In this delightful memoir, Kelly Bishop retraces her career, from her debut on Broadway to her role in Dirty Dancing, followed by her iconic role in Gilmore Girls, and the Covid years. We also learn about her personal life: her first marriage to an addicted gambler and her second marriage to the love of her life and his recurrent battles with cancer.

I'm a huge fan of Gilmore Girls, which is why I initially picked this book up, but I really enjoyed reading about the other parts of her life, all related with her iconic wit. It's worth pointing out though that the Gilmore Girls reminiscing is only in the latter half of the book and probably only takes up 10 to 15% of the book. So if you're looking for Gilmore Girl gossip, I'd say this isn't really the book for you, but if you're looking to hear about the career of a dancer and actress spanning 60 odd years, then read on!

A recommended read for fans of Gilmore Girls and artists' autobiographies.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I would just like to thank NetGalley, Kelly Bishop and Vintage Books for an ARC of “The Third Gilmore Girl” in exchange for an honest review.

What a brilliant book, and what a brilliant woman.

If you know me, you know how much I adore Gilmore Girls, and how much I love the whole cast. So it should come as no surprise that as soon as I saw Kelly had a memoir coming out, it was a no-brainer that I was going to race to request it immediately.

I was so utterly enthralled and captivated by Kelly’s life that I read this book in one sitting.

I never feel right about rating memoirs because it’s not my right to comment on someone else’s life, but I will say that I think that everyone should read this, regardless of whether you’re a Gilmore Girls fan or not. Kelly has had an amazingly interesting life outside of GG, and still continues to be a force of nature to this day. This book is full of emotion, humour and wonderful messages that I think would benefit anyone to read about.

Kelly is a true inspiration and this memoir was an honour and pleasure to read.

As a lifelong Gilmore girl fan I was obviously thrilled to see this book on a sub list and even more so that I could get hold of the netgalley eARC. But this is so much more than a glimpse into Gilmore girls land. Don't get me wrong that's in there too but I learnt so much about a remarkable woman that I had no idea about. Kelly bishop is Emily Gilmore, albeit with more heart and warmth than perhaps the Gilmore matriarch had at times, but the steely determination and fierce driver and passion for her craft. This is a must read for any GG fans but for also any fans of the stage or just really good biographies. Get voice is unmistakable throughout.

The Third Gilmore Girl is the memoir of Kelly Bishop, known for her iconic portrayal of Emily in the popular TV show Gilmore Girls.

As a huge fan of Gilmore Girls I was especially delighted to see how much the show meant to Kelly. She was so invested in her role and the show as a whole. I particularly loved discovering that my top Emily Gilmore moment is also one of Kelly's favourites. Seeing the show from the perspective of such a key actor gave a whole new insight to it. You even get to learn whether Kelly is Team Dean, Team Jess or Team Logan!

However, this is so much more than an ode to Gilmore Girls. Kelly Bishop has had an incredible life and career. She has accomplished so much. I am in awe of her passion and commitment to pursue her dreams. Kelly is also extremely honest about her personal life and it was such a touching read.

A beautifully-told memoir that is a must-read for anyone who has enjoyed Gilmore Girls.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I'm a huge fan of Gilmore Girls, and have always held a special fondness for Emily Gilmore, the formidable yet endearing matriarch of the family. Kelly Bishop's portrayal of Emily gave me the chance to see the complexities of a strained mother-daughter relationship from the maternal perspective—a perspective that felt especially meaningful to me at a time when my own relationship with my mother was fraught. Through Gilmore Girls, I found a sense of understanding and healing, and Kelly Bishop's performance was at the heart of that experience.

I  was therefore very excited to get my hands on an eARC of Kelly Bishop's life memoir, which is a heartfelt, captivating memoir that offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a truly remarkable woman. With wit, charm, and unflinching honesty, Bishop takes readers on a journey from her early days as a dancer on Broadway to her iconic role on Gilmore Girls, all while revealing the personal stories and challenges that shaped her along the way. Her storytelling is engaging and filled with warmth, making it feel like you're catching up with an old friend. A must-read for fans and anyone who loves a well-told, inspiring life story.

I don't usually read memoirs however, as a huge fan of Gilmore Girls I jumped at the chance to learn more about the incredible actress that plays the formidable matriarch of the Gilmore clan.

This candid and witty memoir is crammed full of life lessons and charming anecdotes with fellow cast mates as well as remarkable stories spanning over six decades of Kelly Bishop's inspiring career in show business.

