Review: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

Holidays on Ice
Author: David Sedaris
Published: October 1, 1997
Genre: humor
Paperback: 166 pages
Source: personal copy

My Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis (from GoodReads): It's hard to describe David Sedaris to those who've never read him. Mixing autobiographical details with sharp sarcasm and social commentary, Sedaris can probably best be described as a '90s version of brilliant humorist Jean Shepherd (who did his own scathing take on the holiday season with the film A Christmas Story). Sedaris' essays and stories are at once hilarious, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking. His new anthology, Holidays on Ice, collects three previously released stories and essays and offers three brand-new ones; all revolve around Christmas. "SantaLand Diaries," which originally appeared in "Barrel Fever," leads off the collection and may be Sedaris's best-known work. A laugh-out-loud-hysterical look at Sedaris's experiences working as an elf in SantaLand in Macy's, the story is a wickedly funny slicing-and-dicing of the holiday season and the good cheer that supposedly accompanies it. His dark humor is exactly what you need when you're getting sick of all the fuss about Christmas.

My Thoughts: I really like David Sedaris's work and have been wanting to read his holiday book for quite some time now. Luckily, I was able to get to it right before Christmas and it made my holiday that much more enjoyable, being able to laugh at the absudity of it all, as seen through the eyes of Sedaris. This book focuses on the holidays (obviously) and Sedaris' commentary on the season definitely makes you realize how ridiculous some people get at Christmastime.

The book opens with "Santa Land Diaries", which is one of Sedaris's most well-known essays. He chronicles his month working as an elf at Santa Land in Macy's in New York City. If you don't laugh the entire way through this chapter, then you are a true Grinch. His time at Macy's his hilarious and I can only imagine what my own experience would be like working there. There are some other humorous chapters throughout the book, but there are others that are a drag to get through. 

If you had a stressful holiday season and need a little pick-me-up before the year is out, then this book will definitely help you to see the humor in the season. I've already recommended it to quite a few people to read!

Audiobook Review: Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster

Pretty In Plaid
Author: Jen Lancaster
Narrator: Jamie Heinlein
Published: April 4, 2009
Genre: memoir
Audiobook: 7 discs (approx. 8 hours)
Source: borrowed from the library

My Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis (from GoodReads): In Pretty in Plaid, Jen Lancaster reveals how she developed the hubris that perpetually gets her into trouble. Using fashion icons of her youth to tell her hilarious and insightful stories, readers will meet the girl she used to be.

Think Jen Lancaster was always "like David Sedaris with pearls and a super-cute handbag?" (Jennifer Coburn) Think again. She was a badge-hungry Junior Girl Scout with a knack for extortion, an aspiring sorority girl who didn't know her Coach from her Louis Vuitton, and a budding executive who found herself bewildered by her first encounter with a fax machine. In this humorous and touching memoir, Jen Lancaster looks back on her life-and wardrobe-before bitter was the new black and shows us a young woman not so very different than the rest of us.

The author who showed us what it was like to wait in line at the unemployment office with a Prada bag, how living in the city can actually suck, and that losing weight can be fun with a trainer named Barbie and enough Ambien is ready to take you on a hilarious and heartwarming trip down memory lane in her shoes (and very pretty ones at that).

My Thoughts: I really love Jen Lancaster's books and thought, "Why don't I try her in audiobook form?" I mean, I listened to Mindy Kaling's book and was busting out laughing, so I thought I would try another funny lady in audiobook form. And while I was busting out laughing, it wasn't what I expected from it. This book is all about Jen's struggle with clothing throughout her life and the pieces that have defined her life. And while the writing was great, it was the narration that was a bit off for me. I have never heard Jen Lancaster speak before, but I have a clear image in my mind of what she would sound like. And unfortunately, this narrator just didn't sound how I imagine she should. It was just a bit too snotty and not enough sarcasm, which brought down the reading for me. 

I did identify with Jen at various points in her life. While I did not grow up in the 80s, I do remember some of the fads from when I was in middle school and high school, so I can understand where she's coming from. And hearing her talking about walking across the Purdue campus in the middle of wind storm is something I can definitely relate to (I also went there ... Boiler Up!) And when she goes suit shopping for a job interview, I was busting up. I mean, I have been there (what woman hasn't?), and pretty much every suit is designed for and old woman. So it takes forever to try and find something, normally with some annoying sales lady telling you how nice you look. I mean, it's something that all women go through, and Jen just nails the whole shopping experience perfectly. While I look forward to reading more of her books in the future, I will no longer be listening to them.

