The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek

The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek

Book Blurb:

Since debuting as the host of Jeopardy! in 1984, Alex Trebek has been something like a family member to millions of television viewers, bringing entertainment and education into their homes five nights a week. Last year, he made the stunning announcement that he had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. What followed was an incredible outpouring of love and kindness. Social media was flooded with messages of support, and the Jeopardy! studio received boxes of cards and letters offering guidance, encouragement, and prayers. For over three decades, Trebek had resisted countless appeals to write a book about his life. Yet he was moved so much by all the goodwill, he felt compelled to finally share his story. “I want people to know a little more about the person they have been cheering on for the past year,” he writes in The Answer Is… Reflections on My Life. The book combines illuminating personal anecdotes with Trebek’s thoughts on a range of topics, including marriage, parenthood, education, success, spirituality, and philanthropy. 

My Review: 4.5 stars

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The Answer Is…was a bold and satisfying memoir that had me laughing and crying. Alex Trebek shares intimate moments, laughable mishaps and how it felt to be America’s most beloved host.

I grew up on Jeopardy and Trebek’s voice, friendly demeanor and overall persona, which made him a constant, calming comfort through the years. Oh, the joy I felt when I could answer with the correct question. Little did I know how much reading would help with the questions I got right. And boy did I learn a lot from the show. Not just from the answers and questions but also the betting on the final answer, on the double downs, on speed and articulation.

This book is chock full of stories that will make you miss the man he was at his core even more than America’s host. His anecdotes will entertain and delight. Highly recommend you read this memoir.

Quotes I liked:

Even if you are learning facts that you are not going to be able to use in your daily life, it enriches you – the fact itself just enriches you as a human being and broadens your outlook on life and makes you a more understanding and better person.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just look ahead to the next question. You didn’t get here by accident. You passed the test. You deserve to be here. These categories maybe don’t line up with your areas of expertise. But you’re bright. Keep your head up. Move forward. Keep going.”

“But don’t get me wrong…driving a truck doesn’t make me a redneck. I don’t have a gun rack in it. I have a wine rack.”

“I don’t like to use the words batting or fighting when talking about cancer. It suggests that there are only two outcomes: winning and losing. If you don’t get well, then you are a “loser.” If you have decided to stop treatment, you are “giving up.” That’s nonsense….It is not a fair fight. Not even close. It is simple biology. You get treatment and you get better. Or you don’t. And neither outcome is an indication of your strength as a person.”