audience, but I did like Anna's movies and always respect someone who has worked their way up the ranks.

Despite Anna Kendrick's kooky image, this is not a light reading book. This is a serious actress describing her journey. Yes, she is not from the mould of the usual "entitled" Hollywood personality, but now she is on the upper side of Hollywood. Is that going to change? The first clue that Kendrick is not the innocent soul we see on screen is the language in the book, a lot of sprinkles of f-bombs, and every cuss under the sun. Kendrick is very open about her sexcupaides. This I can understand as we live in the Twitter world where all of these are probably tweeted, possibly even during.

However, the plus side of the book covers all of the are her experiences and warnings to newcomers to the life they are getting into. It is hard and not as glamorous as everyone thinks. A lot of the book is stuff she wanted to get off her chest, kudos to her writing her own book. I would only recommend reading this if you are in your teens.

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of autobiographical essays by Anna Kendrick. We can read about her experiences in working in different movies like Pitch Perfect, Twilight, and Into the Woods. She also gives an account of her dating experiments without much filter. In this book, we can read a lot about the life of a celebrity in Tinseltown.

Oscar campaigning, its difficulties, and the experiences of attending major award show like the Academy Awards show are all mentioned here. She also says what it feels like to be nominated for the Oscars.

I appreciate the courage and skills shown by her to write all her feelings without any filter in this book.

What I learned from this book
1) Why should we respect a woman's right to say no?
Being nice to another person is your responsibility and not a favor you give them. It is when you expect something back that problems arise. If the woman is not responding to your expectations, you will say she had friend-zoned you.

It's a woman's right to deny someone a date even if they are interested in her. Men should learn to respect that no and shouldn't try to cyberbully or verbally attack the lady.

We can see the author trying to mention friend-zoning in this book.

"Some bitter boys reading this might accuse me of "friend-zoning," but I'd like to say that even if a girl has misinterpreted a situation that someone else thinks was obvious, she does not owe her male friends anything."

2) Is procrastination often a symptom of perfectionism?
Procrastination and perfectionism are closely related. It is said that when you successfully deal with perfectionism, you are less likely to procrastinate.

"I think I need to become perfect all at once, so I keep getting overwhelmed and putting it off. I can't remember the last time that I didn't have something hanging over my head. There are usually about thirty to eighty things. Is that normal? Don't tell me. If it's not, I'm a jerk. If it is, that's super-depressing, and I know I'll just use 'this is normal' as an excuse to procrastinate even more."

3) Why is it said that good is not nice?
There is a big difference between good and nice. The author is trying to explain it through this book

" Good is not nice, polite, well-mannered, self-righteous, or naive, though good characters may be some of these things - The Book of Exalted Deeds. "

“I gave up on being Nice. I started putting more value on other qualities instead: passion, bravery, intelligence, practicality, humor, patience, fairness, and sensitivity. Those last three might seem like they are covered by "nice," but make no mistake, they are not. A person who smiles a lot and remembers everyone's birthday can turn out to be undercover crazy, a compulsive thief, and boring to boot. I don't put a lot of stock in nice. I'd prefer to be around people who have any of the above qualities over "niceness," and I'd prefer it if that applied to me, too."

"Whatever you're told to be a nice person? Maybe. Do you need to do whatever you're told to be a good person? Of course not! Man, woman, personal, professional—some people have a skill for persuading you the best thing you can be is obedient."

My favourite three lines from this book

“Having to fight for the thing you want doesn't mean you deserve it any less.”

“With every birthday, I have stupidly expected to feel different only to discover that I'm still me: tragically lazy and childish.”

“Alas, I've tried to be honest, because honesty makes me feel less alone.”

What could have been better?
Some of the author's opinions might hurt the sentiments of some people.

"Sure, it will be hard, but all you need to be a writer is perseverance, a low-level alcohol dependency, and a questionable moral compass."

"Couples, singles, gay, straight, cats, dogs, and well-trained lizards are welcome. No babies."

The author is trying to become humorous in many parts of this book. Sadly, the humor is not working the way she expected in some parts.

"This was inspired by my pediatrician, a relatively young man whom I called Dr. Handsome. I had assumed this was because his name was Dr. Hasen or Dr. Branson, but I recently found out his name was Dr. Ritger, so I guess I should have just died at age four when I decided to call my physician Dr. Handsome without so much as a pun to justify it."

Rating
3/5 If you are looking for a brutally honest, humorously written biographical essay of a Hollywood celebrity, this book will be a good choice.

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[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been waiting to read this collection of humorous autobiographical essays for months and months, and I can now say that the wait was definitely worth it. Anna Kendrick's humor is even more hilarious on paper.

In Scrappy Little Nobody, she invites readers inside her brain, sharing extraordinary and charmingly ordinary stories with candor and winningly wry observations.

Sidebar: her honesty in this was kind of inspiring. It was like siting down to gossip with your friends and family (similar to Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi). There were a lot of situations where she managed to describe feelings similar to mine that I hadn't thought someone capable of writing so perfectly. I found this collection to be entertaining and along the way made me feel less alone, which is why I'm loving memoirs as of late.

Also, I knew I was in for treat when the very first page made me crack a smile (at 6am nonetheless). Kendrick's got a bunch of embarrassing, inspiring, hysterical stories and I managed to laugh out loud at least once during each one. I kind of never want to leave her brain.

And as she mentioned at the start, she’s a pretty private person so we don't get to go into really intimate details of the past, but what we got was definitely satisfying. She made me feel alive with her energy.

Whether it be her lazy observational humor or razor-sharp wit, Anna Kendrick knows how to keep my eyes glued to the page. I seriously could not stop reading and then rereading some of my favorite essays.

*Insert favorite quotes and passages*

the mayor of squaresville

“I like to tell people that I’m a square. It’s a charming way to warn someone that I’m a finicky little brat without freaking them out. I got to work with Lisa Kudrow recently, and when she told me she thought she was probably an even bigger square, I maintained that couldn’t be true. We traded stories for a while, trying to out-straitlace each other.
For example, I told her about the time my friend found out I’d never seen a movie without paying and he forced me to sneak in to Iron Man. I did not enjoy the film at all; I felt guilty the entire time. And when I found myself at dinner with Jon Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. a year later, I confessed my crime and insisted on giving them cash or buying them something on the menu of commensurate value.”

...did she actually? This made me happier than I thought humanly possible.

boys and the terror of being near them

“Even my tender-faced teen crushes inspired pretty elementary goals. I knew I found them interesting, I knew I liked their faces, and I knew if we met (like if they maybe moved to Maine to escape the pressures of stardom) I’d want them to like me. Beyond that I wasn’t sure what was supposed to happen. And once I found out, I was so nauseated that my daydreams would only reach the point where I kissed the object of my affection (a.k.a. the middle brother from 3 Ninjas) before the dream cut out like a busted VHS and started again from the beginning.”

The level of specificity rattled me because this is 100% me.

