Book Report - "The Answer Is...: Reflections on My Life" by Alex Trebek
I feel like autobiographies can be hit or miss and depend on a lot of factors; how interesting the person is or was, how well they wrote, and whether they narrated the audiobook themselves all play a huge role in how much I enjoy the book. Alex Trebek knocked it out of the park.
I grew up watching Jeopardy! off and on. I was never one of those viewers that had it on every evening, but if I was channel surfing and noticed it, that was definitely one of the shows that I would gravitate to. Jeopardy! was nice because it didn’t have the lowest-common-denominator crowd work that a lot of game shows thrived on. The simple and straightforward delivery of interesting questions from Trebek, with contestants that generally seemed to know their stuff really appealed to my logos fixation.
When Trebek was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and later died as a result of the disease, I was disappointed. In general, I don’t really get attached to celebrities or mourn their deaths. I didn’t know these people, why should I care about them? But Trebek really just seemed like a wholesome and amicable guy. The more I heard about Trebek after his death, the more I was hurt by the loss of such a quality person. He supported a lot of charities and causes that I agree with, and really seemed to go out of his way to be a decent person.
Eventually, as I was skimming through my library’s audiobook selection for something new to read, I came across “The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life.” While I don’t go out of my way for autobiographies most of the time, I could make an exception for Trebek. I liked what I knew of him as a person, and I was interested to learn more.
Interestingly, the audiobook was narrated by Trebek and Ken Jennings, a minor celebrity himself due to his excessive win streak on Jeopardy!. Trebek was already in bad health by the time the book was written and recorded, so he only recorded a few brief sections including the intro and outro. Jennings narrated the majority of the book, but it was almost like a television handoff when they would switch between narrators. The whole thing really had a very Jeopardy! feel to it.
In the end, Trebek’s perspective on life and death was very refreshing, and I appreciate that he was willing to share those intimate thoughts for others to hear. The final chapter is very touching, and leaves the listener with a sort of melancholy beauty. Trebek knew the end was near, but he had come to terms with it in a way that few people seem to. Being ready and willing to accept death as it comes is very sobering, but somehow feels like a just conclusion.
If you watched a lot of Jeopardy!, I would absolutely recommend reading this book. Even if you never watched a single episode, I think this would also appeal to people who enjoy well-told narratives about a life, or those with an interest in show business. Trebek’s anecdotes about his career on the screen are funny, occasionally shocking, and always genuine.
Rest in peace, Alex.
When Trebek was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and later died as a result of the disease, I was disappointed. In general, I don’t really get attached to celebrities or mourn their deaths. I didn’t know these people, why should I care about them? But Trebek really just seemed like a wholesome and amicable guy. The more I heard about Trebek after his death, the more I was hurt by the loss of such a quality person. He supported a lot of charities and causes that I agree with, and really seemed to go out of his way to be a decent person.
Eventually, as I was skimming through my library’s audiobook selection for something new to read, I came across “The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life.” While I don’t go out of my way for autobiographies most of the time, I could make an exception for Trebek. I liked what I knew of him as a person, and I was interested to learn more.
Interestingly, the audiobook was narrated by Trebek and Ken Jennings, a minor celebrity himself due to his excessive win streak on Jeopardy!. Trebek was already in bad health by the time the book was written and recorded, so he only recorded a few brief sections including the intro and outro. Jennings narrated the majority of the book, but it was almost like a television handoff when they would switch between narrators. The whole thing really had a very Jeopardy! feel to it.
In the end, Trebek’s perspective on life and death was very refreshing, and I appreciate that he was willing to share those intimate thoughts for others to hear. The final chapter is very touching, and leaves the listener with a sort of melancholy beauty. Trebek knew the end was near, but he had come to terms with it in a way that few people seem to. Being ready and willing to accept death as it comes is very sobering, but somehow feels like a just conclusion.
If you watched a lot of Jeopardy!, I would absolutely recommend reading this book. Even if you never watched a single episode, I think this would also appeal to people who enjoy well-told narratives about a life, or those with an interest in show business. Trebek’s anecdotes about his career on the screen are funny, occasionally shocking, and always genuine.
Rest in peace, Alex.
Comments
Post a Comment