The Third Gilmore Girl: A life well-lived by Kelly Bishop

The woman behind the iconic Emily Gilmore is quite the icon herself. American actress and dancer Kelly Bishop had an accomplished career as a dancer long before landing her breakout acting role as Emily Gilmore in the autumn TV staple Gilmore Girls. In her 2024 memoir The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir, she takes fans and readers through much of her personal life and significant early career moments. If you’re part of the Gilmore Girls yearly rewatch club, this memoir is an automatic must-read. If not, Bishop’s life is still a fascinating story of a talented, steadfast, and ambitious woman well worth getting to know.

What to expect: The book opens with a short and sweet foreword by Gilmore Girls creator herself, Amy Sherman-Palladino, who reflects on Bishop, her character, and why she was chosen to play Emily. Bishop then takes readers through her early dancing days, her rise to Broadway stardom and leading roles on stage, before eventually making the transition to screen. She speaks candidly about the challenges of building a career as a dancer and her successes in spite of them, while also opening up about her childhood and relationship with her parents, painting a particularly vivid and affectionate portrait of her mother. She also shares memories from her time filming Dirty Dancing and Gilmore Girls and opens up about her fair share of painful relationships.

What we liked: The memoir reads like a warm and intimate retelling of someone’s life story. Candid, vulnerable, and often modest, Bishop paints a very heartfelt and eventful picture of her life and career. Her prose is humorous throughout and poetic at times, and her life events seem to rush in succession, making for a truly engaging story to follow. More than anything, it leaves you with a deep appreciation for the remarkable life she has led. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything, laying her trials, tribulations, joys, and successes bare for readers.

The verdict: Memoirs can sometimes veer into self-congratulation or preachiness — but Bishop avoids both. She embraces the complexity of her own life and of the people around her. It’s a memoir worth picking up, whether you’re a fan of her work or not. Her ambitions, perseverance, and love of her craft make for an inspiring read, and a lovely reminder of what can come from simply working hard and staying true to your dreams.

WHERE TO GET IT- You can find the e-book on Amazon and Kobo.