Loved this - went so fast this was a great not memoir! Lola's essays were so good and I loved it her stories were so honest and real - I have never highlighted anything on my kinlde until today - so much emotion in this book i wanted to reach in and hug her, she lived a filled life and told her story beautifully! So so good! Loved it Lola!

Lola Kirke was certainly born into privilege, but any "nepo baby" critique is trite. Everyone - "nepo babies" included - didn't ask to be born, after all. Sure, not everyone can just call up a friend's grandparent and get referred over to "Aunt Joan," (i.e., Joan Didion), but the scant few celebrity references are that -- scant. And not really the focus of the story, they just happen to be there.

Lola Kirke was also born into a family riddled with cheating, secret siblings, drug addiction, self-absorption, and inappropriate boundaries, to name a few. Her book portrays being the youngest born into a chaotic family with the aforementioned problems. This isn't so much a "celebrity memoir" (see also: the subtitle) as it is the story of a person floundering as they try to find themselves and make sense of their place in the world.

I liked that she told her story in seemingly disparate vignettes, giving the book an almost dreamlike quality by representing the muddied nature of memory. Her voice is frank and self-deprecating. I enjoyed the insight into why she - a girl born into a wealthy dysfunctional family in NYC - went country, and I appreciated ending it all with her debut at the Grand Ole Opry. Lola's future is bright. 🌟

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Lola Kirke for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I’ll admit, before starting this one, I didn’t really know who Lola Kirke was. After reading though, I’m definitely a fan and have been checking out some of her music, which I love! I’m really glad that this book led me to finding a new artist - and I also really enjoyed the book.

This one covers a lot of ground about Kirke’s life, including growing up in NYC, having an eccentric family, learning about a sibling, dating, joining the Country music scene, and more. Her writing style is gorgeous and very unique. I also really liked that the chapters were pretty short because she was able to talk about a lot of things in a pretty short book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I recommend for anyone to pick it up, even if you don’t know much about the author! It’s very likely you’ll come out of it a fan.

Kirke's stories fascinated me. Sometimes I was laughing and others I was gasping with my mouth open! What a life she and her siblings have lived. Her writing really gave me a glimpse of her upbringing and her life in NYC. I enjoyed the stories and became a fan of how she portrayed them. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I tore through this in less than two days. Lola Kirke is a funny, beautiful mess, and the same is true for her whole family.

I’ve been a fan of Lola’s older sister, Jemima, for twelve years. Lola has another sister who is married to the star of YOU on Netflix, and her dad is a famous rockstar. This is a story of living in the shadow of older siblings and parents, and how being the youngest can be such a lonely experience. I identified with this so much. I have significantly older half-siblings, so I spent my childhood feeling lonely much like Lola did. I always wanted my siblings to like me too. Jemima could be pretty vicious to little Lola. Still, there’s a lot of love and humor in this family. And my god, talk about the genetic lottery.

I did not expect to cry while reading this book, but it happened. Lola talks about discovering a secret brother (been there!), and how it felt to finally learn she had a younger sibling. His life was one of tragedy, however. Lola’s little brother was born with severe cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice on the part of the OBGYN, and he spent his short like essentially brain dead. Lola loved him with all her heart, and she made a real effort to get to know him.

I really enjoyed this memoir. It’s a fun glimpse into the world of a dysfunctional famous family. Lola also owns and pokes fun at her privilege, so I don’t think it’s really fair to dump on her for having a leg up in the entertainment industry. There’s a reason this whole family is famous.

Lola Kirke is sharp, witty, vulnerable, funny as hell, self-aware, and heartfelt in her memoir (that isn't really a memoir).

Her unflinching story with no punches pulled will make you feel young again with the world ready to unfold for you- like it's never too late to start a country music career.

Thank you NetGalley, Lola Kirke, and Simon and Schuster for the eARC.

Wild West Village by Lola Kirke 🎸✨

In this memoir that's not exactly a memoir, Lola Kirke’s features sharp, darkly funny, and deeply personal essays that’ll have you laughing one minute and reflecting the next. From growing up in the bohemian chaos of a West Village brownstone to finding her way as a “big city girl gone country,” Kirke lays it all bare with wit and a touch of irreverence.

Her stories are rich with eccentric characters—rock star dads, fashion-forward moms, and a house filled with artists, exiles, and more drama than an HBO series. The wild backdrop of her upbringing collides with her quest for identity, making for a rollercoaster read that’s equal parts heartfelt and hilariously self-deprecating. Additionally, there are pseudonyms and code names for celebrities in her circle or those she crossed paths with, but it's easy to deduce who each person is if you're a fan of celebrity culture, which I most certainly am.

Kirke’s voice is unapologetically authentic, whether she’s musing on family dysfunction, awkward adolescence, or her unexpected pivot to country music. This book captures the messy, beautiful process of growing up—and growing into yourself.

If you love memoirs that balance humor with raw honesty (think Bossypants meets a Wes Anderson film), Wild West Village deserves a spot on your shelf. It's a quirky, poignant gem that leaves you rooting for Lola all the way. 💫

Thank you to NetGalley, Lola Kirke, and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book.

I received this as a digital galley.

Wow- gotta love a nepo baby writing a memoir and leaning in REAL HARD into all of their privilege.

I enjoyed guessing all the other celebs talked about despite crappy pseuds or descriptions. The red-haired actress? Natasha Lyonne. The filmmaker/actor with the Manson memorabilia? Vincent Gallo. Not completely sure about it but think the 'actor famous since his teens' is possibly Ryan Gosling.