Little Miss Little Compton: A Memoir

by Arden Myrin

Comedian and actress Arden Myrin delivers a hilarious and heartfelt memoir about navigating adulthood and her rise on the comedy scene despite an unconventional upbringing.Arden Myrin is the product of not one, but two hasty decisions. Her paternal grandparents ran off and got married twenty-four hours after they met. Arden's parents did one better -- they married on a dare. Growing up in Arden's family, her dad ate nothing but sheet cake, while her mom was busy teaching a Cub Scout troop how to put on a Broadway musical. Oh, and she grew up in a small farm town called Little Compton, Rhode Island. Human 3,518. Cow 278. General One. Stop Zero. At nineteen, Arden packed her bags with stars in her eyes and landed at ImprovOlympic in Chicago, where for the first time in her life she felt like she finally made sense. After drinking in as much comedy experience (and Sea Breezes) as she could, Arden got her big break when she was cast on an NBC sitcom. She moved to Los Angeles, knowing no one, and quickly realized she had no clue how to be a fully-grown human adult on her own.How do you date someone and not ruin it? How do you interact with people if you have a teeny bit of social anxiety? How do you stand up for yourself if you're a people pleaser? And most of all, how do you start to believe that you are enough?From small town Rhode Island to accidentally kicking Courteney Cox in the face on a soundstage in Hollywood, Arden's hilarious, inspiring, and honest story shows readers how one totally unconventional upbringing might be the very thing one needs to thrive, all while showing up as your most outrageous, authentic self. Shout out to Little Compton!! Woot Woot!!!

Genres: Memoir, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Biography, Biography Memoir, Essays, Humor

272 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2020

Reviews

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm such a big fan of Arden Myrin's... she was my favorite panelist on Chelsea Handler's show, I loved her stalker character in Psych, and she is the best part of Insatiable.

I enjoyed learning about her life and what makes her tick... especially loved the story about when she first started dating her husband. Wish there was more about her acting and stories about being on set though.

Definitely give it a read if you're a fan!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I requested this book because I had become a fan of Myrin's through her Bachelor podcast "Will you Accept this Rose". Don't judge-it's hysterical! Myrin and her comedian friends sit around and joke about The Bachelor. Anyway, enough about the podcast-it's immaterial to whether you will enjoy the book, trust me.
This book is a laugh-out-loud and then wipe your tears away memoir told by Myrin in essay format. Here we learn about her unusual upbringing in the tiny town of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Her parents married on a dare...she was allowed to sleep in and go to school when she felt like it....her dad lived off cake and ran around in his drawers. She uses her comedy to take us through her childhood and the beginning of her career. After the book was done, I wanted to reach out to her and hug her and also to talk to her like she was my BFF. Great, funny authorial voice.
Thanks to NetGalley and Perseus Books, Running Press for the ARC in return for my honest review.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just the medicine I needed to get through this mid-February-approaching-one-year-of-pandemic funk I've been in. Arden Myrin has lived a life that is often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, but always interesting. I nearly binged this book in a single day, giggling aloud to myself on the couch. I wasn't very familiar with her as a performer before reading this, but am so glad I picked up the book after hearing her tell the story of her parents' hasty marriage on a favorite podcast. The sections focusing on her life as a working actor lost a little steam and didn't feel as skillfully crafted, but the first two-thirds of the book are just magic.

[Wendy Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you already love Arden, you will love this book. If you don’t know who she is but love crazy stories, you will love this book and by the end you will love her.

[Joseph Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up knowing nothing about it following Myrin's most recent guest appearance on Doughboys and oh boy, real life is so much more buckwild than fiction.

This book is so rich with life; while many of it's anecdotes are hilarious, it covers the full spectrum of good moments to sad moments to extremely difficult & frightening moments to hopeful moments. 5 Stars

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightfully funny book and a quick read. I wish I had listened it but still enjoyable!

[Nicole Brisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley and Running Press Book publishers for the ARC of this book!
3.75 stars! I love a memoir and this one did not disappoint! I only know Arden from watching Chelsea Lately, but I really enjoyed her stories and getting to know her even more! I do wish the book would have had a little more about her professional work like being on Chelsea Lately, but that’s a minor complaint. Overall I loved the stories she shared and even found myself laughing!

[Rosemary Reeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even if you don't recognize Arden Myrin's name, you've probably seen her on TV. I was halfway through this book when I realized that she played Chelsea, the hilariously persistent and chatty stalker, on "Psych." Respect!

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir. Myrin describes growing up in Little Compton, a seaside town in Rhode Island, with a distant, emotionally abusive father and an amazing mother. There are echoes of "Educated," but this author had a drive toward entertainment, including a childhood predilection for exhibitionism.