Kendrick also took the time to address “friend-zoning” and it made my heart sing:

“I wrongly assumed the late ask and casual tone meant “as friends.” I was grossed out and frankly kind of hurt when he drove me to a motel after the dance. I had to pull the old phone call to Mom where I loudly whine “Why not?” and say my mom’s being a bitch and I have to go home. (An excellent tool for getting kids out of situations they don’t want to be in. My mom always played along and I would recommend this trick to any parent.)”

She handled that horrible situation like a pro.

“Some bitter boys reading this might accuse me of “friend-zoning,” but I’d like to say that even if a girl has misinterpreted a situation that someone else thinks was obvious, she does not owe her male friends anything.”

!!!


And not only that, but she also addresses slut-shaming, sex-positivity, double-standards, abusive relationships...
The amount of respect and admiration I have for her is difficult to articulate, so I'm going to continue inserting my favorite passages.

he’s just not that interesting

“It was a real lesson in my endless capacity to hold a grudge. I do it so well, I don’t even notice that it’s happening. I walk around with these calcified resentments for years until someone points them out and I can go, “Good lord, is that still in here? Let’s get rid of that. And throw out ‘pretending that watching boys play video games is fun’ while we’re at it.”
I had to take a moment to wonder who else fell into this category of default enemy. I went through a mental list of people who, in theory, I’d want to hit in the face with a meat tenderizer. My coworker from ten years ago who owes me like three grand? It was ten years ago! You were addicted to OxyContin! Go! Be free! My seventh-grade teacher, who told me that most child actors don’t succeed as adult actors? You just wanted to scare me into having a backup plan! Farewell! Good luck! Tori from fourth grade, who accused me of writing mean stuff about all our friends on the playground wall? BURN IN HELL, TORI. I KNOW IT WAS YOU!!!
I’m still working on it.”

I can’t stop laughing at that ending.

making movies is a fool’s errand

“Sometimes you don’t like the people you’re working with. It’s temporary, but facing another sixteen-hour block with people you don’t like can feel insurmountable even when you know it’s only for a few months. Getting on Skype with your best friend to talk shit helps, but you gotta go to sleep and do it all over again in six hours, so make your shit talk count!”

My new motto: make your shit talk count!

Along the way, we were also taken behind-the-scenes on various movie sets, award shows, and so much more. It was pretty epic.

big breaks

“The highs and lows were so extreme! Just when I’d reach a tipping point—convinced that I’d become nothing more than a commodity, disgusted with myself for taking this artistic experience, which had been so fulfilling, and packaging it up to be sold in pieces to people who couldn’t care less about me—something amazing would happen. I was trudging up the steps to my apartment when I got an email with the subject line: Dreams Do Come True. I walked through my door and onto my tar-stained carpet and opened it. It was Peter Travers’s review for Rolling Stone. It read: Kendrick is a revelation. I stood on that tar stain and wept.
I was a revelation, but I was still broke. At the end of one New York press tour I asked Paramount if I could stay in a less expensive hotel on the next trip and . . . keep the difference. They said no because “that’s not how it works.” I wanted to know why that wasn’t how it worked, but I could tell I’d already embarrassed myself, so I dropped it. Then I stole a roll of toilet paper out of the bathroom and put it in my suitcase because I knew I wouldn’t have the time or energy to buy any when I got home.”

That’s the story she told in her interview with Ellen that made me even more excited to read the book.

Also, this piece on the paparazzi struck deep.

“He took the picture, and, true to his word, he left. He called someone else from his agency to follow me home, so technically, he kept his promise. For the next three weeks or so, someone was outside my apartment. What they didn’t count on was my god-given ability to stay indoors and do nothing. The real beauty of it was I didn’t even have to alter my behavior. I wasn’t holed up Waco-style; I was just doing me. Every now and then a similar thing will happen. I’ll notice a strange car outside, and, as an experiment, I’ll take a trip to Home Depot, and when the car follows me, I think, Looks like a two-week stretch of takeout and Netflix is in order; this poor man doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

How many times can I repeat I LOVE YOU before it starts to annoy everyone?

award shows

“You know that feeling when you see a pretty girl and you immediately hate her because you assume she’d never talk to you (this metaphor works if you’re a girl or a guy), but then she smiles and introduces herself and you’re like, how could I have misjudged you, you are clearly the best person alive! That feeling is intensified tenfold with movie stars. Ugh, look at Kate Beckinsale across the room with her perfect hair and her perfect laugh and I’ll bet she’s an ice queen bitc— Oh god, she’s coming over here. She gives you a compliment and tells you one dirty joke and you are ready to blindly pledge your life to her service. Long live the queen!”

#relatable.

the world’s most reluctant adult

“I’m trying to make big decisions without asking “an adult.” Because that’s me. I’m the adult. For ten years I drove Charlie, my scrappy little used Toyota. When it came time to buy a new car, I decided to do it on my own. I’m financially stable, I am a homeowner, I vote, but I’ll admit, it felt weird not consulting my parents. I’d bought Charlie when I was a teenager—I’d used my own money, but my mom was with me the whole time. I had no idea how to buy a car completely on my own. So I brought Aubrey Plaza. Aubrey’s got kind of a father-figure vibe, so she gave me a certain confidence walking into the dealership.”

I love that I now know this because I kept thinking of this next scene while reading:



“The real problem is that I let anxiety cripple my relationships. I blame this paralysis on different things. It started as a money issue: I was too broke to go out. I didn’t want to spend money I didn’t have on dinners and drinks and the movies. I didn’t want to invite anyone over, because my place was gross. Once I had an income, it became a time issue: I’m working too much to go out. Even when I do have a free day or two, there’s this overwhelming guilt about planning anything recreational. I haven’t been to the dentist in a year and a half, but I’m gonna go to Lacy’s party? Out of the question. I mean, I still won’t go to the dentist, but making fun plans would force me to acknowledge that I’m not going to go to the dentist.”

Is she inside my head??

Anna Kendrick is a force to be reckoned with. I can't stop thinking about everything she managed to describe so on point. I am over the moon happy that I finally got to read Scrappy Little Nobody. And I know for a fact that I'll be thinking about nothing else for the next few days.

Plus, Kendrick included some great photographs that really managed to capture the magic of the moment:


“Man-eater.”

“Trying to blend in with the established Sundance crowd and succeeding.”

“Does this wig make me look out of my depth? Or is that just my face?”

“Covered in blood, but her foundation is flawless. Movies make sense.”


4.5/5 stars

*Note: I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you're interested in buying Scrappy Little Nobody, just click on the image below to go through my link. I'll make a small commission!*


This review and more can be found on my blog.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried to read the physical book awhile back but couldn't get into it so I decided to listen to it on audio and loved it. The book is pretty short. I started it last night at bedtime and finished this morning.

It was so much better with Anna reading her own book and I rather enjoyed it 😊

[Trish · Rating 1 out of 5]

I MADE IT!


