I'm not familiar with Andrew Rannells from Broadway, but I loved him in the TV show The New Normal and several other TV/film parts. His first memoir, Too Much is Not Enough, was a well-written account of his journey from Omaha to New York City and the struggles he encountered before getting his big break in theater. I really enjoyed that book, so I was happy to receive an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley.

This collection of essays essentially picks up where the last one left off, and takes the reader through Rannells' career from his breakout role in Book of Mormon to present day. Even as a casual theater enjoyer, it was fun reading all of the gossipy tales about his costars, various shows, and his relationships. I did find some of the essays to be uneven, but others were standouts due to their emotional depth and frank self-reflection.

Overall, I would rate this 3.5 stars and recommend it to anyone, regardless of whether they are familiar with the author or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Crown) for providing this ARC in exchange for this review.

Pros: I read and enjoyed the author’s first memoir/collection of essays and was excited to read this follow up. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at his work, especially his work on Broadway. It was interesting to read about his auditions, the roles he didn’t get, and the roles he did get. I think I would have liked this book even more on audiobook with the author reading it.

Cons: None really. I don’t think this book will be for everyone because not everyone is a theater fan, but I think theater kids will love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

3.5 stars

Andrew Rannells second memoir was totally relatable, humorous and downright honest. He seems like a straight shooter going through the motions and emotions we all face - heartbreak, following your dream job, going to therapy to make sure you're understanding the feelings that arise. As someone who didn't read the first memoir, and someone not super familiar with his work (Broadway, tv, film, and voice acting), I found this book well written and an easy read.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I have loved Andrew Rannells for ages and really enjoyed his first collection of essays so I was very excited to read this one! It did not disappoint - I love the way he writes, and I love his honest and hilarious descriptions. I found myself laughing as well as being very moved and touched by his writing.

An ongoing theme in this collection is anxiety and depression. I loved how he discussed his anxiety in Horses, Not Zebras, as well as his honest discussion about depression and the things he’s done that help. I always love reading an open discussion about therapy and it’s benefits but also how hard it can be. 

I really wish I could see Andrew perform all the roles he describes! I loved his descriptions of Broadway and the shows he’s participated in, as well as all the meetings he went to while trying to get a tv show in Hollywood. 

One of my favorite pieces was What Color is My Parachute? I really loved the idea of his fantasy scone shop in Maine.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

What a voice! The essays in UNCLE OF THE YEAR by Andrew Rannells are so true to his voice itha I felt I could hear him speak while I was reading. Most of the essays reach beyond his experiences to speak to human longing for connection, recognition, and achievement. A few of the essays felt more like they were expected to be interesting just because they were about Rannells; they were interesting, but not quite as compelling as some of the others. An aspiring actor would definitely learn quite a bit about what it takes to be a "working actor" by reading these essays. I had missed Rannells's first memoir and now I look foward to going back to read that one, too. I'll recommend this to my students who would find this collection of essays a fun, interesting read but will probably not teach any of them in my creative non-fiction writing classes. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read UNCLE OF THE YEAR.

I would like to thank Crown Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book and give my honest opinion. I was looking for a fun book to read for my cruise and this book was recommended to me. I ABSORBED this book. As a fan of Andrew Rannells (I saw his first show in Hedwig), I was curious to learn more about him. This book is so readable, short chapters, but still so fun. I loved the stories of Broadway and his early days (dying over his talk show experience). You will not regret this fun read!

Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this book.

I am a big fan of Andrew Rannells, so I was excited to see that he had a new book coming out. Uncle of the Year is a book of essays he wrote about self-doubt, therapy, his career and his relationships, romantic and otherwise. Rannells writes very well and his warm and conspiratorial tone draws you in. Even though I am far from a Broadway actor, it was really insightful and relatable to read about his experiences and his life.

I really enjoyed it and hope people will check it out - I definitely wasn't disappointed!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I love Andrew Rannells even more after reading this memoir, really just a collection of short essays about his life. I loved reading about his experiences in theatre, especially Broadway. He talks to you like you're one of his best friends, and he spills all of the tea. I liked that he acknowledges the work he continues to do as a person, and the struggles he's had with anxiety. I didn't realize he already published a memoir prior to this, so I will be reading that as soon as I can!

