Actor and country singer Kirke recalls growing up in a showbiz family in her first book, a raucous memoir-in-essays. Kirke, star of Mistress America and Mozart in the Jungle, recalls her girlhood in New York City's West Village with her adulterous father, Simon, drummer for the band Bad Company; her volatile mother, Lorraine, a fashion designer who made Kirke beg Simon's mistress to stop wrecking the family; and her older sister, Girls actor Jemima, who lurched through addictions and once seduced Kirke's boyfriend. Kirke paints her relatives in a comedic, affectionate, and slightly scandalous light: her parents let her smoke as a minor, and the clan's intense self-absorption left her feeling unloved. Later chapters follow Kirke through rocky relationships, Hollywood craziness, and a triumphant debut at the Grand Ole Opry. Replete with off-color celebrity cameos ("Kate Moss asked me where the toilet was"), Kirke's narrative centers on people with too much money and ego, but she leavens the melodrama with a dashing wit--Kirke's fraudulent stage résumé "named my fake characters things like 'Jancy' and 'Water Gun Girl'.... I lied about my height and weight. I was a real actress." The result is a deliriously entertaining recap of a misspent youth. (Jan.)

The subtitle is correct; actress and singer-songwriter Kirke has not written a memoir, no matter what happens going forward. Rather, it is a collection of hilarious, cinematic essays about growing up ensconced in affluent New York City. Kirke was raised by a British rock star and an equally creative and dramatic mother, with three artist siblings (the most famous of whom is her sister Jemima, who starred on HBO's Girls). Kirke's writing is irreverent, conversational, and self-aware. She brings to life the New York City of her youth, smoking cigarettes as a tween, visiting siblings in rehab, discovering her father's secret love child. Kirke is surrounded by celebrities and intense creativity. Pieces about Kirke's life as she breaks away from the chaotic family nucleus and whirls out on her own are especially fun. Entering Kirke's world and imagination is a delicious peek behind the veil, like an Andy Warhol Diaries for rich New York City art kids of the new millennium.

Actor and country singer Kirke makes an enchanting debut with her irreverent autobiography, in which she recounts living a rock and roll lifestyle before most kids her age had lost their baby teeth. As the daughter of Bad Company cofounder Simon Kirke, Lola describes her celebrity status as "important-adjacent." While she would have given anything for safety and stability while growing up--for something as mundane as a minivan--what she got was family vacations to rehab, a secret brother, and one hell of a life story. From Liv Tyler to Courtney Love, the memoir drops as many celebrity names as it withholds, leaving listeners wondering who some of the salacious stories are about. The audio is narrated by Kirke, and her delivery is moving and at times melancholy. Her engaging performance makes each story relatable and reflective, and listeners will love the few instances when she channels that emotion into song. VERDICT Will appeal to listeners seeking a candid, conversational arts and entertainment memoir. Recommended for fans of Selma Blair's Mean Baby or Jennette McCurdy's I'm Glad My Mom Died.--Lauren Hackert