Disclaimer: smoking weed after reading Stephen King’s The Shining is apparently a bad idea (footnote: it's not, the descriptions of what being high from weed is like are total bogus or so I am told).

I’m not into biographies. Not unless they are historically and/or politically important. Nevertheless, when I got a probably historically important one (haven’t read it yet), I also got this one, hoping it would make me laugh (Anna Kendrick’s movies aren’t bad and she seemed like a funny person).

Sadly, this book was soooo disappointing. I guess I should have known because she is only about half a year older than me and unless you grew up in a war zone or something similar, how interesting / good can an autobiography of someone so young be?! Moreover, the title already made the hair at the back of my neck stand up (she’s neither scrappy nor a nobody so how pretentious is that?).

I think Anna can sing wonderfully and I liked her supposed unapologetic weirdness in a few interviews (now seen in a totally new and not favourable light but at the time it seemed endearing). This is about as positive as this review is gonna get, sorry.

What we get here is an account of her childhood, teenage years and everything from then on until today. This includes but is not limited to:
1) what it was like being a child star (of course she was NOT as crazy as the other kids that auditioned)
2) that she was an awful brat in her younger years (the drama in school is exactly why I’m so glad I was never part of any group)
3) her being completely insecure for being smaller and physically "underdeveloped" (no boobs! the horror! and so unique! *drips sarcasm*)
4) weird viewpoints on what makes a body monstrous (such as having visible hair on your arms - yeah, absolutely no bodyshaming *drips even more sarcasm*)
5) her judging everything and everyone
6) all of the suffering being unique to her of course (even when she is told not to have noticed truly horrible things having happened to her friend, realizing what a bad "friend" she has been, she manages to make it all about how awful SHE feels)
7) fashion statements (because I hadn’t been tortured enough at this point; she tried being the cool girl who was herself despite or exactly because she had to wear children’s clothes aged 19 due to her being so tiny, kind of sending the message that being yourself is the important thing, but at the same time she still managed to mention and shame others for their choice of clothes; the story about most celebrities borrowing shoes from designers was quite funny in a tragic sort of way)
8) her being a late bloomer, sexually (here we get the only good thing: her comment that girls misinterpreting situations still doesn't mean they owe their male friends anything)
9) filmset experiences (filming and promotional tours are HARD because you have to PRETEND *gasps*, don’t envy famous people because they have such a hard life *drips sarcasm**rolls eyes*; butt doubles, one of the silliest things I’ve ever heard of because either you take the role and then you’re in 100% even if you have to show your butt or you shouldn’t take on the role but that is just me; also, why does every actor think he/she will eventually be a great director?!)
10) other actors (like Zac Efron being oh-so awesome)
11) press, award shows and fame (she wants to get back to being the loser in the corner and is oh-so misunderstood, what a major injustice! I've got a tip for you, Anna: if award shows are so fucking awful, JUST STAY HOME)

Not to mention the constant validation she seems to need, despite trying to constantly convince people what a "normal dude" she is (she also talks about not wanting to sound tacky but then ends the book with the stale statement that she hopes her book makes people feel less alone with their problems *lol*), and the DRAMA (like when she's talking about her "food issues" – yeah, right).

It’s pretty obvious that she's not a person I could like if we ever met in private life - shoplifting in younger years, slight drug abuse (no, not just weed), taking advantage of people while complaining about not having true friends, unhealthy partying (until this day), getting drunk on purpose for interviews … just a few examples of things she did/still does and considers completely OK that I just cannot endorse.

What got on my nerves the most was her whining. Yeah, I just said that. Sorry, but I hope she listened to Meryl Streep’s acceptance speech during the Golden Globes this year (I usually don’t watch award shows but Meryl Streep is fantastic so I watched her speech on youtube) during which she told the story of when, many years ago she complained about something on set repeatedly, Tommy Lee Jones said to her "Isn't is a privilege, being an actor?!" because that is spot on. SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUP!
Is it a problem of these times? Because when I listen to older actors, I never meet such an attitude.

I get anxiety; I'm sure many roles are awful and at first you struggle to make it and need perseverance; you aren’t rich right from the start either; even with a lot of money you don’t always have the perfect carefree life; once your career kicks off, there is a lot to do (so much worse than having to be in an office from 8 to 5, five days a week, with only 20-28 days of vacation every year, depending on the country you live in it's even less *drips sarcasm*) …
So let's be honest: she's living a pretty sweet and cool life at least by now, even before her breakthrough her life wasn't horrible, she’s pretty and has a pretty hot body as far as I can tell, she is healthy (apart from her apparent love for alcohol), she hasn’t had a terrible childhood either, … It all sounds incredibly phony to my ears (much like her cursing and slang).

I can see many liking this biography as much as the life advice Anna Kendrick apparently gives on her Twitter account because it makes her „normal“ and „one of us“. But that is utter rubbish.
As I said: phony (and vain).

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd rate this 4.5 stars.

So, I kinda have a thing for Anna Kendrick. I've been (healthily) obsessed with her since 2003, when she appeared in an indie movie called Camp , which was about kids attending a performing arts summer camp in upstate New York.

Anna played a young girl named Fritzi, who had an obsession with a girl named Jill, who starred in most of the plays that summer. But Jill mistreated Fritzi, so in the end, Fritzi got her revenge, as you'll see in the clip at https://youtu.be/W8y9pNqjtb0. And fandom was born. (For those offended by strong language, the f-word appears once. Anna shows up about 25 seconds into the clip.)

Not only do I think she's an exceptionally talented singer and performer (I've worn out tracks from Into the Woods and The Last Five Years because I play them so much), but every time I see her on a talk show or make another appearance, I'm convinced that if we had anything in common (other than my admiration), we'd be super-close friends. We're both reasonably foul-mouthed, although not in a mean way (I hide it well when I have to) and totally sarcastic (again, not in a mean way), and neither of us suffers fools gladly. Seems like enough to build a friendship on, don't you think?

My instincts about her were definitely reinforced in Scrappy Little Nobody , her new collection of autobiographical essays which spanned from her childhood to the current time, tracing her anxieties, successes, fears, hang-ups, obsessions, and her sexual history. (Kind of.) This isn't a tell-all book in any way (although she has some nice things to say about a few celebrities, like Zac Efron), but rather a first-hand look at the growth of a star, from her earliest (disastrous) beginnings as a child in dance class to success, including Tony and Oscar nominations.

"I'd thought of myself as fearful and shrinking in childhood, but I was often single-minded and pugnacious. From age three onward I have been practical and skeptical and occasionally more courageous than I have any right to be."

At times uproariously funny (I seriously laughed out loud more than a few times) and incredibly self-aware, this is a tremendously entertaining book, but Kendrick isn't afraid to take herself down more than a few notches as often as she deems it necessary. Referring to her performing a local production of Annie when she was younger, she said:

"To this day, seeing a tattered brown cardigan or a pair of thin-soled lace-up boots makes my heart sing. In a costume context, not, like, on a person. I'm not some out-of-touch monster who sees real-world poverty and longs for the days of her musical-theater beginnings."

