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Search - Devil in the Details : Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
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Devil in the Details : Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood Author: |
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Book Information
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Other Versions of this Book: Hardcover, Audio Cassette (Unabridged), Audio CD (Unabridged)
Book Description:
In the bestselling tradition of Running with Scissors and A Girl Named Zippy, Jennifer Traig tells an unforgettable story of youthful obsession.
When her father found the washing machine crammed with everything from her sneakers to her barrettes, 12-year-old Jennifer Traig had a simple explanation: theyd been tainted by the pork fumes emanating from the kitchen and had to be cleansed. The same fumes compelled Jennifer to meticulously wash her hands for 30 minutes before dinner: All scrubbed in for your big casserolectomy, Dr. Traig? her mother asked. It wasnt long before her familys exasperation made Jennifer realize that her behavior had gone beyond fastidious--in her own eyes, shed gone from quirky girl to raving lunatic.
Jennifers childhood mania was the result of her undiagnosed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder joining forces with her Hebrew studies. While preparing for her bat mitzvah, she was introduced to an entire set of arcane laws and quickly made it her mission to follow them perfectly. Her parents nipped her religious obsession in the bud early on, but as her teen years went by, her natural tendency toward the extreme led her down different paths of adolescent agony and mortification.
Years later, Jennifer remembers these scenes with candor and humor. What emerges is a portrait of a well-meaning girl and her good-natured parents, and a very funny, very sharp look back at growing up.
Books like A Girl Named Zippy, Running with Scissors, and Why Im Like This prove that funny books about extraordinary childhoods can find massive audiences.
When her father found the washing machine crammed with everything from her sneakers to her barrettes, 12-year-old Jennifer Traig had a simple explanation: theyd been tainted by the pork fumes emanating from the kitchen and had to be cleansed. The same fumes compelled Jennifer to meticulously wash her hands for 30 minutes before dinner: All scrubbed in for your big casserolectomy, Dr. Traig? her mother asked. It wasnt long before her familys exasperation made Jennifer realize that her behavior had gone beyond fastidious--in her own eyes, shed gone from quirky girl to raving lunatic.
Jennifers childhood mania was the result of her undiagnosed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder joining forces with her Hebrew studies. While preparing for her bat mitzvah, she was introduced to an entire set of arcane laws and quickly made it her mission to follow them perfectly. Her parents nipped her religious obsession in the bud early on, but as her teen years went by, her natural tendency toward the extreme led her down different paths of adolescent agony and mortification.
Years later, Jennifer remembers these scenes with candor and humor. What emerges is a portrait of a well-meaning girl and her good-natured parents, and a very funny, very sharp look back at growing up.
Books like A Girl Named Zippy, Running with Scissors, and Why Im Like This prove that funny books about extraordinary childhoods can find massive audiences.
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Top Member Book Reviews
L. G. (
10 member(s) found this review helpful.
Man this book was boring! I just couldn't stomach through dozens of pages of religious obsession and self-hatred. Writing style is mediocre, and not all that entertaining. I totally failed to see any humor in it. File it under "overhyped", skip it, and spend your credit on a Haven Kimmel or a Julia Scheers.
Sandra D. (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
OMG, this book was hilarious. This poor girl suffered from OCD from the age of 4. And for years nobody even knew what that was. Thankfully, her family was great. They dealt with her with humor which I'm sure was her salvation. Well, that and eventually meds....She is a great writer and I hope to see more from her.
Candy B. (
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
A friend of mine gave me the most coveted of all gifts (to me anyway)... a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble! Yes! I can go get a nice shiny new book... oh, there's nothing better in the whole wide world! I knew I wanted the new Frank McCourt book, but I wasn't sure what else... then I saw this book. The cover has these perfect rows of M&Ms lined up... I *had* to buy it. It called to me...
I'm glad I did. What a delightful book! It's a memoir of this girl who grew up in the 70s, is Jewish (and decided to be Orthodox no less!) and has OCD. I learned a lot about the Jewish way of life, but even more about OCD. The way the two intertwine is really funny. The author does a wonderful job of portraying herself, her disease and keeping her sense of humor. A great memoir!
Rebecca H. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was cracking up and laughing out loud reading this book. OCD with Judiasm is a deadly combination. Jennifer Traig has an amazing ability to self depricate without seeming bitter. I'm glad she made it through the other side to being successful because her voice humanizes OCD and mental illness.
Libby S. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
A wonderful view of a different sort of child and teenagehood. However, I did find the book a bit disjointed at times which is the only reason I'm not giving it five stars! A great read despite that flaw.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fantastically funny and well-written story of a youth plagued not by garden variety OCD, but by scrupulosity, a more rare form that's possibly more fascinating. She also reflects eloquently on her half-Jewish, half-Catholic upbringing.
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Amazing book. Funny and honest.
Sue C. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
So funny! The author is able to look back and laugh on her struggles with anorexia and OCD. I found it really interesting. Loved it.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Fascinating, bizarre story. Really extreme OCD - hard to believe some of the things she did. But also very funny.
Please Rate these Book Reviews
Liese S. (One of the funniest books I have EVER read! Like a female David Sedaris in that laugh-out-loud, snort-soda-through-your-nose way.
Don't miss this one!
This book is about 250 pages too long. The writing style simply can't sustain the entirety of the novel. It feels more like a transcript of stories told to friends over coffee. Calling this a "memoir" is a loose interpretation of the word. It's more so a selection of self-centered, repetitive stories. And to make matters worse, the stories aren't even really in chronological order. In between chapters, there are these little inserts that I assume are supposed to be funny on various topics, such as how to wash your hands. They get quite obnoxious after the twelfth one, which says that you must wash your hands. If you must get this book, read the first chapter and enjoy it; I did. But know that after the first chapter, it's all just a rehash of the same thing...for 250 more pages.
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