How I Slept My Way to the Middle: Secrets and Stories From Stage, Screen, and Interwebs

Normally I would not pick up an autobiography/memoir, but I love Kevin Pollak and could not resist. This book did not disappoint and I found myself laughing out loud at several passages. I think what I liked most about this book is that it was written in a way that mirrored normal conversation. What I mean by that, is that one story leads to a different story that leads to a different story, but somehow everything goes back full circle to what was being talked about in the first story. Did you follow that? If you ever have a conversation with me and my friends, that is exactly what happens.

The other thing I loved about this book was that it showed a personal side to some of the actors that Pollak had a chance to work with. Yes, some other reviewers along with Pollak himself calls it "name dropping", but it is a book about working within the acting community. How would you write a book about that subject if you didn't dish a little on the stars you got to work with.

There are several stories that I loved in this book. The first one is when Pollak talks about working with Walter Matthau. He has always reminded me of my grandfather in the way that he looks. However, having read the memoir, I now know that he did not TALK like my grandfather in any way! There is a passage about what he said to Sophia Loren during the table script read that had me in stitches along with another incidence involving Matthau and Fred Astaire. The second one has to deal with one of my favorite movies of all time "The Usual Suspects". I was waiting for the passage on that and especially loved when Pollak talked about the line-up scene. It is my favorite scene in the movie, one of which I can watch over and over again and still laugh so hard that I am crying.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I am going to keep this vague in case anyone else would like to read it. However, I will say that there is a great deal of language in it for those of you who would like to keep it clean and sometimes the style of writing may irritate those of you who do not like talking in circles. For me, I thoroughly enjoyed the book just like I enjoy Pollak's stand-up specials. If I knew how to talk like Christopher Walken I would, but since I don't I will leave it to Pollak to dazzle me with.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I got this copy of the book from my local library; I was not asked to do a review on it.