RaveThe Globe and MailWhile we quickly learn that her admiration of the series is hugely personal, at no point does she abandon her job of examining the show and its legacy. And with the help from the series’ creators, writers, actors and viewers, Armstrong takes readers from Candace Bushnell’s column to the show’s inception to the two movies ... She’s present as a writer and as a fan, but removes herself far enough to make no excuses for the series’ embarrassing approach to race and the LGBTQ community ... she examines the long- and short-term effects of the series’ blemishes, and pinpoints what could have been done better ... And honestly, that makes the rest of the book easy and fun to read. Because she proves she’s willing to tell the full story, you genuinely want to follow Armstrong along as she continues to dissect seasons, behind-the-scenes conversations, and opens the door to the writers’ room.
Sloane Crosley
RaveThe Globe and Mail\"Sloane Crosley has a gift. In a single piece she can find a way to be funny, familiar, removed and generously personal. She’s built a career on writing warmly and without condescension; hilariously, and without punching down. Within minutes of reading with her work, you feel as if you know her. Within the next hour, you’re convinced that you’re somehow kindred spirits ... The magic of Look Alive Out There is its celebration of detail. Whether writing about her childhood-crush-turned-nemesis, the British businessman who swindled her out of thousands, or the complex social life of her teenage neighbour, Crosley takes time to zoom in close enough for us to see ourselves in their eccentricities (or even sometimes her own).\
Michelle McNamara
RaveThe Toronto Globe and Mail...McNamara’s posthumous masterpiece, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, is a testament to her generous way of storytelling ... McNamara takes us on a journey that quickly becomes all-consuming – and not just for those of us peering in. It becomes all-consuming for her too, particularly as she travels and loses sleep and reads and rereads and interviews and reinterviews and never, ever stops. All in the name of uncovering the truth ... On top of the facts (and believe me, they are countless), it’s a generous glimpse into McNamara’s own psyche and the toll it can take to be so tireless. She details the relationship she shared with her late mother, the understanding between her and her husband, Patton Oswalt (who very much supported her work to find the Golden State Killer), and the love she had for her own daughter, Alice. She reminds us, through her book, that our obsessions can spill out beyond our own hearts and minds and lead us to kindred spirits. But she also reminds us (especially through the account of a night spent reading case files amidst the backdrop of a stranger’s wedding), that our obsessions can make us feel isolated and alone.
