All the Women in My Brain: And Other Concerns

“My brain is a room full of women who take turns at the wheel,” writes actress Gilpin. Her memoir is more a series of essays where, in a stream-of-consciousness style, she riffs on female friendship, open relationships, getting married, buying a house, awards shows, the pitfalls of the acting profession, and more. Best known for her Emmy-nominated role on the TV series Glow, Gilpin came from old school showbiz parents, Jack Gilpin and Ann McDonough, both prominent theater and TV character actors. She toiled for years before hitting it big with Glow. She shares anecdotes about Glow, but more importantly, sheds light on how difficult it is to make it in show business though she admits there is a reward—“The Thing”—that moment when two actors really connect and the magic happens. Gilpin’s prose is self-deprecating and often humorous but so metaphor-laden that it’s almost laughable (though perhaps that was the point); readers may or may not find that annoying.