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Review Date: 5/3/2008
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Book of comedic essays with a wide variety of comic scenarios such as “What if Martha Stewart hosted the Last Supper?” “What if Mulder and Scully took on Christmas as an X-Files case?” “What if Rod Serling and Dr. Suess collaborated?” I thought the book was a little uneven " some I thought were funny and others weren't so good. However, I think your familiarity with the “source” material affects whether the reader would like specific scenarios. For example, there was a “What if Phil Rizzuto did Casey at the Bat?” Not being familiar with Phil Rizzuto, I didn't really find this one accessible or amusing. Overall, a quick read that will give you a few laughs."
Review Date: 12/1/2009
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Book Overview
The subtitle for this book is "How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence"and Formed A Deep Bond in the Process." I think this sums it up pretty well as this book is many things"a memoir of Irene Pepperberg and her work with Alex, an exploration of animal intelligence, and a love story between Alex and Irene.
Irene and Alex worked together for 30 years, and, in the process, shattered ideas about what level of communication animals could achieve. Alex was an African Grey parrot and had a brain the size of a shelled walnut. Yet his work with Irene proved he was capable of complex intellectual feats"such as adding, sounding out words and understanding concepts such as bigger, smaller, more, fewer and none. He demonstrated that birds have a capacity for language that is deeper than simple imitation. He also exhibited a sense of humor, playfulness and seemed capable of emotions. Consider his last words to Irene: "You be good. I love you."
The book begins with some background on Irene Pepperberg's formative years"her lonely childhood, her early experiences with pet birds, her scientific background and her eventual decision to pursue human-animal communication as her life's work. Her work with Alex was ground-breaking and often occurred at great personal expense to both Irene and Alex"both financially and emotionally. For much of her career, Irene had to hustle to find lab space, funding and staff support. Multiple moves to different academic environments characterized her early career until her research began getting recognition and financial support. In fact, much of her research happened only because of Irene's own tireless efforts to raise funds for The Alex Foundation, which supported her work when funding and academic positions were scarce.
The bulk of the book documents Irene's work with Alex"descriptions of his training, first-hand glimpses at his multiple breakthroughs, understandable explanations of linguistics and why what Alex was doing was so remarkable. Throughout her research with Alex, Irene always applied scientific methods and approaches. Conscious of the naysayers who criticized the field of human-animal communication, Irene was careful to avoid being too "close" to Alex"rigorously documenting their training and forcing Alex to repeat tasks again and again to ensure her research was scientifically sound.
Yet when Alex died prematurely at the age of 31, Irene succumbed to grief and allowed herself to feel"perhaps for the first time"the full measure of love she had for Alex. With his death, she finally allowed herself to discard the clinical distance she always attempted to maintain with Alex and feel the full wave of her love, respect and grief for him. With this book, Irene is finally able to present the full story of her work with Alex"not just the scientific aspects but the emotional bonds they shared and developed over their long relationship.
My Thoughts
I first came across the story of Alex when I read his obituary in The Economist Book of Obituaries. Alex was the only non-human in the book (and even made the cover). I was intrigued by his obituary, which talked glowingly of Irene's work with Alex. I then saw reviews of this book on several book blogs and knew I had to read it.
This book was wonderful on so many levels. The writing is clear-eyed and accessible, and the descriptions of the training and breakthroughs are down-to-earth and easily understandable. Yet Irene also manages to provide a loving and affectionate look at Alex himself, who the reader comes to know and love during the course of the book. Irene does a brilliant job of explaining just enough so that non-scientific readers understand what was so remarkable about their research together but balances it out with anecdotal stories that make Alex's personality come alive.
Although the book sometimes covers Irene's personal life, she keeps the focus firmly on her work with Alex. In the course of the book, Irene gets married and eventually divorced, but she doesn't spend too much time on these aspects of her life. Most of the personal information is provided simply as a way to explain how she came to her life's work and some of the personal costs involved in her dedication to her work with Alex. I admire Irene for not delving into self-pity as it is clear that she sacrificed much of her life to her work with Alex. She never comes across as sorry for herself or regretful of the high price she may have paid in her personal life.
The book was a fast and enjoyable read, though I can't imagine any reader coming away without being moved and saddened by Alex's early death. (African Greys typically live up to 60 years.) As I read, I kept marking page after page of passages I particularly liked and wanted to share in my review. Here are just a few of them to give you a feel for Irene's writing and the tone of the book.
*****
He'd answered these kinds of questions dozens of times, and yet we still kept asking them, because we needed our statistical sample. You could imagine him thinking, I've already told you that, stupid or simply, This is getting very boring. He was like the bright little kid at school who finds none of the work challenging and so passes the time by making trouble.
Sometimes, however, Alex chose to show his opinion of the boring task at hand by playing with our heads. For instance, we would ask him, "What color key?" and he would give every color in his repertoire, skipping only the correct color. Eventually, he became quite ingenious with this game, having more fun getting us agitated rather than giving us the answers we wanted and he surely knew. We were pretty certain he wasn't making mistakes, because it was statistically near to impossible that he could list all but the correct answer. These observations are not science, but they tell you a lot about what was going on in his head; they tell you a lot about how sophisticated his cognitive processes really were.
*****
By now I had realized he was just messing with my head. I knew he knew the correct answer. "OK, Alex," I said sternly. "You're just going to have to take a time-out." I took him to his room and closed the door.
"Two...two...two...I'm sorry...come here!" Linda and I immediately heard coming from behind Alex's closed door. "Two...come here...two." Linda and I were laughing to the point of tears.
"I guess Alex is fully himself again," I finally was able to say to Linda. "The little rascal!"
*****
After a local television program that featured Alex, someone sent him a toy parrot, one that played songs when you pushed a button. We suspended it over one side of Alex's table, and he completely ignored it.
After about a week, one day he looked intently at the suspended parrot, walked up to it, and said "You tickle." He then bent his head over toward the toy, the way he would to a student, who would then dutifully tickle Alex's neck. Nothing happened, of course. After a few seconds he looked up at the toy, said "You turkey," and stalked off in a huff. The students sometimes said "You turkey" to Alex when he did dumb things. He had apparently learned how to use that stinging epithet without any training.
My Final Recommendation
This is a charming book that was a delight to read. Not only does it provide insight into human-animal communication and animal intelligence, it is also a deeply felt book about the strong bonds that can develop between animals and humans. In addition, you'll learn a bit about linguistics and the travails of being a research scientist. It is hard for me to imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book at some level. And, if you own a parrot, I think this book would be a must read for you."
The subtitle for this book is "How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence"and Formed A Deep Bond in the Process." I think this sums it up pretty well as this book is many things"a memoir of Irene Pepperberg and her work with Alex, an exploration of animal intelligence, and a love story between Alex and Irene.
Irene and Alex worked together for 30 years, and, in the process, shattered ideas about what level of communication animals could achieve. Alex was an African Grey parrot and had a brain the size of a shelled walnut. Yet his work with Irene proved he was capable of complex intellectual feats"such as adding, sounding out words and understanding concepts such as bigger, smaller, more, fewer and none. He demonstrated that birds have a capacity for language that is deeper than simple imitation. He also exhibited a sense of humor, playfulness and seemed capable of emotions. Consider his last words to Irene: "You be good. I love you."
The book begins with some background on Irene Pepperberg's formative years"her lonely childhood, her early experiences with pet birds, her scientific background and her eventual decision to pursue human-animal communication as her life's work. Her work with Alex was ground-breaking and often occurred at great personal expense to both Irene and Alex"both financially and emotionally. For much of her career, Irene had to hustle to find lab space, funding and staff support. Multiple moves to different academic environments characterized her early career until her research began getting recognition and financial support. In fact, much of her research happened only because of Irene's own tireless efforts to raise funds for The Alex Foundation, which supported her work when funding and academic positions were scarce.
The bulk of the book documents Irene's work with Alex"descriptions of his training, first-hand glimpses at his multiple breakthroughs, understandable explanations of linguistics and why what Alex was doing was so remarkable. Throughout her research with Alex, Irene always applied scientific methods and approaches. Conscious of the naysayers who criticized the field of human-animal communication, Irene was careful to avoid being too "close" to Alex"rigorously documenting their training and forcing Alex to repeat tasks again and again to ensure her research was scientifically sound.
