Lauren Graham, a name many of you might remember from the opening credits of Gilmore Girls, recently published a book of essays entitled Have I Told You This Already?, and it’s a delight. A follow-up to her first essay collection Talking As Fast As I Can (which I haven’t yet read, but now very much want to), this book features stories from Graham’s early twenties in New York City and her life as an actor, writer, and director in Los Angeles. She doesn’t write much about Gilmore Girls (I believe most of those stories are in her first book), but instead reflects on the hilarious, bewildering, enlightening moments that happen at home and in between jobs, the moments that might not seem important but that make for great stories. There are stories about her attempts to make marmalade when her orange tree produces more fruit than she’ll ever be able to eat, about her retail job at Barney’s where she accidentally stole a cashmere sweater, and about the health retreats, food delivery services, and padded bras she experimented with as a Hollywood convert of the ‘90s. Graham’s quick wit and chatty, conversational style make the essays fly by, and just when you need a breather, she punctuates them with reflections about what it means to be a woman, particularly a woman who finds herself getting older in the film industry.

I was a big Gilmore Girls fan growing up, and still enjoy watching an old episode every so often, but rest assured that you don’t need to know Graham as an actor to appreciate her writing. Like Nora Ephron — whom she references as one of her role models — her essays are entertaining and smart, and she makes ordinary occurrences seem wildly funny. Also, like Ephron, Graham isn’t afraid to make fun of herself, and would rather tell her own potentially embarrassing story than be the butt of someone else’s joke. In fact, she seems to relish laughing at her past mistakes and rejections, and I loved the joy she takes in sharing her stories. She also turns her sharp wit on Hollywood and some of the industry’s more ridiculous practices, and I found it fascinating to learn about things like set hierarchy and late night talk show etiquette. Reading Have I Told You This Already? feels like chatting with a good friend, and I absolutely loved it.

I’d recommend this book to…

• Anyone looking for a light-hearted book about growing up and growing older (especially from the perspective of an actor/comedian)… it’s similar in theme to Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
• Anyone who loves memoir-ish essays that flow like a good conversation… it’s similar in style to Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Lifeby Amy Krouse Rosenthal
• Anyone interested in snappy, reflective, hilarious writing… it’s similar in tone to I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron