Print List Price:	$17.99
Kindle Price:	$13.99 Save $4.00 (22%)
Sold by:	Simon and Schuster Digital Sales Inc Price set by seller.

Promotions apply when you purchase

Add an

audiobook with Audible narration for $12.99

Read with our free app

You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.

Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

There was an error. We were unable to process your subscription due to an error. Please refresh and try again.

Follow the author

Alex Trebek

Follow

The Answer Is . . .: Reflections on My Life Kindle Edition

by Alex Trebek (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.8 12,738 ratings

Editors' pick Best Biographies & Memoirs

See all formats and editions

Longtime Jeopardy! host and television icon Alex Trebek reflects on his life and career.

When he debuted as the host of Jeopardy! in 1984, Alex Trebek became something like a family member to millions of television viewers, bringing entertainment and education into their homes five nights a week. In 2019, he made the stunning announcement that he had been diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. What followed was an incredible outpouring of love and kindness. Social media was flooded with messages of support, and the Jeopardy! studio received boxes of cards and letters offering guidance, encouragement, and prayers.

For more than three decades, Trebek had resisted countless appeals to write a book about his life. Yet he was moved so much by all the goodwill, he felt compelled to finally share his story. “I want people to know a little more about the person they have been cheering on for the past year,” he writes.

The book combines illuminating personal anecdotes with Trebek’s thoughts on a range of topics, including marriage, parenthood, education, success, spirituality, and philanthropy. Trebek also addresses the questions asked most often by Jeopardy! fans, such as what prompted him to shave his signature mustache, his insights on legendary players like Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer, and his opinion of Will Ferrell’s Saturday Night Live impersonation. The book uses a novel structure inspired by Jeopardy! and features dozens of never-before-seen photos that candidly capture Trebek over the years.

This wise, charming, and inspiring book is further evidence of why Trebek has long been considered one of the most beloved and respected figures in entertainment.

Length

297
Pages
Language

EN
English
Kindle feature

Sticky notes
On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Simon & Schuster
Publication date

2020
July 21
File size

52.0 MB
Kindle feature

Page Flip
Enabled
Kindle feature

Word Wise
Enabled
Kindle feature

Enhanced typesetting
Enabled
See all details

Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download

Lisa Rogak
640
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $9.99
Claire McNear
504
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $11.99
Betty White
4,471
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $14.99
Dave Itzkoff
3,985
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $11.99
Ken Jennings
355
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $13.99
Carol Burnett
5,525
Kindle Edition
1 offer from $9.99

Popular Highlights in this book

What are popular highlights?

“A good education and a kind heart will serve you well throughout your entire life.” The more you know, the more knowledge you acquire, the better off you are in dealing with other people—the more you develop an understanding for other people.
Highlighted by 333 Kindle readers
What the world needs now is a conscience, in the business community and in politics.
Highlighted by 265 Kindle readers
Messing up on live TV taught me an important lesson about show business: learn to laugh at yourself.
Highlighted by 163 Kindle readers

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] moving memoir…[a] friendly, often funny account marked by a reluctance so deep that it confers a curious integrity upon the celebrity tell-all...In the autumn of the media patriarchs, [Trebek] stands practically alone, untinged by scandal. His authority derives from his defense of facts, not their distortion." —Parul Sehgal, The New York Times

"Alex Trebek's memoir is everything a Jeopardy! fan could want...It’s an amusing and at times sobering series of vignettes—a quickly inhaled highlights reel of Trebek’s life...[He] quotes Mark Twain, Malcolm Gladwell and Chinese proverbs, and he shows off a quick wit and reverence for intellect...The behind-the-scenes intel is fun, especially for longtime fans of the show. But the rare insights into Trebek’s personal life are far more revealing...After nearly four decades at the lectern, Trebek is more than the face of Jeopardy!—he’s its heart. He’s so synonymous with the show, and the charm that’s made it an evening ritual, that even after a satisfying memoir, at least one question remains. How does the show continue without him? Give a ‘daily double’ to whomever has the answer for that one." —Angela Haupt, The Washington Post

“[Trebek’s] story reads less like the typical name-dropping, vice-fueled celebrity memoir and more like one of a warmhearted, down-to-earth guy who feels lucky to have touched lots of lives as the host of a wildly popular quiz show for the past 36 years…The fact that he's undergoing chemotherapy for his stage 4 pancreatic cancer, a painful experience that has taken a serious emotional and physical toll, adds a bittersweet and poignant note to his tale. That said, Trebek, who has a great sense of humor, also offers a lighthearted look at many parts of his long life…And fans will eat up his memories of show legends such as Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer.” —Christina Ianzito, AARP

"As a piece of writing, The Answer Is… goes down easy...But for all its breeziness, the memoir does the work of fleshing out a character with whom millions of Americans have spent their evenings with since the 1980s...Trebek had brushed off previous opportunities to write a memoir, but his diagnosis last year with stage IV pancreatic cancer changed the calculus. He received an outpouring of public support, which nudged him into opening up. But opening up doesn’t mean conjuring angst where it doesn’t exist. ‘I don’t have a lot of ghosts,’ he writes—believably, somehow. ‘I don’t have any bad memories that affect my life. It’s all good.’ Trebek writes frankly about the darkness he’s facing: the side effects from chemotherapy, and the conversations with his family about when to stop treatment. But he also seems uncommonly prepared for the end of the game."—Ruth Graham, Slate

"For anyone who enjoys watching Jeopardy!—or has ever wondered about the sincere, mustachioed man at its helm—The Answer Is... is an illuminating look at the life and philosophy of Trebek." —Patrick Ryan, USA Today

“Alex Trebek is the one providing the answers and questions in a new memoir that should reinforce his admirers' expectations about the ever-steady Jeopardy! host. The concise chapters, with titles including ‘What is a Mentor?’ and ‘The Answer is Family’ and ranging from a few paragraphs to a few pages, make for a readable but not slapdash approach...Trebek’s philosophical bent emerges clearly in the memoir, as he shares his perspective on human nature, spirituality and the value of knowledge." —Lynn Elber, Associated Press

“Trebek is well aware of what he has come to represent to viewers over his 36 years as the host of Jeopardy! He’s the reliable figure you can count on to appear on your television each weeknight, ‘not so much as a showbiz personality but as an uncle,’ he writes. He’s not intimidating. He’s a ‘second-tier celebrity.’ Part of the family. He leans into this persona in the book, offering up wholesome tidbits about how he’s happiest sitting on the swing in his backyard or eating fried chicken and broccoli for dinner…Trebek is candid in writing about the toll cancer has taken on his body. In one particularly moving section, he reveals that one day on set his stomach cramps were so excruciating that he collapsed on the floor of his dressing room, crying and writhing in pain. Producers suggested they cancel the taping, but he insisted he continue working—something that has, inexplicably, helped to ease his physical ailments.” —Amy Kaufman, The Los Angeles Times

“[H]ow did this French Canadian son of a Ukrainian immigrant become the authoritative voice of American knowledge? Trebek’s charming memoir, The Answer Is…: Reflections On My Life, offers these answers, phrased, of course, in the form of a question.” —Rien Fertel, The A.V. Club

“It probably won't surprise you to learn that Alex Trebek’s new memoir doesn't contain any particularly scandalous revelations or explosive confessions. The Answer Is… is a look back through the life of a man who, by his own admission, thinks his life is ‘not particularly exciting.’ But in 80 years on this earth and 36 years hosting Jeopardy!, you're bound to have a few interesting stories to tell, and Trebek has more than a few.” —Tyler Aquilina, Entertainment Weekly

"Alex Trebek has been in the spotlight for more than 30 years but has never been more candid than in his new book, The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life...[An] eye-opening memoir.” —Meredith Nardino, US Weekly

“We’ll take great stories for $1,000 please. The iconic Jeopardy! host is out with his first memoir. It’s filled with revealing anecdotes about his personal life, his battle with cancer, and his experience working on everyone’s favorite quiz show. The answer is…a weekend spent glued to this book.” —The Skimm

About the Author

Alex Trebek hosted the syndicated quiz show Jeopardy! for thirty-six seasons, earning him seven Daytime Emmy Awards—including a Lifetime Achievement Award—and the Guinness World Record for most episodes of a game show hosted by the same presenter. Prior to Jeopardy!, he hosted numerous quiz shows and game shows, including The Wizard of Odds and High Rollers. He began his career with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, working there for more than a decade. He graduated from the University of Ottawa and held honorary doctorates from the University of Ottawa and Fordham University. He worked with the humanitarian organization World Vision and contributed to various other philanthropic organizations, including the USO, UNCF, National Geographic Society, and the Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission. He died in Los Angeles on November 8, 2020, at the age of eighty.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B086T58LB5
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster; Illustrated edition (July 21, 2020)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 21, 2020
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 53279 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 297 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 198215800X

Best Sellers Rank: #257,200 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #79 in Motivational Growth & Spirituality
- #380 in Spiritual Growth Self-Help
- #2,257 in Memoirs (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
4.8 12,738 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Alex Trebek

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5

12,738 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Laura's Reviews

Poignant and interesting audiobook

Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

Title: The Answer Is: Reflections on my Life
Author: Alex Trebek
Read by: Alex Trebek and Ken Jennings
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Length: Approximately 4 hours and 35 minutes
Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio. Thank-you! I had some problems downloading the book and also purchased a copy from Audible.

The Answer Is: Reflections on my Life is a poignant memoir. Alex Trebek, the legendary host of Jeopardy, contemplates his life and his end of life. Trebek started this memoir after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. It is filled with vignettes from his entire life. The book is timely as he reflects on the COVID crisis and also the bitter partisanship that the country has fallen into. He ends the memoir thinking about how he would like to die peacefully in his favorite swing with his beloved wife by his side. If this doesn’t make you tear up, I don’t know what would!

Alex Trebek has been a mainstay of my life. I remember being a child in the 1980’s in particular at my Great Grandparents house watching Jeopardy each night. He was a classy and funny gameshow host that became an icon. My kids mostly know of him through the various parodies such as Weird Al. Trebek discusses the parodies, the making of the show, and some of his all-time favorite moments. I was intrigued on how Trebek grew up in Canada in a dysfunctional family and how he first got into radio and then TV as the only bi-lingual host. It was very interesting. I also liked how he discussed that he was the right person at the right time, he was gifted at hosting television game shows and they were hot at that time. Throughout his vignettes he came across as a very nice guy. He discusses the love story with his wife as well. It was also interesting as he discussed a wide range of topics including his iconic mustache, cars, and philanthropy. I love how he frankly discussed cancer, and as an environmental engineer I enjoyed his thoughts on climate change as well.

I listened to this on audiobook and it was a very enjoyable experience. Part of what I loved the most was the Trebek narrated chapters himself, such as the introduction, the last chapter, and other chapters that were meaningful such as the love story with his wife. The other narrator was the “greatest” jeopardy player, Ken Jennings. I loved the transitions that were included in the audiobook as they handed the narration back and forth. I also loved how the chapter titles were in the form of a question. This was not an in-depth study of Trebek, but I learned a lot about him and his philosophy on a lot of things. It was a emotional look too as he contemplates his end of life. He also was humorous as well and I had many laugh out loud moments listening to this audiobook.

Favorite Quotes:
“I don't like to use the words batting or fighting when talking about cancer. It suggests that there are only two outcomes: winning and losing. If you don't get well, then you are a "loser." If you have decided to stop treatment, you are "giving up." That's nonsense.... It is not a fair fight. Not even close. It is simple biology. You get treatment and you get better. Or you don't. And neither outcome is an indication of your strength as a person.”

“Even if you are learning facts that you are not going to be able to use in your daily life, it enriches you – the fact itself just enriches you as a human being and broadens your outlook on life and makes you a more understanding and better person.”

