THE ANSWER IS . . .
Alex Trebek
BLURB
A RECOMMENDED SUMMER READ BY THE NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, TIME, AND NEWSWEEK
Longtime Jeopardy! host and television icon Alex Trebek reflects on his life and career.
Since debuting as the host of Jeopardy! in 1984, Alex Trebek has been something like a family member to millions of television viewers, bringing entertainment and education into their homes five nights a week. Last year, he made the stunning announcement that he had been diagnosed with stage four 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 over 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 in The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life.
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 he gets 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!, with each chapter title in the form of a question, and features dozens of never-before-seen photos that candidly capture Trebek over the years.
This wise, charming, and inspiring book is further evidence why Trebek has long been considered one of the most beloved and respected figures in entertainment.
★★★★
The Answer Is . . . is Alex Trebek’s book about his life and the people he encountered along the way. It’s not a long book but more like what people have referred to as bathroom reading in the fact that it’s a bunch of quick chapters that tie up at the end of each chapter.
As a teenager, I remember my mom watching Jeopardy as I’m sure most Americans have seen the show at some point. Not until reading this book did I realize what a sense of humor Alex has.
The book is narrated by both Alex and Ken Jennings. Alex and Ken became friends over the course of Ken’s 74-consecutive wins on the show. While it would have been my preference to have Alex narrate the whole book I do understand that with his failing health it was not possible. I think Ken was a good option.
Audio book source: Library/Overdrive
Narrator: Alex Trebek & Ken Jennings
Length: 4H 35M
