A delightful series of essays comprising a memoir of a life lived on Broadway and beyond. Rannells zeroes in on small things that might make you, like me,, laugh (or at least chuckle). HIs trip to the Club alone makes this a worthy read. It's not sequential so feel free to read these essays one at a time when you need a lift. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Here's wishing him happiness.

I did read his first book, Too Much Is Not Enough, and really enjoyed it.

And this new one, didn’t disappoint me at all. I enjoyed reading more about him and like the fact that he is very open about everything and not embarrassed by things he has done.

It wasn’t just another memoir; it was more of a collection of different stories – but all true and all very interesting.

Overall, it was a quick and ready for me.

My familiarity with Andrew Rannells is limited to knowing he is Broadway actor who has gone on to further success on tv and film. I was expecting more of a biography and not a collection of essays about his life. The book is very readable but covers things experiences from his life like auditioning for Book of Mormon, being nominated and performing at the Tony’s and taking meetings in Hollywood. He writes with familiarity making it sound like a conversation as shares his experiences. The book isn’t written chronologically, and the chapters or essays are topically driven. I love theater and have seen most of the shows he mentions playing in or auditioning for although I’ve never seen him. I wasn’t aware until writing this review that he has a previously published memoir. I enjoyed reading the book and probably would love to hear him read it if does the audible.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)

Funny and insightful

Just finished reading Uncle of the year by Andrew Rannells (who I loved as elijah in GIRLS) and while it wasn't; my absolute favorite I did enjoy most of the essays. Rannells takes us on a behind the scenes tour of what its like to try to be the best and feeling the worst, making your way to the top, and landing some really cool and exciting gigs. Having been in theater when I was younger I really enjoyed the casting moments and the interactions he shared with other celebs. This would be a perfect pool side read with a cocktail in hand!

OUT 5/16/23

A great memoir, Andrew Rannells is always funny but this book made him instantly relatable. I enjoyed the Broadway mentions as well as the thought provoking mentions about anxiety and self-reflection. Proof that Andrew Rannells isn't just a talented actor but a wonderful author as well.

Uncle of the Year was a hilarious, witty, and reflective memoir. I first became aware of Andy Rannells through his role as Elder Price and jumped at the chance to read this book. His writing is as brilliant as his singing! Rannells touches on a number of topics like his rise through acting, unbelievable situations that have happened along the way, and what one truly needs to feel like an adult (owning a washer/dryer in unit? Maybe!).

Rannells is incredibly open and honest in his reflections. I loved the Mystic Pizza references!! We truly need more of them in the zeitgeist. I particularly appreciated his reflections on what it means to grow up gay/queer, especially in the Midwest, he absolutely nailed “the Best Little Boy in the World” phenomenon. One of my favorite stories was Always Sit Next to Mark Ruffalo. It was so interesting to see behind the scenes of the award circuit and how people looked out for each other even if they didn’t know each other. I can’t wait to read/see whatever Andy Rannells does next! If you’ve seen Book of Mormon, ever been a theatre kid, or just want to read a very excellent memoir- check out Uncle of the Year!

Uncle of the Year releases May 16, 2023. Thank you so much to Andrew Rannells, Crown Publishing, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

What a fun and witty memoir. I really enjoyed this book! The essays for the most part was hilarious and there were some parts that he dealt with such as anxiety. Andrew is a Broadway and television star. He talks about the many, many auditions that he endures to get the perfect job. He talks about the parties but the one that surprised me was the stripping down to their underwear!

Andrew has a way of writing that you just want to keep going to see what comes next! I would definitely read more from him.

I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been a longtime fan of Andrew Rannells, ever since I first listened to the Book of Mormon soundtrack in 2015. I read his other memoir, "Too Much Is Not Enough", and loved it, and I'm happy to report that "Uncle of the Year" hit the spot as well! Equal parts hilarious and emotionally reflective, Rannells lays it all out on the line once again in a variety of heartfelt and touching essays that never lack his signature flair. As a giant musical theatre fan I of course loved the Broadway centric chapters, but his more personal entries, like the one on his experience with Therapy, hit just as hard. I would read anything this man writes!

This is Andrew Rannells second book and once again sharing his life with us. I only knew vaguely who the author was before reading this book, but that did not take away from my enjoyment. Rannells has had an interesting journey in acting, both on stage and on screen. The stories are enjoyable and the author has a delightful way of telling his stories and renaissances. There are plenty of names dropped, but Rannells has a self depreciating way, that had me engrossed in every chapter. I can recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good memoir.

This is a fun book but I think you need to be in the mood for it- it has a lot of stories that are not woven together so if you don't enjoy that style it may not be for you. However, he is hysterical and I had lots of LOL moments throughout - I loved reading his stories about getting started in the theatre and tv. I actually was not too familiar with his theatre work though I knew he was in Mormon... I enjoyed this book. It was light and funny and hit the spot for an easy fun celebrity read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Andrew Rannells shines in this hysterical, moving memoir that examines identity, anxiety, and love through the lens of an acting career. Both vulnerable and crisply insightful, Uncle of the Year is an unputdownable read that will have you laughing and in tears, cheering for the small victories, and questioning your own life's choices. I enjoyed the structure of stories, well-written without being indulgent or over the top. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a comedic reflection on life in the entertainment industry.

Huge thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I absolutely loved Too Much Is Not Enough (and still use my pencil case from the pre-order campaign on daily basis!) so I was ecstatic to receive and read Andrew Rannells's newest collection.

