The Answer Is . . .: Reflections on My Life

This was an excellent book on the meaning of life, death, illness, appreciation, and living life to the fullest. To Know Alex is to love him and he was a fixture in my home for over 30 years. Loved reading his thoughts on things in life from marriage, bank accounts, to having kids, the meaning of educating yourself, and how to look at life and be grateful for what you have. This was a light and easy read and I felt that as I was reading this, it was being told to me through Alex. This was a gift to me from my late husband and I am glad I finally finished it. If you have a chance to read, I recommend it!❤️

I loved this book and gave it 5 stars because it's written by Alex Trebek, himself. I much prefer to hear directly from him, and he uses a very laidback, casual writing style. So it feels like you're just chatting on the porch with him, listening to his stories and pearls if wisdom. Alex was a hero of mine because he taught me that we're never too old to learn. So when I went through 3 straight years of chemo, I decided to learn some stuff and i got better playing along at home. Then when he announced his illness, he was very open and honest, yet with a positive attitude and tried to encourage others. That's a person I can truly respect and want to hear from.

"Oh, how we all miss Alex Trebek."His "The Answer Is..." is a treasure. Whether you're a fan or not, Trebek's memoir is loving recollection by a man who loved his life, his family, and friends. It's not the traditional biography, but he picks some of the most impactful memories and stories that shaped his life. You can feel the love in every word."The Answer Is..." provides insight into "Trebek the man"...And it's just as you'd expect. What you saw is what you got. He was a gentle, thoughtful, compassionate, generous, intelligent, down-to-earth man who considered himself lucky to be blessed with good fortune and a loving family. You can tell he appreciated everything he had in life.Though I read this book before he passed, you can't help but wish Trebek was still here. He seemed like one of those people who would live forever...and deservedly so. "The Answer Is..." details the life of what every person should strive to attain. Trebek was a class act and a role model. He was simply the best!Highly recommended for all...

I read the book while listening to the audiobook. It was well written with short and sweet chapters each titled in a form of a question. Alex and Ken took turns reading and it was was wonderful hearing Alex’s voice. I have always loved how he spoke so eloquently on Jeopardy. Humble would be the best word to describe him. He has always put others before himself. The last chapter was so hard to listen to Alex read. He will be missed.

I bought this book in the wake of Alex Trebek's death. I have been a fan of the TV show Jeopardy for many years, and like millions of others, I grew up with him as the host. So when I found out that he had written an autobiography, I knew I just had to read it.A lot of people only know Trebek from Jeopardy, and his many Jeopardy related cameos across various forms of media over the years. But the truth was, he had already carved out a career in show business for many years prior to getting the job.While his recollection over his years in entertainment does not disappoint, the truth was that I was hoping to get a better look at who he was personally. Unfortunately this book falls flat on that front.Thankfully, this autobiography is very accessible and easy-to-read. It also left me feeling that he was genuinely an interesting and kind man.Maybe my expectations were too high, but it felt too much like reading the memoir of a guy you met in a pub, and barely know, rather than a true autobiography. Then again, Trebek could have written this during his illness, which could also explain the writing style.Still, I could not help the fact that I was hoping for more.Perhaps it's a testament to the man that he was.

A/A

A very uplifting read. He lived by his own set of standards and never wavered while living them throuhout his very remarkable life.

Who doesn’t think they already know Alex Trebek? If you have watched Jeopardy over the years. you have seen his hair turn gray, then silver. You have seen him with his trademark mustache and without. You have seen him both validate and correct hundreds of contestants on this longest-running game show. So yes, you know Alex Trebek, but until he revealed his cancer diagnosis, most fans never looked beyond the outward appearance of the man that has been invited into our living rooms for 36 years. Now at age 80, he has decided to invite us into his living room, and I feel fortunate to have been given the chance.The memoir is told in an informal style, part chronological, part anecdotal. We learn that the childhood setting of this suave gentleman was a far cry from his current home in Los Angeles. Trebek was born in Canada and still shows great pride in his birthplace. He was the son of Ukrainian immigrants and although relations with his parents were at one time strained, he ultimately made peace with them.Despite the author’s fatal diagnosis, the book is uplifting. Alex Trebek is a man of many interests, great enthusiasm and reservoirs of love and gratitude. Reading his story is a lesson in how to make the most of your life. He will be greatly missed by all who have known him, even if only on TV.

Not much of a big reader. But short chapters keeps you wanting more to read. Overall fantastic book. Really enjoyed it.Short chapters which l loved because l am not a huge reader so this book kept me interested and wanting more.Overall great book and a great person Alex Trebek. RIP

A very novel structure is used by Alex Trebek in this very simply written memoir of a man who headed an incredibly popular television game show. It reflects that game show that he hosted for 36 years of his life. (He and the show are part of my Canadian past; we were avid fans).Throughout one learns about the person, Alex Trebek:humane, self-deprecating, philosophical, humorous, positive, optimistic, realistic and a great lover of life. Always fair - at all times he will introduce the flip side of the coin/a story. Someone imbued with an insatiable quest for knowledge and understanding, shown through his recounting of memories and life’s happenings, his travels and what he believed in.An exceptional human being, albeit he would be the first person to deny that kind of "title".There is no real eloquence to his writing, but that is the charm of his book as well as of the man himself. In many instances it feels like he's right there talking to you, and if that was his goal he achieved it beautifully. Especially considering he never did want to write about himself, yet I guess he gave in to doing so because he didn't want any distortions of his life or who he was.I enjoyed reading his memoir for the sheer simplicity of its style, for the insights he gave into his personality and his life and also for the very different style that he used in reflecting the job he did and held and enjoyed doing with all his soul and being.

Alex Trebek’s autobiography is the antithesis of the usual star write-up. He isn’t Mariah Carey so don’t go into it expecting lots of dirt or shade against other stars. Instead, Alex is a perfectly decent individual who reckons his life has been blessed - and that is what makes “The Answer Is” such a tonic. A man who has values, is humble, loves his family - and has some insightful things to say about his cancer prognosis. Yes, you will cry (I was in tears at the end) but it will also lift your spirits. How many other books can you say that about in 2020. A must-read.

Interesting.

I loved reading this book and getting to know the man better. This is not an autobiography per se, telling a life story from start to finish. It’s story telling that feels as if you’re sitting with him, perhaps having a drink. A series of self-contained tales within a page or two, short stories recounting the events and incidents that influenced his life personally and professionally, real incite into Alex Trebek the person.