And of losing the Tony Award:

"I lost a Tony Award to Broadway legend Audra McDonald when I was twelve, so I've been a bitter bitch since before my first period...I also feel that if I had won and made a televised speech at age twelve, the delayed embarrassment would have been so severe, I'd currently be a Howard Hughes-style shut-in, but without the money for the mansion or the planes or the legion of servants to take away bottles of my urine."

This is frank and funny, and Kendrick doesn't mince words, and she says what's on her mind, so if candid conversation about her sex life and liberal use of curses bothers you, you might want to steer clear of this. But if not, this is the rare portrait of a talented star who takes herself less seriously than nearly anyone. It's refreshing and a hell of a lot of fun. (And I still think we could be friends once we stopped trying to one-up each other.)

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once you know someone is an asshole, it's hard to find anything they say funny, charming, or poignant. I find myself thinking, "I wouldn't believe this guy if he warned me about an impending nuclear fallout; he's an asshole."

I was going to write a one-star review for this. I was up to page 84, and the book was boring. It was just boring. I was thinking, "I will start the review like this: I like Anna Kendrick, I think she is cute and funny, but perhaps she shouldn't write a book. Because she has nothing to write about and this is very boring. Yes, that was what I was going to say.

However, this morphed into a four-star book.

How did it morph into a four-star book, Carmen?

Well, after page 84, Kendrick starts talking about men and sex. And you know that this is one of my favorite things to discuss. My ears perked up, and I wasn't disappointed. Kendrick's feminist came out and she started discussing all the jerks she's dated. This was music to my ears.

She is really relatable, and so are the things she talks about.

I was stuck in the limbo of wanting a fifth-grade relationship but not being able to admit it, even to myself. I mean, I wanted to do SOMETHING before I graduated, but not everything. And the only thing worse than having sex or being a virgin loser forever would be having a mature conversation with a guy I liked about waiting until I was ready. The world would have ended.

I can't believe some of the assholes she dates. Like most young women, she tolerates a lot of shit because she thinks it's rare and wonderful for a man to take an interest in her. From a sleazoid who takes her to a motel after prom, to a fuckboy who makes Kendrick feel like a slut for enjoying sex (and he was her first!)

"And you always initiate it."

I stared at him.

"What does that mean? What is that?... Are you saying you want to be having less sex? Or just that when we have sex, it's my fault? Need I remind you that you'd slept with SEVEN girls before we met?"

"I'm just saying that it's one thing if we can't help ourselves. You don't have to be so, like, ready and willing. I'm not saying we wouldn't be having sex at all, it's just you don't always have to initiate it."

"So, what, you'd prefer it if I had to be... CONVINCED?"

He chose his words carefully. "Okay, it's just that the chase is kind of gone. It's kind of a turnoff."

The saddest thing is she was on Cloud 9 with her first sexual partner, wanting to try everything, being so enthusiastic and cute, and this fucker just shit all over it.

It's completely something that happens to females all the time in real life. I hope a lot of women read this book and understand what true fuckboy behavior this is.

Kendrick doesn't have sex for a year after that due to this fucker, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a string of different fuckers waiting for her. These species of fuckers include but are not limited to: self-centered man who doesn't care if she comes, and indeed, she does not come in bed with him even though they are sexually active for three and a half months. He also condescendingly "teaches" her how to stroke his ego after sex and "be more affectionate" to him. It's very disgusting. Thank goodness Kendrick eventually breaks up with him.

Then there's the psycho who flips out because he can't handle not knowing how many guys Kendrick has slept with (she refuses to tell him). Kendrick and I both think he was an abusive asshole, another bullet dodged.

I almost put this book on the will-put-you-off-men shelf, but I resisted.


Once the boy-section man-section (Kendrick seems strangely insistent on referring to people as "boys and girls" even though she is over thirty now) was over, I was afraid the book would become boring and irrelevant again. BUT IT DIDN'T. Instead, it made me laugh - not hysterically, but pretty damn frequently - and seemed cute and charming after this. Perhaps I got used to her writing style? I don't know, but I loved her periodic feminist rants. And her sense of humor grew on me.

"So you made the bed. It looks nice. But... you are just going to get BACK into bed tonight. Then you'll have to make it again tomorrow, and on and on and on and then you'll be dead." And then I'll start thinking, "Well, why do housework? Why do the dishes? You're just going to get them dirty again. Maybe you should start eating every meal with your hands, bent over the trash can."


The last point I want to make is that Kendrick reads. She mentions books she was reading during specific incidents or parts of her life. It doesn't sound forced, and you get the idea she doesn't have time to read A LOT, but I really liked the idea that she was a reader. From her story of being in a isolated hotel during a movie shoot and having brought nothing to read but The Shining (which, by the way, is very relatable and something I know has happened to people in real life), to the time she was called for jury duty and was reading Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, she often mentions books casually in a way that makes me happy.


Tl;dr - Wow, it is unusual that I book I am committed to giving one star at page 84 can pull back from the edge like this. I'm impressed. I mean it is a celebrity memoir, you should know what to expect - but her feminism and cheerful spirit made me actually hope some young women will read this.

Kendrick also really, clearly explains what growing up entails - how you start respecting yourself more, learning to say 'no,' learning to stand up for yourself, developing better taste in males (sexual partners). I really liked this. She delineates her journey from insecure girl who was trying to prove herself to confident woman who doesn't take shit. It's excellent.

It's not five-star material, but it was surprisingly funny and relatable in my opinion.

P.S. I've seen Anna Kendrick's films - I think CAMP and THE ACCOUNTANT are particularly good - but I'm by no means a 'fangirl' of her. I've always thought she was cute and funny, though, and had positive thoughts about her. Full disclosure.

P.P.S. I still haven't seen PITCH PERFECT 2 because I'm afraid of it being too crass. PITCH PERFECT 1 was still even a bit too disgusting for me with the vomiting and stuff. >.< Just not my style.

[Whitney Atkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the more enjoyable celebrity audiobooks i've listened to! I prefer to listen to memoir on audio, especially if it's read by the author, because I find it easy to get into and a lot funner than picking up the physical version. This was read by Anna, and although I'm not her hugest fan, I do love her Twitter page and her roles in Twilight & Pitch Perfect.

And this book was such a delight. I laughed out loud several times, which is rare for me when reading (or listening to) a book. Her humor was funny without being too forced, and even though the first chunk of the book focuses on her working on projects I'd never heard of, I was still fascinated by everything she's gone through and her story.

I particularly like Anna's discussions about feminism, both in dating and in the acting world. It was an added bonus that I wasn't expecting, and she made really great points. In general, this book is just INCREDIBLY well-written and articulate. I can't wait to get a copy for my shelf so I can mark the sections that she talks about feminism, especially her discussion of being a "nice" girl versus a "difficult" girl when you're more assertive on set.

