Susan Seidelman has written an absolute masterpiece on how to be open to life, opportunities, and adventure. Having lived a prolific life as a successful Hollywood director, Seidelman chooses to tell her story by intertwining it with a soundtrack that follows the ebb and flow of her life experiences.

My favourite parts were her vivid and engaging descriptions of the many places she adventured. She took you to every studio, street, and scene with her language making for a captivating read.

If you're interested in Hollywood, history, and feminism, this is a great example of a woman breaking down barriers in what is traditionally a male-dominated world.

Fans of Susan Seidelman's work will definitely want to check out Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls. Fans of the '80s, '90s, and early '00s will enjoy it too. And as a New Yorker, I also got a kick out of some of the memories Seidelman shares about living in the Big Apple. A very enjoyable memoir.

Jaime Lamchick does a nice job of performing this one.

This was a TOTAL surprise for me. I rarely listen to memoirs from an author who isn't a household name, but when I read a little of Seidelman's bio I was intrigued. I also was VERY pleased that a professional narrator was voicing the audiobook. I was wowed by the events, reflections, and the gift for weaving in and out of the events and decades throughout her really extraordinary life! I really enjoyed this. A great surprise that I have already recommended to another podcaster who focuses on Hollywood, and my niece who is getting her start in the entertainment business. .Susan Seidelman's excellence is on every page- and in a meaningful way reminded this reader of the tremendous value of truly listening to women of other generations. This is a book that deserves a TikTok campaign or some way to reach young readers. IT IS GOOD.

I enjoyed the fast paced-ness of this memoir, and I was a fan of the movie Desperately Seeking Susan, and Smithereens so I was intrigued by the book in general. I honestly never realized the movie was directed by a woman. I mean looking back now, it makes sense because it's a stylish and fun movie. This memoir covered the author's experiences growing up and her directing career. It was very interesting to hear about the behind-the-scenes moments the author had on making her films. She also covers getting older as a woman and her experiences. I definitely recommend this one if you enjoy memoirs and hearing about the film industry from a female director's point of view.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for this ARC! 💖

I knew absolutely nothing about Susan Seidelman prior to reading her memoir. To the best of my recollection, I've never seen any of her work except for the Sex and the City pilot. These are my favorite kinds of memoirs, because it doesn't matter if you end up liking the subject or not. You can just listen and be entertained. I enjoyed hearing Susan Seidelman's story very much. Jaime Lamchick did a lovely job narrating. I did not expect to learn so much about so many topics, either. I learned about everything from tools used for editing film to why SoHo is called SoHo.

This was a great memoir to read right after finishing Miss May Does Not Exist: The Life and Work of Elaine May, Hollywood’s Hidden Genius. Susan Seidelman actually references Elaine May at a couple of different times. I've never thought much about the glass ceiling in the entertainment industry. I can't help but wonder how differently Susan Seidelman's career would've turned out had she been Steven Seidelman. Would the executives have passed on She Drives Me Crazy? Would She Devil have been released the same weekend as The War of the Roses?

In sum, I found Desperately Seeking Something: A Memoir About Movies, Mothers, and Material Girls to be entertaining and enlightening. I would really like to go back and watch so many of these works, and I'm glad that, while she may never have been a 1% A-lister, Susan Seidelman has been allowed to have a long and steady career, respected by her peers, in the industry she loves. I'm so happy that she decided to share her story with the rest of us.

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

Desperately Seeking Susan is one of my go-to films when I am in a mood and need to feel something else. I picked this up thinking I'd hear some interesting stories about the film, its making, and its stars. It certainly delivers on that.

But, that wasn't my favorite thing about the book. Learning about Seidelman and her drive, how she helped change the shape of Hollywood making way for female directors of all kinds, and listening to stories of her tenacity was a delight.

I enjoyed the book and think film lovers can all find something to love in Seidelman's work.