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect from this book as it's not something I would typically read, but I'm pleased to say that this book surprised me in the best way. Uncle of the Year is an entertaining, well-written, and humorous read. I really enjoyed the author's style of writing. I was captivated, intrigued, and at the end of the day, thrilled to have checked this book out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I love Andrew Rannells even more after reading this memoir, really just a collection of short essays about his life. I loved reading about his experiences in theatre, especially Broadway. He talks to you like you're one of his best friends, and he spills all of the tea. I liked that he acknowledges the work he continues to do as a person, and the struggles he's had with anxiety. I didn't realize he already published a memoir prior to this, so I will be reading that as soon as I can!

I adore Andrew and reading this book was like reading a transcript to a fun podcast without any interruption by a boring host. Keep writing, Andrew, you have a great voice and style.

I could not put this book down! I read it in one sitting while staying up way later than I should have. Andrew Rannels is obviously hilarious if you have ever seen any of his work (particularly The Book of Mormon).I loved learning about his adventures and heartaches and everytbing in between both on his professional and personal life. I laughed outloud so many times reading through these essays! I was so sad when it was over, but I enjoyed every bit of it!

“Uncle of the Year” is a number of essays by Andrew Rannells. I must admit, I’d never heard of Andrew Rannells before reading this book - and I didn’t know that this was his second book. This book is a collection of essays covering a range of topics ranging from becoming famous (including some pre-famous bits) to interactions with his siblings children. This book has a lot of humor - with large chunks being thoughtful humor. An enjoyable easy read.

Oh stop! This was a fun book. Laugh out loud moments while also feeling the emotional aspects of the stories. Andrew does a great job of pulling the reader in and making you feel like your best friends— Like the greatest friends, You can even write a review calling him by his first name. I love that this is an essay style so you can grab it and read it here and there. Although, once I got going I totally blasted through the entire book with ease.

If Andrew Rannalls does the audiobook himself, I’d “read” it again. What a pleasant surprise! I look forward to adding his first book to my list.

Good luck, Andrew! ❤️

This was okay. I really liked his first memoir so was excited to read this. It was really a mishmash of unrelated essays and some were good and thoughtful or gossipy and some just felt like filler.

I absolutely loved Andrew as Elijah on the HBO show Girls. I am not very knowledgeable about actors or broadway so many of the references in this collection of essays was difficult for me to understand. He is hilarious and has a pretty great sense of humor when i was able to understand the references. I also truly enjoyed Andrew’s insight into various topics. I thought this was a quick and fairly enjoyable read overall. 3⭐️

Thank you to Crown Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

"Uncle of the Year & Other Debatable Triumphs" by Andrew Rannells is a hilarious collection of essays from a broadway and film star. The essays span his life as an early career actor struggling with the hard truths of out of town stage shows and commercial auditions, to where he is now, in his mid 40s, grappling with a decision to not be a father (but being a pretty OK uncle!).

“Uncle of the Year” is a quick, but engrossing read. I was fully entertained by Rannells' easy prose, self-deprecating sense of humor, and quite a few pearls of wisdom sprinkled in.

I received an ARC of "Uncle of the Year" for free, this had no bearing on my rating and review. Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing!

I wasn't sure what this would be about when I requested to read but in the end, it was an entertaining group of stories. I found some funnier than others but that's always the case with a collection of stories.

I've been familiar with Andrew Rannells' work as an actor for years. He has a very distinctive, witty voice that is showcased throughout this essay collection. I'm probably a key demographic for this book, being a few years younger than him. The stories are really funny and captivating and I loved learning about his professional life as a young theater actor and transition to television. The tone is light-hearted and clever, with some laugh out loud moments. This would make a fantastic vacation read.

Thank you Crown Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Most people know Andrew Rannells as the original Elder Price from the smash hit Broadway musical The Book of Mormon or as the witty hot mess best friend of Hannah Horvath, Elijah, in the HBO series Girls. With this release, Rannells proves yet again that he can really do it all. Not only is he a talented actor and singer on both stage and screen, but he is also a hilarious writer whose essays had me grinning from ear to ear. For those who read his first book, Too Much Is Not Enough, and ended the book wanting more, his second release, Uncle of the Year, is the answer to your prayers. While the first book ended with his first role on Broadway, this book explores what happened after he became famous, as well as some pre-frame stories previously not explored. This collection is a brilliant series of interconnected essays that had me laughing and smiling all the way through. Rannells pulls no punches and gets candid in a way rarely seen from a star who has yet to reach the zenith of their career. With the right mixture of self-deprecating humor, heartfelt vulnerability, and dishy asides, Rannells has written a book I will recommend to all my friends.

Disclosure: I received a free ARC of this book through Netgalley. My review is my honest opinion