The full title of today's DSN is The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. It is not at all necessary for me to explain what The Office is, or who the two authors are. Most everyone in North America and beyond knows about the wildly popular NBC show, based on the British original. The show was incredibly successful during its initial run, and has since found a second life on Netflix and Peacock. And then there is the Office Ladies podcast that has even won a Podcast of the Year Award. As a faithful listener of the podcast, I was excited to delve into this book. Even though I figured Fischer and Kinsey would end up covering information that was already talked about in the podcast, I knew this was going to a special experience.
Genre, Themes, History: Probably the best way to differentiate between the podcast and this book is to say that the podcast is all about the show, The Office, while the book is all about the friendship between Fischer and Kinsey. Across 14 chapters, the two ladies go into detail about their relationship over the years; what it was like on the set of the show; the many people that worked so hard to make the show a success; and there is even a chapter titled "Award Shows and Holiday Parties," where they chronicle their experiences on the red carpet and at many fancy parties. In each chapter, the two writers trade off being the narrator, with the exceptions being "Jam" and "Dwangela Forevah," and barely a page goes by without at least one photo on it. Even the front and backsides of the physical book have hidden nuggets (after removing the cover) that any fan of these two will find absolutely delightful. Oh, and Fischer and Kinsey mentioned on the podcast that audiobook listeners will have some extra surprises in store on that version of the book.
My Verdict: It would be an understatement to say that this book exceeded expectations...and my expectations were high. Although I listen to these ladies' voices at least once a week (often multiple times a week as I walk, drive, work, cook, play Minecraft, do yard work, whatever), and some of the stories were already familiar to me, I didn't mind it one bit. And being given all of the new information was like being told summer vacation had been extended. The stories are entertaining and sometimes eye-opening, the details are plentiful, the pictures are fun, and probably best of all, the overall message is incredibly inspiring. These two women went from struggling acting careers, to becoming instantly recognizable as part of one of the most popular shows of all time, and that was only the beginning. Included in the book are stories about life, love, family, and of course, their friendship. Lovers of The Office will of course be pleased, but so will anyone who may need a push, or who can appreciate a story about what can happen if we simply keep moving forward.
Favorite Chapter: There are two chapters in which Fischer and Kinsey talk in detail about one particular episode of The Office. One is Ch. 12: "Death Bus," which focuses on the season 9 episode "Work Bus." But the first one is Ch. 3 "Booze Cruise," which focuses on the season 2 episode of the same name. The chapter included a major shift in Kinsey's career, but it was the ending that got me. This woman is a true storyteller, and I love watching (and listening) to her and Fischer work.
Recommended Reading: Another TV-centric book I loved was Springfield Confidential by Mike Reiss, and the book is, of course, all about The Simpsons, my favorite television show of all time.
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