Overall, this is much lighter and fluffier than his last book. That's not a bad thing, but it did leave me wondering "okay, but why?" about a few chapters. These essays don't delve nearly as deep, which makes it ideal for a lazy summer afternoon. There are still laugh-out-loud moments and lots of sweet stories, but they don't have as much of a throughline as Too Much...

Again, none of this is bad. I had a great time reading this. It wasn't always what I expected, and for me, it didn't reach the heights of his last book, but it was a really fun way to spend a few hours and I'd happily return for another twenty books if Rannells writes them.

Andrew Rannells never fails to entertain whether performing in the Book of Mormon or writing this hilarious memoir he is a pleasure to follow.These essays kept me turning the pages following Andrews career his personal life personal issues.A delightful memoir thatI enjoyed from first page to last. #netgalley #crown

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for inviting me to read an early copy of this book.

Right off the bat, I'm not too familiar with Andrew Rannells. I can identify by a picture and two Broadway shows he was in, but other than that, I didn't have any preconceived notions going into reading this.

Since this is Rannells' second memoir, it doesn't focus on his childhood but just enough where you can see how and why he's the way he is (there's an entire chapter on anxiety that hit a little too real).

There were parts where I was laughing really hard (like the emails from the Finger Lakes) and realized how old I am (like being familiar with <i>The Ricki Lake Show</i>). The title of the book is "Uncle of the Year" and there's a really lovely chapter on children and parenthood. It felt like he was working through his feelings on having kids and it was great to see from the perspective of someone who is like "Kids and I don't get along and I have no desire to have them" along with societal expectations.

I enjoyed Rannells' storytelling voice which made it a quick read for me (I read the whole thing in a matter of five hours). The chapters were the right length where a little more and it would get bland. I do think some knowledge of musicals or even Broadway stars would be helpful, but then again, the information needed wouldn't be too hard to find.

Before starting this book I knew very little about Andrew Rannells, I only saw him in Prom and wasn’t even sure who he was. The cover of this book actually drew me in. After reading this book I would like to read his first memoir. It’s funny, relatable, and so down to earth. He writes about his journey in to his acting career. Some great stories about things that went well, and also not so well in his life as he embarks on the fame train. Each chapter is a small story within itself and his humor makes me want to be his best friend!

Andrew Rannells is back again with a second collection of essays, ranging from his experiences on Broadway in Book of Mormon to what it's like at a big-time award show to why he decided not to have children. A quick read, this collection highlights Rannells' skill in writing and his sense of voice.

I've been a fan of Andrew Rannells since I scored lottery tickets to second preview of Book of Mormon - that is to say, a while now. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and his writing style - you can hear him saying it as you read it, which is something that some memoirs fail to achieve. My only critique was that the book was choppy at times. It didn't feel like a linear progression from point a to point b, and perhaps that was the intent but it came across as choppy and disjointed.

However, overall, a solid read!

Uncle of the Year is the second book by Andrew Rannells that tells about his life trying to get his big break on broadway. This book balances tone very well throughout the book and provides an insight into what it takes to “make it.”

This isn’t a book I would have requested on my own but I got sent a copy and figured I would check it out. I knew Andrew Rannells from his time on the show Girls but that’s it. I was pleasantly surprised to learn more about his life. I didn’t know that he was on broadway despite the fact that I have listened to songs by him.

I’m a fan of celebrity memoirs that feel true to the person. Some of them feel like 300 pages of self appreciation and it is a huge ick for me. But this felt very honest and heartfelt so I really enjoyed it. I will probably look into reading his first book now for some extra context. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a memoir with a deeper message.

How interesting is one's life if you've gone on the Ricki Lake show at its peak under the guise that your close (straight female) friend has a crush on you (a mostly closeted gay man) in exchange for an all expense paid trip to NYC...and that story doesn't even make it into your first memoir?!! The laughs that story brought were worth the wait!

Andrew Rannell's second book, Uncle of the Year, is a collection of essays that are hilarious as they are heartfelt. His first book, Too Much Is Not Enough was one of my favorite reads of 2022, so I was beyond excited to receive an early copy of this one! While his previous effort mostly details his upbringing in the Midwest as well as his journey to NYC and years of paying his dues, Uncle of the Year gives us a behind the scenes look at life after his big break. Auditions, television roles, Tony awards, relationship highs and lows, nieces, nephews, and all the funny bits in between.

Saigon in the Finger Lakes was my favorite part of the book, by far. The letters written to his long time best friend Zuzanna, while performing in a play in Upstate New York for five weeks GAVE ME LIFE! These emails are laugh to tears comedy gold. I only wish I could've heard Andrew read them to me...audiobook preorder, here I come!

Witty, genuine, and delightful, Uncle of the Year is a must read. A love letter to his family and fans alike. Thank you to Crown and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. 5 stars.
Publishing May 16, 2023.

*ARC Review*

Uncle of the Year by the magical Andrew Rannells was a cute memoir about life leading up to him being the star he is. I loved the parts where he talked about the Book of Mormon and his fight to get the roles we know him for today. I did find the book to be a bit disjointed as some of the stories didn't really relate to each other and did not make much sense. There wasn't any cohesion. The title didn't make a ton of sense until the last 5% of the book.

I really like Andrew Rannells but there isn't much substance to this book. It was fun, easy read, and there were some sweet stories... but it didn't really have any message that people could benefit from.