Go Ask Ali: Half-Baked Advice (and Free Lemonade)

In her previous collection, Happily Ali After, Wentworth jokes with readers as if they were her best friends. But in this newest work, the actress/comedian assumes a more maternal voice. In telling personal anecdotes, the author lays bare small humiliations and past mistakes so that readers can learn from them and, like her own children, use this wisdom to realize better versions of themselves. And while some readers may not be looking for advice or, for that matter, another mother, Wentworth's candidness, humility, and humor are compelling, offering an original point-of-view and a sharp wit—and an endearing weakness for cheese plates and cheap caviar. In other words, even readers who are not seeking opinions will find themselves listening to her anyway. Though Wentworth laments in one essay having been, as an actress, typecasted as the "relatable" friend, as a writer, it is her greatest strength.