I particularly loved her stories about Ed Herrmann. I'm not embarrassed to admit I actually she'd a few tears when she spoke about his passing and their last moments together. I also enjoyed learning that she regularly matches for women's rights, which was not a side of her I knew about previously.

This was an entertaining, warm and refreshingly transparent account of a wonderful life and career that shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

The ultimate fan read. Effervescent and charming Kelly Bishop writes with honesty and dry wit. I loved this

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop is a warm and witty memoir filled with amusing anecdotes and moments of raw and often wry honesty. As a huge fan of the Gilmore Girls I was eager to get my hands on this book and looked forward to a behind the scenes look at one of my favourite shows. I did not know much about Bishop's life and career before her time as Emily Gilmore so I found the first half of the book which deals with her early life and career fascinating. Her time as a dancer on Broadway and her rise to fame in A Chorus Line is well chronicled here and I was fascinated to learn more about all the work that goes into developing a show. Bishop does not shy away from personal revelations either and is very honest about her love life and all its complications. It is not until the second half of the book that she talks about her time on Gilmore Girls, and I could see from the writing style which parts of Kelly made it into the character of Emily. I loved hearing her talk about her relationships with her co stars most notably Lauren Graham and Edward Hermann, that latter friendship seemed so charming and wholesome that I can only imagine how much she misses him. This is the story of a woman who has lived an interesting and unusual life and I enjoyed every word.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Kelly Bishop's beautiful memoir 'The Third Gilmore Girl' brings together two topics which are a huge passion for me: musicals and the beloved TV show Gilmore Girls. Kelly is such a warm and witty soul that I knew her memoir would be a real tonic. Amy Sherman Palladino provides the introduction at the beginning which is a sign that the show has left these two talented women firm friends!

The first half of the book covers Kelly's life in the chorus and her rise to fame through that absolute classic 'A Chorus Line'. I loved not only Kelly's transparency about her youth - different jobs, misbegotten love interests, thoughts about that Tony award win - but also how her autobiography shaped her character in the musical. It was brilliant to read and will bring me a new appreciation when I next see a production.

After this section, we get to see the Gilmore years through Kelly's eyes. Her relationship with Edward Herman in particular a beautiful account and her memories of his vivacious life and tragic death are a special moment in the book indeed. Being an avid Gilmore fan, there was not an awful lot to learn which was new. However, it was a treat to revisit moments of this show and the group of people who made it a reality.

Overall, a quick and lovely read. A must for any Gilmore fanatic!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I adore Gilmore Girls, but knew very little about Kelly as a person. Her story was fascinating, from her childhood, the start of her career, her various relationships up until now. She was open about many personal aspects of her life, and I can only commend her for that. Kelly has had an illustrious a day fascinating career that was so much fun to read about- from her time on Dirty Dancing, theatre and soaps, to, of course, Gilmore Girls.

I was a late-bloomer when it came to the ‘Gilmore girls’ club. But, better late than never, and this TV series became such a comfort to me when I first watched it in 2016, during a traumatic year. Having read Lauren Graham’s memoir and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes content, I was thrilled to be granted an eARC for Kelly Bishop’s. Emily Gilmore is an icon! Admittedly, I don’t know much about Kelly Bishop, but that’s what made this book a wonderfully engaging read. Sure, I was waiting for the Gilmore chapters, but it was fascinating to read about her journey, beginning as a ballet dancer, and to learn a little more about a significant chapter in American TV, film and stage. Kelly is a enigmatic character and it was so interesting to see how she as a real-life person spilled into the ice queen that is Emily Gilmore. She is headstrong, talented, generous, ambitious and warm. At almost 80 years old, Bishop has overcome plenty of traumas and hurdles, and this felt like one of the more inspiring and ‘packed’ celebrity memoirs that I’ve read. It felt gorgeously human, and Kelly doesn't shy away from revealing personal relationships and emotions, talking about making and spending money, and sharing the inside goss from her showbiz circuit. I totally recommend this to Bishop fans AND casual Gilmore fans!

First a little rant:
For those of you who, like me, come to this book interested in hearing more about the Gilmore Girls (who doesn't love Emily?!), please know that the GG content is only about 10% of the book and starts about 60% in. The rest is Kelly's story from her young years until now, and the opportunities she had, who she worked with, etc.
The first half to me just felt like a lot of name-dropping. And I didn't know 90% of the names. I was here for the Gilmore Girl content.
Towards the end, Kelly tells us that she was originally planning to give this book a different title. I think that would have been more honest to the content, but in my biased opinion it would not sell as much.

