"Well, well, well, Karen Walker. I thought I smelled gin and regret!"

In My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Leslie Jordan, the diminutive comic actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Karen's nemesis Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace, describes scenes from his life in several dozen funny yet often poignant vignettes. Less a chronological autobiography than a collection of personal essays, the book depicts Jordan's journey from his Tennessee childhood through his show business success, with stops along the way to discuss friendship, religion, sexuality, and addiction. To his credit, Jordan is unflinchingly honest about his struggles, including material – alcoholism, abusive relationships, celebrity crushes, jail time – that many less courageous entertainment figures would probably choose to omit. By the last essay, "My Ministry," the reader gets a picture of Jordan as a man whose courage and character have brought him to a place of peace and self-acceptance. It's rare, perhaps, to call a celebrity memoir inspirational, but Jordan's deserves that adjective. Unlike his fictional rival Karen Walker, in My Trip Down the Pink Carpet Leslie Jordan evinces not the slightest whiff of gin, not the slightest tinge of regret. ( )