When beloved and long-time Jeopardy host Alex Trebek let the world know that he had pancreatic cancer, he was somewhat shocked by the outpouring of support he received from his fans. In order to give something to them in return, he penned this memoir. It turns out to be a lovely gift.

The Answer Is ... Reflections on My Life is not a streamlined autobiography, but rather a chronological series of vignettes from Trebek's life. It focuses just on "the highlights," he says.

Trebek was born in northern Ontario to a Ukrainian father and a French-Canadian mother. He became bilingual, speaking both French and English, as he grew up. We follow him through school and into a career of broadcasting: first in Canada, and then in the United States. His experiences with other game and quiz shows offer a trip through television memory lane for all of us, as he names shows like High Rollers that were short-lived and that no longer exist.

Of course, once he gets to Jeopardy, Trebek spends a lot of time talking about the show's production, its schedule, its questions and answers and, of course, its contestants. Trebek understands that we like to see "behind the curtain." Fans may know some of these details, but not all. And we may nod, remembering people and instances, as Trebek recalls them.

The book is set up in a fashion unique. Each chapter starts with one of three well-known phrases from Jeopardy: "What is...," "The answer is..." or "The category is...." Alex and his editors must have had fun working within this pattern.

As usual, I listened to the audiobook on CDs during my commute. This presentation was planned and produced with great thought. Trebek was probably not well enough to read the entire book. He offers the introduction and reads a few chapters, here and there, as he feels it to be appropriate. Otherwise, the bulk of the book is narrated by Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings. The two men prepare the audience whenever they hand over the microphone from one voice to another with banter that is certainly not found in the printed book. And it serves to make the exchange extra special and more intimate for us listeners.

With The Answer Is ..., Alex Trebek gives us simultaneously a heartfelt hello and a gracious goodbye. In addition to sharing highlights of his life and his career, Trebek includes some tenets of his personal philosophies. This is something we may expect to hear from someone nearing the end, who wants to offer their greater wisdom to us. Trebek passed away around the same time that this book was released in 2020. It is as though the universe planned it this way.