Hello, Molly!
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4.4 • 373 Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A New York Times bestseller
A candid, compulsively readable, hilarious, and heartbreaking memoir of resilience and redemption by comedic genius Molly Shannon
At age four, Molly Shannon’s world was shattered when she lost her mother, baby sister, and cousin in a car accident with her father at the wheel. Held together by her tender and complicated relationship with her grieving father, Molly was raised in a permissive household where her gift for improvising and role-playing blossomed alongside the fearlessness that would lead her to become a celebrated actress.
From there, Molly ventured into the wider world of New York and Los Angeles show business, where she created her own opportunities and developed her daring and empathetic comedy. Filled with behind-the-scenes stories involving everyone from Whitney Houston to Adam Sandler to Monica Lewinsky, many told for the first time here, Hello, Molly! spans Molly’s time on Saturday Night Live—where she starred alongside Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Cheri Oteri, Tracy Morgan, and Jimmy Fallon, among many others. At the same time, it explores with humor and candor her struggle to come to terms with the legacy of her father, a man who both fostered her gifts and drive and was left with the impossible task of raising his kids alone after the loss of her mother.
Witty, winning, and told with tremendous energy and heart, Hello, Molly!, written with Sean Wilsey, sheds new and revelatory light on the life and work of one of our most talented and free-spirited performers.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this introspective and touching memoir, comedian Molly Shannon recounts her life’s most dramatic ups and downs with total candor. After a tragic car accident left four-year-old Shannon grieving the loss of her mother, baby sister, and cousin, she found solace in her father and her sister Mary. Her sometimes-turbulent childhood was filled with fun, mischievous adventures with her dad, whose encouragement imbued in her the go-getter attitude that inspired her to go after her dreams. From the suburbs of Ohio to the soundstages of New York City’s Saturday Night Live, Shannon celebrates her hard-earned successes and pays tribute to the power of perseverance as well as trial and error. Particularly fascinating are her stories about finding freedom through laughter and grounding herself in the present to create unforgettable improv performances. Shannon’s lively audiobook narration reflects her fearlessness as a performer—Hello, Molly! will make you laugh, cry, and savor life.
Customer Reviews
Not Quite a Superstar
First off, regarding reviews in general, it is disappointing that we have evolved into a society of either one star Karen or five star Stan reviews - let’s take advantage of the nuance of all the stars. I did not read the jacket so the opening car crash was a mind blowing surprise - and don’t even think of reading this book - you have to have Molly narrate - it’s the only way it works. And she is the greatest narrator of all audiobooks ever - she should have a second career reading other people’s books. There was a slight lack in organization and at times I didn’t know if she were 10 or 20 years old during a story. This was an impulse purchase when some late night talk show host slammed it on his desk and I do not regret - well worth it. It is so interesting and entertaining that it flies by. You learn about Molly and you walk away with some life lessons - even when you’re an old guy like me.
Can we be friends
This delivered. 5 stars seems high. But I laughed out loud throughout. I wish I could be friends with her. I bought because of her episode of Armchair Expert
Molly at her best
Loved this story!! And such a delight having Molly read it aloud so you really felt her words.