The book is funny, tender, and wise, with pragmatic advice about grief, sexual harassment, and how to thrive in a challenging environment.

CW: Some coarse language and adult situations.

Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Arden since she was on Chelsea Lately. Most recently I watched her on the Netflix show Insatiable, in which I also loved her character.
She seems ageless and hysterical. Also, incredibly real. Her story is definitely an unusual one in Hollywood. It is not the “I was unpopular in high school” story that is overplayed. Instead it was just not knowing the life that so many others have lived.

She is funny and sweet and I am SO glad I was able to see she had a book come out via Netgalley.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Arden Myrin's memoir of her life growing up in an in Little Compton with a very unique family. Instead of being down and complaining about her family, she chooses to focus on the positives and how her hometown had an impact on her life. Throughout each essay, Arden uses her comedy background to make light of situations. I also always find it interesting to see how people enter the acting world. Arden's mother made sure that Arden got her college degree before she could go explorer NY or LA. So she interns at comedy clubs, takes as many comedy courses as she can then makes her way to LA. It was a slow process, but Arden succeeded and even became a series regular on a comedy netflix show!

[Alanna J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gobbled this book up! Arden Myrin shares hilarious stories about her life growing up in the 70s/80s and making her way as a comedian and actress. Her comedic voice shines with quippy one liners and had me laughing out loud. However, this is not a superficial book and she also covers hard topics such as being a woman in Hollywood, grief, and self-esteem. I was not familiar with Arden Myrin before picking this book up, but am glad I did.

#LittleMissLittleCompton #NetGalley ARC provided from Net Galley in return for my honest review.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arden Myrin has written a funny, touching memoir of her life growing up in an eccentric family in Little Compton, RI, and her career as a comedienne and actress. Arden was a child of the 70's and 80's, and this book is filled with references to the era. Great read!

[Astrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is basically Educated, but instead of wanting the reader to be disturbed by her family, Arden Myron relishes in the absurdity of her family.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know her. You’ve seen her in MadTV, Working, Shameless, Friends, Grey’s Anatomy, Key and Peele, Insatiable, and The Goldbergs, as well as countless other television shows and movies. She’s that girl, the one you recognize but maybe don’t remember exactly where from. You may not remember her name (Arden Myrin). But you should definitely remember her book, Little Miss Little Compton.

Arden was raised in Little Compton, Rhode Island, as part of the wackiest family you’ve ever heard of. It’s not a surprise she grew up to star in sitcoms. Her childhood could have been a sitcom. Between her parents getting married on a dare, her father aging bologna sandwiches on top of the refrigerator, her brother being addicted to telescopes, and her own predilection for stripping as an elementary school aged kid, all that’s missing is the live studio audience and three cameras.

Little Miss Little Compton follows Arden’s life from childhood through college, from her early days using stand-up comedy to try to break into Hollywood up to her present life of actor, writer, and host of the popular Bachelor superfan podcast , Will You Accept This Rose?

Arden has no compunction to exposing her heartbreaks and mistakes, but what really shines through in these stories is her spunk, her willingness and courage to pivot when things don’t work out, and her inimitable spirit. I have no trouble believing that she went out and made all of her dreams (and some of her nightmares) come true. She’s just that kind of woman.

She’s the kind of woman who lets her friends talk her into cliff diving to have it turn into an embarrassing bathroom emergency. She’s the kind of woman who lives in Zach Galifianakis’ closet during tv’s pilot season to try to get a part on a new television series. She’s the kind of woman who breaks an intimate female body part while doing the Worm.

But she’s also the kind of woman who adopts a kitten with thumbs. She’s the kind of woman who is afraid of stand-up but does it anyway, night after night, as a step towards what she wants. She’s the kind of woman who picks herself up after a disappointment and tries again. She’s the kind of woman whose IMDb page goes on and on with her accomplishments. She’s the kind of woman who will never be a drip.

I picked up Arden Myrin’s book for some funny stories and insider dirt on Hollywood. And those things are there. But more than that, I found a book of positive encouragement and a strong, happy, generous example of a woman who made her own way to Hollywood and found success. Little Miss Little Compton would be a great gift for anyone with aspirations toward comedy fame, but it’s also just a great story of a woman determined to follow her bliss.

Little Miss Little Compton is an inspiration, a call to action, a love letter to family, a collection of great stories, and a true joy to read.

Egalleys for Little Miss Little Compton were provided by Perseus Books, Running Press, through NetGalley, with many thanks.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Miss Little Compton was exactly the hilarious break I needed. I received the ebook and then also bought the Audible version as well. I went back and forth between both. While the book is super funny on its own, the audiobook is AMAZING! Arden Myrin is a natural storyteller and her expressive delivery had me completely captivated. I have to say that I was looking for places to drive just so I could listen to the book. I actually looked forward to school pickups so I could sit with my coffee and listen while I waited. Then I would get home and start reading the physical book.

