The Sane One: A Memoir

Actor and Pen15 cocreator Konkle debuts with a funny and heartbreaking autobiography that centers on her bumpy relationship with her father. Growing up as an only child in New England, Konkle idolized her offbeat dad, Peter, a 7-Eleven HR professional. Peter and Konkle’s mother, Janet, fought frequently, divorcing when Konkle was in seventh grade but remaining in the same home. From there, the memoir grows melancholy, as Konkle parallels her acceptance to NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with Peter’s increasingly antisocial behavior. A shocking confrontation between Konkle and Peter when the author was in her early 20s left the pair estranged for several years, until Peter reemerged to tell Konkle, who had since moved to Los Angeles and entered a steady relationship, that he had health problems, which turned out to be lung cancer. Throughout, Konkle walks a tonal tightrope, blending the cringe comedy that made Pen15 a runaway hit with a more serious-minded humanity that allows her to render Peter in three dimensions and deeply consider the effects of her childhood on her adult life. Elegant prose, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and a tender heart make this a delight even for readers unfamiliar with Konkle’s TV work. Agent: Daniel Greenberg, Levine Greenberg Rostan. (May)