Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain

De Rossi, star of such television shows as Ally McBeal and Arrested Development, reads her memoir of life in the spotlight and closet, her struggles to conceal her homosexuality and eating disorder, coping with burgeoning fame, and meeting—and marrying—Ellen DeGeneres. Her voice is girlish, slightly nasal, and clarion; she takes us through her darkest moments with astonishing frankness, allowing shame and vulnerability to creep into her voice. She seems to be confessing rather than merely reading. It's a deeply affecting performance—save for some hammy vocal characterizations. An Atria hardcover. (Nov.)