Author: Celia Rivenbark
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Published: August 16, 2011
ARC: 242 pages
Source: won from GoodReads
My Rating: 2 stars
Synopsis (from bn.com): Rivenbark (You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning) naps in yoga class, supports airport profiling by the TSA, and is delighted that her Twitter antics ticked off model Kathy Ireland. In this new addition to her essay collection catalogue, she's as rebellious, irreverent, and comical as ever. The author's signature blend of social satire, quizzical musings on human nature, and over-the-top down-home humor are directed at everything from Bernie Madoff to Snuggies to people who (slowly) write (Disney character embellished) checks even when they're in an exceptionally long line at Wal-Mart. In and among the wackiness, she tempers the snark with some sweet, like her belief that President Obama's version of date night is making men everywhere look bad by comparison, her appreciation and envy of David Sedaris, and her simple yet romantic 20th wedding anniversary. Recipes and Southernisms like "crazier 'n a sprayed roach" round out the fun.
My Thoughts: I love humorists. I think when reading a humorist that matches up with your point of view, it can be truly amazing. Unfortunately, Celia Rivenbark just isn't my cup of tea. That's not to say that she isn't funny, it's just that her humor isn't something that I can relate to. Celia is a southern, middle-aged woman who is going through perimenopause, living with her husband and teenage daughter. Her essays are short, making the book easy to read. She writes like she talks, so business is "bidness". That threw me a little at first. She writes about what her life is at this moment: taking yoga classes, Christmas shopping for her family, tweeting and blogging, and keeping with the social antics of her daughter. She is very quick and she moves quickly. She makes her point and moves on. There's very little build-up which I liked a lot. Sometimes it takes forever for a humorist to make their point, but not Rivenbark. She makes it and moves on.
This is something that I will be passing along to my mom. I think she will find it hilarious because she is at the same point in her life as Rivenbark (minus the tweeting). If you are a middle-aged woman, then this is a book that you would definitely enjoy!
The title of that book is hilarious! I agree though, a book has to find you at the right moment in life. Someday you will probably find this book hysterical but now is not that time.
ReplyDeleteI am not middle-aged but I did like this and found myself laughing out loud at points. I agree, however, that words like "bidness" threw me and I could have done without them.
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