Library Journal - Audio
06/01/2022
Actress and comedian Shannon's heartfelt autobiography, with the help of Wilsey, details her years growing up in Ohio, her climb to success in show business, and her deep relationship with her father. At the age of four, her mother, sister and cousin were killed in a car accident with her inebriated father at the wheel. Shannon and her surviving sister were both raised by her father, a colorful figure himself who managed a highly unrestrictive household. Shannon's teen escapades with a friend, which ranged from shoplifting to stowing away to New York on a plane, are incredible, yet humorous at the same time. Encouraged by her ability to make people laugh and her experiences in children's theater in school, she embarked on an acting career by first enrolling at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Following her graduation, she moved to Los Angeles, where she performed in comedy clubs. Eventually, she was asked to audition for Saturday Night Live, where she would work for seven seasons and create such memorable characters as Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally O'Malley. VERDICT Shannon's narration, which combines unbridled enthusiasm, humor, and raw emotion, especially when writing of her father, elevates a biography that is sure to please fans.—Phillip Oliver
MARCH 2022 - AudioFile
When she was only 4, actor/comedian Molly Shannon lost her mother and baby sister in a tragic auto accident that would change her life forever. Listeners are brought to tears as she describes the accident in her 4-year-old voice. This is one of Molly’s many voices; they are all parts of her. How she uses these characters and voices is pure magic. It is a surround-sound experience. As a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” she was known for her physical routines. Her stunt coordinator (yes, she had one) describes how dangerous stunts did not scare Molly; if it fit the skit, she was all in. Her wholehearted performance in this memoir will inspire listeners with her comedic talents and great success despite the devastating tragedy in her life. E.E.S. 2023 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
Hello, Molly! paints a portrait of a resilient spirit persevering through tragedy and the cutthroat world of fame to build a fulfilling life for herself." — Associated Press
"Molly Shannon’s memoir is filled with mischief and pathos. . . . Shannon has an uncanny knack for transgression in pursuit of higher truth. . . . Parts are as plain and strong as Hemingway, with some internal monologues that are downright Joycean. Really. It’s very sad and very, very funny. Redemptive and uplifting." — New York Times
"[An] incredibly charming memoir...For every story of loss, of striving, and of doubling down in Hello, Molly!, there is also a determination to find joy and pleasure, to foster community, and to laugh." — Time
"An incredible story of resilience (along with, of course, some laughs) showing how [Molly Shannon's] upbringing influenced her remarkable career. Warm and open-hearted, this one feels like a conversation." — Real Simple
“This memoir is life-changing. I laughed. I cried. Just like being with Molly herself.” — Amy Schumer
“I grew up fully recognizing the enormity of Molly Shannon’s onscreen abilities—her absurdity, her chaos, but also her grace and humanity. All of these characteristics are effortlessly portrayed in one of the most achingly beautiful memoirs I have ever read. Hello, Molly! is proof that through our stories, our past, our losses, and our brokenness shines light. From the highly relatable struggles of trying to break through as a comedic actress, to SNL, to negotiating self-identity after fame, Hello, Molly! at its finest is a vulnerable, brutally honest, and unrestrained glimpse at the human condition: how the flaws of our loved ones and the darkness of our past will continue to define us.” — Awkwafina
“Heart-breaking and hilarious, Hello, Molly! is the most inspiring memoir I’ve ever read. Forget what you think you know about Molly Shannon. There is a reason she is one of the greatest comic actors working today. Her story is unbelievable and told with such a charming bluntness it made me choke on my coffee more than once...It is a glimpse into the mind of a true survivor, a lesson on how one turns trauma into art, and it might just have the secret to life and happiness.” — Aubrey Plaza
“A deep and brutally honest depiction of the strong and talented woman I know, who has been able to pull the positive out of every situation and turn massive hurt into humor. Every page flows with Molly’s positive yet pragmatic philosophy of life, love, family, work, and art. Filled with touching and surprising anecdotes that teeter from the nostalgic to the truly ridiculous. I was laughing and tearing up like you’re supposed to do when you read a great book. Great comic, great actress, and great author. Truly. Love you, Molly, and am so happy to know you.” — Adam Sandler
“Exuberant, brave, wholehearted, and hilarious, this book is exactly what you hope it will be.” — Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of Good Company and The Nest
"Equal parts funny and touching, a cut above most celebrity memoirs." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Told in Shannon's bright, irreverent voice, this memoir is equal parts touching and hilarious, a real insight into the mind of a comedic genius." — Booklist (starred review)
"Hello, Molly! is a multi-faceted love story, a candid and touching memoir. . . . [A] beautiful father-daughter story is woven throughout the memoir, which includes many funny anecdotes about Shannon's hard work, dedication, resilience, and sacrifice on her road to stardom. . . . Shannon's conversationally styled narrative reflects her wholly original brand of comedy." — Shelf Awareness
"[A] surprisingly raw and personal account...While she packs in plenty of details regarding her SNL stint, what’s most resonant is Shannon’s unflagging story of perseverance, perhaps best embodied by her beloved sketch character Mary Katherine Gallagher...Supremely inspiring, this will leave fans astonished." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Introspective, poignant, heartbreaking and hilarious, Shannon’s memoir is sensational.” — Katie Couric Media
"...while there are plenty of laughs to be found here, there’s a large dose of vulnerability as well...[An] often-absorbing recollection...becoming most thoughtful when Shannon reflects on her complex relationship with her father and her mother’s absence from her life." — Library Journal
“(Shannon’s) vibrant reading is filled with emotion and effervescence, especially when she slides into popular characters Sally O'Malley and Mary Katherine Gallagher.” — Booklist (starred review)
New York Times
"Molly Shannon’s memoir is filled with mischief and pathos. . . . Shannon has an uncanny knack for transgression in pursuit of higher truth. . . . Parts are as plain and strong as Hemingway, with some internal monologues that are downright Joycean. Really. It’s very sad and very, very funny. Redemptive and uplifting."