Yet when Alex died prematurely at the age of 31, Irene succumbed to grief and allowed herself to feel"perhaps for the first time"the full measure of love she had for Alex. With his death, she finally allowed herself to discard the clinical distance she always attempted to maintain with Alex and feel the full wave of her love, respect and grief for him. With this book, Irene is finally able to present the full story of her work with Alex"not just the scientific aspects but the emotional bonds they shared and developed over their long relationship.
My Thoughts
I first came across the story of Alex when I read his obituary in The Economist Book of Obituaries. Alex was the only non-human in the book (and even made the cover). I was intrigued by his obituary, which talked glowingly of Irene's work with Alex. I then saw reviews of this book on several book blogs and knew I had to read it.
This book was wonderful on so many levels. The writing is clear-eyed and accessible, and the descriptions of the training and breakthroughs are down-to-earth and easily understandable. Yet Irene also manages to provide a loving and affectionate look at Alex himself, who the reader comes to know and love during the course of the book. Irene does a brilliant job of explaining just enough so that non-scientific readers understand what was so remarkable about their research together but balances it out with anecdotal stories that make Alex's personality come alive.
Although the book sometimes covers Irene's personal life, she keeps the focus firmly on her work with Alex. In the course of the book, Irene gets married and eventually divorced, but she doesn't spend too much time on these aspects of her life. Most of the personal information is provided simply as a way to explain how she came to her life's work and some of the personal costs involved in her dedication to her work with Alex. I admire Irene for not delving into self-pity as it is clear that she sacrificed much of her life to her work with Alex. She never comes across as sorry for herself or regretful of the high price she may have paid in her personal life.
The book was a fast and enjoyable read, though I can't imagine any reader coming away without being moved and saddened by Alex's early death. (African Greys typically live up to 60 years.) As I read, I kept marking page after page of passages I particularly liked and wanted to share in my review. Here are just a few of them to give you a feel for Irene's writing and the tone of the book.
*****
He'd answered these kinds of questions dozens of times, and yet we still kept asking them, because we needed our statistical sample. You could imagine him thinking, I've already told you that, stupid or simply, This is getting very boring. He was like the bright little kid at school who finds none of the work challenging and so passes the time by making trouble.
Sometimes, however, Alex chose to show his opinion of the boring task at hand by playing with our heads. For instance, we would ask him, "What color key?" and he would give every color in his repertoire, skipping only the correct color. Eventually, he became quite ingenious with this game, having more fun getting us agitated rather than giving us the answers we wanted and he surely knew. We were pretty certain he wasn't making mistakes, because it was statistically near to impossible that he could list all but the correct answer. These observations are not science, but they tell you a lot about what was going on in his head; they tell you a lot about how sophisticated his cognitive processes really were.
*****
By now I had realized he was just messing with my head. I knew he knew the correct answer. "OK, Alex," I said sternly. "You're just going to have to take a time-out." I took him to his room and closed the door.
"Two...two...two...I'm sorry...come here!" Linda and I immediately heard coming from behind Alex's closed door. "Two...come here...two." Linda and I were laughing to the point of tears.
"I guess Alex is fully himself again," I finally was able to say to Linda. "The little rascal!"
*****
After a local television program that featured Alex, someone sent him a toy parrot, one that played songs when you pushed a button. We suspended it over one side of Alex's table, and he completely ignored it.
After about a week, one day he looked intently at the suspended parrot, walked up to it, and said "You tickle." He then bent his head over toward the toy, the way he would to a student, who would then dutifully tickle Alex's neck. Nothing happened, of course. After a few seconds he looked up at the toy, said "You turkey," and stalked off in a huff. The students sometimes said "You turkey" to Alex when he did dumb things. He had apparently learned how to use that stinging epithet without any training.
My Final Recommendation
This is a charming book that was a delight to read. Not only does it provide insight into human-animal communication and animal intelligence, it is also a deeply felt book about the strong bonds that can develop between animals and humans. In addition, you'll learn a bit about linguistics and the travails of being a research scientist. It is hard for me to imagine anyone who wouldn't enjoy this book at some level. And, if you own a parrot, I think this book would be a must read for you."
Review Date: 3/17/2007
"This was a pretty good mystery that keeps you guessing who the real killer/killers might be. I enjoyed reading it and plan to look for more of her books."
Review Date: 3/28/2008
"Another wonderful book by Anne Tyler. I just love how she creates such vivid characters and moves from different points of view so effortlessly. This book spans the “amateur marriage” of Michael and Pauline. The story of their family--particularly Lindy--was interesting and involving."
Review Date: 5/29/2009
"Story Overview
On Prince Edward Island in the little town of Avonlea, brother and sister Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert decide to adopt a young boy to help out around their farm. Both are getting older and know they'll need some help to keep the farm going. They send word to a local woman who is going to the orphanage to bring them home an 11-year-old boy. But when Matthew goes to the train station to pick up the boy, he is surprised to find a young girl -- Anne Shirley.
Shy and tongue-tied around others, Matthew reluctantly agrees to take Anne home until the mix-up can be sorted out. But on the ride home, Anne charms Matthew with her imagination, vivacity and view of the world. By the time they reach the Cuthbert house at Green Gables, he is convinced he wants Anne to stay with them. His sister, Marilla, is not so sure -- but after a few days -- she too falls under Anne's spell and the little orphan girl finds a home in Green Gables.
The book focuses on Anne's coming of age at Green Gables -- her problems with her flaming red hair, her big imagination, her dreaminess and the various escapades and problems caused by all of these aspects of her personality. She finds a "bosom friend" in her neighbor Diana and flourishes at the local school -- except for her long-standing rivalry with Gilbert Blythe (who dared to call her "Carrots" one time.) The book follows Anne until her entry into the Queen's school and eventual return home to Green Gables.
My Thoughts
What can I say? This book was so charming and delightful! I cannot imagine a reader who would not fall in love with Anne -- it is no surprise that all of Avonlea falls under her spell! I know this is considered a children's book, and I wish I had read it when I was Anne's age -- I know I would have just adored her and modeled myself after her!
The writing is just delightful, and Anne's frequent monologues are just so charming. She is the type of person who is so full of life, zest and (most of all) IMAGINATION that you feel yourself drawn to her -- just like Matthew and Marilla. I love that she hates her red hair and freckles, frets about not having puffs on her sleeves, and daydreams while she is supposed to be doing chores. Anne is so relatable and down-to-earth that even a modern day girl could relate to her. After all, what tween girl doesn't fret about the physical attributes that make them different, wish for clothes of the latest fashion and spend inordinate amount of times daydreaming?
The other charm of the book was Anne's love of nature and her constant ecstasy at the beauty around her. I've never been to Prince Edward Island (located in Canada) but the descriptions in the book make it sound like an idyllic and enchanted place. (Of course, Anne could make anything sound amazing and better than life.)
My Final Recommendation
Anne of Green Gables definitely deserves its place as a classic of children's literature. I am so glad I took the time to read it, and I would recommend it unreservedly to a reader looking for a charming and delightful book that hearkens back to a simpler time and space. And if you have a young girl in your life with literary tendencies, I think this would make a wonderful gift! I wish I'd gotten it when I was young!
"
On Prince Edward Island in the little town of Avonlea, brother and sister Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert decide to adopt a young boy to help out around their farm. Both are getting older and know they'll need some help to keep the farm going. They send word to a local woman who is going to the orphanage to bring them home an 11-year-old boy. But when Matthew goes to the train station to pick up the boy, he is surprised to find a young girl -- Anne Shirley.
Shy and tongue-tied around others, Matthew reluctantly agrees to take Anne home until the mix-up can be sorted out. But on the ride home, Anne charms Matthew with her imagination, vivacity and view of the world. By the time they reach the Cuthbert house at Green Gables, he is convinced he wants Anne to stay with them. His sister, Marilla, is not so sure -- but after a few days -- she too falls under Anne's spell and the little orphan girl finds a home in Green Gables.