Review: Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster

Jeneration X
Author: Jen Lancaster
Published: May 1, 2012
Genre: humorous memoir
Hardcover: 352 pages
Source: borrowed from the library

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis (from GoodReads): In Such a Pretty Fat, Jen Lancaster learned how to come to terms with her body. In My Fair Lazy, she expanded her mind. Now the New York Times bestselling author gives herself—and her generation—a kick in the X, by facing her greatest challenge to date: acting her age.

Jen is finally ready to put away childish things (except her Barbie Styling Head, of course) and embrace the investment-making, mortgage-carrying, life-insurance-having adult she’s become. From getting a mammogram to volunteering at a halfway house, she tackles the grown-up activities she’s resisted for years, and with each rite of passage she completes, she’ll uncover a valuable—and probably humiliating—life lesson that will ease her path to full-fledged, if reluctant, adulthood.

My Thoughts: This may come as a surprise to some people, but I've never read a Jen Lancaster memoir before. Sure, I read her one work of fiction (and loved it) but I never grabbed one of her many memoirs. So, when I heard that this one was coming out, I was super excited, and when I found it at the library one day, I just had to get it. While her novel was funny, this book had me laughing out loud at so many points that it's hard to list my favorite ones. While we did attend the same alma mater (Go Purdue!), there is something about her that is so relatable, even though we are from different generations and have never met (but if we did, we would totally be BFFs). Lancaster's writing seems like you are talking to one of your best friends, who happens to be slightly crazy and neurotic about most everything in her life. She's that friend that you love to hang out with because she's so honset and doesn't hold back.

While I will continue to say that it's hard for me to review a memoir because it's hard to rate someone else's life experiences, this is probably one of my favorites in the genre. She's so witty and sarcastic that you are laughing out loud (seriously, don't read this book in public place because people will stare at you while you laugh). Her experiences are things that we can relate to, from pet training to having unruly hair. She doesn't sugarcoat her life or make it seem like it's hard. She tends to mock herself and the life that she leads, which I think is one of the reasons that she's so relatable. Her essay on shopping at Whole Foods is hilarious because not only have we all been in a simiar situation, but also because she realizes how lucky she is to lead the life that she does.

While this is not groundbreaking or awe-inspiring, it is a memoir that will have you busting outloud and wishing that you and Jen could get together for some drinks and laugh about your lives. If you haven't read Jen Lancaster, don't wait another minute! Go out, right now, and read any of her books! And you can thank me later, haha!

Review: That Book About Harvard by Eric Kester

That Book About Harvard
Author: Eric Kester
Published: July 1, 2012
Genre: memoir
Paperback: 334 pages
Source: borrowed from the library

My Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis (from GoodReads): One of the most thrilling and terrifying days of your life is the first day of college, when you step onto campus filled with the excitement of all the possibilities ahead--and panic about if you'll make it and how you'll fit in.

Now imagine that same feeling, but you're in the middle of the lawn at the world's most prestigious university.

In your underwear.

Thus begins one of the craziest years ever at Harvard, in which Eric Kester finds himself in a cheating scheme, trying to join a prestigious Finals Club, and falling for a stunning type-A brunette...who happened to be standing there in shock that first day when he made his red-faced stroll across the Harvard Yard.

That Book about Harvard is the hilarious and heartwarming story of trying to find your place in a new world, the unending quest to fit in, and how the moments that change your life often happen in the most unexpected ways.

My Thoughts: I found this book while wandering around the library one day and after reading the description, thought it sounded pretty funny. So I decided, "What the heck? I'll give it a try." And thank goodness I did; this was one of the funniest books I've ever read. Eric Kester takes you on trip through his freshman year at the most famous university in the world, Harvard. He plays football and has decent SAT scores, so he is accepted into the university to play on their football team. Kester takes you on a journey from receiving his acceptance letter in the mail to the spring Primal Scream (when students streak through Harvard Yard during finals.) It's a hilarious tale and one that makes you realize that not everyone who attends this university is an egghead. They are normal people who are trying to make it through the world's toughest school and (hopefully) receive a degree.

