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Another The Office cast member writes a book! Ellie Kemper is known as the cheerful receptionist in the final seasons in The Office. Her Netflix series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt features Kemper as a woman adjusting to life in New York after being rescued from a doomsday cult. She also played Becca in the 2011 comedy Bridesmaids. Kemper’s characters are quirky, sweet, optimistic and charmingly awkward. After reading her 2018 memoir, I found the real Ellie Kemper shares those endearing qualities as the characters she’s known for. And the real Ellie Kemper is hilarious. Here is a My Squirrel Days review:
My Squirrel Days Book Summary
Ellie Kemper’s 2018 memoir, My Squirrel Days, is a collection of humorous essays chronicling her life from quirky childhood adventures to her rise in comedy and acting. She offers glimpses into her time on The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, although she doesn’t dive too deeply into “behind-the-scenes” stories. She talks about life as an awkward child (this is not a unique characteristic of most childhoods) and highlights a fascination with squirrels in her backyard. The book also features sweet, endearing anecdotes about her family, teachers and even titans of the entertainment industry.
Kemper reflects on formative moments, such as her early obsession with perfectionism, her theatrical adolescence, and her college days at Princeton. Her essays delve into her struggles as a young actress and her eventual successes – all delivered with deliciously heavy dry wit. Throughout, Kemper’s voice is warm, relatable, and funny. Don’t expect a tear-jerker or controversial expose’. My Squirrel Days is silly and irreverent. And God Bless it for that.
Ellie Kemper Bio
Ellie Kemper (Elizabeth Claire Kemper) was born on May 2, 1980, in Kansas City, Missouri. She is an accomplished actress, comedian, and author. She grew up in St. Louis in a prominent family and attended Princeton University, where she majored in English. She also studied English literature at the University of Oxford for a year. During her time at Princeton, she developed an interest in comedy and participated in theatrical productions and improvisation. She also played (mostly as a benchwarmer) on Princeton’s field hockey team. She ran the New York City marathon in 2022, although joked to her sister about the harrowing experience: “This is the worst day of my life”.
Kemper first gained recognition as Erin Hannon, the endearing receptionist in NBC’s sitcom The Office, joining the show in its fifth season. Her breakout role came as the star of Netflix’s Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, where she played the cheerful and resilient Kimmy, earning critical acclaim and two Emmy nominations. She also offered her voice talents to a 2020 episode of the Simpsons: “A Springfield Summer Christmas for Christmas“.
In addition to acting, Kemper has a knack for comedy writing. She contributed to publications like The Onion and McSweeney’s and released the memoir we’re talking about right now.
Kemper’s career also includes appearances in films like Bridesmaids (2011), 21 Jump Street (2012), and The Secret Life of Pets (2016). Off-screen, she is married to Michael Koman, a writer and producer, and they have two children.
Now onto the rating! My Squirrel Days book review:
My innovative system for rating humor books is explained here
Wholesomeness Score: 3.5/5
My Squirrel Days would likely earn a PG rating for its lighthearted content, and family-friendly anecdotes. Although there are some essays with a few PG-13 swears.
Hilarity Score: 5/5
Is My Squirrel Days funny?
This was one of the funniest audiobooks I have ever consumed.
I don’t L.O.L. very often. I listened to this audiobook on my commute to and from work over the course of a week. I literally laughed out loud several times at Kemper’s sarcastic anecdotes and self-deprecating quips. And there were a lot of quips to catch!
A few quotes from My Squirrel Days (Chapter 1 because I turned the audiobook back into the library and all I have access to is the first chapter preview on Amazon:)
“For a second, I had thought it was an old picture of Prince Harry. Anyway, there I was. At the time of that headshot, I was twenty-three years old, but I look both fourteen and eighty-seven.” –Ellie Kemper, reflecting on finding her first headshot
“As a reasonably talented person who is also part fraud, I cannot praise highly enough the virtues of enthusiasm and tenacity as substitutes for finely honed skills or intensive training.” –Ellie Kemper, demonstrating her self-deprecating style. Never taking herself too seriously.
“He’s a small wisp of a thing with a twinkle in his eye,” I said softly. The woman on the phone asked me to speak up because she couldn’t hear me. I cleared my throat. “He is a stuffed walrus in the shape of a small walrus,” I said. -Adult Ellie Kemper calling a hotel when she realized she left her dear stuffed walrus, Waldo there by mistake.
Overall Book Awesomeness Score: 5/5
Sometimes a book just resonates. This one did with me. I typically consume audiobooks at 1.5 speed. I slowed Kemper’s book to regular speed – which is the highest form of praise for a book I can give. My Squirrel days was hilarious and free of drama or controversy.
Things I liked:
- little to no drama. Just plain cheerful, sarcastic, fun and funny
- self-deprecating humor/dry wit
- I loved her delivery – she leaned WAY into the bubbly, self-unaware (is that a word?) persona of her TV characters. Almost like a Stephen Colbert in the Colbert Report.
- I liked all the things that I point out below that other readers didn’t like
Things I didn’t like:
- Not much I DIDN’T like about this book. However, some negative reader reviews cited lack of juicy substance and serious introspective depth. They didn’t like Kemper’s style of bubbly, self-deprecating persona – reminiscent of the TV characters she played. Some readers also noted they liked the entire book up until the point where she briefly mentioned her distaste for Donald Trump.
- Kemper’s stories bounced around chronologically. It was a tad confusing to follow at times.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on My Squirrel Days book review
I loved Ellie Kemper’s My Squirrel Days. I’m on a mission to read wholesome, funny books. Kemper delivered. Her stories were quirky, charming, self-deprecating and mostly un-serious. Yet, through the silliness, I gained insight into her life and career. I also gained a newfound admiration for Ellie Kemper’ humor.
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