In the introduction of Go Ask Ali: Half-Baked Advice (and Free Lemonade), actress and comedian Ali Wentworth makes it clear: "This is basically a humor book.... There is nothing religious, political, or ideological in the following pages." And she keeps this promise, with personal essays that are entertaining and at times outrageous, about life with her two daughters and husband, journalist and political commentator George Stephanopoulos. Fans of her previous two collections, Ali in Wonderland and Happily Ali After, will be happy to get more of the same here. This time, as her older daughter anticipates "womanhood" and Wentworth is experiencing perimenopause, there's a wistful tone as she recognizes an empty nest will soon be upon her.
But, of course, she's still funny, and paints vivid pictures full of self-deprecation. She discusses moving to New York City and having to interview with board members before she could buy an apartment: "Having never auditioned to live in a building, I was very self-conscious. I hesitated to reach for the Brie. I just knew it was a trap." While headed to Nantucket on a tiny plane that encounters bad weather, she fears crashing into the ocean and being devoured by sharks: "My ass is so meaty and plump right now, I would no doubt be the all-you-can-eat buffet." Wentworth's life is in a stratum different from most people's, but she's goofy enough to make her adventures engaging, reminding moms and wives--and humans--everywhere that she's just like us. --Elyse Dinh-McCrillis, blogger at Pop Culture Nerd