Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales

( 78 )

Overview

An acclaimed comedic actress and writer, former Oprah regular, wife of political and media star George Stephanopoulos, and a mother who lets her two girls eat cotton candy before bed, Ali Wentworth rebelled against her blue-blood upbringing, embracing Hollywood, motorcycles, even a few wildly inappropriate marriage proposals. In Ali in Wonderland, she takes us through the looking glass: from a childhood among Washington's elite and a stint in a New England prep school to her days doing L.A. sketch comedy ...

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Ali in Wonderland: And Other Tall Tales

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More About This Book

Overview

An acclaimed comedic actress and writer, former Oprah regular, wife of political and media star George Stephanopoulos, and a mother who lets her two girls eat cotton candy before bed, Ali Wentworth rebelled against her blue-blood upbringing, embracing Hollywood, motorcycles, even a few wildly inappropriate marriage proposals. In Ali in Wonderland, she takes us through the looking glass: from a childhood among Washington's elite and a stint in a New England prep school to her days doing L.A. sketch comedy alongside Will Ferrell and Lisa Kudrow. Constant throughout is her mother, Muffie, a flawlessly elegant, no-nonsense force of nature and pure WASP convictions. As charming and off-the-wall as Ali herself, her acclaimed memoir is a delightful look at life that is both intimate and uproarious.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Talk about blueblood credentials: Alexandria Wentworth is the daughter of Nancy Reagan's White House social secretary and a respected Washington Post journalist and she's married to George Stephanopoulos. All those prestigious social passes, however, seem to have fueled Ali Wentworth's rebelliousness. As a comedienne, comedic actress, writer, and former Oprah regular, she has kept viewers laughing and surprised. Her new memoir won't get you invited to Capital Hill shindigs, but it will keep you chuckling with its tales of her sketchy sketch comedy past, his most memorable dating disasters and her improvised parenting techniques. (P.S. You win extra points if you know that Ali played Jerry Seinfeld's girlfriend in the famous "Soup Nazi" episode.)

— Edward Ash-Milby

Readers' Prize Elle

“Unanimous applause greeted this actress-comedian’s tour of her fabulous life…all recounted in a manner that had one reader wondering if Wentworth is ‘a long-lost sister of the Sedaris clan.’”

Marie Claire
“Hilarious.”
Book
“[A] lively, laugh-out-loud memoir....Fans of Amy Sedaris and Merrill Markoe will enjoy Wentworth’s warped Weltanschauung and wicket wit.”
Vanity Fair
“Ali Wentworth tumbles comically through Ali in Wonderland.”
Food & Wine
“[H]ilarious...”
New York Post
“A breezily amusing memoir...”
Chelsea Handler
“Ali has written a truly hilarious book . . . and she’s also a good kisser!”
Jerry Seinfeld
“Everything that comes out of Ali Wentworth’s mouth is funny!”
Kathy Griffin
“Ali Wentworth’s book is like Chicken Soup for the Vagina. Gays and straight men, I’m not leaving you out here! Ali is truly one of the quickest, funniest girls I’ve ever met. Enjoy!”
Alec Baldwin
“Ali Wentworth is funny and warm and crazy all at once. Like Barbara Eden. But on something. Like crystal meth.”
Muffie Cabot (Ali's mother)
“I would tone down the pee and fart references.”
Readers' Prize - Elle
"Unanimous applause greeted this actress-comedian’s tour of her fabulous life…all recounted in a manner that had one reader wondering if Wentworth is ‘a long-lost sister of the Sedaris clan.’"
Gwyneth Paltrow
“One of the most hilarious reads I’ve enjoyed in a long time.”
Julie Hinds
“With candor and humor, [Wentworth] writes about her life, her marriage and growing up in the elite world of her illustrious mother…”
Readers' Prize February 2012 Elle
“Unanimous applause greeted this actress-comedian’s tour of her fabulous life…all recounted in a manner that had one reader wondering if Wentworth is ‘a long-lost sister of the Sedaris clan.’”
Publishers Weekly
Depending on whom you ask, Wentworth (The WASP Cookbook) is best known for roles on TV’s In Living Color and Head Case, her appearances on Oprah, or her 2001 marriage to George Stephanopoulous. The busy author’s fun, adventure-filled memoir is rife with colorful turns of phrase (for example, “I felt like a Chihuahua after the neighborhood bully lit the firecracker in its ass”) and humorous tales of her privileged upbringing, various suitors, and trips abroad. The author’s mother, Muffie—who worked as Nancy Reagan’s social secretary—looms large, often as the example against which a young Ali rebelled. Wentworth is amusing and frank, often frenetic, with sharp intelligence underneath the sassy wackiness; passages about her struggle with depression, falling in love with her husband, and her daughter’s baptism have funny moments, but they’re thoughtful and touching, too. Dishy tidbits about famous folk, from Henry Kissinger to Cher, round out this highly entertaining memoir. (Feb.)
Kirkus Reviews
Comedienne Wentworth revisits her privileged and precocious early years. In this satirical dissection of class and privilege, the author, daughter of President Ronald Reagan's social secretary Muffie Cabot, mines a childhood spent among America's elite. By the time she landed a role on the sketch show In Living Color, Wentworth had already put on vaudevillian after-dinner performances for Henry Kissinger. As a socialite in training, she keyed into a number of important life lessons--e.g., "There's a fine line between WASP victuals and white-trash cuisine." Wentworth's glib take on America's social hierarchy might initially seem like a blue blood's guide to slumming it, but her savvy understanding of what she's been given versus what she's earned makes for a sharp critique of class and power. She probes her marriage to former political operative and current TV newsman George Stephanopoulos for insights about pregnancy, child-rearing and compromise. Her understated prose and deadpan humor go a long way toward making this account of life among the one-percenters easy to swallow. If readers aren't taken with her charm, they'd be well advised to follow her mother's catch-all advice: "Just go to the Four Seasons." Nothing's better than blocking out the world behind silk curtains, sinking into crisp linen sheets and ringing for tea and crumpets. Wentworth would likely suggest the same remedy to readers who aren't immediately enamored with her collection of vignettes. She'd be winking slyly as she did, though. A smart, often-funny memoir.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780061998584
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Publication date: 1/22/2013
  • Pages: 254
  • Sales rank: 49,910
  • Product dimensions: 5.30 (w) x 7.90 (h) x 0.80 (d)

