A must read for any fan of the Office. Also a must read for anyone interested in learning more about what it means to be a working actor today, in addition to learning about the challenges that most female actors must confront (many of which a male actor will likely never face). Well-written, engaging, entertaining. Definitely recommended.

This is my review from December 2017. I wrote it for perc360.com:

Until recently, I thought of Jenna Fischer as “The Office” actress who is a fan of Imo’s, the pizza place in her native St. Louis.

Then in November, I heard Marc Maron interview Fischer on his podcast and found out she is so much more than just the actress who professed her love for Imo’s in a 2012 interview with Jimmy Kimmel.

She’s also an author, storyteller, counselor, humorist and food writer, all because of her new book, The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide, which I discovered through the Maron podcast.

I got the book shortly after I heard the interview, and in it, she offers advice to aspiring actors in such chapters as “Getting Started”, “How to Find, Get and Keep an Agent or Manager” and “Auditioning, Rejection and How to Persevere”.

She writes a lot about food, too, and many of her food stories are funny.

Fischer writes about food for struggling actors.

Salt sandwiches. “I have a friend who ate salt sandwiches for dinner: two pieces of bread with salt in the middle. I’m not making that up. Peanut butter was a luxury.”
Actor’s Pizza. “Slice of bread, 2 ketchup packets, 1 slice of American cheese. Spread ketchup on slice of bread. Put cheese on top. Heat in microwave for 45 seconds.”
The Green Bean Sandwich. This concoction comes from Derek Waters, one of four actor friends Fischer interviewed for the book. “You know, a can of green beans on a sandwich. A little butter. A Little Old Bay Seasoning.”

Fischer also writes about the free food for actors working on a set.

Catering provides breakfast and lunch, and it sounds like “The Office” had good grub. Craft Services or “Crafty” means snacks. “If you are on a super duper low-budget production, all bets are off. You might just get a plate of muffins.”

The most hilarious food story involves cast members having to eat mint chocolate chip ice cream cake for an episode of “The Office”.

It sounds like an “I Love Lucy” classic that closes with a survival tip for anyone’s life.

This is not so much a memoir but a how-to guide to how and what it's like to become an actor. Not exactly what I was expecting but I still enjoyed the read. Jenna Fischer is transparent and honest throughout this book. Some of the advice could be applicable to people who are not actors but the main focus of this book is what it's like to be an actor and how to navigate the ends and outs of the entertainment business. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, even for me who is not interested in becoming an actor.

Enjoyable. Jenna is probably best known for her character on the hit tv series, The Office. I thought this interesting and informative. A light readand helpful to anyone who would like to pursue acting as a career. I requested this title on NG because I was listening to a podcast and Jenna was being interviewed about her new book. Jenna states that she wanted to write a book to help anyone else who is interested in making acting a career. She gave a lot of information about navigating the journey to stardom (or if you just want to be an extra). I feel this would be extremely helpful to anyone who would like to be an actor on any level. She has done all the hard work and put it here for anyone to gain insights from, so I do believe she did what she set out to do.

I highly recommend the book for anyone who wants to pursue acting...Kind of a survival guide.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to read in exchange for a review.

Jenna Fischer gives an honest, no-holds barred look into life as an aspiring actor. Popular for The Office (US version), she writes engagingly and in an informal, friendly style. Forward by Steve Carell.

i enjoy reading about people's lives, but lately not so much about actors - the biography has to engage me and draw me in. sadly this one did not.

Filled with great advice, this is a fun book to read and a great resource for anyone in a creative field. I enjoyed the stories and the lessons learned and found them to relate to more than just acting.

Jenna Fischer’s phenomenal book ‘The Actor’s Life’ is factual, funny and a fantastic guide to the world of acting. This is one of those books that is informative, personable yet so enjoyable that you can’t stop reading. I am not an actor but I personally loved this book and it is one that works on so many levels.

