The Dangerous Animals Club

You may not recognize his name, but you’d definitely be able to pick Tobolowsky out of a crowd from his character roles in movies like Groundhog Dog and TV shows like Heroes. Tobolowsky puts his tales into his first book. The result is autobiography told in vignette-style chapters delivered in somewhat chronological order. From his childhood growing up in Texas through studying and teaching acting and theater to his ups and down in love and Hollywood, Tobolowsky recounts stories that are quirky, funny, and sentimental. Whether he is remembering simple pleasures like the joys of chasing snakes as a kid or repeatedly getting kneed in “the nuts” by Bridget Fonda in the film Single White Female, Tobolowsky always ends on an educational or uplifting message—don’t lie on a first date, “one should never underestimate the lasting power of kindness.” Each chapter may not be a star in its own right, but taken together they add up to a curious account of an interesting life. (Aug.)