The book focuses on Anne's coming of age at Green Gables -- her problems with her flaming red hair, her big imagination, her dreaminess and the various escapades and problems caused by all of these aspects of her personality. She finds a "bosom friend" in her neighbor Diana and flourishes at the local school -- except for her long-standing rivalry with Gilbert Blythe (who dared to call her "Carrots" one time.) The book follows Anne until her entry into the Queen's school and eventual return home to Green Gables.
My Thoughts
What can I say? This book was so charming and delightful! I cannot imagine a reader who would not fall in love with Anne -- it is no surprise that all of Avonlea falls under her spell! I know this is considered a children's book, and I wish I had read it when I was Anne's age -- I know I would have just adored her and modeled myself after her!
The writing is just delightful, and Anne's frequent monologues are just so charming. She is the type of person who is so full of life, zest and (most of all) IMAGINATION that you feel yourself drawn to her -- just like Matthew and Marilla. I love that she hates her red hair and freckles, frets about not having puffs on her sleeves, and daydreams while she is supposed to be doing chores. Anne is so relatable and down-to-earth that even a modern day girl could relate to her. After all, what tween girl doesn't fret about the physical attributes that make them different, wish for clothes of the latest fashion and spend inordinate amount of times daydreaming?
The other charm of the book was Anne's love of nature and her constant ecstasy at the beauty around her. I've never been to Prince Edward Island (located in Canada) but the descriptions in the book make it sound like an idyllic and enchanted place. (Of course, Anne could make anything sound amazing and better than life.)
My Final Recommendation
Anne of Green Gables definitely deserves its place as a classic of children's literature. I am so glad I took the time to read it, and I would recommend it unreservedly to a reader looking for a charming and delightful book that hearkens back to a simpler time and space. And if you have a young girl in your life with literary tendencies, I think this would make a wonderful gift! I wish I'd gotten it when I was young!
"
Bad Mother: A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities, and Occasional Moments of Grace
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
21
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
21
Review Date: 3/25/2010
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Overview
Subtitled "A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace," Bad Mother is a warts-and-all look at Waldman's experiences as a mother. (She has four children.) These types of books are like catnip to me. What mother doesn't want to learn that she is not alone in her misgivings about her mothering skills?
Waldman writes openly and honestly about a wide variety of topics, including:
* pursuing a career versus staying at home (Waldman gave up a high-powered career as a lawyer to stay-at-home ... only to find herself often bored out of her mind! HAHA! Don't I know it!)
* balancing household chores and sex roles with your partner (Can we ever really break through the "this is woman's work" and "this is men's work"?)
* breast-feeding (more on this below)
* judging other mothers (more on this below)
* the mother-son relationship and how it affects the relationship with your mother-in-law (I still don't quite measure up to how my husband's mom used to take care of him ... especially when he is sick.)
* dealing with your children's homework (where do you draw the line?)
* projecting your own fears and hopes on your children (Waldman writes about her outrage and subsequent attempt to ban dodgeball in her children's gym class ... but her children loved it. She was fighting a fight from her own childhood.)
* dealing with daughters and sex issues (Waldman explores her own sexual history ... and how she hopes her daughters don't make the same choices she did.)
* having an abortion for a child who might be born with genetic defects (This chapter, entitled "Rocketship," is easily the most heart-breaking and difficult to read.)
* arguing in front of your kids (They are listening ... don't fool yourself that they are not.)
* how honest to be with your kids (Just how do you handle the sex/drug talk if you want to be totally honest about your past but impart a "do as a I say, not as I did" message?)
* being a different mom for different kids (In other words, how she wasn't the same mother she was for her first-born as for her last-born.)
* handing down a genetic legacy to your children that is less than perfect (Waldman writes about her own bipolar disorder and fear of passing it to her children.)
* parenting a child who might be gay (This felt like the least genuine chapter to me; it felt more like a political essay than a personal one.)
* baby lust (Those tiny baby feet will get you every time!)
* wanting to protect your children from the ugliness of the world (This is an issue that Mr. Jenners and I struggle with. There is a fine line between keeping your children safe and making them "street savvy" and scaring them into thinking the world is an unsafe, bad place.)
* managing your expectations/hopes/dreams for your children. (I struggle with this every day, and I imagine it is only going to get worse.)
As you can see, the book ranges over a wide variety of topics and delves into some deep and emotional issues. I admire Waldman's honesty and directness. She really put herself out there with this book. I suspect that if you don't share Waldman's basic worldview (liberal), you might not care for much of what she has to say or appreciate where she is coming from in life. Yet I think most mothers would find some area of common ground with Waldman, and I think her message of "let's all be gentler with ourselves and one another" is one we should all take to heart.
Structurally, the book is divided into 18 different chapters, with each one functioning as a stand-alone essay. Most of the essays are very personal and specific to Waldman's life and background; yet I think she has a knack for making her personal experiences relatable.
My Final Recommendation
This is a thought-provoking and honest look at motherhood that will give readers lots to think about. Waldman doesn't hold back anything, and I appreciated her candidness and openness. I've read a few books on motherhood, and I found this to be one of the most provocative. The writing is good (even if she does tend to meander a little bit), and she has a very conversational writing style. She is often funny and flippant, which balances out the more emotional moments. If this is a topic of interest to you, I would categorize it as a "must read." However, Waldman's views come from a more liberal, feminist angle so if this doesn't mesh with your worldview, this book might not be the best choice for you. I'm giving it 4 stars."
Subtitled "A Chronicle of Maternal Crimes, Minor Calamities and Occasional Moments of Grace," Bad Mother is a warts-and-all look at Waldman's experiences as a mother. (She has four children.) These types of books are like catnip to me. What mother doesn't want to learn that she is not alone in her misgivings about her mothering skills?
Waldman writes openly and honestly about a wide variety of topics, including:
* pursuing a career versus staying at home (Waldman gave up a high-powered career as a lawyer to stay-at-home ... only to find herself often bored out of her mind! HAHA! Don't I know it!)
* balancing household chores and sex roles with your partner (Can we ever really break through the "this is woman's work" and "this is men's work"?)
* breast-feeding (more on this below)
* judging other mothers (more on this below)
* the mother-son relationship and how it affects the relationship with your mother-in-law (I still don't quite measure up to how my husband's mom used to take care of him ... especially when he is sick.)
* dealing with your children's homework (where do you draw the line?)
* projecting your own fears and hopes on your children (Waldman writes about her outrage and subsequent attempt to ban dodgeball in her children's gym class ... but her children loved it. She was fighting a fight from her own childhood.)
* dealing with daughters and sex issues (Waldman explores her own sexual history ... and how she hopes her daughters don't make the same choices she did.)
* having an abortion for a child who might be born with genetic defects (This chapter, entitled "Rocketship," is easily the most heart-breaking and difficult to read.)
* arguing in front of your kids (They are listening ... don't fool yourself that they are not.)
* how honest to be with your kids (Just how do you handle the sex/drug talk if you want to be totally honest about your past but impart a "do as a I say, not as I did" message?)
* being a different mom for different kids (In other words, how she wasn't the same mother she was for her first-born as for her last-born.)
* handing down a genetic legacy to your children that is less than perfect (Waldman writes about her own bipolar disorder and fear of passing it to her children.)
* parenting a child who might be gay (This felt like the least genuine chapter to me; it felt more like a political essay than a personal one.)
* baby lust (Those tiny baby feet will get you every time!)
* wanting to protect your children from the ugliness of the world (This is an issue that Mr. Jenners and I struggle with. There is a fine line between keeping your children safe and making them "street savvy" and scaring them into thinking the world is an unsafe, bad place.)
* managing your expectations/hopes/dreams for your children. (I struggle with this every day, and I imagine it is only going to get worse.)
As you can see, the book ranges over a wide variety of topics and delves into some deep and emotional issues. I admire Waldman's honesty and directness. She really put herself out there with this book. I suspect that if you don't share Waldman's basic worldview (liberal), you might not care for much of what she has to say or appreciate where she is coming from in life. Yet I think most mothers would find some area of common ground with Waldman, and I think her message of "let's all be gentler with ourselves and one another" is one we should all take to heart.