Overall, The Answer Is: Reflections on My Life is a timely, poignant audiobook filled with great vignettes on the life and thoughts of Alex Trebek. I greatly enjoyed it.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

eliot brimage

Someone you want to know

Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

I feel like after reading this book, I know Mr. Trebek. This book is a refreshing way to understand and realize your life, along with the impact that it has had on so many. I often think when I read books by stars or celebrities they are so arrogantly told. Not this one, it was such a pleasant read.

Helpful

Who Is Alex Trebek

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020

Verified Purchase

18% of people diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer live one year. Our Alex Trebek hit that mark last month. I say our AlexTrebek, because he is one of the most admired and respected of men. How many of us sit patiently night after night at 7pm, my time, anyway, and play Jeopardy right along with everyone else. When we guess the answer correctly. we cheer, big shoutout for us!

Last night, we saw Alex in the first episode of Jeopardy, black hair, funny shirts, but oh, so wonderful. This is the Alex we remember. In this book, Alex answers questions we want to know. Each chapter starts as a question on Jeopardy. What is a Hobart? What is How Green Is My Valley? What is A Time For Tony?, What is The Fans?, Why did he continue his role on Jeopardy even though he felt miserable? What does he really think of the two players who made the most money, Ken Jennings and James Holzhauer. What are his thoughts on his wife, Jean, his children, and how he faces each day, particularly after his diagnosis of cancer? We have a glimpse into his life and his thinking process. He tells us things are tougher now. There are days when he isn’t sure he wants to go on, but he picks himself up and does his Jeopardy show, and for that period of time he can he fine.

Alex is to me that wonderful person I met who brings some humor and fun and intelligence into my life once a day at 7pm. He is dependable and a lifeline during this pandemic. He is a symbol of something ‘normal’ in my life in these uncertain times. He has had a good life, and he writes like he talks, sure of himself, not wanting to be a burden, wanting to move on. He has had days of depression, but he moves along one step at a time, and so do we. His favorite spot at home is the swing. Keep swinging, Alex.

Recommended. prisrob 07-21-2020

256 people found this helpful

Helpful

Monique Griffith

Much wisdom, loads of heart, and a dash of swearing. Perfect.

Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2023

Verified Purchase

I loved this book and gave it 5 stars because it's written by Alex Trebek, himself. I much prefer to hear directly from him, and he uses a very laidback, casual writing style. So it feels like you're just chatting on the porch with him, listening to his stories and pearls if wisdom. Alex was a hero of mine because he taught me that we're never too old to learn. So when I went through 3 straight years of chemo, I decided to learn some stuff and i got better playing along at home. Then when he announced his illness, he was very open and honest, yet with a positive attitude and tried to encourage others. That's a person I can truly respect and want to hear from.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

A. J. Mathison

Simple Book and a Great Human Being

Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2023

Verified Purchase

I've watched Jeopardy for decades. Always appreciated Alex as the host and always felt that he was a good person. This book proves that. It was a simple book and he discussed some of the show's most famous contestants, discussed family, a little politics, but it wasn't offensive, and just shared his opinions about life and how people should treat each other.

Pretty fast book to read with lots of pictures. There is no earth-shattering insights, but rather a man who is facing death and sharing his philosophy on life. He proved to be exactly who I hoped he was.

RIP Alex Trebek............

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Inemac

Great memoir!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

A very novel structure is used by Alex Trebek in this very simply written memoir of a man who headed an incredibly popular television game show. It reflects that game show that he hosted for 36 years of his life. (He and the show are part of my Canadian past; we were avid fans).

Throughout one learns about the person, Alex Trebek:
humane, self-deprecating, philosophical, humorous, positive, optimistic, realistic and a great lover of life. Always fair - at all times he will introduce the flip side of the coin/a story. Someone imbued with an insatiable quest for knowledge and understanding, shown through his recounting of memories and life’s happenings, his travels and what he believed in.
An exceptional human being, albeit he would be the first person to deny that kind of "title".

There is no real eloquence to his writing, but that is the charm of his book as well as of the man himself. In many instances it feels like he's right there talking to you, and if that was his goal he achieved it beautifully. Especially considering he never did want to write about himself, yet I guess he gave in to doing so because he didn't want any distortions of his life or who he was.

