But Enough About Me

April 3, 2006
Known for her celebrity profiles, journalist Dunn blends interviewing tips, dirt-digging secrets and memoir-type snippets in a mix that's tough to define, but a delight to read. As a frequent writer for Rolling Stone
and contributor to Vanity Fair
, GQ
and Vogue
, Dunn can reach an array of stars and has the anecdotes to prove it. She details ducking the paparazzi with Mel Gibson, eating in Dolly Parton's kitchen and posing for three minutes as Ben Affleck's girlfriend to prove a point about how quickly gossip spreads. Refreshingly, she maintains an "Aw, shucks" quality that has become her work's hallmark. By providing a zesty glimpse at her New Jersey childhood and young adulthood, Dunn offers a grounded counterpoint to the breezy tales of pop idol handling. Even after rising in the ranks at Rolling Stone
, Dunn is mildly astounded that a Jersey girl who still slips phrases like "Yeah, right!" into her conversation should be shaking in her ritzy hotel room after being berated by Flashdance
icon Jennifer Beals for asking about her personal life. Amusing, clever and affable, Dunn shares a satisfying memoir-turned-celebrity dish.

Starred review from May 15, 2006
This memoir of a Jersey girl -turned -hip Manhattan writer sparkles with wry humor, touching honesty, and celebrity insight. Dunn, a longtime writer for "Rolling Stone", fondly recounts her suburban youth while chronicling her rise to fame as an interviewer, writer, and media correspondent. Her genial family and beloved Jersey landscape provide a colorful framework for her coming of age. Inevitably, conflict arises when Dunn -s career takes off, and chapters on this part of her working life are presented tongue-in-cheek as tips on the art of interviewing celebrities (e.g., mastering opening patter and dealing with paparazzi). This hilariously entertaining approach not only provides an incisive glimpse into the eclectic nature of Dunn -s subjects -who range from Madonna to Barry White -but also smoothly complements the material on her personal life. Along the way, Dunn comes to realizations about family, career, fame, and relationships, but unlike so many other memoirs, hers is not heavyhanded with personal observations; her story speaks for itself -and speaks well. A thoroughly enjoyable book for circulating libraries and entertainment collections. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 2/15/06.]" -Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ"

Copyright 2006 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.