This book was very emotional for me, as I work through the grief of losing my own beloved grandmother. What a gift this book is - the gift of her grandmother for everyone to witness. It's poignant and touching.

Nobody WIll Tell You This But Me is a story told through the lens of Bess Kalb's grandmother. Sometimes it hit the mark perfectly, sometimes it missed, but I always felt Kalb's love for her grandmother throughout. I can see why she wrote it, and I can see the audience who would love it.

This book felt like a hug in the middle of a pandemic.

I absolutely loved this book. It's hard to explain the comfort and love that radiates throughout its pages, but I hope you'll feel it, too. And then hug anyone you can.

Once I get done crying, I'm buying this for my husband's nieces. They had this type of relationship with their grandmother, my mother-in-law. I saw how special a relationship like this is and how it helps both generations.

This was such a fascinating sort of biography. It was told in such a unique way and the personality of Kalb's grandmother came shining through. I really hope Kalb goes on to write a lot more, because I know that I, and my patrons will love it all. I have ordered a few copies of this one for the library. Thank you for letting me read it!

I hadn’t heard of Bess Kalb when I chose to read this book, but the topic was so appealing. A close and loving relationship between a grandmother and granddaughter has a universal interest. The voices of four generations of women are heard in this book, but the star is Bess’s grandmother, Bobby Bell. A strong, glamorous, New Yorker who adored Bess as much as Bess adored Bobby.
The story begins with Bobby telling the story of her mother leaving Belarus to escape the pogroms and come to America in the late 1880’s. Bobby’s life and work with her husband in New York, and briefly touches on Bess’s mother during the 1970’s. When Bess is born Bobby is in love with the child and the bond is formed.
Their story is told with humor and love. Bess has saved all the voicemails her grandmother has left her. Good advice, straight to the point, with that New York sarcasm and wit that I love. As the old saying goes; you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, but you’ll enjoy reading this book.
I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf Doubleday Publishing, and Bess Kalb

I know this is an oral history and I know we learn early on it is mostly phone conversations and voice mail messages, but that did not make this book flow any more. Anecdote after anecdote after piece of random advice after anecdote left me thinking, “so what?” Hopefully other readers can find that answer when they read the book.

I felt like this book was being read to me by my own grandma. Bess Kalb captures her own grandmother's voice in such a way that it feels authentic even though it's a woman I've never met. Incredible writing and humor here.

Bess Kalb is a famous TV comedy writer and regular New Yorker “Daily Shouts” columnist, writing for the Jimmy Kimmel show. She saved every voicemail message from her grandmother, Bobby Bell. Bobby and Bess doted on each other. In 2017 Bobby died, reaching almost ninety years old, or in her case, ninety years young. Bobby's back story includes her mother's escape from the pogroms of Belarus, in the 1880s, their early years living in what amounted to an attic in a house. Bobby was born on the dining table in that house, and her older brothers assisted in the birth, then went down to the office to register her birth. Her mother had picked out a name, the brothers decided on another, and since they were the ones doing the registering, it was the name that they chose that went on her birth certificate. Bobby and her husband worked hard, made a lot of money, lived well, and Bobby was always remarkably distant from her daughter. When her daughter had Bess, Bobby and Bess immediately connected and the bonds never lessened.

I found the memoir a bit confusing to follow, as it was unclear to which generation Bobby was referring. Not being up on current television trends and people, I had never heard of Bess Kalb.

What a treasure. I giggled on just about every page and broke down and wept on five pages. A sublime yet down-to-earth story "narrated" by the author's late grandmother. Some of it is written from memory and some is drawn from precious never-deleted Grandma voicemails.

Kalb's grandmother, who had Russian Jewish immigrant parents, pulls no punches in giving "her angel" granddaughter "Bessie" her opinions about everything, from men to money to cosmetics.

"Grandma Bobbie" relates her amazing history in Brooklyn and Manhattan, in detail, and she is frank about her personal failings in raising Bess's mother, with whom she became unexpectedly pregnant at 40, and with whom she had nothing in common. In looking into the eyes of newborn Bess, Bobbie discovered a kindred spirit, and their bond lasted for the rest of Bobbie's life. No matter what was happening, Kalb could call her grandma and Grandma would make it better. At the Palm Court at the Plaza, if necessary. Grandma certainly had plenty of money with which to dote on her granddaughter (Grandpa was in NYC real estate), but grandmother and granddaughter would sometimes just read books, side by side, or go to the Met.

The book is full of delightful family photographs, which add to the feeling of intimacy and disclosure. I won't be needing an audiobook of this one. I felt that I could hear every word spoken in Grandma's sardonic and affectionate voice.

I recommend this book for Jewish people, people who know Jewish people, immigrants, descendants of immigrants, New Yorkers, people who love NYC, grandparents, parents, smart-mouthed women, and everyone who ever had a loving grandmother or a very frank and outspoken best friend. Oh, and everyone who likes to laugh hysterically or read about unshakeable love.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.