Structurally, the book is divided into 18 different chapters, with each one functioning as a stand-alone essay. Most of the essays are very personal and specific to Waldman's life and background; yet I think she has a knack for making her personal experiences relatable.
My Final Recommendation
This is a thought-provoking and honest look at motherhood that will give readers lots to think about. Waldman doesn't hold back anything, and I appreciated her candidness and openness. I've read a few books on motherhood, and I found this to be one of the most provocative. The writing is good (even if she does tend to meander a little bit), and she has a very conversational writing style. She is often funny and flippant, which balances out the more emotional moments. If this is a topic of interest to you, I would categorize it as a "must read." However, Waldman's views come from a more liberal, feminist angle so if this doesn't mesh with your worldview, this book might not be the best choice for you. I'm giving it 4 stars."
Review Date: 5/14/2010
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
"2 words that describe the book: Crazy-ass thriller
3 settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: Modern-day New York City
* Dr. Peter Brown--An intern at Manhattan's worst hospital (and this is by no means exaggerated), Dr. Peter Brown is not all that he appears to be. In fact, Dr. Brown is actually Pietro "Bearclaw" Brnwa, a former hit man for the mob and currently in the Witness Protection Program. One morning at work, his past life catches up with him, plunging him into one, long crazy day.
* Adam "Skinflick" Locano--The son of a mob lawyer whose friendship with Dr. Brown introduces him to his life as a mob hit man, Skinflick is one of Pietro/Peter's best friends ... until Skinflick starts to get a little out of control and some bad stuff goes down between them and they end up trying to kill each other in ways I'm sure you could not even imagine until you read the book.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I disliked that when I first read the book, I took it way too seriously. This is a book that you take with a giant grain of salt and just hop on, strap in, and ride out into Unbelievable Actionville. This book is not a realistic portrayal of modern medicine, the Witness Protection Program, mob life or anything else. It is a crazy, relentless, fast-moving thriller that just has fun with all of these things in a twisted way.
* I liked how Bazell just one-ups himself with nutso exploits for Dr. Brown. Whether evading sharks or fashioning a weapon from his own body (so gross!!!), Dr. Brown has some over-the-top exploits that will make you laugh, gasp or vomit ... depending on what kind of person you are.
* I liked how Bazell built suspense during a surgery scene where Dr. Brown is assisting with the surgery but falling asleep during the procedure but trying to hide it. I pray to God I never get operated on by Drs. Brown and Friendly. My chances of survival would be .0000001% to nil, I suspect.
* I disliked how Bazell was so uncreative with the cursing. Dr. Brown is a liberal user of the f-word (I swear at times it was appearing at least three times per page). I really felt this became too one note. Surely Bazell could have used his considerable imagination to come up with some more creative foul language. If you ever watched The Sopranos, you know just how hilariously funny good Mob cursing can be.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I'm giving the book 3.5 stars. Although I initially didn't like the book all that much, in retrospect I realize my overly glum and persnickety mood may have accounted for my initial reaction. I repeat: DO NOT TAKE THIS BOOK SERIOUSLY. Bazell just goes nuts imagining scenarios for Dr. Brown and the crazy action scenes are what this book is about. Like I said, this is a thrill ride of a book, and I bet big money it will made into a movie someday, probably directed by Quentin Tarantino (who would have a field day with this). And I suspect it would be a book that reluctant readers of the male gender would enjoy immensely."
3 settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: Modern-day New York City
* Dr. Peter Brown--An intern at Manhattan's worst hospital (and this is by no means exaggerated), Dr. Peter Brown is not all that he appears to be. In fact, Dr. Brown is actually Pietro "Bearclaw" Brnwa, a former hit man for the mob and currently in the Witness Protection Program. One morning at work, his past life catches up with him, plunging him into one, long crazy day.
* Adam "Skinflick" Locano--The son of a mob lawyer whose friendship with Dr. Brown introduces him to his life as a mob hit man, Skinflick is one of Pietro/Peter's best friends ... until Skinflick starts to get a little out of control and some bad stuff goes down between them and they end up trying to kill each other in ways I'm sure you could not even imagine until you read the book.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I disliked that when I first read the book, I took it way too seriously. This is a book that you take with a giant grain of salt and just hop on, strap in, and ride out into Unbelievable Actionville. This book is not a realistic portrayal of modern medicine, the Witness Protection Program, mob life or anything else. It is a crazy, relentless, fast-moving thriller that just has fun with all of these things in a twisted way.
* I liked how Bazell just one-ups himself with nutso exploits for Dr. Brown. Whether evading sharks or fashioning a weapon from his own body (so gross!!!), Dr. Brown has some over-the-top exploits that will make you laugh, gasp or vomit ... depending on what kind of person you are.
* I liked how Bazell built suspense during a surgery scene where Dr. Brown is assisting with the surgery but falling asleep during the procedure but trying to hide it. I pray to God I never get operated on by Drs. Brown and Friendly. My chances of survival would be .0000001% to nil, I suspect.
* I disliked how Bazell was so uncreative with the cursing. Dr. Brown is a liberal user of the f-word (I swear at times it was appearing at least three times per page). I really felt this became too one note. Surely Bazell could have used his considerable imagination to come up with some more creative foul language. If you ever watched The Sopranos, you know just how hilariously funny good Mob cursing can be.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I'm giving the book 3.5 stars. Although I initially didn't like the book all that much, in retrospect I realize my overly glum and persnickety mood may have accounted for my initial reaction. I repeat: DO NOT TAKE THIS BOOK SERIOUSLY. Bazell just goes nuts imagining scenarios for Dr. Brown and the crazy action scenes are what this book is about. Like I said, this is a thrill ride of a book, and I bet big money it will made into a movie someday, probably directed by Quentin Tarantino (who would have a field day with this). And I suspect it would be a book that reluctant readers of the male gender would enjoy immensely."
Review Date: 5/25/2010
"Settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: Philadelphia suburbs, modern day
* Cornelia Brown just moved to a new neighborhood (her hottie husband Teo is a oncologist at a nearby Philadelphia hospital) and finding it challenging to make female friends. Her prickly neighbor Piper Truitt doesn't exactly help; she is the Queen Bee of the neighborhood and finds Cornelia appalling. But when Cornelia meets Lake--a single mother and waitress at a local restaurant--they become instant friends ... but Lake seems to have two sides to her that Cornelia has difficulty reconciling.
* Dev Tremain is Lake's only son, and their devotion to each other knows no bounds. So when Dev's intelligence gets him in trouble at his California high school, Lake packs them up and moves to the Philadelphia suburbs so Dev can attend a school for gifted students. But Dev is suspicious of Lake's motives and begins to think the move might have something to do with his father (who his mother refuses to discuss). So Dev begins his own search for his father, which takes some unexpected turns. Along the way, he experiences the joys and confusion of first love when he meets Clare (a special friend of Cornelia and Teo) who has had her own parental problems.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I liked how de los Santos gives Piper her own full and rich story line that makes this initially unlikable character a fully realized and complex woman. Like Cornelia, I came to love Piper, and I found her story very affecting and emotional. (Tissue Alert! Piper is dealing with the loss of her best friend Elizabeth to breast cancer and the breakdown of her marriage. More than once I got a bit teary reading this story line so you've been warned.)
* I liked how Dev is this whip smart kid who thinks about Darwin in his spare time but is just another bumbling, awkward teenager when he meets Clare and begins to have feelings for her. I thought de los Santos did a wonderful job of capturing those awkward, exhilarating and painful feelings that come with first love.
* I liked de los Santos's writing. The chapters alternate between Cornelia, Dev and Piper, and I thought de los Santos captured each character's unique voice. I especially enjoyed Cornelia and would totally be friends with her.