Time
"[An] incredibly charming memoir...For every story of loss, of striving, and of doubling down in Hello, Molly!, there is also a determination to find joy and pleasure, to foster community, and to laugh."
Awkwafina
I grew up fully recognizing the enormity of Molly Shannon’s onscreen abilities—her absurdity, her chaos, but also her grace and humanity. All of these characteristics are effortlessly portrayed in one of the most achingly beautiful memoirs I have ever read. Hello, Molly! is proof that through our stories, our past, our losses, and our brokenness shines light. From the highly relatable struggles of trying to break through as a comedic actress, to SNL, to negotiating self-identity after fame, Hello, Molly! at its finest is a vulnerable, brutally honest, and unrestrained glimpse at the human condition: how the flaws of our loved ones and the darkness of our past will continue to define us.”
Amy Schumer
This memoir is life-changing. I laughed. I cried. Just like being with Molly herself.”
Aubrey Plaza
Heart-breaking and hilarious, Hello, Molly! is the most inspiring memoir I’ve ever read. Forget what you think you know about Molly Shannon. There is a reason she is one of the greatest comic actors working today. Her story is unbelievable and told with such a charming bluntness it made me choke on my coffee more than once...It is a glimpse into the mind of a true survivor, a lesson on how one turns trauma into art, and it might just have the secret to life and happiness.”
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
Exuberant, brave, wholehearted, and hilarious, this book is exactly what you hope it will be.”
Adam Sandler
A deep and brutally honest depiction of the strong and talented woman I know, who has been able to pull the positive out of every situation and turn massive hurt into humor. Every page flows with Molly’s positive yet pragmatic philosophy of life, love, family, work, and art. Filled with touching and surprising anecdotes that teeter from the nostalgic to the truly ridiculous. I was laughing and tearing up like you’re supposed to do when you read a great book. Great comic, great actress, and great author. Truly. Love you, Molly, and am so happy to know you.
Associated Press
Hello, Molly! paints a portrait of a resilient spirit persevering through tragedy and the cutthroat world of fame to build a fulfilling life for herself."
Real Simple
"An incredible story of resilience (along with, of course, some laughs) showing how [Molly Shannon's] upbringing influenced her remarkable career. Warm and open-hearted, this one feels like a conversation."
Booklist (starred review)
"Told in Shannon's bright, irreverent voice, this memoir is equal parts touching and hilarious, a real insight into the mind of a comedic genius."
Time
"[An] incredibly charming memoir...For every story of loss, of striving, and of doubling down in Hello, Molly!, there is also a determination to find joy and pleasure, to foster community, and to laugh."
Katie Couric Media
Introspective, poignant, heartbreaking and hilarious, Shannon’s memoir is sensational.”
MARCH 2022 - AudioFile
When she was only 4, actor/comedian Molly Shannon lost her mother and baby sister in a tragic auto accident that would change her life forever. Listeners are brought to tears as she describes the accident in her 4-year-old voice. This is one of Molly’s many voices; they are all parts of her. How she uses these characters and voices is pure magic. It is a surround-sound experience. As a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” she was known for her physical routines. Her stunt coordinator (yes, she had one) describes how dangerous stunts did not scare Molly; if it fit the skit, she was all in. Her wholehearted performance in this memoir will inspire listeners with her comedic talents and great success despite the devastating tragedy in her life. E.E.S. 2023 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
