Review: Neil Patrick Harris: Choose your own Autobiography

Tired of memoirs that only tell you what really happened?

Sick of deeply personal accounts written in the first person? Seeking an exciting, interactive read that puts the “u” back in “aUtobiography”? Then look no further than Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography! In this revolutionary, Joycean experiment in light celebrity narrative, actor/personality/carbon-based life-form Neil Patrick Harris lets you, the reader, live his life. You will be born in New Mexico. You will get your big break at an acting camp. You will get into a bizarre confrontation outside a nightclub with actor Scott Caan. Even better, at each critical juncture of your life, you will choose how to proceed. You will decide whether to try out for Doogie Howser, M.D. You will decide whether to spend years struggling with your sexuality. You will decide what kind of caviar you want to eat on board Elton John’s yacht.

Choose correctly and you’ll find fame, fortune, and true love. Choose incorrectly and you’ll find misery, heartbreak, and a hideous death by piranhas. All this, plus magic tricks, cocktail recipes, embarrassing pictures from your time as a child actor, and even a closing song. Yes, if you buy one book this year, congratulations on being above the American average, but make that book Neil Patrick Harris: Choose Your Own Autobiography!

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My Review:

I got to read this book for free with no strings attached-- Blogging for Books sent me a copy and asked for a review. Positive reviews are never required--only honest ones, should you choose to review a book.

I'm not a diehard fan of Neil Patrick Harris. I saw him on How I Met Your Mother, but I haven't seen every episode and really I watched it mostly for Alyson Hannigan anyway. But this book was funny and entertaining and I read it over and over at work, giving the Librarian Glare at any of my coworkers that tried to initiate friendly conversation.

My results: I died once, got stuck in a never-ending job at Shlotsky's once, got to a happy ending twice, and kungaloosh (when you read it you'll understand).

I really liked the intermittent cocktails and recipes sprinkled throughout the book, and one day I'll have to read this book with the recipes on hand to enjoy it properly. What I love about this book is we get to hear from Neil's friends and coworkers as well as him--well, you--since you're choosing your own autobiography. I laughed plenty, got a little teary--mostly happy tears--and only frowned when I had to pause my reading to do actual work.

You can choose what you want to know about Neil too. Want to know about his professional life? There's a path for that. Also a path for his broadway career, television career, love life, family life...don't like Neil patrick Harris? There's a path where he doesn't get famous at all so you have no reason not to get this book.

ALSO--16 dollars!? Criminal! I'd charge at least 25 for the amount of time I'll spend enjoying this one.