Now, the good stuff:
Other than the name-dropping, this memoir feels honest. I liked seeing parts of Emily in Kelly, or the other way around, who knows. It's well written and does keep you entertained for the ride (or the hope of GG material, in my case). I did learn a lot about the author, but I would have preferred more personal material rather than so much professional stuff.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a huge Gilmore Girls fan, I was hugely excited to be given the opportunity to read the eARC of Kelly Bishop's autobigiography. For those of you who are not familiar with Kelly Bishop's work, she plays the tour de force that is Emily Gilmore in Gilmore Girls. She is also known probably even more famously for winning a Tony for originating the role of Sheila in A Chorus Line and also as Marjorie Houseman in Dirty Dancing amongst other amazing roles.

It was fascinating to read about her life before Gilmore Girls; how she got to where she is, how she met her husband. I loved learning how she got the role of Marjorie Houseman; I was momentarily confused when she talked about Dirty Dancing, thinking I'd briefly hallucinated her playing Baby's mother entirely, before she explained how it all came about.

All I can really say without spilling every anecdote in the book is what an incredible life she's lived and what a career she's had. Touched with sadness and incredible lows, especially with her first marriage ending and the loss of her second husband, but filled with joy within her second marriage. I genuinely felt like I was there with her, feeling all the emotions she felt and living it alongside her. It felt less like a book, and more a conversation with a friend. What a strong, phenomenal woman she is to have fought to get to where she is where many would have given up, and being by her husband's side through his illness, and later death. She showed her feisty, fighting spirit and inner strength which made her the Emily Gilmore we know and love.

I would've loved more anecdotes and tales from her time on Gilmore Girls, especially with that title, but loved hearing about the friendships she formed with Lauren Graham, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Edward Herman. 

I laughed, I cried (especially in saying goodbye to Edward Herrman, AKA Richard Gilmore, arguably her third husband), and enjoyed every moment of the journey. Completely unputdownable and a definite must read for fans of Kelly Bishop and Gilmore Girls!

This was a highly anticipated read for me!

I am a huge Gilmore girls fan and so this was a really amazing inside scope into one of the icons from the show. Kelly Bishop is an icon and this book highlighted not just her career but beautiful aspects of her personality which was so nice to read about.

I requested this book simply because I love watching Gilmore Girls and wanted to know more about Kelly Bishop. I certainly didn’t expect such a rollercoaster of emotions - Bishop’s strong character and sense of self shines through the pages. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of the behind the scenes of Broadway productions and theatre shows in the 1970s/1980s. Her tribute to those whom have ‘left’ were touching and heart-felt. A surprisingly moving memoir that left me thinking about it for days.

It was a true delight to be granted an e-ARC of this novel. Kelly Bishop is a shining superstar who radiates old school glamour and talent.

Getting to learn about Kelly's life through the personal and professional moments was a joy. The surprising parallel of her own grandmother and mother to Emily and Lorelai. The ups and downs of show business and her life through the decades. A personal insight into what made Kelly the stalwart she is today. A fantastic read!

An inspiring account from Kelly Bishop of her incredible career spanning decades. I grew up watching Kelly as Emily Gilmore and always adored her. This incredible, engaging memoir allowed me to learn more about her and where she started out. She’s so full of wit and wisdom, and a force to be reckoned with. I loved every moment of this fantastic memoir from such a wonderful, inspirational woman.

Please give me the audiobook right now. This book is the best kind of memoir - it feels like catching up with a friend who you haven’t seen in a while over coffee and a little sweet treat. It’s wonderful - warm, funny, and inspiring.

"Oh, how I adore that show and Kelly Bishop. The book is both engaging and captivating, offering a fascinating look at what it takes to break into the entertainment industry. If you're a fan of Gilmore Girls and especially Kelly Bishop, you're in for a real treat."

The Third Gimore Girl is an open, honest memoir. covering both the professional and the personal aspects of Bishop's life.

I found myself reaching for it when I'd put it down, and wanting to get back to it as soon as I could.

I can't quite put my finger on why this wasn't a 5 star rate for me. I may have to think it through and add. I wonder if some of the jobs felt like sanitised recaps that you could get from searching online I.e. this person and that person starred and this was my character and plot... and move on? I'm not sure.

Regardless, I enjoyed the read.