I enjoyed reading his memoir for the sheer simplicity of its style, for the insights he gave into his personality and his life and also for the very different style that he used in reflecting the job he did and held and enjoyed doing with all his soul and being.

Rater

Excellent book

Reviewed in Canada on August 13, 2023

Verified Purchase

A Canadian who has stayed true to his roots. His writing and choice of diction reflect Canadian society.

P. Marshall

The Life Philosophy of a Gentleman - Alex Trebek

Reviewed in Canada on July 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

Alex Trebek started hosting quiz and game shows for the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) in Toronto in 1963. In 1973 he moved to Los Angeles, where he hosted a number of game and quiz shows, lasting a few months to a few years. In 1984 he became the host of Jeopardy! And has done so for 37 years, seeing himself not as a star but a person who makes the contestants comfortable and them to perform at their best.

In “ The Answer Is...” Trebek reflects on his youth in Sudbury, Ontario, and his relationships with his parents, his ongoing relationship with his alma mater the University of Ottawa, his Canadian and American television careers, his involvement with World Vision and other charities and the impact they have had on his life. Throughout the retelling of his life story he presents his personal philosophy, his dismay with today’s politicians, the importance of education, the impact of COVID-19 on his family life and the United States.

On March 6, 2019 he announced on Jeopardy! his cancer diagnosis and gradually we learn of the degree of pin he suffers. He hasn’t let it stop him from hosting but that is all he is able to do. This effort matches his views on the role of a host and his interactions with the contestants. He recently told his family that he was going to finish his current round of treatment and then look to a hospice for his final care.

Trebek is not upfront and open as many personalities are in their autobiographies, he selects what he wants the reader to know and how it helped shape his personal philosophy. It is a gentle read, to be read thoughtfully. This allows you to appreciate his philosophical gems.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3 people found this helpful

LL, Port Alberni, BC

Front Book Cover Damaged/Changed Color

Reviewed in Canada on December 24, 2020

Verified Purchase

When I received the book, the front cover was damaged, there seemed to show some sort of wax film on the cover and the background, looked like it was scratched. So the book was returned. When I rec'd the replacement, I carefully looked at the gray area on the front cover. It seemed ok, but in the back of my mind, thinking it still wasn't quite right. So, as the book sat on my table, I was noticing on the left side of the cover, the gray area, was now turning black, and some of the gray spots were getting discolored. The cover feels like it was made from some sort of waxy paper. I have no idea why the gray would turn black. I was also supposed to get a bit of a discount on the price, it showed up on my printed copy, but when I got billed, this did not go through. The pages inside are fine, but very odd about the color changes on the front cover, especially the gray area turning black. No plans to return/exchange the book, as thinking I'll get the same problem with the front cover. Has anyone purchased this book and noticed the color changes??? Quite disappointing, to say the least. I wonder if I purchased in a bookstore, would the same issue happen. So, not giving this book a good review, simply because the way the front cover seems to change colors. I do look forward to reading about Mr. Trebek.

jessica

Alex trebek! The host with the most

Reviewed in Canada on July 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

This is probably one of my favourite books. I don't read novels a lot but this one I read pretty much within a day. His life is just so awesome and the way he tells it with humour sarcasm, and -gasps- swearing, is the only type of writing style I can see working in an auto biography.

I grew up watching jeopardy! With my parents in southern Ontario, and I included him on a project I did in grade one on Canada. It's hard knowing I may not get to see him everyday on my tv screen some day soon, but I can see myself turning to this book to get a laugh, and find comfort in times of hardship.

The book itself is great quality. Softcover, thick pages etc. And has so many amazing pictures throughout Alex's life.

If you like funny amazing autobiographies, or want to show love and support to a man who effected your life, I highly recommend this book for you!

Buy for others

Buying and sending eBooks to others

Image Unavailable

Follow the author

The Answer Is . . .: Reflections on My Life Kindle Edition

Customers who bought this item also bought

From the Publisher