I find it hard to review memoir's because it's hard to judge someone's life experiences. Kester's freshman year wasn't like mine, but I could identify with his struggles. Trying to fit in a new place, feeling like you don't belong, struggling with the workload. It's difficult for any college student and the pressure that Kester feels he is under being at such a prestigious school is understandable. He is able to find the humor in his stuggles and realize that he doesn't need to take everything so seriously. The only fault I can find in this memoir is the ending. I felt like the ending was a bit abrupt without any closure. I wish that Kester had put an epilogue in, explaining how his Harvard experience wound up. It just kind of ended, unsure if he was coming back for a second semester or if he ended up with a certain girl. Maybe he will make this a four part series and devote each book to one year of college (I can hope!) If you are looking for a hilarious memoir, then make sure to check this one out. Kester will have you laughing out loud!

Audiobook Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Author and Narrator: Mindy Kaling
Published: November 1, 2011
Genres: memoir, humor
Audiobook: 4 CDs (4.5 hours)
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?” 
 
Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!
 
In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

My Thoughts: There is something that I have probably neglected to mentioning here on my blog, which I will go ahead and tell you now: I am a HUGE fan of The Office. I have loved it since the first day that it came on the air and will continue to watch it until they can it (which is hopefully never). Mindy Kaling in one of the writers for the show and she protrays a character called Kelly Kapoor, a ditz in every sense of the word. I think that Mindy is a great actress and she has written some of my favorite episodes from this series, so it was only a matter of time until I got around to reading her book. I stumbled upon the audiobook and figured, "Everyone loved Tina Fey's book in audio form, so the same must be true for Mindy's Book." (This is how I think about things in my head sometimes) And, let me just say, it was hilarious. Like, I spit pop out of my nose at one point as I was driving because it's so funny.

Mindy takes you through her life, from growing up with successful parents and how they raised her all the way to her present success. I felt like I could be best friends with Mindy after listening to this book because she is pretty unaffected by her fame (except for her chapter on giftbags at awards shows, but it's still funny). She is down to earth and tells her story with humor. She doesn't bash anyone, but just looks at the world as a great place to have a laugh. This was a great audiobook to listen to and definitely kept me entertained on my 6 hour drive. I hope that Mindy will continue to write in the future because these books are relateable for every woman, regardless of age.

Review: If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster

If You Were Here
Author: Jen Lancaster
Published: May 3, 2011
Genre: chick lit
Hardcover: 306 pages
Source: borrowed from the library


My Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from GoodReads): Told in the uproariously entertaining voice readers have come to expect from Jen Lancaster, If You Were Here follows Amish-zombie-teen- romance author Mia and her husband Mac (and their pets) through the alternately frustrating, exciting, terrifying-but always funny-process of buying and renovating their first home in the Chicago suburbs that John hughes's movies made famous. Along their harrowing renovation journey, Mia and Mac get caught up in various wars with the homeowners' association, meet some less-than-friendly neighbors, and are joined by a hilarious cast of supporting characters, including a celebutard ex- landlady. As they struggle to adapt to their new surroundings- with Mac taking on the renovations himself- Mia and Mac will discover if their marriage is strong enough to survive months of DIY renovations.


My Thoughts: This was my first foray into the world of Jen Lancaster after reading so many rave reviews about her and her work on so many blogs. Needless to say, I was a bit skeptical when I checked this book out of the library. Would it live up to the hype that everyone was putting out there? Would it really be funny? Lucky for me, it lived up to the hype and was not only funny, but hilarious! Following a couple on their DIY home renovation nightmare, Lancaster tells a great story of a couple who wanted to create their dream home, and since they watched HGTV quite a bit, they figured it would be easy. What follows is a hilarious story of remodeling and relationships (not only marriage, but relationships with friends and family).


This is chick lit, but it's also something that I would categorize as a humor book. With every page, Lancaster had me cracking up. And while it was a work of fiction, I sometimes found it hard to believe. Lancaster writes so clearly, that at times I thought I was reading one of her memoirs. The only downside to this book was the length; I felt that it could get a bit repetitive at times and that some pages could have been edited out. Also, the ending was a bit disappointing for me. Not that it was bad and ruined the whole book for me, but just not what I wanted.