It was overall an interesting read and it really humanized Anna instead of making her seem like "I'm an actress! I got a book deal! Here's the details of my life that i'm ~so blessed~ to share with you." She genuinely narrated this like she was talking to a friend, which I think was well-done.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable and humorous "getaway" book. Some may know what I mean by that, but to explain . . . it wasn't too deep and meaningful. I could just listen and laugh.

Anna's stories were generally funny. Sometimes the "I am just a normal person, but famous" undertones got to be a bit much, but if that's how she feels, I'm cool with it. As I said in one of my statuses . . . the theme is - Anna is just like us, only cuter and smaller! It's funny, though, because she kinda acts like she is just a b-lister who is likely not to be recognized, but I am pretty sure I would be pretty aware at this point if I happened to be eating one table over from her.

She spends most of the first part of the book talking about boys . . . as a guy, this part was not all that relatable, but entertaining, none the less.

The parts I enjoyed the most were the stories from movie sets and awards shows. I liked those because I can go back and watch those movies or find YouTube clips and see exactly what she is talking about.

If you like to read celebrity biographies - check this one out. I think you will find the few hours of laughter it will bring you.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

I dedicate this review to Steven....A 'short' review! May you enjoy your coffee in peace, Steven.

"Great things come in small packages"!
Anna: "small' on you is classy, sexy, funny, audacious, powerful, genuine, and
magnificent!

Anna is phenomenal in the movie "Up in the Air".....
and terrific as Cinderella in movie version of "Into the Woods"!
Just sayin!!!

A fun - down to earth - adorable - Audiobook memoir!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

My earliest recollection of Anna Kendrick is seeing her in the movie 'Twilight', where she played Bella's high school friend Jessica and said (about Edward Cullen):

"That's Edward. He's totally gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently none of the girls here are good-looking enough for him."


Anna Kendrick (left) in Twilight


Rob Pattinson as the gorgeous vampire Edward Cullen

At the time I wasn't aware that Anna already had a string of accomplishments behind her, having started acting as a youngster in her hometown of Portland, Maine.

This memoir begins with Anna's childhood, during which she was 'small, not cool, and sensitive.' When Anna's dad introduced her to a Russian wrestler, the athlete insisted on calling her ANYA (despite her correcting him several times). Annoyed, the little girl glared at her dad, thinking: 'This Russkie is making a mockery of my name.....and your mother's name.'


Young Anna Kendrick

School age Anna was smitten with show business early, and - after learning to dance and sing - was cast in a local production of 'Annie.' Thanks to very supportive parents Anna auditioned in New York, got a part in a Broadway production of 'High Society' and was nominated for a Tony Award at age 12.


Anna Kendrick in 'High Society' as age 12

Tongue-in-cheek, Anna says, "I lost the Tony Award to Broadway legend Audra McDonald, so I've been a bitter bitch since before my first period."


Broadway legend Audra McDonald

Anna was hardly an 'entitled child' though. She and her dad lived in a small apartment in Yonkers for the run of the production.....and she did eight shows a week; got tutoring breaks every three hours; and - to combat loneliness - hung out with other theater kids.

Anna talks a lot about being short and skinny, which REALLY embarrassed her when she got back to middle school at age 13 (and looked 10). Anna tried to hide the fact that she still shopped in the kid's section and was crushed when a cute boy said he wouldn't date a short girl. The teasing only got worse when girls started getting boobs, and "a whole new area of uncreative slams emerged", such as "Hey Anna, you should date a pirate because they love sunken chests."


Teenage Anna looked young

In fact, Anna experienced a long string of 'boy problems' that she relates in several funny-sad stories. Anna's techniques for attracting boys, though "she wasn't pretty" (her words), included: being a good conversationalist; watching horror movies; and - when she got older - having kooky sex....."with a tacky red bustier for Valentine's Day and fuzzy green handcuffs for St. Patricks Day."

Afterwards, Anna pursued a musician who 'had no interest in her'....and then 'had a fling with a guy who was so good-looking he was as confused by his interest in her as she was." None of this worked very well, and Anna spent a lot of time alone in adolescence and early adulthood.


Anna had several boyfriends over the years, including film director and screenwriter Edgar Wright (pictured with Anna here)

Anna worked a lot, however, and at 16 was in a critically acclaimed independent film called 'Camp' - based on a real New York theater camp. In the movie, which featured homosexual and cross-dressing characters, Anna played "a loser named Fritzy who was in love with the popular girl Jill." Though the film was nominated for a Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and Anna was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, she says, "I wish I could have played a cool character. Even in my professional career I almost never played the cool girl....except for 'Up in the Air'."


Anna Kendrick in the movie 'Camp'

Feeling 'uncool' is reflected in Anna's real life, and she confides, "I like to tell people that I'm a square. I love rules and love following them." The one BIG rule Anna broke related to college. She says "I didn't want to go to college....which was scandalous because everyone in my family went to college." Instead, Anna went to New York when she was 17, and then moved to Los Angeles "without a car.....which was a mistake." Anna relates, "I didn't know you couldn't walk to a grocery store and get back home before the milk spoiled."

So the actress bought a used Toyota and jumped into pilot season....."which is grim, because you're sent in for everything no matter how wrong you are for it." Trying to succeed in Hollywood was tough. According to Anna "I was alone and freaked out, and stayed in my room a lot. I avoided spending money or ingesting calories. I didn't know anyone. Sometimes i worked as a temp for a catering agency, but most of the time I was hoping 'Law and Order' would need a mousy little teen killer so I could keep paying my insurance."

Being cast in 'Twilight' was Anna's big break in movies, and she went on to do other films in the Twilight series. Anna reports, "Twilight kept me in room and board while I did other movies for no money, like 'Up in the Air.' Anna went on to have a very successful film career, being featured in 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World', 'Pitch Perfect', 'Into the Woods', and many more movies.


Anna Kendrick in 'Up in the Air'


Anna Kendrick in 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'


Anna Kendrick in 'Pitch Perfect'


Anna Kendrick in 'Into the Woods'

Some of Anna's most amusing stories are about fashion, and the need to look stylish on the Red Carpet. Anna's interest in clothes began as a child, and she notes, "In 3rd grade my fashion hero was Claudia from the 'Babysitter's Club' books." Anna compiled descriptions of Claudia's outfits in a notebook, and tried to recreate them with "the most absurd looking articles of clothing from Contempo Casuals or TJ Maxx."

According to Anna, "Some of it was hilariously provocative. My favorite piece was a black halter top that tied in the back and around the neck. Over it i wore a sheer white collared shirt with black velvet polka dots tied up at the bottom." At the time Anna thought she looked dope....but now realizes, "It was equivalent to a toddler wearing an actual dress of Paris Hilton's."

The above outfit created a stir among her schoolmates' parents, who'd confront Anna's mom saying, "W-O-O-O-W, you let your daughter wear a halter top to school?" Anna, who has a good sense of humor, notes, "Perhaps it should have prepared me for my current state of affairs where my clothing is the subject of professional debate for equally unaffected people. Bring on the critique Fashion Police."