Meet the Author

Ali Wentworth

Ali Wentworth made a name for herself on the comedy series In Living Color, and has appeared on such television shows as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Seinfeld; Head Case; and The Oprah Winfrey Show, for which she was a correspondent. Her film credits include Jerry Maguire, The Real Blonde, Office Space, The Love Bug, and It's Complicated. A native of Washington, D.C., Wentworth lives in New York City with her husband, George Stephanopoulos, and their two girls. She hosts "The Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth" on Yahoo. Follow Ali on Twitter @AliEWentworth.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 78 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(40)

4 Star

(19)

3 Star

(12)

2 Star

(5)

1 Star

(2)

Your Rating:

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 78 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 7, 2012

    -megan smith

    UNBELIEVABLE! That is the only word that comes to mind at the mention of this FABULOUS book! I was hesitant at first, but now I can't imagine what I could've read in that time that could've been better. Great job, and congrats to Ali Wenworth on an AMAZING and ENTERTAINING book.I hope the people who read this post will read this book and enjoy it as much as I have.

    16 out of 17 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 9, 2012

    Super down to earth.....

    I couldn't put this down. She is funny, witty, brilliant and just plain honest. Nothing sappy about Ali and I love that. Just matter of fact and a no BS kind of woman! Kudos!

    6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 30, 2012

    DYING FOR A SEQUEL... This book is just like reconnecting with

    DYING FOR A SEQUEL...

    This book is just like reconnecting with an old friend over cocktails, MANY cocktails....time flies by, you laugh your ass off, and are left wanting more. Wentworth is raw, dead on, laugh out loud funny and a natural, gifted story-teller. Perfect for an airplane, at the beach or anytime you need an escape read.

    4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 12, 2012

    Read this!

    Read this!

    3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 14, 2012

    Highly Recommended

    Well written, entertaining, and funny!

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 11, 2012

    Love it

    Best read this year

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 24, 2012

    Super funny book even if you don't like ali wentworth you'll lov

    Super funny book even if you don't like ali wentworth you'll love her book

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted July 2, 2012

    sk

    good read, laugh out loud funny.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 12, 2012

    Laughed

    Great read. Ali is funny and pokes fun of herself. You cant help but fall in love with her.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 11, 2012

    Recommend!

    I don't know why I like Ali so much, as I actually had not heard of her before I found out she was married to George Stephanopoulous. I watch her Daily Shot on Yahoo Shine, so when she was touting her book on Good Morning America, I bought it for my Nook. I was not disappointed. She is funny and the book gives a candid look at her life with her mother, her career, and her personal life.

    I recommend.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 8, 2012

    C Loved this book

    Loved this book

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 6, 2012

    Great book!

    This was a fun, witty read.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 23, 2012

    Highly recommended

    Ali is hysterical! The stories of her childhood left me wanting more! She also shows what a great mother and wife she is. She is able to laugh at herself and shows she loves her life, no matter how many curve balls she is thrown.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 22, 2012

    Entertaining

    Great!!! Hard to put it down, very entertaining, Ali rocks... I recommend this to everyone who enjoyrs reading. Hope she writes another book soon...

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted February 13, 2012

    more from this reviewer

    Hilarious and Thoroughly Enjoyable

    I requested this book after reading the reviews, particularly the quotes from Kathy Griffin and Chelsea Handler, because I know that if they think someone is funny, so will I. I was right – Ali Wentworth proved to be quite the comedian and storyteller in Ali in Wonderland. I’m not sure everything in this book is true, as the title states, “and other tall tales”, but this "memoir" is hilarious anyway. Her descriptions of people are so ridiculous that I found myself rereading those parts to my boyfriend, hoping he’d get a kick out of them as well. I believe this was one of my favorite lines:

    “Abigail was an anemic blonde from Winnetka, Illinois. Abigail was light on the outside, but dark on the inside. She had a face like a fetus and wore Fair Isle sweaters, knee socks, and clogs.”

    Hah – I love that. Surely not everyone will appreciate her sense of humor, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s all in the little things she says – things you might overlook if you are waiting for the next big joke. There’s no buildup, there’s no punch line, this woman is just funny. Period. I definitely suggest reading this one. 4/5 stars for the occasional dull moment, but they are few and far between.

    Reviewed by Brittany for Book Sake.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 12, 2013

    A weak effort.   Give this pass.

    A weak effort.  
    Give this pass.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 24, 2013

    Duskwolf

    Follows

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 22, 2013

    Larchstripe

    Grins

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 24, 2013

    Starryriver

    Smiles. Thanks she says "come to smiles result one im the deputy of the clan there"

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 26, 2013

    Highly recommend

    I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm a fan and found her story very entertaining.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 78 Customer Reviews
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