The book starts out with Ms Fischer interest in acting and her school productions and then through her education which includes the many different facets of her experiences. She then makes the move to Los Angeles and this is where the book really comes into its own. From her experiences in dodgy to professional auditions to her eventually being cast in the hit show ‘The Office’.

It is important to note that her inspiration and aspirations led to her leaving her house and getting out there to accomplish her goals. This is the main lesson to learn from this book and one that I think many people will take away from this whether you are involved in acting or any other profession. If you want to accomplish your goals, you have to get out in the world and try everything to help to become a well-rounded individual with many irons in the fire to eventually hit the jackpot.

This is a truly remarkable book and one that all actor’s really should read. I have a lot of actor friends who basically sit around and wait for chance and luck to come knocking on their door which it very seldom does. She has made an extremely useful book that opens the hearts and minds of all to read. As stated above, this concept can work with many other professions as well and although it is an informative read, it works on so many levels that I for one will be recommending this book to so many people.

This is one of those books that will definitely worth the purchase and read and I for one, have taking so much from it. Inspirational, aspiring and entertaining, Jenna Fishcher has become my own professional hero. I really hope that she continues to write because her style is very high grade and personable. This is a must read.

My Rating – 3.25/5

Even though I’m not an actor and I do not have any aspirations to become an actor, I wanted to read Jenna Fischer’s book because I was a big fan of her as Pam on “The Office” tv series. While Jenna points out in the prologue that you’ll probably get more out of this book if you’re an actor, I don’t think that’s necessarily true – it’s enjoyable and interesting enough that the audience is wider than she thinks.

In this actor’s survival guide, she gives tips and anecdotes from her personal struggles about how to get on in Hollywood. She prefaces it by saying that there is no guaranteed recipe for becoming a celebrity but there are steps that one can take to increase the struggling actor’s chances of finding work.

The numerous stories and anecdotes thrown in were the best parts of this book, not just because they were interesting but because they were best suited to her writing style.

My main gripe with this book was that the writing style was too casual. What I mean by that is, it felt as if Jenna orally narrated the story and then it was transcribed to paper instead of the other way around. It was riddled with phrases that people use in speaking but not in writing. I read this as an e-book so maybe the audiobook version will make the writing feel less clunky.

I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. While I thought that the book had some writing issues, I still think it is worth reading, especially if you are interested in Hollywood stories or were a fan of “The Office”.

If I were an aspiring actor, I would give this book 5+ stars, but for anyone else, this book is way to in the weeds for tips on becoming an actor. I really like Jenna & was hoping there would be a mix of tips and more enjoyable reading about her life. If you are looking for a fun read about Jenna becoming an actor - this isn't it, but if you want some valuable tips from an insider, this is the book for you.

thanks netgalley!
this seems like it would be super helpful to someone who wants to get into acting, that is not me. there were definitely some interesting parts.

I have never ever wanted to be an actor, and never will, but that didn't stop me enjoying this book.

Although it is touted as a "Guide" it is heavily autobiographical with the subtle self-deprecating humour that you would expect from someone who played Pam.

Well this book was not marketed towards me, as I have never wanted to be an actor, it was an interesting read. Jenna Fisher is such a likable person and this was easy to read and highly entertaining at times. I liked having a behind the scenes look at the inner workings of an actor. This is definitely more of a how to then a memoir but my favorite parts were the little anadotes she made throughout about her own encounters. If you want to be an actor or know someone who does I highly recommend this book because there is lots of great advice from someone who struggled to find success but found it nonetheless.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am about to start reading The Actor’s Life: A Survival Guide by Jenna Fischer. I love her as an actress, she is hilarious in every movie. And of course, as Pam on The Office, I can’t forget that one!

I don’t ever want to be an actress in Hollywood but I do love hearing the stories from those who have worked in the industry so I’m super interested to hear what Jenna has to say.

Here’s the synopsis:

Jenna Fischer’s Hollywood journey began at the age of 22 when she moved to Los Angeles from her hometown of St. Louis. With a theater degree in hand, she was determined, she was confident, she was ready to work hard. So, what could go wrong?

