BKMT READING GUIDES
Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales
by Ali Wentworth
Kindle Edition : 272 pages
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Introduction
Mix 1 oz. Chelsea Handler, 1.5 oz. Nora Ephron, finish with a twist of Tina Fey, and you get Ali in Wonderland, the uproarious, revealing, and heartfelt memoir from acclaimed actress and comedian Ali Wentworth. Whether spilling secrets about her quintessentially WASPy upbringing (and her delicious rebellion against it), reminiscing about her Seinfeld “Schmoopie” days and her appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show, The View, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, or baring the details of starting a family alongside husband George Stephanopoulos, one thing is for sure—Ali has the unsurpassable humor and warmth of a born storyteller with a story to tell: the quirky, flavorful, surprising, and sometimes scandalous Ali in Wonderland.
“Ali Wentworth is funny and warm and crazy all at once. Like Barbara Eden. But on something. Like crystal meth.” —Alec Baldwin
Editorial Review
A Q&A with Ali Wentworth and her mother, Muffie CabotAli: Were you nervous when I first gave you the book to read?
Muffie: YES! I was! Because everyone has a view of their childhood that is very different from the parentâ??s view of their childhood and I didnâ??t know what to expectâ?¦
Ali: Anything you would change?
Muffie: Not a thing (clears her throat), but I believe in the old Japanese tale of Rashomon, in which everyoneâ??s view of an incident is different.
Ali: Not sure what youâ??re talking about, but okay.
Muffie: Itâ??s an old, wise, Japaneseâ?¦
Ali: (interrupting) Anything surprised you?
Muffie: Well yes, quite a bit. Of course, everything is laced with humor. I donâ??t remember things the way you do.
Ali: No? Like what?
Muffie: I didnâ??t know about some of the babysitterâ??s behavior.
Ali: Like the one who sold heroin out of our house?
Muffie: Yes, like that one.
Ali: Or the one who stole your only sonâ??s virginity?
Muffie: Is this what weâ??re talking about today?
Ali: Youâ??re right. Letâ??s move on. Mom, your favorite part?
Muffie: Thereâ??s so much I love.
Ali: Mom, go ahead, you can be honest.
Muffie: I love all the chapters about when you were a little girl. Before you went off to boarding school.
Ali: You mean when you shipped me off to boarding school?
Muffie: Not against your willâ?¦
Ali: The guy who assembled the straight jacket would beg to differ.
Muffie: Donâ??t print that; people will think itâ??s true.
Ali: I want them to.
Muffie: You learned a lot in boarding school.
Ali: It was womenâ??s prison and I barely made it out alive.
Muffie: (Silence)
Ali: What other parts did you like?
Muffie: Well, I wasnâ??t around as much when you were olderâ?¦
Ali: And tried drugs?
Muffie: (Silence)
Ali: Just once, Mom.
(Muffie is clearly uncomfortable)
Ali: Did the book seem accurate to you?
Muffie: Yes, but youâ??re a writer and you make events come to life that are your reality.
Ali: Meaningâ?¦ itâ??s all BS?
Muffie: Just YOUR reality!
Ali: You had some comments after you read it?
Muffie: Yes, I did. I thought you needed to tone down the pee and fart references.
Ali: But thatâ??s just human nature and happened during certain points in my life.
Muffie: Wellâ?¦
Ali: I get your point. Less is more.
Muffie: I also was protective of you and wanted you to make the ex-boyfriends less identifiable.
Ali: So they wouldnâ??t kill me?
Muffie: Well, that would be unfortunate.
Ali: Want me to write another book?
Muffie: Do you have to?
Ali: If I did, any ideas?
Muffie: When the muse strikes you!
Ali: I donâ??t understand that either. Do you think my siblings will like the book?
Muffie: They will laugh. Roll their eyes. Recognize you on every page.
Ali: Of your four kids, whoâ??s your favorite?
Muffie: Do you actually think Iâ??m going to answer that?
Ali: Do you want a percentage of sales, or not?
Discussion Questions
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