* I liked how the cover of the book doesn't make sense until the very end of the book. I first picked this book up because of the attractive cover, but then let it sit for awhile. Throughout the book, I was bothered that the cover seemed to have NOTHING to do with the story, so I was pleased (and impressed) when the cover made perfect sense when I was done.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I'm giving the book 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it wholeheartedly. Marisa de los Santos is a talented writer (this is only her second book), and I appreciate how she wasn't afraid to complicate things for her characters and give them lives that were complex and troubled (just like real life). It is such a pleasure when you "discover" a new author who excites you and makes you want more. (In fact, de los Santos reminds me quite a bit of one of my other favorite writers Lolly Winston ... who hasn't written nearly enough books in my opinion. If you haven't read them, I highly recommend Winston's books Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately.)
My only complaint is that I didn't realize Belong to Me was a follow-up to de los Santos's first book, Love Walked In (which I believe deals with how Cornelia and Clare meet). I would have preferred to read them in order (although it doesn't affect your understanding or enjoyment of this book). I will definitely be reading Love Walked In and will make a spot for Marisa de los Santos's next book when it comes out."
* Setting: Philadelphia suburbs, modern day
* Cornelia Brown just moved to a new neighborhood (her hottie husband Teo is a oncologist at a nearby Philadelphia hospital) and finding it challenging to make female friends. Her prickly neighbor Piper Truitt doesn't exactly help; she is the Queen Bee of the neighborhood and finds Cornelia appalling. But when Cornelia meets Lake--a single mother and waitress at a local restaurant--they become instant friends ... but Lake seems to have two sides to her that Cornelia has difficulty reconciling.
* Dev Tremain is Lake's only son, and their devotion to each other knows no bounds. So when Dev's intelligence gets him in trouble at his California high school, Lake packs them up and moves to the Philadelphia suburbs so Dev can attend a school for gifted students. But Dev is suspicious of Lake's motives and begins to think the move might have something to do with his father (who his mother refuses to discuss). So Dev begins his own search for his father, which takes some unexpected turns. Along the way, he experiences the joys and confusion of first love when he meets Clare (a special friend of Cornelia and Teo) who has had her own parental problems.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I liked how de los Santos gives Piper her own full and rich story line that makes this initially unlikable character a fully realized and complex woman. Like Cornelia, I came to love Piper, and I found her story very affecting and emotional. (Tissue Alert! Piper is dealing with the loss of her best friend Elizabeth to breast cancer and the breakdown of her marriage. More than once I got a bit teary reading this story line so you've been warned.)
* I liked how Dev is this whip smart kid who thinks about Darwin in his spare time but is just another bumbling, awkward teenager when he meets Clare and begins to have feelings for her. I thought de los Santos did a wonderful job of capturing those awkward, exhilarating and painful feelings that come with first love.
* I liked de los Santos's writing. The chapters alternate between Cornelia, Dev and Piper, and I thought de los Santos captured each character's unique voice. I especially enjoyed Cornelia and would totally be friends with her.
* I liked how the cover of the book doesn't make sense until the very end of the book. I first picked this book up because of the attractive cover, but then let it sit for awhile. Throughout the book, I was bothered that the cover seemed to have NOTHING to do with the story, so I was pleased (and impressed) when the cover made perfect sense when I was done.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I'm giving the book 4 stars. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it wholeheartedly. Marisa de los Santos is a talented writer (this is only her second book), and I appreciate how she wasn't afraid to complicate things for her characters and give them lives that were complex and troubled (just like real life). It is such a pleasure when you "discover" a new author who excites you and makes you want more. (In fact, de los Santos reminds me quite a bit of one of my other favorite writers Lolly Winston ... who hasn't written nearly enough books in my opinion. If you haven't read them, I highly recommend Winston's books Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately.)
My only complaint is that I didn't realize Belong to Me was a follow-up to de los Santos's first book, Love Walked In (which I believe deals with how Cornelia and Clare meet). I would have preferred to read them in order (although it doesn't affect your understanding or enjoyment of this book). I will definitely be reading Love Walked In and will make a spot for Marisa de los Santos's next book when it comes out."
Review Date: 2/5/2008
7 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Although I read the whole book, I didn't really “get into it.” (I have a hard time leaving books unread even if I don't really like them.) There just wasn't enough depth to any of the characters…they seemed so two-dimensional. Although the book is supposed to be about the staying power of women's friendships, my thoughts are that Sally and Clare are friends because no one else would really like them."
Review Date: 5/29/2009
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Story Overview
On the surface, Lisa Barkley seems to have it all -- a husband who was her college sweetheart, two lovely daughters, a high-powered PR job, a residence in Manhattan, and a best friend she's had since college. But Lisa's life isn't as perfect as it may seem on the outside.
* She is beginning to suspect her husband Sam might be having an affair -- and the distance that has been growing between them seems insurmountable. In addition, she is startled to find herself feeling attracted to another man.
* Her daughters are pulling away from her -- seemingly embarrassed to be seen with her.
* Her job hangs in the balance when her company is sold to another PR firm -- and the new vice president seems hell bent on making Lisa's life miserable.
* The financial pressures of living in Manhattan and sending her daughters to an expensive private school are taking a toll on the Barkley finances -- but neither Sam or Lisa can talk together about the financial pressures they face.
* Her best friend Deirdre is in a volatile relationship with Ben -- a dashing photographer who won't commit to her and sometimes leaves her with bruises.
When Jack -- an old college friend of Lisa, Sam and Deirdre -- comes to town for a reunion dinner, it seems like things in Lisa's life start to unravel all at the same time -- Sam's distance, job pressures, financial pressures, pressures to fit in at her daughters' school, and Deirdre's toying with both Jack and Ben. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, it does -- Deirdre is found murdered in her apartment and no one (including Lisa) has an alibi. Driven to find out what happened to her best friend and put her life back together, Lisa must face the truth about herself, her husband, her friends and best friend -- no matter how painful it might be.
My Thoughts
When I was contacted about reading and reviewing this book, I was expecting a run-of-the-mill murder mystery. Now there is nothing wrong with murder mysteries. I certainly enjoy them from time to time. But I often find them to be a bit formulaic. But this one sounded a bit different from the norm, and the setting of Manhattan was intriguing so I said "Yes...please send me a copy."
I was thrilled to find out that this book WAS NOT your standard murder mystery. Lisa's character and the stresses of her life are very well-developed. In fact, the murder doesn't happen until about two-thirds of the way through the book -- giving you plenty of time to get to know all the characters and the stresses of Lisa's life. For me, this made for a better-than-average mystery. I always like when an author takes the time to develop the characters rather than just focusing on the "who done it" or procedural aspects. In fact, I think the author could have skipped the whole murder part of it and still had a wonderful book about marriage, friendship, and the pressures of being a working mom. I really don't think the book would have suffered at all had Deirdre lived.
I also like the little details the author works into the book that give it a ring of authenticity. For example, here is a passage from when Lisa's husband is looking for some mittens for one of their daughters:
It occurs to me that he is not really asking for their likeliest location but prompting me to find them for him. I consider telling him to look for them himself but I don't. The first attempt at ferreting out last winter's accessories from the jumble of mismatched gloves, hats and scarves is an iffy proposition at best, especially for one with little experience in this type of archaeological dig.
I don't know about you, but I very much related to this passage -- finding gloves for the first time in a winter is a task best left up to Mom!
The other aspect of the book I liked was the setting of Manhattan. My family likes to visit New York City, and it was kind of fun to read about the Barkley's life in the city and recognize some of the places where we had been on visits. Also, the sections where Lisa feels outclassed and intimidated by the mothers at her daughters' elite private school were fascinating to me. It felt like getting a glimpse at secret society from an outsider's perspective -- kind of like falling into The Nanny Diaries but from a working mom's point-of-view.
My Final Recommendation
This was a good read, and I would recommend it. If you are looking for a "by the books" procedural-type murder mystery, this might not be a good fit for you. To me, this was really more of a character-driven novel that just happens to have a murder in it."
On the surface, Lisa Barkley seems to have it all -- a husband who was her college sweetheart, two lovely daughters, a high-powered PR job, a residence in Manhattan, and a best friend she's had since college. But Lisa's life isn't as perfect as it may seem on the outside.
* She is beginning to suspect her husband Sam might be having an affair -- and the distance that has been growing between them seems insurmountable. In addition, she is startled to find herself feeling attracted to another man.