Uh, basically everything. The path to being a professional actor was so much more vast and competitive than she’d imagined. It would be eight long years before she landed her iconic role on The Office, nearly a decade of frustration, struggle, rejection, and doubt.

If only she’d had a handbook for the aspiring actor. Or, better yet, someone to show her the way—an established actor who could educate her about the business, manage her expectations, and reassure her in those moments of despair. Jenna wants to be that person for you.

I think this is going to be a fun, quick read. Perfect for a lazy weekend!

I am so grateful this book is out there as a tool for aspiring actors! I only wish it had been something I had when I started out, years ago. The advice Jenna Fischer gives is not only invaluable, it's up to date and 100% honest in its description of the way the industry works right now.

I think that it can also be a really helpful tool for parents and loved ones of those who are in the acting business or even considering it to read as well. I've had so many of the uncomfortable conversations about my career at family functions, and I loved knowing that someone as successful goes through the same things. This can help people in an actor's life understand the difficulty that performers face. It's pretty easy to understand what an account does-- this can help acting be a bit easier to fathom as a career.

I'd be remiss if I didn't admit that I'm a huge fan of the work that Jenna did on "The Office", and it's a treat to hear about how she came to work on the show. It's no small feat that she does so without being narcissistic and instead, uses her life experience to summer a light on how truly unpredictable the business is.

Sincerely a useful, insightful read that I will return to. And I would tell other performers to do the same! A must have book for the aspiring actor.

I think the best way to describe this book is "cute and funny". I thought there would be a little more "dirt" in her story, but overall this was good.

I like that the author has a sens of humor and in many ways, this book shows that she doesn't take everything overly seriously, especially in the business she is in.

A lot of fun to read, just wish there was a little more juicy stuff.

Definitely an excellent read for anyone aspiring to be an actor. Jenna crafts an superb narrative on her journey, bumps and all, in L.A.. I did enjoy the book despite never having any inclination towards acting. I believe this might be loved even more by someone with acting dreams.

I was provided a copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

This was a nice cross between biography and honest advice from an actor who succeeded in Hollywood. Jenna Fischer outlines her eight-year journey to becoming an overnight sensation. She also gives concrete and (at least from my incredibly un-knowledgeable point of view) good advice on how to be an actor and what you can realistically expect when you move to LA to become a Big Star.



Four stars

This book came out November 14

ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

In grade school I got my start when I played Toto in The Wizard of Oz

In THE ACTOR’S LIFE, author Jenna Fischer gives some tough, but kindly advice to the aspiring actor. She admits it was a really tough road for her, and required a lot of persistence, as well as luck. The journey is a “long and difficult one that requires a lot of hard work. . . Without a little luck on your side, you can be the most talented actor in the world and not achieve success.“

Here’s the honest truth—it’s very unlikely you will become a star, or even make a living wage: “If your motivation for becoming an actor is because you are hoping to be rich, change careers now. Most actors barely earn a living wage from their acting work.” Jenna notes how low the wages typically are: “Most of the SAG-AFTRA membership earns less than $ 7,000 a year from acting. Only 5 percent earn more than $ 100,000.”

She advises the budding actress to get a day job to pay the bills. She did all kinds of menial jobs, but one was really unusual—she was as a telephone psychic for about a week! (She later explains she learned to lie really well.)

So all in all, I found THE ACTOR’S LIFE to be a fun, easy read. I appreciate the candor of the author in explaining how tough it really was for her. There are tons of useful tips for the aspiring actor or actress, such as detailed instructions for getting a really good "head shot." The author writes well, and I found this book to be a pleasant read.

Advance Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.

I read this more as a fan of Jenna Fischer than as an aspiring actor, but I found it very enjoyable. Anecdotes and advice come in almost a 1:1 ratio, so it never feels too much like a handbook - it always carries her personal story. Her books seems as charming and likable as she is. I'd definitely recommend to aspiring actors, and to fans of The Office or charming pseudo-memoirs.