Customer Reviews

But Enough About Me: How a Small-Town Girl Went from Shag Carpet to the Red Carpet

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dunn gives her readers two books in one. She warmly writes about her childhood in suburban New Jersey during the 1980s. Her friends and family could easily have been cast in any John Hughes film of that decade. She reminds us that the 1980s were all about having an endless supply of cassette tapes for the boom box, Bruce Springsteen concerts, tanning with baby oil, and using an entire can of Aqua Net to keep your perm firmly in place.

She also provides sly instructions on the fine art of the celebrity interview such as:

How to sneak a peak inside Madonna's bathroom and Dolly Parton's kitchen;
How to appreciate the grooviness of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonnet;
How to politely decline a rock star's offer of heroin; and
How interviewing Barry White can heal a girl's broken heart

Dunn knows how to get the story and, in But Enough About Me, she proves that she can deliver it as well.

Jancee Dunn isn't your typical starlet. She's from the unglamorous New Jersey, where she lives with a bizarre family who snack on sugar sandwiches, and worship J.C. Penney - the store, and the man behind the store. Like I said, she's no starlet, but Jancee Dunn has enough spunk in her pinky finger alone to entertain the reader, and make you envy her as she takes on the entertainment world, one celebrity at a time, via her stint at the legendary Rolling Stone magazine.

If there was one thing Jancee Dunn was from a young age, it was being obsessed with music. Her bedroom was cluttered with cassette tapes depicting everything from Madonna to Bruce Springsteen; her boombox was constantly blaring - much to her parents chagrin; and her weekends were full of music concerts. Music aside, however, Jancee was a typical eighties teenager, complete with a perm that was held in place with countless cans of Aqua Net hairspray; and tanning with whole bottles of baby oil. The oldest of three children, Jancee was a musical influence on her younger sisters, and tried to instill a love of song in the both of them - in-between her impromptu bedroom garage sales, that is. As Jancee gets older, she stops her late-night Jersey partying, snags a job at Rolling Stone Magazine, and begins hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Making peanut butter fudge with Loretta Lynne; scurrying around Star Jones' glamorous New York apartment; shopping with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen; and being offered drugs by Scott Weiland of the Stone Temple Pilots. Even with her celebrity partying, Jancee doesn't forget her family, and spends much time communicating with them via telephone - in the midst of other things, of course, such as working at MTV2 and Good Morning America. But as years pass, and Jancee gets older and older, she realizes that maybe being a Rock Chick isn't something that should last past a certain point, and contemplates settling down - or, at least, cutting back on her partying.

I will be the first to admit that I am not a memoir/biography reader. In fact, I rarely read anything but fiction. That said, there was something about Jancee Dunn's BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME that called out to me, and reeled me in; refusing to release me until the last page was read. Dunn is, perhaps, one of the most humorous writers I have ever encountered. Her memoirs kept me up long into the night, giggling at each memory of her crazy parents, her eighties wardrobe, and her celebrity mishaps. Each of Dunn's bizarre encounters with celebrities provide a shocking, oft-times humorous glimpse into the world of how the other half lives; while Dunn's take on all of her interviews, as well as the advice she doles out regarding dealing with celebrities couldn't be more enjoyable. Celebrities aside, Dunn's family life, and talk of her childhood is just as humorous as her adventures in the entertainment world. The scenarios involving her worrywart parents are always humorous; while the appearances by her sisters Dinah and Heather make the reader just as much a fan of them, as Dunn, herself. BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME was certainly not enough for me - I want more Jancee!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

This book had me giggling the whole way through. I grew up in a small New Jersey town as well, and Jancee reminds me so much of myself. At one point I think she described herself as a nerd with a little bit of old lady thrown in, which resonated with me perfectly. Woven into the memoir are celebrity interviewing tips, which are hilarious. And who knows-- maybe they will come in handy someday!

I loved this book. It's a nice story and laugh out loud funny. I've sent it to 3 people and they all loved it too.

Confession: I'm only 2/3s of the way through the book and for all I know it could go off the rails...but I really doubt it. Her story's a hoot. I'm not from Jersey but I did finish up high school in CT a few years after her and I've met her kind. Had I moved from California to Jersey instead of Westport, CT I probably would have a had a far better time or at least better stories to tell, although I wouldn't have let big hair happen to me.

I'll be lending this book to my other gal pals who came of age in the mid to late 80s, and who also enjoyed an extended adolescence.

Although I'm a generation older than Jancee, I was able to relate to her stories and self-deprecating humor. This is one of the few books that made me laugh out loud!

I just loved this book! It's been sitting on my wish list for quite awhile, but having just finished a Tudor-era book about Henry VIII's sixth wife, I decided to go with something a little 'lighter' for my next book. This was perfect!

Ms. Dunn is funny without trying to be, and tells her stories without the pretentious attitude of a name-dropper. She simply shares her experiences and quirky moments with some of the hottest celebrities out there, but you never feel like she's bragging. She talks about growing up in suburban New Jersey with her very stable and normal family, and the transition from that life, to the life of a Rolling Stone writer (among other things) whose living in New York City, interviewing the most famous people in the country.

Ms. Dunn is very down-to-earth, and is not afraid to embrace her inner-nerd :) She writes as if she were sitting in front of you sharing her experiences. I can't wait to check out her newest book to see how she tackles fiction! In the meantime though, I absolutely recommend 'But Enough About Me'. A great read all around!

jancee and her family are fabulous!!!! i just loved them!!!! who could not love her dad?!!! her best friend julie is a go too!!!! one of my favorite chapters is the food parading "party" julie takes her along to..and i also loved her sister reminding her wyland could care less about her so get out of there!! they are far more compelling/endearing/interesting than any of the celebrities she interviews. i've passed this along to friends/family and it always delivers!! excellent/fun little book!!

I loved this book! Both of my sisters read it, and kept pushing me to read it because they loved it so much. I wasn't in a reading mode at that point, and from the cover, I didn't think I would like it, but they kept pushing. So I read it.....and I absolutely LOVED it! It is like 2 books in one! I don't consider myself a celebrity news reader. I don't read US or PEOPLE, but I loved the stories about these people. Even more, I loved the stories of Jancee Dunn's life. She is so real and normal and grounded, something you would never expect from a person who hangs out with some of the most famous people in the world. I have recommended this book to at least 10 people and they have all thanked me and loved it as well. I can't wait to read her novel. This book is also very different than any I have read. GREAT book!

I really enjoyed this book. Ms. Dunn is funny and manages to share her experiences with the rich and famous without harming any celebrities in the process. She's down to earth and likable. Anyone who likes rock history or bios -- or Stephanie Plum -- (Janet Evanovich's hilarious fictional character) will probably enjoy this slice-of-her-life from Jancee Dunn.