zorak163's Full Review: Nancy Cartwright - My Life As a 10-Year-Old Boy
My life as a ten year old boy by Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, has just become the newest must have item for all Simpsons fans. Infused with a unique, comedic style, the reader travels with Nancy throughout every pivotal moment in Simpsons history.
This book feels almost as if you are having a conversation with Nancy. It bounces back in forth in time a lot and reads simply like someone’s spoken recollections instead of a book. In most cases this works extremely well. Another nice touch is that she has included journal entries from throughout the entire show’s run, all the way back to The Tracey Ullman Show days.
Sometimes the journal entries will have you cracking up, other times (especially towards the end of the book) they will have you in tears. Reading about her experiences with some of the big name guest stars was a special treat, although she did tend to gush a bit (and I’m sure that some of the celebrities will not be too pleased with her descriptions of them). In a couple of instances her gushing even turned a bit sexual, so I wouldn’t really recommend this book for the under 16 crowd.
On the other hand, she also knows when to turn the comedy off. Her journal entry from the day when Phil Hartman was found dead was both a touching tribute and a raw look at how we process the news of someone else’s passing. “I just drove, silently, shaking my head in that way that says there is nothing to say.” You feel her emotions as you read and find yourself crying along with her and the entire cast and crew of The Simpsons. What a tragic mess.
Fortunately, she knows to space out the few sad moments in between lots of smiles and technical talk. The reader is given the opportunity to learn almost everything about the creative process behind the making of an episode. From scripting to recording, from storyboards to painting, she has it all laid down for us. Did you know that The Simpsons is one of the only cartoons that is still completely hand painted? Compare it to other modern cartoons and the loving attention to detail that it receives will be very evident.
All in all, this book contains more behind the scenes information then we have ever been given before and it’s a really enjoyable read. If you are in need of a present for a Simpsons fan, give them this book and they are guaranteed to smile. Now if only all of the other voice actors would write books...
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