Okay, so you know how sometimes you decide to read a book mostly because of its title? That’s what happened when I came across Judy Greer’s I Don’t Know Where You Know Me From: Confessions of a Co-Star. I actually did know where I knew Judy from (I probably watched 13 Going on 30 five times per day the week we rented it from Blockbuster), but I’m not sure I could’ve told you her name without the help of IMDB. Regardless, the book’s title just so perfectly encapsulates what happens when you see that lesser-known actor or actress in a movie and just can’t place them. I knew I needed to know what Judy thought about being one of those people, and I needed to know it right now.

When I think of Judy Greer, I think of a snippy best friend character, like the ones she so often plays. I knew there was no way to read this book except to get it on audio, read by Greer herself. I have a bit of an obsession with making sure all audiobook memoirs are read by the author. Thankfully, this is a thing that exists. When I started listening, it was like settling in for a good long chat with a friend who I didn’t know much about. Like, did you know that Judy Greer’s name was not always Judy Greer? Yeah, that’s not her original last name–she changed it. Crazy, right?

When I finished the book, I was convinced that I wanted real life Judy as my best friend. She sounds like a way better friend in real life than the ones she plays, but she’s also definitely funny and blunt enough that I see why she gets cast in those roles so often. I love the way she talks about her life and about life in general. Her tone is friendly, casual, and real. The book really lends itself to being read aloud, because it’s so clearly the author’s voice.

That being said, I didn’t always love or understand the structure of the book itself. It seems to jump from topic to topic in a kind of sporadic way. I’ve noticed this in a lot of celebrity memoirs—it’s often a scattered mess of funny that doesn’t come together cohesively. I know we can’t control real life, but can’t we write about it in an order that makes senses?

The chapters were also really short, which added to that feeling of jumping around, I think. I will add the caveat that listening to books on audio often makes it harder to capture their structure, but I don’t think I’m entirely making this up—after all, the Goodreads reviews agree with me, so that means something, right?

Anyway, if you’re thinking of reading this book to learn more about Hollywood’s best friend, I say go for it. It’s a fun read and certainly worth your time. I would definitely recommend getting the audio, though—I feel like that makes the experience much better.

(I really don’t have any idea what sort of image to put with this one, so forgive me for just posting my thoughts without a picture of me rendering myself ridiculous).