* Her daughters are pulling away from her -- seemingly embarrassed to be seen with her.
* Her job hangs in the balance when her company is sold to another PR firm -- and the new vice president seems hell bent on making Lisa's life miserable.
* The financial pressures of living in Manhattan and sending her daughters to an expensive private school are taking a toll on the Barkley finances -- but neither Sam or Lisa can talk together about the financial pressures they face.
* Her best friend Deirdre is in a volatile relationship with Ben -- a dashing photographer who won't commit to her and sometimes leaves her with bruises.
When Jack -- an old college friend of Lisa, Sam and Deirdre -- comes to town for a reunion dinner, it seems like things in Lisa's life start to unravel all at the same time -- Sam's distance, job pressures, financial pressures, pressures to fit in at her daughters' school, and Deirdre's toying with both Jack and Ben. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, it does -- Deirdre is found murdered in her apartment and no one (including Lisa) has an alibi. Driven to find out what happened to her best friend and put her life back together, Lisa must face the truth about herself, her husband, her friends and best friend -- no matter how painful it might be.
My Thoughts
When I was contacted about reading and reviewing this book, I was expecting a run-of-the-mill murder mystery. Now there is nothing wrong with murder mysteries. I certainly enjoy them from time to time. But I often find them to be a bit formulaic. But this one sounded a bit different from the norm, and the setting of Manhattan was intriguing so I said "Yes...please send me a copy."
I was thrilled to find out that this book WAS NOT your standard murder mystery. Lisa's character and the stresses of her life are very well-developed. In fact, the murder doesn't happen until about two-thirds of the way through the book -- giving you plenty of time to get to know all the characters and the stresses of Lisa's life. For me, this made for a better-than-average mystery. I always like when an author takes the time to develop the characters rather than just focusing on the "who done it" or procedural aspects. In fact, I think the author could have skipped the whole murder part of it and still had a wonderful book about marriage, friendship, and the pressures of being a working mom. I really don't think the book would have suffered at all had Deirdre lived.
I also like the little details the author works into the book that give it a ring of authenticity. For example, here is a passage from when Lisa's husband is looking for some mittens for one of their daughters:
It occurs to me that he is not really asking for their likeliest location but prompting me to find them for him. I consider telling him to look for them himself but I don't. The first attempt at ferreting out last winter's accessories from the jumble of mismatched gloves, hats and scarves is an iffy proposition at best, especially for one with little experience in this type of archaeological dig.
I don't know about you, but I very much related to this passage -- finding gloves for the first time in a winter is a task best left up to Mom!
The other aspect of the book I liked was the setting of Manhattan. My family likes to visit New York City, and it was kind of fun to read about the Barkley's life in the city and recognize some of the places where we had been on visits. Also, the sections where Lisa feels outclassed and intimidated by the mothers at her daughters' elite private school were fascinating to me. It felt like getting a glimpse at secret society from an outsider's perspective -- kind of like falling into The Nanny Diaries but from a working mom's point-of-view.
My Final Recommendation
This was a good read, and I would recommend it. If you are looking for a "by the books" procedural-type murder mystery, this might not be a good fit for you. To me, this was really more of a character-driven novel that just happens to have a murder in it."
Review Date: 6/12/2008
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
"The book is written in four alternating points of view and it is not always clear who is talking at first. This makes for a bit of confusing read at points--especially because two of the characters don't "talk" that often and it gets confusing when all of a sudden they appear. Since each section is written in the first person (and since the writing style didn't differ too much to make the voices sound very unique and easy to differentiate), it was often confusing for the reader. After a while, it gets a bit easier but I'm not sure this was a necessary way to write this novel -- it kind of got in the way. Also, all of the characters are messed up and it is hard to feel sympathy for them much of the time--even though you feel like you should. It is a dark and depressing read. IN addition, it seemed like the author wanted it to be a bit of a mystery story, but I had to work too hard to "get" it that I don't think I truly understood what happened in the end or if I misinterpreted the author's intentions. Anyway, that was my take on the book...perhaps it will be helpful to others who might be expecting a different type of book based on the jacket description or other blurbs they may have read--I know I was!"
The Big Turnoff: Confessions of a TV-Addicted Mom Trying to Raise a TV-Free Kid
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
6
Author:
Book Type: Hardcover
6
Review Date: 5/3/2008
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"This was a great read and I would recommend it to all parents, whether they are with a baby or have older kids. It is a fascinating, funny and very personally honest account of one mother's attempt to raise her child without TV. The author is brutally honest about everything , so much so that I thought “I can't believe she shared that!” But that simply adds to the interest of the story. As a child who was raised without a TV for most of my childhood, I thought some of the stuff to be farfetched. But the more I meet other parents, the more I see how pervasive TV is in so many children's lives. Some of my son's playmates (age 3) have almost the entire Noggin line-up memorized for the whole day. I am trying to raise my own son with very little TV and it certainly is a bit harder not to just plop him in the front of the TV when I need a break."
Review Date: 7/19/2009
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Book Overview
I usually don't like to use the blurbs on the back of the book to do my story overviews, but the one on this book is just too good to pass up:
This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter of a million dollars to being evicted from a ghetto apartment. It's a modern Greek tragedy, as defined by Roger Dunkle in The Classical Origins of Western Culture: a story in which "the central character, called a tragic protagonist or hero, suffers some serious misfortune which is not accidental and therefore meaningless, but is significant in that the misfortune is logically connected." In other words, the bitch had it coming.
In many ways, this is a classic Greek tragedy -- if you use Greek in the sorority sense and tragedy in the sense of "spending and not saving leads to a complete change in lifestyle once the dot com boom falls apart." At the start of the book, Jen Lancaster is living the dream -- a well-paying job, a to-die-for apartment in a ritzy section of Chicago, a live-in boyfriend, Prada handbags, designer shoes, regular highlight appointments at a trendy salon -- in other words, the lifestyle that many bright young people enjoyed during the dot com craziness when money seemed to grow from trees.
Then things start to fall apart. First, Jen is laid off for reasons that remain somewhat murky -- but seem to be due to the fact that her boss doesn't care for her straight talk and competence. Seeing this as a minor blip, Jen doesn't realize the gravity of the situation at first. Surely someone as competent as her would be able to get another job easily. But the jobs seems to dry up overnight -- and not just the executive level jobs she's enjoyed in the past. All jobs. She can't even get hired for a retail position.
Despite her increasingly lower standards, no employment opportunities come her way -- despite daily efforts to locate another job. So she starts a blog (which I suspect was a rarity back in the good old days of 2003) and starts writing about her life and job search efforts. (Eventually, her smart ass comments about companies that reject her actually cost her a shot at a job.) The years go by and nothing appears. Money is getting tighter and tighter -- and her former lifestyle of "easy come, easy go" money begins to catch up to her. Selling her handbags on eBay barely stems the increasingly hard to meet rent payments. So Jen does what any good woman would do -- gets married in order to get lots of gifts!
Yet even the wedding doesn't pull her and her new husband Fletch out of an increasingly dire financial situation. They face the inevitable -- a move to a less expensive neighborhood. But then even Fletch loses his job and falls into depression. Things gets worse and worse, and they begin contemplating the unthinkable: moving in with the parents. But at the last moment, Fletch manages to secure a job. And, at long last, Jen finally receives a job offer and -- almost simultaneously -- inquiries about her writing. (Her blog Jennsylvania has grown quite popular and some publications and a literary agent take notice.) She faces a classic dilemma -- take the job that will offer financial security or pursue her dream of writing? What to do? What to do? The fact that Jen Lancaster just released her fourth book -- Pretty In Plaid -- answers this question nicely.
My Thoughts
Putting aside my intense jealousy of her writing success and the fact that she "rose out of the blogosphere," I must admit that I loved this book. Jen Lancaster's writing style is funny, brash and in-your-face -- the reader can totally see why her blog became incredibly popular. And her use of footnotes must be admired -- I've never seen an author since Dave Egger's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius make such good use of this underused literary device. Treating herself almost as a larger than life protagonist, Jen Lancaster is a person you would want to hang out with -- but maybe not work for.
