The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief, and Manipulation

Melissa Rivers

May 2015 · Sold by Crown Archetype

About this ebook

This New York Times bestseller is a hilarious and inspiring tribute to the iconic comedian Joan Rivers by the person who knew her best--her daughter, Melissa.
 
Joan and Melissa Rivers had one of the most celebrated mother-daughter relationships of all time.  If you think Joan said some outrageous things to her audiences as a comedian, you won’t believe what she said and did in private. Her love for her daughter knew no bounds—or boundaries, apparently. ("Melissa, I acknowledge that you have boundaries. I just choose to not respect them.") In The Book of Joan: Tales of Mirth, Mischief and Manipulation, Melissa shares stories (like when she was nine months old and her parents delivered her to Johnny Carson as a birthday gift), bon mots (“Missy, is there anything better than seeing a really good looking couple pushing a baby that looks like a Sasquatch who got caught in a house fire?”), and life lessons from growing up in the Rosenberg-Rivers household (“I can do tips and discounts and figure out the number of gay men in an audience to make it a good show. That’s all the math you’ll ever need.”). These were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to life in the family that Melissa describes as more Addams than Cleaver. And at the center of it all was a tiny blond force of nature.
 
In The Book of Joan, Melissa Rivers relates funny, poignant and irreverent observations, thoughts, and tales about the woman who raised her and is the reason she considers valium one of the four basic food groups.

Ratings and reviews

I got the chance to read this book for free, in exchange for my honest opinion by Blogging For Books My Review: I typically don't review autobiographies, but the chance arose for me to read and I snagged it. Joan Rivers is a legend a pioneer to women in comedy. Although, I would always make sure to watch anything that was censored because she was a little dirty too. This book gave insight to what Joan was like to her best friend and daughter Melissa. There is some language in the book, but I think it's worth the read.

As a life long Joan Ranger, I was devastated at her passing. I felt as if I had lost a member of my own family. Melissa Rivers generously gave us readers an inside peek of what life with Joan was like. Ms. Rivers' writing is funny, descriptive and never dull. I wish I could thank her personally for giving us fans some closure and for sharing so many personal details on her amazing life.

What an amazing tribute from Melissa to her mother, Joan is in the hereafter applauding her greatest accomplishment. I laughed and cried but most of all I enjoyed the memories of a mother daughter relationship.

About the author

MELISSA RIVERS is an Ivy League graduate, co-creator of the Red Carpet franchise, and the executive producer for the E! Entertainment series Fashion Police. She is also the author of Red Carpet Ready: Secrets for Making the Most of Any Moment You're in the Spotlight and is the first celebrity to partner with renowned online footwear brand Zappos.com. She lives with her two dogs and son, Cooper, in Los Angeles.