Even as a girl, Anna was interested in fashion


Anna has a good sense of humor

Anna has lots of fun stories about designer clothing, including: being compelled to buy a one-thousand-dollar pair of shoes though she barely had rent money (she's keeping those forever)….. and an actress who 'took a swipe at her Louis Vuitton dress' at a party thrown by the designer himself.

Anna knew she had to learn about fashion. She recalls, "I thought I knew plenty about fashion. I knew gowns were more formal than short dresses; skirts were more formal than pants; and leaving the house in just socks and a sports bra would get you arrested." She goes on to say, "I've now learned a few things: nude shoes make your legs look longer.....and short girls, get it tailored, even if it's t-shirts and jeans."

These days, Anna is VERY fashionable, as shown by some of her Red Carpet looks.







Anna has lots of funny anecdotes about making movies, including stories about over-processed hair; uncomfortable costumes; and learning needed skills - like horseback riding; driving a stick shift; and cutting vegetables....to play a chef. Anna also talks about photo shoots and award shows, which she contends aren't glamorous at all.

According to the actress, award shows "are populated with nervous idiots in the nicest clothes they can find, and beleaguered chaperones in black jeans and blazers trying to make sure the nervous idiots don't set the place on fire before the night is over." Moreover, at awards shows "you stand between the fans and a line of photographers who shout at you: over here, turn around, tell us who you're wearing; show us the back of the dress. And you have to smile through it all!"

Anna also tells a heartrending story about the death of her grandmother while she was filming 'Pitch Perfect.' In Hollywood, the show must go on - albeit in waterproof makeup - and the funeral was planned for a Saturday, so Anna could fly in. The actress sadly notes, "Working regularly makes it hard to get home."

Anna is now all grown up, but is 'the world's most reluctant adult.' She recalls, "I was in a rush to grow up during my entire childhood because I looked so young. I worked hard to show I was independent and mature." She goes on to say, "As an adult I have a lot of anxiety and am a bit of a (wo)man-child. Sometimes I test the waters of self-improvement: stop buying fancy lingerie....it's white cotton comfort all the way; do my laundry on a schedule instead of three days after I run out of underwear; improve my fitness habits; make my bed; pay my bills; make time for friends and family.

Anna wants to 'get it all together and be a real person.' I think she already is.

I enjoyed the book and recommend it to readers who like celebrity memoirs.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest I expected this book to be way more funny than it was. I love Anna Kendrick as an actress and recently she has held a lot of funny parts, so I just assumed this book would be funny. There were a lot of times that I could tell she was trying to be funny, but not a single part of this book made me laugh out loud.

But besides the lack of humor this book was pretty interesting. I loved how this book was completely about her life and they were all true to her story of how she got to where she is now. I loved learning how she got into acting and the struggles she had to face. I also really enjoyed hearing about her experience on Twilight, because thats still how I think of her. The girl from Twilight not Pitch Perfect haha.

Anna covered all the pressures and weird experiences you have as an actress. She talked about the lack of money and the expensive attire that is required. She shared how she still gets "star struck" by other stars and how she is lazy and messy.

All in all, this was a really good, entertaining book and if you like her as an actress and want to know wayyy more about her, read this book :)

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'll admit I was surprised Anna Kendrick had written a memoir. She was 30 years old when the book was published which seems a bit young to put your life story on paper. And while she has been a part of some big movie franchises as well as receiving an Oscar nomination, she pretty much flies under the radar so I was a bit shocked she got a book deal. However, after reading her book, I can honestly say this was an enjoyable read even if going into it I had some doubts.

By far the strength of the book is the humor. Even though Anna is best known as an actress, she could give some comedians a run for their money. (I'm assuming she did the bulk of the writing and not some extremely funny ghostwriter.) Her personality she shows in interviews and even in her films, really shines through and that's what makes this a refreshing and fun read. She talks about her childhood, love life, and of course her career. She's a little bit different but there's also a lot to her that is relatable. Overall, a good read especially if you enjoy celebrity memoirs.

[Ms. Smartarse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't consider myself a fan of Anna Kendrik. For the longest time, I would only think of her as that chick from Twilight. You know, one of those side characters who completely lose their usefulness once those shiny vampires steal the show. Then I saw her in Pitch Perfect, fell in love with her singing voice, caught her on some Late Night TV shows... and I discovered I kind of liked her, after all.



This little collection of memoirs is like that too. I didn't know much about her, but the book's title is quirky enough to make me give it a chance. I dove in... and eventually realized I actually very much LIKED what I was reading.

It feels totally weird, creepy and a whole different level of inappropriate to articulate this, but... I very much like her life. There are those people who get discovered late in their life, while shopping at the market place, cast in this incredibly successful movie/TV series... I don't know about you, but I never really felt happy for them; more like complete and utter envy.

Anna Kendrick however, had to work her ASS off to be where she is. Starting as a child actor in a theater play, born in an ordinary (lower middle-class?) family, being "cast away" from shows for no longer being scrawny enough to pass as a much younger person, spending her late teens living in a seedy apartment in LA, waiting for her (adult) career to start....

My favorite part of the book, is her love of baking. While I would never trade writing reviews for any sort of cooking/baking, reading Anna's take on it, sort of fired me up to try my hand baking as well. Alas, as I was listening to the book on my way to work, I would forget all about my baking inspiration by the time I got home... so nothing happened. No need to get excited.

Baking is a really fun way to get people to like you. Being a good listener, a lively conversationalist, a loyal friend... it takes so much energy. Spend a couple of hours alone in your kitchen and get the same effects? Sign me UP!

When I was in the throes of my baking phase, my oven broke, and luckily different friends were happy to host me for a few hours, and let me fill their apartments with the smell of cinnamon, while I refused to let them help, because YOU DON'T KNOW THE SYSTEM!

This meant I would sometimes spend hours in someone else's home, experimenting, cursing and emerging from the kitchen looking like I'd fought off a rabid cat. But my hazelnut tart would be shiny and beautiful, and I would pawn it off on someone who hadn't seen behind the curtain and would praise me as a culinary genius.

There's a bit about her role in Twilight, which she seems to think no one remembers (or rather, noticed). I wonder how annoying it would be for her to realize that there are people out there (i.e. yours truly) who tend to primarily remember the actress for this particular role?Then again, she doesn't seem to share my opinion of it being a movie/series only worth giggling one's way through.

For some reason I felt sort of weird, when she praised Kristen Stuart's work ethic. It felt so... off? Totally unlike the truckload of bad press that I've ingested about the latter. Ah well, there goes my motivation to keep calling her shovel face (herd mentality FTW?).

Score: 4/5 stars

Yet another memoir acquired in Audible format that was worth its money credit.
It's entertaining, funny, contains a truckload of those embarrassing stories that you wish you had the courage to open up about, but know it'll never happen. Like seriously: you'll murder the person who dares to even bring it up.