Her stories all have the ring of truth but come off as so dramatic and hysterical. She has a knack for self-depreciation mixed with smartassedness (not sure if that is really a word) that makes what might be a boring story in lesser hands turn into comedy gold. Her story of trying to discover which neighbor is stealing her Wall Street Journal is a stellar example of this. If a less talented writer had written it, it might go something like this:
Someone is taking my Wall Street Journal. I decide to find out who and set up a stakeout to find out. The guy in 3F seems like he might be the thief, but he takes USA Today instead. The lady with the big boobs from 2C walks right by. But seeing her drink her coffee reminds me I have to pee really bad as I've already had 6 cups of coffee.
In Jen Lancaster's hands, it sounds more like this:
Wait, I think I see something.....The guy in 3F has just left his apartment -- WHY DON'T YOU PICK UP THAT GODDAMNED TRASHBAG --and is heading down the catwalks. I grab the phone while holding the binoculars steady, fingers itching to dial 911. Aha! He's stopping to grab a paper! Thief! Thief! You are so busted, motherfu--Oh, damn. He took USA Today. At least that proves he's a moron. And I still really have to pee. However, I'll ignore the physical discomfort because I'm committed to seeing this through.
Uh-huh, here comes President Jugs out of 2C, bouncing down the stairs. Boing, boing, boing. She just bought an Audi convertible and still has her Mercedes. You'd think with all that extra cash she could afford a bra with decent support. She pauses to take a pull from her travel coffee mug. Oh, please don't drink that. Can't stand the idea of more liquid. Am crossing my legs at this point. But I must focus to catch this criminal. And jiggle, jiggle, jiggle, she's headed for my paper ... and walks right past it. She heads out the door and I see her drive away. So she's innocent. For now.
Let us all be happy Jen Lancaster decided to pursue writing instead of taking another high-paying corporate position. This way, we're all the richer for it ... not just her.
My Final Recommendation
Fun and filled with attitude, this book is a fast read that will leave you wanting more -- good thing she wrote three other books after this one! And underneath all the humor, snarkiness and wit, there are some important reminders about what is really important in life -- and guess what, it isn't a Prada bag. I will definitely be reading more by this author. If you want to get a feel for Jen Lancaster, I recommend a visit to her blog Jennsylvania."
I usually don't like to use the blurbs on the back of the book to do my story overviews, but the one on this book is just too good to pass up:
This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter of a million dollars to being evicted from a ghetto apartment. It's a modern Greek tragedy, as defined by Roger Dunkle in The Classical Origins of Western Culture: a story in which "the central character, called a tragic protagonist or hero, suffers some serious misfortune which is not accidental and therefore meaningless, but is significant in that the misfortune is logically connected." In other words, the bitch had it coming.
In many ways, this is a classic Greek tragedy -- if you use Greek in the sorority sense and tragedy in the sense of "spending and not saving leads to a complete change in lifestyle once the dot com boom falls apart." At the start of the book, Jen Lancaster is living the dream -- a well-paying job, a to-die-for apartment in a ritzy section of Chicago, a live-in boyfriend, Prada handbags, designer shoes, regular highlight appointments at a trendy salon -- in other words, the lifestyle that many bright young people enjoyed during the dot com craziness when money seemed to grow from trees.
Then things start to fall apart. First, Jen is laid off for reasons that remain somewhat murky -- but seem to be due to the fact that her boss doesn't care for her straight talk and competence. Seeing this as a minor blip, Jen doesn't realize the gravity of the situation at first. Surely someone as competent as her would be able to get another job easily. But the jobs seems to dry up overnight -- and not just the executive level jobs she's enjoyed in the past. All jobs. She can't even get hired for a retail position.
Despite her increasingly lower standards, no employment opportunities come her way -- despite daily efforts to locate another job. So she starts a blog (which I suspect was a rarity back in the good old days of 2003) and starts writing about her life and job search efforts. (Eventually, her smart ass comments about companies that reject her actually cost her a shot at a job.) The years go by and nothing appears. Money is getting tighter and tighter -- and her former lifestyle of "easy come, easy go" money begins to catch up to her. Selling her handbags on eBay barely stems the increasingly hard to meet rent payments. So Jen does what any good woman would do -- gets married in order to get lots of gifts!
Yet even the wedding doesn't pull her and her new husband Fletch out of an increasingly dire financial situation. They face the inevitable -- a move to a less expensive neighborhood. But then even Fletch loses his job and falls into depression. Things gets worse and worse, and they begin contemplating the unthinkable: moving in with the parents. But at the last moment, Fletch manages to secure a job. And, at long last, Jen finally receives a job offer and -- almost simultaneously -- inquiries about her writing. (Her blog Jennsylvania has grown quite popular and some publications and a literary agent take notice.) She faces a classic dilemma -- take the job that will offer financial security or pursue her dream of writing? What to do? What to do? The fact that Jen Lancaster just released her fourth book -- Pretty In Plaid -- answers this question nicely.
My Thoughts
Putting aside my intense jealousy of her writing success and the fact that she "rose out of the blogosphere," I must admit that I loved this book. Jen Lancaster's writing style is funny, brash and in-your-face -- the reader can totally see why her blog became incredibly popular. And her use of footnotes must be admired -- I've never seen an author since Dave Egger's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius make such good use of this underused literary device. Treating herself almost as a larger than life protagonist, Jen Lancaster is a person you would want to hang out with -- but maybe not work for.
Her stories all have the ring of truth but come off as so dramatic and hysterical. She has a knack for self-depreciation mixed with smartassedness (not sure if that is really a word) that makes what might be a boring story in lesser hands turn into comedy gold. Her story of trying to discover which neighbor is stealing her Wall Street Journal is a stellar example of this. If a less talented writer had written it, it might go something like this:
Someone is taking my Wall Street Journal. I decide to find out who and set up a stakeout to find out. The guy in 3F seems like he might be the thief, but he takes USA Today instead. The lady with the big boobs from 2C walks right by. But seeing her drink her coffee reminds me I have to pee really bad as I've already had 6 cups of coffee.
In Jen Lancaster's hands, it sounds more like this:
Wait, I think I see something.....The guy in 3F has just left his apartment -- WHY DON'T YOU PICK UP THAT GODDAMNED TRASHBAG --and is heading down the catwalks. I grab the phone while holding the binoculars steady, fingers itching to dial 911. Aha! He's stopping to grab a paper! Thief! Thief! You are so busted, motherfu--Oh, damn. He took USA Today. At least that proves he's a moron. And I still really have to pee. However, I'll ignore the physical discomfort because I'm committed to seeing this through.
Uh-huh, here comes President Jugs out of 2C, bouncing down the stairs. Boing, boing, boing. She just bought an Audi convertible and still has her Mercedes. You'd think with all that extra cash she could afford a bra with decent support. She pauses to take a pull from her travel coffee mug. Oh, please don't drink that. Can't stand the idea of more liquid. Am crossing my legs at this point. But I must focus to catch this criminal. And jiggle, jiggle, jiggle, she's headed for my paper ... and walks right past it. She heads out the door and I see her drive away. So she's innocent. For now.
Let us all be happy Jen Lancaster decided to pursue writing instead of taking another high-paying corporate position. This way, we're all the richer for it ... not just her.
My Final Recommendation
Fun and filled with attitude, this book is a fast read that will leave you wanting more -- good thing she wrote three other books after this one! And underneath all the humor, snarkiness and wit, there are some important reminders about what is really important in life -- and guess what, it isn't a Prada bag. I will definitely be reading more by this author. If you want to get a feel for Jen Lancaster, I recommend a visit to her blog Jennsylvania."
Review Date: 5/14/2010
"2 Words that describe the book: Vampire comedy
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: Modern-day San Francisco
* Jody--A fledgling vampire who had her new lifestyle thrust upon her with no warning or choice, Jody is trying her best to make sense of her new undead lifestyle. But getting used to a life lived solely at night can make things a little tricky, so Jody needs a minion to do her bidding, which is where...