I’ve already recommended this book to multiple people. If you use reading as an escape, if you want to laugh out loud, if you want to be swept along with hilarious, unbelievable stories - this is the book for you. I HIGHLY recommend you listen to the audiobook if you can, although I’m actually headed to the bookstore today to buy the physical book too. Yes, it’s that funny.

The stories in this book are really unique and quite hilarious but there are also some sweet, emotional moments that really surprised and touched me. I really didn't know about Arden Myrin before reading this book but her style of humor and her attitude toward life really hooked me and I will definitely look into her work. I cannot tell you how many times I googled something from this book ("Arden Myrin's mom", "Arden Myrin's childhood photo", "Arden Myrin's dad", "Arden Myrin on IMDB").

Little Miss Little Compton is the perfect escape from everyday stresses and anxiety. Add this to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I love her and I loved this. You may know @ardenmyrin from Mad TV, Insatiable, a ton of movies, or, how I came to love her, on Chelsea Lately. She’s hilarious and adorable and just completely effervescent.

I love comedic essay memoirs, and this is a great one if you liked Chelsea Handler’s, Sarah Colonna’s, Ali Wong’s, et al. Arden’s has fewer sexcapades, but the ones she describes are doozies. She also lovingly riffs on the small town she grew up in, Little Compton, Rhode Island, and the funny townsfolk (and a town burglar of a surprising species). The book is worth reading for her chapter on horse girls alone.

While it’s obviously a humor book, it is also one of the most touching tributes to a parent I’ve ever read. Her late mother Janet “JJ” Myrin was such an incredible mom and force of nature, and Arden’s depiction of their relationship and of her grieving her mom made me cry so much. 💖

I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook for her comedic delivery.

[Meaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started listening to the audiobook when this was first released in 2020, and I’m so glad I came back to it this week. Arden tells stories that are hilarious and vulnerable in good measure. Her hometown of Little Compton and her family history are delightfully strange place, and she shows throughout the book how this shaped her worldview (and wicked sense of humor!).

I really appreciated the way she unpacked her grief from the death of her father and mother, which had two very different emotional impacts on her. It’s refreshing to hear about a parental relationship that isn’t 100% positive and miraculously healed by a single conversation. And of course, as any long time listener of Will You Accept This Rose will know, her mother Janet - aka JJ - is the real star of this show. This book is a testament to her, and she has to be so proud. I just finished the final chapter/epilogue and I’m still teary over it. I need to get it together and stop being a drip! 😄

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I used to watch Arden Myrin when she sat at the roundtable on E!'s Chelsea Lately, and now I listen to her weekly on her hilarious podcast, Will You Accept This Rose? I have always found her to be completely genuine and relatable, so finally learning more about her family and life in her memoir was a total delight.

Her stories (and accompanying photos) are funny and real, and unlike other celeb memoirs that have actually made me dislike the person, this book makes me want to hang out with Arden even more.

While there are people out there who (sadly) might not be familiar with Myrin or her comedic contributions to television and podcasting, I think those that are will thoroughly love this collection of stories from her life.

[LeAnna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew precious little about Arden Myrin going into this book other than enjoying the majority of her work on 'MadTV'. I did thoroughly enjoy this memoir -- she came across as charming, sweet, gleefully odd, and super relatable. It made me giggle a handful of times out loud. Overall, however, I felt like this felt more like an emotional love letter to her recently departed mother (and rightfully so) than a true memoir. (The humor was silly and wicked but I most enjoyed the endearingly-sweet serious moments like her brief recounting of a #MeToo moment and her time spent with her mother.) I was most surprised that there were only two references to 'MadTV' and they were in passing. Perhaps there was something I was missing, but overall -- I walked away from this memoir finding Arden charming, warm and sweet, even if the memoir was a bit uneven.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC! <3

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've long wanted to be Arden Myrin's friend. From her days on MadTV to her old blog where she would write about a stuffed animal, I've been a fan for awhile. I was delighted to read her memoir, Little Miss Little Compton.

Full of hilarious stories about growing up with parents who were married on a dare, Arden also is able to be honest about her difficult relationship with her father and her closeness with her mother. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I cried at the end, because Arden's grief pool and lessons were exactly what I needed.

This is a fun, quick read for anyone - not just fans of any of Arden's zany characters.

Thanks to netGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Jeremy Konopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arden's book is truly awesome. It's full of so many laughs, of course...you can definitely expect so much comedy and antics. Yet, it also has SO much heart and almost reads like a novel- vividly painting the picture of her upbringing and journey. It will bring light to anyone who reads it and allow them to escape into the mesmerizing, hectic, charming, and uproarious life of a young gal whose journey takes her from a small Rhode Island town (Little Compton!) to comedy stages across the country, movie screens, Netflix, creating a Bachelor podcast, high-jumping cliffs, and drunken, middle-aged, rich parties full of Gin.