Last but not least: the book's biggest plus is, that you can TOTALLY enjoy it even if you're not very familiar with the actress. Actually I think it's possible to like it without necessarily knowing anything about the author.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review of Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick is based purely on emotion & not its literary value. That's not a diss & I don't mean to imply that this book isn't a finely written piece of art. But mainly I'm giving it 5 Stars because I'm sick & reading this book made me feel a little better.

Anna Kendrick is one of my favorite actresses & this book made her one of my favorite people. Once again I implore you to take this with a grain of salt because I'm currently & have been for the last 2 days high on cold meds. Still I think my opinion would be the same even if I wasn't high as a kite. Who would I recommend Scrappy Little Nobody to... Readers having a bad day or sick readers who feel like they've been run over by a garbage truck.

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.35/5 stars

i'm too lazy to write a review for this, friends. happy thanksgiving!

[Kelsey]

Read the manuscript (don't worry, we don't have bound books yet!) and wrote LOL in the margins whenever I actually LOLed, and my pages are now absolutely filled with them.

[Brooke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps I am too harsh in demanding excellence (well, really mediocrity) from memoirs. All I'm looking for is stories about childhood, occupations, relationships, etc. The way that it is presented to you, the narration of the person, makes or breaks it. You get all of that here, but it just didn't work for me. So to be clear: I do like Anna. Her movie characters have been known to make me laugh & she is a positive addition to casts. (Though scripted work is much different than book deals.) I'm not her biggest fan; however, my sister is obsessed with her which is how I found out about this & ended up going with her on Anna's book tour back in November. (Yes, I'm just getting to this now which probably says something & yes, she is shorter in person.) All that aside, I WAS looking forward to this.

With celeb memoirs, I never expect to like the person more than prior to reading their tell-all, but I certainly don't expect to like them any less. It's obvious that our senses of humor don't mesh because the entire time I just felt that she was trying too hard to come off as comedic, sometimes on the brink of insulting. I was put-off by several things & felt a distance from her, making me not connect or care for hearing about her life. It was nice to hear about how she got started & leaving home & all that, but I quickly didn't give a shit after she ruined it by another rude comment. If she didn't attempt a joke every 30 seconds, I think this would have gone over a lot more smoothly. Then again, maybe not.

Her relationship with her brother seemed intriguing; it would have been nice to hear more about her family life, other than just the parts regarding her career. The chapter on boys went into a bit too much detail. I didn't care for the red carpet stuff or what her Thanksgiving dinners would look like or throwing up at sea. I dunno, it just came across as shallow. I get that she's still in the prime of her career & has a way to go to share more insight but there's nothing in here worthy of substance. Disappointing & sheds a new light on her in my eyes. I wasted my time & don't recommend, unless you're a hard-core fan who doesn't mind the awkward tension. For memoirs where you actually walk away with something other than nausea, see Bryan Cranston's or Trevor Noah's work.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anna Kendrick seems lovely. I thought so before I listened to her book and now I am fairly certain it is true.

I listened to her memoir on audiobook and as usual this was the right decision. Her delivery is perfect and the book is beyond hilarious. Her humour translates very well to the format and had me absolutely in stitches. This is also the strongest part of this book; weirdly enough I found her to be the funniest of all the "funny ladies" whose memoir I read in the last year, even though she herself is not really a comedian. She is also very relatable, even though her life is less so. Lots of things she said, I felt myself nodding to, which is always a great experience when listening to somebody's life story.

I also loved her insights into more feminist topics. I love this trend of women encouraging other women to be who they want to be. Amy Poehler's memoir succeeds in the same way as this one does and it makes me so happy.

While this isn't hard-hitting in the slightest and Anna Kendrick's life does seem to have been mostly alright, it was still a great book to listen to. Like I have said in other reviews, sometimes it is just nice to see how other people's life turned out the way they wanted, regardless of how difficult the journey there was. And for that I really appreciated this.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Anna Kendrick’s and will always watch the latest movie she is in regardless of what the subject matter is about, so I was really keen to get this biography.

Charting her childhood through theatre to get break into movies this really gives a great insight into her life.
Most importantly I could hear Anna’s voice whilst I was reading it.

I really like her quirky humour and it was exactly the book I’d hoped it to be.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This woman is a wonderful writer! The book is easy to read and hugely entertaining.
I am not a huge bio reader. It's probably less than one percent of the books I read. But I am so glad I read this one!! Actually I listened to the audio and read it also. Although the book is brilliantly written, the audio hits it out of the park. Anna Kendrick is an amazing actress and she shines in the audio. It adds so much to the experience!

[Mari]

i'm not usually one to read celebrity books but i mean. anna kendrick. the blurb alone makes me smile already. completely effortless.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to TouchStone books for sending me a copy of this book! Disclaimer: this in no way affects my opinion on the book.
I adore this book. Anna Kendrick is one of my favorite actresses, and I absolutely love her in The Accountant, 50/50, End of Watch, Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates, Up In The Air, Pitch Perfect, etc. I think she's absolutely hilarious and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. I listened to the audiobook and it was so great, her voice makes it all the more charming and funny.

I've read four memoirs this year from Amy Schumer, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey; but I have to say this one is my favorite. Anna is so charming and relatable and awkward and I just love her. I loved listening to her stories of growing up in Portland, Maine with her overprotective brother, and her trips to New York City for Broadway auditions. I also love her stories of when she was just getting her start and couldn't afford the shoes she was expected to wear on the red carpet, and she had to move in with two gay guys just to stay in Los Angeles. I think it's so inspiring to hear stories of a struggling artist who you know eventually made it. It just gives me a lot of hope.

I also loved hearing so many behind the scenes stories from Into The Woods, Twilight, Pitch Perfect, Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates, and more. I'm a huge movie lover so I love hearing about what goes on behind the scenes and hearing about what day to day life is like while shooting a movie. I love that it's not always so glamorous and it involves a lot of travelling and commitment and answering the same questions a million times but pretending it's the first time you're ever hearing that question.

Overall, I'm not surprised that I really enjoyed this. Anna Kendrick is so hilarious and charming and I adore her and this book was pretty awesome. If you're a fan of Anna Kendrick I have no doubt you would also enjoy this book.

[Aoife - Bookish_Babbling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for you, if like me you've seen interviews of Anna's and thought I need moar!

