Having little regard for mothers (or people in general) and the knowledge that Merrill Markoe is the former head writer and romantic partner of David Letterman will help readers enjoy her collection of memoirist essays in Cool, Calm & Contentious. We picked up the book for the stories about her dogs. Those deliver and so do most of the vignettes.

In "Why I Love Dogs" Markoe explicates all the boorish behaviors of her dogs (laying on her work, standing in front of the television, pulling napkins from the trash) and how we wouldn't put up with that crap from any other roommate or guest. Yet we endure all this and more from our dogs. Markoe shares at first her attraction to and then her leeriness of "The Dog Whisperer" in her essay "The Dog Prattler". By the end of this essay she recognizes and embraces her dogs' excitement for everything they encounter in life. "Selfishness 101 (for Dogs)" and "Jimmy Explains His Wake-up Techniques" bring us even closer to her dogs and their charming personalities.

Markoe also writes about her years as a high school student first in Florida and then outside San Francisco and later as an art student trying to be rebellious at Berkeley in the '60s. These are highly relatable essays. We especially appreciate "Medusa's Sister". The essay stunned us and at first we felt unfairly so, but grew to appreciate that the organic way she tells the story is how life happens.

Her essays written about experiences as a reporter on assignment move quickly. In "Saturday Night with Hieronymus Bosch" she covers the Fetish Ball in L.A. and we acutely feel her awkwardness. "Roiling on a River", about an all-women's rafting trip, felt arrogant a first but then Markoe exposes herself as willing to grow. This is a soft spot for us.

Some may find her essays "Never Again", "But Enough About Me: Narcissism for Echoes" and "How to Spot an Asshole" illuminating. We suggest our Self Help section if you want to get any real insight dealing with personality disorders. We might even suggest Markoe take a gander (or read over her own work). Perhaps we are all too aware of our own flaws to enjoy picking apart those of others.

We've read several show business memoirist essays lately, including Betty White's and Tina Fey's. They seem less judgy. But if judgy is your thing and you agree with Markoe's point of view, this could be the book for you. The reviews for this book have been positive, like the one in The Washington Post.

Cool, Calm & Contentious by Merrill Markoe
ISBN: 978-0-345-51891-0
Copyright 2011
Villard Books