Truly, this book is personal and hilarious. It proves Arden to be a down-to-earth woman sharing her life, her path, and her heart with the reader.

[Stephanie (Books in the Freezer)]

I have been listening to Arden's Bachelor podcast Will You Accept This Rose for a few years now. At this point it's the only reason I keep up with the Bachelor franchise at all; listening to episodes really feels like you're hanging out with friends. I enjoyed hearing about Arden's experiences and her small town of Little Compton, Rhode Island. I somehow went from chuckling to myself listening to the audiobook to wiping tears away. I enjoyed hearing her mother JJ's commentary on the podcast and was heartbroken when I heard she had passed. Arden's journey on "grief island" was very vulnerable and the end of the book brought me to tears as she talked about the unexpected loss of her mother so close to her father. Recommend!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I preordered this book because I’ve been a fan of Arden and the Will You Accept This Rose? podcast since its inception, and I finally got around to reading it. I’ll admit it took me a while to get to it because I usually choose fiction over non-fiction, but Arden’s stories are so wild I could not put it down. It’s amazing how many capers she has had! This book is for the most part hilarious, but a few poignant chapters had me tearing up. Arden’s descriptive language and references to pop culture, along with the love for her family and friends that shines on every page, made this memoir a must read.

I hope she writes another book from the perspective of a puka shell wearing, tennis playing, divorcee.

[Peggy Tuttle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter sent me this book and I had no idea who Arden Myrin was but now I'm a huge fan! Still haven't seen her on TV, Netflix, or listened to her podcast but I will soon. I'm a huge fan because her writing is laugh out loud funny, self deprecating but in the kindest way, and her sweetness just spills out onto the reader. If COVID ever gives up and let's us get on with our glorious lives, I hope Arden goes on a book tour and comes close to Missoula, Montana. I want to tell her in person that with this book, she helped me through quarantine, coming out more hopeful, happy, and promising never to be a drip.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arden's charming and humourous book does not require you to be familiar with her work or a fan of her podcast - but it couldn't hurt to check it out either! I loved being transported to Little Compton, RI and learning about her upbringing, juxtaposed with stories of her arrival in the comedy world. I thought I'd heard it all when it comes to dating horror stories at this point, but I laughed out loud at some of her encounters! Since I am a fan of the podcast (Will You Accept this Rose), I read it with her voice in mind. I imagine this would make an excellent audiobook.

Stay horny, my friends!

[Kathleen Dragan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pre-ordered this in February and had no idea how much I’d need the laughs by fall! But don’t we always need a good laugh? And a good cry for that matter? This book is has both. I’m a huge fan of Arden Myrin’s work and delighted to see that her authentic, self-deprecating, and lovably bizarre voice transfers so seamlessly to the written word. Somewhat reminiscent of David Sedaris’ ability to write about the odd people that make up our families, but that we love anyway. Because in the end we’re all just weirdos doing what we can while we’re here to laugh another day.

[Cindy Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a joy!

This book had me laughing and crying, taking screenshots to send my friends to convince them to read, and keeping an eye out for a cat with thumbs! (Seriously, where can I find one?) I’m a huge fan of WYATR so I had to read Arden’s book, and it did not disappoint. It was so touching, especially the parts about JJ. I am fortunate enough to still have both my parents in my life and they’re both absolute gems, but this has been a reminder that I should not take them for granted, and I need to call them more often. This is a great, heartwarming read!

[Jessa Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Publish Date: September 29th 2020


Arden Myrin’s story is told in a heartfelt and hilarious way from her determination to lose her virginity to the time she kicked Monica Geller in the face. She finds the levity in all situations and her section talking about when she lost her mom was especially meaningful while still maintaining the levity. I highly recommend this book!

#netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreview #ardinmyrin #littlemisslittlecompton

[Sunny P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really didn't know much about Arden Myrin, I had seen her pm a few shows here and there. I heard her on a podcast talking about growing up in Little Compton and it sounded fun. It's a light read that, oddly enough, made me want to visit Little Compton of all places.

The book really shines when she discusses grief, which sadly, I can relate to. She does it with grace and humor, and more importantly, without being a drip.

[Mike Medeiros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this based solely on positive buzz by some professionally funny people I like and also that I have spent some time in Little Compton RI over the years (thanks to the amazing family of a late great friend).
It turns out that this was a very enjoyable book of true life tales that was much better than the memoirs of really famous individuals (who in many cases didn't even write the books themselves anyway).