I admit I am only vaguely familiar with “Gilmore Girls,” though I have many friends who adore the show. Still, I was curious enough to read the anthology “Life's Short, Talk Fast” that is edited by Ann Hood. Since writers are impacted as much by what they watch as they are by what they read, I was very curious to read these essays, which are more memoir and personalized in scope. Hence, if you’re looking for a more academic perspective of the show, this is not it. Overall, the anthology did a great job offering a variety of perspectives. I felt I learned a lot about these authors. The essays themselves are quick reads. You do not need to be a devoted fan of the show to enjoy this book.

Four and a half out of five stars.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this great read.

Fans of the Gilmore Girls will truly enjoy this book. The 15 different writers with their personal reflections on the show was fun to read. A quick easy read.
Thank you #NetGalley, #W. W. Norton & Company, # Life's Short, Talk Fast for the advance copy for my honest review.

4.5 stars

If you love the TV show Gilmore Girls, then I think you’ll enjoy the essay collection LIFE’S SHORT, TALK FAST edited by Ann Hood (publishing November 12, 2024).

Fourteen essayists discuss what resonates to each of them about Gilmore Girls, and surprisingly one additional essayist isn’t a fan of Gilmore Girls. I’d have to say that essay is one of my favorites of this collection. One self-aware point that the author brought up is that they like elements of Gilmore Girls, just in other shows. For example, the banter works for the essayist in SEINFELD but not when Lorelai is bantering on her walk and talks through Stars Hollow and admits the bias that represents.

One humorous essay points out the cost budget for Lorelai’s coats. Other essays are more serious, such as which Gilmore Girl you identify with during each watch (Rory in the first watch, Lorelai in the second watch, and now Emily in the most recent watch), Lorelai’s parenting, and which of Rory’s boy “team” you’re on.

I thought each of the essayists brought something interesting to say, especially those essayists that spoke about Lane Kim and her mother.

While I’m a fan of the show, these essays brought out some concepts that I’ve never heard before, and of course I appreciate all the different lenses throughout this collection.

"Life’s Short, Talk Fast reveals what Gilmore Girls tells us about ourselves— and why it matters."

Fans of Gilmore Girls will enjoy this collection of 15 essays which reflect on the show and its staying power more than twenty years since it first aired on TV.

Each contributor brings a unique perspective based on their lived experience. Themes include love (find your Jess), motherhood, music, fashion, reading, and more.

This is a quick read. Spend a few pleasant hours considering your favorite residents of Stars Hollow from a new perspective - or reminding yourself just why you fell in love with them in the first place.

"In Stars Hollow, ultimately, the right thing will happen. It’s not the real world— but true dilemmas and sincere emotions live there."

I have been a fan of Gilmore Girls for what seems like forever. Tge first time I watched was during its run on television. The second time was a binge on Netflix a couple years ago. What changed was my perspective. By my second watch, I had a daughter who is very much a Rory. My watch was so much richer with that experience. I loved how this collection of essays demonstrates what Gilmore Girls means to a wide variety of people. Stars Hollow forever.

W.W. Norton and Company provided an early galley for review.

I have always been a fan of this show. I watched it first run on TV, I own the six of seven seasons of the series on DVD, and if fictional characters qualify for a "hall pass", Lorelai would certainly have fallen on my list at one point. Therefore, the description of this one very much got my attention.

The book features essays from fifteen different writers, both women and men, as they reflect upon the show and its impact in their lives. It is a very easy read, comfortable and honest - much like the show that inspired the collection here.

I could not help but chuckle at one of the male writers who found the fast-talking banter of the characters to be a huge turn-off or at one of the female writers who made a point to count how many coats Lorelai went through in just the first two seasons alone. While the former was very much a necessary feature of the show, the latter serves as a reminder of how shows like this one reflect and promote styles.

Fans of Gilmore Girls will enjoy this one.

Gilmore Girls has been my comfort show for the past two decades. It’s an imperfect show, but returning to Stars Hollow and the characters and plot lines that I know so well always feels like home when my brain is too full and my life is too busy.

This is a book of essays written by people who feel like me about the show. You won’t find criticism or deep analysis, but you’ll find diverse people from diverse places who connect with the show in a deep way. It’s a book by fans and for fans. The essays are short and interesting, and I appreciated the varied perspectives.

I'm on a Gilmore Girls streak lately. This was such a cool read, an anthology about what draws us to Gilmore Girls, what the appeal is to stay a fan and why the show and characters stick with us for so long. Each writer nailed it from a completely different perspective. 

I loved reading about all the angles of how the Gilmore Girls came into someone's life, how it affected them or didn't, and why it's beloved by so many, years and years after it aired. 

If you love Gilmore Girls, you should definitely pick up this one.

What a collection! Unlike so many deep dives into the Gilmore Girls, this book looks at both the light and the deep. While on the surface, the show seems innocent enough but there is so much more that highlights the human condition and this collection delves into that through brilliant essays by some of our most talented writers. A must read for true Gilmore Girls fans!

I was notified by email this morning that I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley, so I downloaded it immediately and spent the day reading it. I can’t tell you how much I loved this book! As a huge Gilmore Girls fan since Day 1, I loved reading everyone’s stories on how they relate to the show. Some of the stories were sad, there were a couple I found less interesting than others, but overall I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to purchase it when it comes out in November!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

P.S. Speaking of opinions, I really love the cover Goodreads currently has compared to the cover that NetGalley shows. The gazebo, the leaves, the green…it’s perfection!