* C. Thomas Flood comes in. A wannabe writer from Incontinence, Indiana, Tommy is new in town and having a hard time getting adjusted to life in the Big City ... until he meets the new love of his life, a certain undead redhead. Although Jody can be a little tricky and high-maintenance with her vampire lifestyle, Tommy is in love (he thinks). As Jody and Tommy settle into together, things take a turn for the worse when the vampire who created Jody starts causing trouble for them.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I like Christopher Moore. This is the first book of his vampire trilogy (though I accidentally read You Suck first because I didn't realize it was a series). But Moore's vampires aren't brooding, sparkly, or particularly scary. Jody is just like you and me ... except with superhuman strength, a thirst for blood and heightened senses. Moore has fun with the whole vampire thing, which brings me to another thing I liked about the book.
* I liked how Moore has Tommy test various vampire legends and stories on Jody to see what is true or not. Once Tommy finds out Jody's little secret, he cannot resist getting every book on vampires out of the library and checking to see what is true and untrue about vampires. These little experiments include having Tommy sneaking around touching Jody with crucifixes, trying to drown her in a bathtub, having her try to climb walls like Dracula, and rubbing her with garlic while she sleeps. And I liked Moore's shout-out to the Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice.
* I liked how the book is just stuffed with Moore's hilarious throwaway lines. You'll be reading along and then Moore will write something so silly or goofy or unexpected that you just have to laugh out loud. Consider this thought from Jody:
She thought, My closet is starting to look like an ostrich hatchery. I've either got to start throwing out L'eggs eggs or get a tan on my legs and quit wearing nylons.
This cracked me up because I so remember having all those eggs! Do they even make those any more? It has been AGES since I wore pantyhose.
* I disliked the overly serious Reading Group Guide at the back of my book. This is a book that is written to be funny and read for enjoyment. In my opinion, it doesn't cry out for book club discussions or deep thought. Yet there is a Reading Group Guide at the back with discussion questions like this:
Everyone has been exposed to vampire lore, either through books, movies or television. How does Jody's transformation into a vampire differ from how you always thought someone became a vampire? In what ways is it similar?
The books touches upon the idea of euthanasia--the practice of ending the life of a terminally ill person in a painless or minimally painful way in order to limit suffering--in that Elijah Ben Sapir, the vampire who creates Jody, only kills those who are about to die or whose lives are limited in some way. What are your feelings about "mercy killings"? Do vampires have an ethical standard?
Though I would totally want to join a book club that chose to read Bloodsucking Fiends, I can't imagine having a big old serious discussion on vampire lore and euthanasia as a result! But maybe that is just me.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I'm giving the book 4 stars. I actually liked You Suck a bit better, but you can't go wrong with Moore. He's a fun, irreverent, creative writer whose sense of humor comes through on every page. Even if you don't like vampire books, you can have fun with this one. (You won't be scared, I promise. The only scary thing is how compelled you'll be to read more Christopher Moore.)"
3 Settings where it took place or characters you met:
* Setting: Modern-day San Francisco
* Jody--A fledgling vampire who had her new lifestyle thrust upon her with no warning or choice, Jody is trying her best to make sense of her new undead lifestyle. But getting used to a life lived solely at night can make things a little tricky, so Jody needs a minion to do her bidding, which is where...
* C. Thomas Flood comes in. A wannabe writer from Incontinence, Indiana, Tommy is new in town and having a hard time getting adjusted to life in the Big City ... until he meets the new love of his life, a certain undead redhead. Although Jody can be a little tricky and high-maintenance with her vampire lifestyle, Tommy is in love (he thinks). As Jody and Tommy settle into together, things take a turn for the worse when the vampire who created Jody starts causing trouble for them.
4 Things you liked and/or disliked about it:
* I like Christopher Moore. This is the first book of his vampire trilogy (though I accidentally read You Suck first because I didn't realize it was a series). But Moore's vampires aren't brooding, sparkly, or particularly scary. Jody is just like you and me ... except with superhuman strength, a thirst for blood and heightened senses. Moore has fun with the whole vampire thing, which brings me to another thing I liked about the book.
* I liked how Moore has Tommy test various vampire legends and stories on Jody to see what is true or not. Once Tommy finds out Jody's little secret, he cannot resist getting every book on vampires out of the library and checking to see what is true and untrue about vampires. These little experiments include having Tommy sneaking around touching Jody with crucifixes, trying to drown her in a bathtub, having her try to climb walls like Dracula, and rubbing her with garlic while she sleeps. And I liked Moore's shout-out to the Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice.
* I liked how the book is just stuffed with Moore's hilarious throwaway lines. You'll be reading along and then Moore will write something so silly or goofy or unexpected that you just have to laugh out loud. Consider this thought from Jody:
She thought, My closet is starting to look like an ostrich hatchery. I've either got to start throwing out L'eggs eggs or get a tan on my legs and quit wearing nylons.
This cracked me up because I so remember having all those eggs! Do they even make those any more? It has been AGES since I wore pantyhose.
* I disliked the overly serious Reading Group Guide at the back of my book. This is a book that is written to be funny and read for enjoyment. In my opinion, it doesn't cry out for book club discussions or deep thought. Yet there is a Reading Group Guide at the back with discussion questions like this:
Everyone has been exposed to vampire lore, either through books, movies or television. How does Jody's transformation into a vampire differ from how you always thought someone became a vampire? In what ways is it similar?
The books touches upon the idea of euthanasia--the practice of ending the life of a terminally ill person in a painless or minimally painful way in order to limit suffering--in that Elijah Ben Sapir, the vampire who creates Jody, only kills those who are about to die or whose lives are limited in some way. What are your feelings about "mercy killings"? Do vampires have an ethical standard?
Though I would totally want to join a book club that chose to read Bloodsucking Fiends, I can't imagine having a big old serious discussion on vampire lore and euthanasia as a result! But maybe that is just me.
5 Stars or less for your rating?
I'm giving the book 4 stars. I actually liked You Suck a bit better, but you can't go wrong with Moore. He's a fun, irreverent, creative writer whose sense of humor comes through on every page. Even if you don't like vampire books, you can have fun with this one. (You won't be scared, I promise. The only scary thing is how compelled you'll be to read more Christopher Moore.)"
Review Date: 3/20/2007
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"Even though this wasn't one of Brad Meltzer's better books, I still found myself engrossed in it and had to finish it. Definitely worth checking out if you like thrillers."
Review Date: 1/24/2010
"This is my second Jen Lancaster book, and I enjoyed it even more than the first one (Bitter Is the New Black). A rollicking memoir by a very funny but bitchy lady, Bright Lights, Big Ass is a bit more free-wheeling than her first memoir, and I think it suits her material and style better. And what style is that? Smart-assessedness mixed with lots of footnotes combined with superiority and leavened with a smidge of humility. It amazes me that someone who was born in the same year as me (1967) has been able to churn out at least four memoirs, all of which have more than 300 pages. Jen Lancaster can seemingly write about anything"the thrills and horrors of riding public transportation, the travails of dog ownership, neighbors, house-hunting"and make it fun to read about. It is also fun to read a memoir that is light and funny and is not about sad and disturbing stories of alcoholism or child abuse. Consider it memoir lite.
Excerpt about the appeal of Ikea: I don't care how rich or poor you are, the draw of purchasing twelve hundred tea lights for thirty-seven cents is too great for anyone to resist.
Rating: 4 stars"
Excerpt about the appeal of Ikea: I don't care how rich or poor you are, the draw of purchasing twelve hundred tea lights for thirty-seven cents is too great for anyone to resist.
Rating: 4 stars"
Review Date: 3/28/2008
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"This was an easy read--interesting view of a family torn apart by murders and the aftermath. Although the story was a good read (and I “enjoyed” it) , I didn't feel too invested in the characters as much as I felt I should have given the subject matter."
Review Date: 12/10/2009
"3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doing"not a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway."
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doing"not a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway."
Review Date: 12/10/2009
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doing"not a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway."
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doing"not a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway."
Review Date: 12/10/2009
1 member(s) found this review helpful.
"3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doing"not a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway."
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doing"not a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway."
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