The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale from Behind the Hollywood Curtain [Audiobook, CD, Unabridged] [Audio CD]

Shelly Frasier (Narrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2006

In The Second Assistant, readers across the country found a heroine they loved to love in Lizzie Miller, the smart and witty East Coast girl clinging for dear life to the bottom rung of the Hollywood ladder. But no more coffee runs and sorting thumbtacks by color for Lizzie; she's been promoted. As first assistant to Scott Wagner, now president of The Agency and one of Hollywood's premiere movers and shakers, she's making decisions and learning the ins and outs of the business. But unlike the other airhead assistants, she's not being wooed by the glamour and mystique of Lala Land. At least, that's what she tells herself. But with a fabulous boyfriend and visions of Harry Winston diamonds and a black AmEx dancing in her head, it is getting harder for Lizzie to keep her pumps firmly on the ground. In The First Assistant, Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare have again joined forces to take a wry and hilarious look at the wheeling, dealing, schmoozing, and snubbing that make Hollywood the cutthroat capital of the world. Readers are hungry for more-and The First Assistant is just the romp into the red-carpet world that they crave.

Editorial Reviews

Review

[A] wicked romp. (Us Weekly)

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Clare Naylor is the author of three previous novels, including "Love: A User's Guide" and "Catching Alice." Mimi Hare was, at twenty-three, the youngest director of development for a Hollywood production company, where she worked on such feature films as "Jerry Maguire" and "As Good As It Gets." This is her first novel. In addition to narrating audiobooks, Shelly Frasier has appeared in many independent film and theater projects in Arizona and southern California and has developed character voices for animation projects and voiceover work for commercials. She trained at the Groundlings Improv School in Hollywood and South Coast Reperatory's Professional Conservatory in Costa Mesa, California. She has performed at theaters throughout North Hollywood and Orange County. Recent performances include Blue Window, The Battle of Bull Run Always Makes Me Cry, The Haunting of Hill House, and a British farcical version of A Christmas Carol. She resides in Hollywood.

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Product Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Tantor Media; Unabridged edition (September 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400102847
• ISBN-13: 978-1400102846
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,615,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Modern-Day Hollywood Fairytale..., July 7, 2006

By 

JJ Stark (Cicero, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale from Behind the Hollywood Curtain (Hardcover)

... That's the best way I can think to describe this book. I really enjoyed it - I think more than the first. The ending makes me wonder if the authors are setting up for a short series of stories (??).

A "feel good" story that gives readers reason to believe that if they keep on trying, there's nothing that they can't achieve. As in most fairytales, our heroine finally gets her "happpily ever after" but not before encountering a wide range of characters who who join Lizzie on (and sometimes cause interference with) her journey: There's "Prince Charming" (Luke), a "Fairy-Godmother" (Lara), the "Wizard" (Jason/Scott), the "Evil Step-Mother/Sister" (Amber), the "Take-Along Buddy" (Emerald), as well as a wonderful cast of supporting characters that make Lizzie's journey all the more fun and interesting.

Of course some of the situations Lizzie finds herself in are a little extreme and sometimes ridiculous, but that's part of the magic and fun of this character. No matter how many times Lizzie seems to fall and loose her sense of dignity, she always manages to get back up and keep on reaching for the stars (in this case, literally!).

A fast, light read, the book reminds me of a feel-good romantic comedy. With the recent release of "The Devil Wears Prada" and the in-production "Nanny Diaries", I have to wonder if we'll see Lizzie, Scott, Lara, Luke and the rest of the supporting players on the big screen sometime in the future.

Certainly not the best in fiction, but defnitely not the worst. Worth tossing in your bag to take to the beach, pool or park this summer. Thoroughly entertaining, heartfelt, and magical. Sometimes funny, sometimes touching, sometimes a little "roll-your-eyes-over the-top", Lizzie's got that realistic something that makes you love her and root her on while she travels along hoping to catch that one big break that she's forever looking for.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the further adventures of Lizze and friends and what the future holds for them. If you enjoyed the first book ("THE SECOND ASSISTANT") you're certain to like this one just as much if not more. Unlike other authors' second attempt at success ("The Debutante Divorcee", "Citizen Girl", "Everyone Worth Knowing") Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare get it right and their second time around is just as entertaining as the first.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Just Average!, August 3, 2006

By 

Janice (Arlington, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale from Behind the Hollywood Curtain (Hardcover)

Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare's "The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale from Behind the Hollywood Curtain," a sequel to "The Second Assistant" continued with Lizzie, working now as the first assistant to Scott, her best friend's husband at The Agency. Despite having a promotion, life at The Agency was still difficult for Lizzie as the person who took her old position, Amber, was out to get Lizzie from day one. On top of that, Lizzie's boyfriend, Luke was out producing a movie at Prague and the actress in the movie was Luke's ex-girlfriend. When Lizzie found out that Luke may be cheating on her, Lizzie decided to accept the position of an assistant to the latest, and hottest teen sensation, Emerald.

This was a rather average chick-lit for me. There was never a strong storyline and by the time I got to the middle of the book, I was not very engaged. The story seemed to lack excitement. I also wished that the authors spent a little more time with Lizzie's love interest. Even though this was not the worst book in this genre, but it was certainly not very memorable.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Naylor needs a new editor, May 29, 2007

By 

I. Readalot - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Assistant: A Continuing Tale from Behind the Hollywood Curtain (Hardcover)

To me, "The First Assistant" was amusing but irritating in equal measure due to the utterly predictable plot, the unfleshed-out character, Luke, and annoying basic grammar errors such as "Who's phone is this?" Not nearly as good as "The Second Assistant."