This New York Times bestseller is a hilarious and inspiring tribute to the iconic comedian Joan Rivers by the person who knew her best--her daughter, Melissa.
Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time. If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. Her love for her daughter knew no bounds—or boundaries, apparently. ("Melissa, I acknowledge that you have boundaries. I just choose to not respect them.") In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa shares stories (like when she was nine months old and her parents delivered her to Johnny Carson as a birthday gift), bon mots (“Missy, is there anything better than seeing a really good looking couple pushing a baby that looks like a Sasquatch who got caught in a house fire?”), and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household (“I can do tips and discounts and figure out the number of gay men in an audience to make it a good show. That’s all the math you’ll ever need.”). These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to life in the family that Melissa describes as more Addams than Cleaver. And at the center of it all was a tiny blond force of nature.
In The Book of Joan, Melissa Rivers relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts, and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.
“Melissa [Rivers] weaves together anecdotes, memories, speeches, lists and advice to create a sweet, personal narrative infused with Joan's trademark wit… Like any great standup comedian's act, the short chapters keep the audience wanting more, and her writing echoes her mother's self-deprecating, saucy tone.”—Associated Press
“Melissa [Rivers] has written a book, cleverly weaving Mom’s material into a bittersweet biography of their life together.”—People
“Joan Rivers famously asked, ‘Can we talk?’ So the question for her daughter, Melissa Rivers…is ‘Can she write?’ The answer is, clearly, yes.” —Newsday
“[A] touching, revealing and above all funny paean to her mother, Joan Rivers… the approach is light-hearted, affectionate – and funny.” —Portland Press Herald
“We have a winner. Oh yes we do. Of all the celebrity memoirs to have appeared in the last few months, we have from way back in the pack, the one that made an incredible stretch run to become the unquestioned leader…If there are any smart mothers out there notable for their outspoken candor and their pop cultural literacy, Melissa Rivers’ book will take care of their early summer reading needs quite nicely.” —The Buffalo News
MELISSA RIVERS was born in New York City and grew up in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in European history. Melissa’s extensive television background includes working as a features reporter for CBS ThisMorning; being a regular contributor to MTV’s Hanging with MTV; serving as a television host and producer for the E! network and as a host for TV Guide Channel’s event programming; and, most recently, as a contestant on The CelebrityApprentice. She lives in Los Angeles with her son, Cooper.
This New York Times bestseller is a hilarious and inspiring tribute to the iconic comedian Joan Rivers by the person who knew her best--her daughter, Melissa.
Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time. If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. Her love for her daughter knew no bounds—or boundaries, apparently. ("Melissa, I acknowledge that you have boundaries. I just choose to not respect them.") In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa shares stories (like when she was nine months old and her parents delivered her to Johnny Carson as a birthday gift), bon mots (“Missy, is there anything better than seeing a really good looking couple pushing a baby that looks like a Sasquatch who got caught in a house fire?”), and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household (“I can do tips and discounts and figure out the number of gay men in an audience to make it a good show. That’s all the math you’ll ever need.”). These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to life in the family that Melissa describes as more Addams than Cleaver. And at the center of it all was a tiny blond force of nature.
In The Book of Joan, Melissa Rivers relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts, and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.
Reviews
“Melissa [Rivers] weaves together anecdotes, memories, speeches, lists and advice to create a sweet, personal narrative infused with Joan's trademark wit… Like any great standup comedian's act, the short chapters keep the audience wanting more, and her writing echoes her mother's self-deprecating, saucy tone.”—Associated Press
“Melissa [Rivers] has written a book, cleverly weaving Mom’s material into a bittersweet biography of their life together.”—People
“Joan Rivers famously asked, ‘Can we talk?’ So the question for her daughter, Melissa Rivers…is ‘Can she write?’ The answer is, clearly, yes.” —Newsday
“[A] touching, revealing and above all funny paean to her mother, Joan Rivers… the approach is light-hearted, affectionate – and funny.” —Portland Press Herald
“We have a winner. Oh yes we do. Of all the celebrity memoirs to have appeared in the last few months, we have from way back in the pack, the one that made an incredible stretch run to become the unquestioned leader…If there are any smart mothers out there notable for their outspoken candor and their pop cultural literacy, Melissa Rivers’ book will take care of their early summer reading needs quite nicely.” —The Buffalo News
MELISSA RIVERS was born in New York City and grew up in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in European history. Melissa’s extensive television background includes working as a features reporter for CBS ThisMorning; being a regular contributor to MTV’s Hanging with MTV; serving as a television host and producer for the E! network and as a host for TV Guide Channel’s event programming; and, most recently, as a contestant on The CelebrityApprentice. She lives in Los Angeles with her son, Cooper.
