My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me

April 15, 2011
Perusing the new releases section of her local bookstore, Winston found herself portrayed on the pages of her ex-boyfriends novel, a supposed work of fiction in which her own character was barely disguised, and conversations theyd had turned up word for word. A devastating moment indeed, but one out of which a TV comedy writer (formerly of My Name Is Earl, presently of Community) would find a way to make lemonade. Self-conscious and soul baring, Winston spares her own ego no expense in her effort to make readers laugh, revealing crass and cringe-inducing dating disasters (and, to be fair, a few triumphs), even devoting entire chapters to her gay ex-boyfriends and her experience with the definitively Los Angelesian past life regression therapy. Most dating singles will have to concede shes one- (or one-hundred-) upped them in that department. Winstons memoir is funny, sensitive, and in the end accomplishes what her ex-boyfriends novel never couldbrazenly telling the story of their relationship in a book that will sit on the nonfiction shelves.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)