Fab funny audiobook narrated by Anna herself which just gave it that extra bit of oomph...I legit laughed out loud at many of her stories and lowkey wish we were rl friends but know that makes me weird as I don't know her but do share some of her outlooks on life 😅 🤷‍♀️

[Flannery · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the things I like about listening to comedic (as in funny, not necessarily by a comedian) memoirs is that they are easy for others to pick up for short bursts. I almost exclusively listen in my car and, every once in a while, someone will get in and ask me about what I'm listening to when it starts playing. Usually I have to turn it off so I don't lose my place or get distracted. With memoirs read by the author, people don't mind picking it up at a random place and just listening for a spell. Even if they don't, a conversation still ensues and that's something I love. (talking about books, though also conversation most of the time.) It's soothing to listen to someone talk and I think there is a truthful, more tangible quality when listening to the person who wrote the stories read them. It's their life and it just feels more intimate. They tell the anecdotes how you imagine they would if you were sitting next to them. Since you know what they look like and some of their mannerisms, you can imagine what they might look like while telling you each story. I swear I'm not a creep. All I am saying is that Anna Kendrick sounds -- and I'm certain she'd be happy to hear this -- like a real, live person while she reads her book.

Every time I go into a memoir, I get a sense of excitement that might be even bigger than with fiction, because they can make you truly appreciate a person so much more. Even though they've carefully chosen exactly what to reveal about themselves, I feel like the reader can catch a glimpse of the true person behind the curtain. The contemplation and gratitude in Born Standing Up made me love Steve Martin. This Time Together made me cry and love Carol Burnett for her gumption and kindness. The way Pat Conroy talks about books in My Reading Life made my heart hurt as I scribbled down all the titles he recommended. I tell people little stories from these books all the time. But when I don't like a memoir, it's a grudge I can't shake. Like Anna Kendrick, I hold on to things forever and it is entirely subjective. I recently read (and hated) The Goldfinch. In it, there was a memorable section for me about how art affects people. My eyes were glazing over at the point it came up, but here's what I got out of it: If a room was filled with 20 pieces of wildly variant art and then the room was filled with people, everyone wouldn't be touched by the same painting. Everyone's tastes are different and something that seems mundane to someone else could affect ONE person in a way that it changes their life. Everyone else might think it bites. I'm not saying that Scrappy Little Nobody is my life-changing painting. It isn't. But it hit the right spots for me.

Besides the chapter on hypothetical party planning, which I thought was useless and unnecessary, most of the structure aligned with what I'm always hoping will come from an actor's memoir but rarely does. Kendrick talks about her career from the ground up. She's candid about her experiences and shares fun factoids about her movie shoots and the realities of been recognized (or not) and participating (or not) in the charades of Hollywood. She's kind of hilariously restrained at times in a way that makes me like her even more. I thought this throughout and actually laughed out loud when she referenced it as the end of the book. Like, "Honey, I'd love to tell you everything you want to hear, but you and I both know everyone would hate my guts if I did. I want to work for a few more decades but get at me when I'm 70." (that's the gist, not an actual quote.) She's probably joking but I wish she wasn't because I'd love to read some straight up Hollywood gossip from someone who is as witty and sharp as she is.

Of course, with the realness of a memoir also comes the feeling of self-indulgence. I'm certain every person who writes one of these contemplates whether people will be interested in them. At least, I really hope they do. Perhaps that occasional sense of entitlement is that stench I pick up on some memoirs that makes them unbearable to me. Kendrick knows that not everyone is always feeling her. She knows that it is somewhat ridiculous to be so young and write a memoir. But she did it, and it's good. The takeaway wasn't emotional for me, but at the end of it, I think Anna Kendrick is someone who worked and continues to work hard but also will always be someone who calls it like it is. She doesn't take any bullshit and I'm certain that if you told her this book was bullshit, she'd be like, "Whatever, dude. To each his own." She might go home and bake a cake at home, though, and ice it with big letters that say, "Fuck you, stupid person on the internet." Yeah, that sounds about right. That's the takeaway from this book. If that sounds like something you'd like to read, get at it. (and listen to the audiobook) If you're offended by the language I just used, move along, this isn't the book you are looking for.

[Veronica Morfi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not a big fan of Anna Kendrick before reading this book, but now I can safely say that she is my spirit animal. The girl is amazing and crazy at the same time. I loved every minute of this book and actually listening to Anna narrate her book was an amazing experience. I just wish there was more.

[Edgarr Alien Pooh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot really say what drove me to read this book. I have NEVER seen a movie with Anna Kendrick in it and with her body of work to this point, I am not going to see one. Twilight, Pitch Perfect etc just don't interest me.

But I have got to say I enjoyed it. The whole book is like sitting in a room with Anna and holding an interview, but not one of those staged uptight interviews most reporters hold. Anna wouldn't allow that, she is fun and lively. This interview is all about the fun she's had, her insecurities and her push NOT to be a stuffy Hollywood type. Like the majority of actors, Anna has been through the hard times and finally broke through yet she still comes across as a best friend from school.

This book is funny, serious, and dramatic in one. Anna doesn't take shit but gives plenty out. She is only in her early thirties and has a long career ahead of her, if she chooses to have one. She is not uptight but there is obvious anxiety.

This is a rare biography in that it is well worth a read even though you may feel you have no interest in Anna.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion alert, please stand by.
I like Anna Kendrick. Obviously I wouldn't have read her book if I didn't. I think she is talented and funny and all of the things one needs to be in order to be successful in Hollywood. She begins her book saying that she doesn't like to tell people she is a child actor because the typical child actor is crazy. I don't think Anna is crazy, but I in trying to prove that she is just like you and me she unintentionally proves herself to be a product of a life that is completely unrelatable to any "normal person" no matter how many chapters she spends insisting that she is. This is my biggest problem with this book.

I think if she would have leaned into the fact that she found herself in these weird situations instead of trying to seem above it all in so many instances I would have liked it a bit better. Part of this is because she is a 31 year old writing a book about her life. Anna is just a couple years younger than me and maybe but I found it really difficult to glean much from this book. I really expected to like this book and was sort of bummed when it made me cringe in so many places at how "geeky" and "uncool" she promises she is right after telling a story to first convince you that really is bad ass. There were just so many parts of this book that rubbed me the wrong way.

I don't know about you but I just could not relate with the perfectly normal idea of being underage, living on my own and partying at the Chateau Marmont with my friends; the stripper, the model and the one with the much older boyfriend buying bottle service. A story she just casually dropped in to make her look like she was a loser??? The whole book felt like a big humble brag to me. I still will watch her movies and enjoy them and maybe I will even read the book she promises to write at the age of 70.

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Meh But Amusing Stars

I love autobiographies and I love Anna Kendrick so I was really excited for this one.

I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. There were good moments and some dull moments.

The first half of the book is kind of boring. She talks a little about her childhood, but overall her childhood was nice so it wasn’t like I got a moving story or anything that made me glued to the pages. The photos were cute.

When we get to the movie / Hollywood section I got a little more interested. That’s the stuff I like to read when I read an autobiography by a famous person. I kind of wanted a little more gossip, especially with Pitch Perfect and all the drama I’ve read about it.

The book is really PC and there really wasn’t any drama or juice stories to read, so if that is your cuppa, you will be happy.

I also wanted more romantic stories. She talks about her ex’s but there wasn’t anything moving about them too.

Overall, I enjoyed some parts of the book and I was a little disappointed with other parts.