Susan Seidelman is one of those people who may not have the name recognition she deserves but EVERYONE knows her films. She's an icon. She's a trailblazer. She's found ways to represent and honor people who usually get ignored in the film industry. This memoir is kinda like one long tribute to pop culture - those who love it and those who created it. It's fun to listen to, especially if you're a child of the 70's or 80's because it's a walk down memory lane. If you're younger, you'll still love it because you'll learn about times that, in ways, weren't much different than the ones you grew up in. This is also a fun book for anyone interested in the media industry, she really covers a lot. I'm looking forward to revisiting some of her films now!!

Generally speaking I would rather gouge out my own eyes than read a Hollywood memoir, but I was happy to make an exception for Susan Seidelman and she didn’t disappoint.

No trauma dumping or self-sainting here, just the sharp and self-deprecating Seidelman telling greet stories and celebrating successes. She makes for a great narrator with whom you’ll gladly go along for the ride, focusing mostly on her work and not on sharing personal secrets. The stories she does tell that are personal or relate to her family and friends are charming and worthy of inclusion.

I liked the first half of this better than the second half, but that’s largely because it’s where we get Seidelman’s experience being young and trying to make it in New York, as well as all the terrific background on Smithereens and Desperately Seeking Susan.

In all, Seidelman is a joy to spend time with.

Story and Content: A-
Writing: A-
Narration: A Read by the Author
Best Aspect: Covered movies I have loved and I learned a lot about those and the authors life.
Worst Aspect: A tad long in parts.
Recommend: Yes.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an advance copy of the audiobook. This memoir has so much heart. It was fun learning about being a filmmaker, director and the challenges filmmakers face, especially women. I was really not super familiar with her life but I definitely learned about it, and it was so interesting and fun. I truly love this book on so many levels. It’s an essential read for all women of all ages. And men will enjoy it, too! Order this book and enjoy! Hearing it from the author was like sitting with a friend who was telling you about their experiences.
I was really excited about this book, and it didn't disappoint. This book was a chronicle of the author's early life in suburban Pennsylvania, her time in film school, her career, motherhood, and beyond. Susan Seidelman has a very approachable, honest, and self-deprecating style that hooks you and makes the book an easy and fun summer read. Her experiences and life were truly interesting.
While Susan discusses her struggles as a female filmmaker, there are lots of triumphs and upbeat moments as well. I found this book and the author very enjoyable and truly led me to like Susan Seidelman want to check out her films.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital eBook and audiobook. I was pleased to be able to read along as I listened to the audiobook.

Why isn’t Susan Seidelman a household name like other big-name directors? Probably, in part, because she’s a woman. This memoir, which has song titles as the chapter headings, is not just for film buffs. It’s really about a female growing up in American during a certain time period and the abject misogyny she faced, and still faces today in the boys’ club of film directing. The childhood stories were great and kept me engaged as I hoped to hear more about her professional life.

What I loved about this book is that while Seidelman talks about her projects, she never trashes anyone she’s worked with. This is not a tell-all about various big-name personalities. It’s about HER experiences, and she’s got a sense of humor about all the crap she’s gone through.

Even though I am of an age to be the target audience, I have not seen Desperately Seeking Susan, starring Rosanna Arquette and Madonna, but my friends loved the film. Now, I think I’ll find it on some streaming service or borrow it from the library.

Highly recommended for film buffs!

Sometimes reviewing memoirs can be a little difficult.

I think this was definitely written for people that are already fans of Seidelman and her work.

I went into this not knowing who she is and after reading it I don’t know that I really feel like I have a sense of who she is aside from the work she did and the people she surrounds herself with. I guess I was looking to get some insights and learn about a new perspective from someone with a different life experience and was left wanting.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for an advanced listening copy.

As a fan of Seidelman’s films, I was eager to dive into this - while career retrospective memoirs like this can be pretty hit or miss, I am delighted to report that I found this tremendously charming and consistently entertaining. It has its flaws - I found the chapter-title songs silly and a little too cute at times, and there are points where the chronology gets a bit confusing, often in service of what feels like over-explaining a point or providing context that might’ve been better left on the cutting room floor. But those sins are so, so minor - this is delightful, and Seidelman’s voice shines through the whole time. What a career! New York in the ‘70s and ‘80s seemed like a helluva place to be.