Bitter is the New Black . . . A Book Review
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Bitter is the New Black : Confessions of a Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass, Or, Why You Should Never Carry A Prada Bag to the Unemployment Office by Jen LancasterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I'll be honest. I bought this book because the title made me laugh. It's one of the longest, most awesome, snarkiest titles I have ever seen! And, frankly? It fits.
I had never heard of Jen Lancaster or her books so I had zero expectations. I found myself wondering surely she is embellishing the self centeredness here? I mean, is anyone really this self absorbed and snotty? Why yes. She is and its actually quite funny. She has a self deprecating type of humor.
She is totally obnoxious, self-absorbed, and self-righteous – and she knows it. She’s even proud of it. She makes no bones about the fact that she is an unlikable, heartless, frivolous, self-centered wench. Then she proceeds to mock herself.
Its funny stuff people.
She is every bloggers dream. Writing for herself -- as a sort of therapy-- then gets "discovered" when she has literally hit rock bottom. Rock bottom being living next to the vacant lot that the scary Russian Mafia builds a home on and Spanish neighbors who throw their garbage on the lawn. Literally.
When she agonizes over selling her purses on eBay to come up with rent money, or bemoans the mani-pedi-less state of her hands and feet, she does it with style and humor. Dang people. This girl is funny!
I said to my husband, while reading this book "If I were a girl who was a swearer, I would totally want to swear like her. She takes it to a professional level, mixing words in ways I had never thought of before!"
This was the funniest, most laugh-out-loud memoir that I have ever read. I literally laughed myself to tears! I typically don't like memoirs, but the fact that this is "based on truth" lends to the likability and enjoyment of this book! Jen is real. Her situation is real, and she makes no bones about how she feels. About everything.
She had a high profile job making some serious bank and ends up being evicted from her apartment to live in the "ghetto" and selling her prized hand bags on e-bay. (Yes. She totally does go to the unemployment office with a Prada Bag.) But during all this she keeps searching for a job knowing that she has something to offer.
Another reason I probably liked the book is because it's set in Chicago. I love that city, and so does Jen.
Her relationship with Fletch is what dreams are made of... He really does love her-- nasty, wenchy, narcissistic self absorbed self and all-- he loves her.
And frankly, so do I. I loved the book! I actually started following her website because she is a great writer.
Beware: If you don't like swearing, you won't like this book.
I had never heard of Jen Lancaster or her books so I had zero expectations. I found myself wondering surely she is embellishing the self centeredness here? I mean, is anyone really this self absorbed and snotty? Why yes. She is and its actually quite funny. She has a self deprecating type of humor.
She is totally obnoxious, self-absorbed, and self-righteous – and she knows it. She’s even proud of it. She makes no bones about the fact that she is an unlikable, heartless, frivolous, self-centered wench. Then she proceeds to mock herself.
Its funny stuff people.
She is every bloggers dream. Writing for herself -- as a sort of therapy-- then gets "discovered" when she has literally hit rock bottom. Rock bottom being living next to the vacant lot that the scary Russian Mafia builds a home on and Spanish neighbors who throw their garbage on the lawn. Literally.
When she agonizes over selling her purses on eBay to come up with rent money, or bemoans the mani-pedi-less state of her hands and feet, she does it with style and humor. Dang people. This girl is funny!
I said to my husband, while reading this book "If I were a girl who was a swearer, I would totally want to swear like her. She takes it to a professional level, mixing words in ways I had never thought of before!"
This was the funniest, most laugh-out-loud memoir that I have ever read. I literally laughed myself to tears! I typically don't like memoirs, but the fact that this is "based on truth" lends to the likability and enjoyment of this book! Jen is real. Her situation is real, and she makes no bones about how she feels. About everything.
She had a high profile job making some serious bank and ends up being evicted from her apartment to live in the "ghetto" and selling her prized hand bags on e-bay. (Yes. She totally does go to the unemployment office with a Prada Bag.) But during all this she keeps searching for a job knowing that she has something to offer.
Another reason I probably liked the book is because it's set in Chicago. I love that city, and so does Jen.
Her relationship with Fletch is what dreams are made of... He really does love her-- nasty, wenchy, narcissistic self absorbed self and all-- he loves her.
And frankly, so do I. I loved the book! I actually started following her website because she is a great writer.
Beware: If you don't like swearing, you won't like this book.