I will definitely be reading more of Jen Lancaster in the future and would recommend her to anyone who is in need of a laugh or a pick-me-up!

Review: You Don't Sweat Much For a Fat Girl by Celia Rivenbark

You Don't Sweat Much For a Fat Girl
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!

I'm Not the Biggest B***h In This Relationship

I'm Not the Biggest Bitch in This Relationship
Author: Wade Rouse
Publisher: NAL Trade
Expected Publication Date: September 6, 2011
ARC
Source: won on GoodReads


My Rating: 3 stars


Synopsis (from goodreads.com): Critically acclaimed memoirist Wade Rouse has gathered some of America's best known humorists- authors, comedians, and actors-to offer biting commentary on what it means to share a life, and a heart, with a dog. From battling for bed space to trying to transform a pampered NYC pup into a Texas rawhide, and from helping a shelter rescue navigate through her new life to interpreting dog run dynamics (and politics), being a canine companion has challenges as tough as any agility course, but laughter is just a tail-wag away. This collection features uncanny insight and witty prose from... Jen Lancaster, Rita Mae Brown, Laurie Notaro, Jane Green, Beth Harbison, W. Bruce Cameron and many others, including a Foreword by Chelsea Handler's dog, Chunk.


My Thoughts: I am a dog person, through and through. I love dogs and truly believe that they are man's best friend. Obviously, this book was right up my alley. With essays composed by many famous humorists, all focusing on their dogs, this was something that I could easily relate to. All of the essays were great and each showed the important role that pets play in our lives. The essays cover a wide range of topics, from picking out your dog to having to put your dog to sleep. Some stories are funny and had me laughing out loud. Others had me shedding a tear. And others made me think about the huge roles that pets play in our lives.


If you aren't a dog person, then I think it's a safe bet that you may not enjoy this book. But I came away from this book with one thought: pets are an essential part of life. No matter what, our pets are there for us. They are there when we are on top of the world and those times when we are going through hell. No matter what, our pets love us. And whether you are a dog, cat, fish, or whatever animal it is that you prefer, kind of person, it is important for us to open our hearts to these animals.

This is my dog, Millie. She's an English Springer Spaniel. As you can tell from that top pick, she's incredibly spoiled (she loves pillows ... she always try to sleep on a pillow). She may be spoiled, but she's my dog, and I couldn't love her anymore!

Barrel Fever by David Sedaris

Barrel Fever
Author: David Sedaris
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Published: June 19995
Paperback: 196 pages
Source: purchased


My Rating: 2.5 stars


Synopsis (from goodreads.com): In David Sedaris's world no one is safe and no cow is sacred. A manic cross between Mark Leyner, Fran Liebowitz, and the National Enquirer, Sedaris's collection of stories and essays is a rollicking tour through the national Zeitgeist: a do-it-yourself suburban dad saves money by performing home surgery; a man who is loved too much flees the heavyweight champion of the world; a bitter Santa abuses the elves; a teenage suicide tries to incite a lynch mob at her funeral.


My Thoughts: David Sedaris is a famous essayist and commentator, bringing a hilarious twist to the world around him. I discovered David Sedaris about six months ago and fell in love. His writing is dry and quick, moving quickly and cutting to the heart of the matter. His observations have left me doubled over in laughter. I expected the same from this book but was a bit disappointed. The book is divided into two parts, stories and essays. The stories are pieces of fiction that Sedaris wrote, the essays things that Sedaris actually lived through. While the essays bare the things that I have come to expect from Sedaris' writing, the stories left something to be desired. While humorous, they weren't as good as his essays. I also felt that they went a bit too far at times, that Sedaris was trying a little too hard. If the essays weren't included, I don't think that I would have finished this book. That being said, I still like Sedaris and will continue to read him. If you haven't read David Sedaris, I highly recommend that you check out his work, like Me Talk Pretty One Day (link goes to my review), but would steer clear of this book.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Bossypants
Author: Tina Fey
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Published: April 5th, 2011
Hardcover: 275


My Rating: 4 stars


Synopsis (from borders.com): Before Liz Lemon, before "Weekend Update," before "Sarah Palin," Tina Fey was just a young girl with a dream: a recurring stress dream that she was being chased through a local airport by her middle-school gym teacher. She also had a dream that one day she would be a comedian on TV.

She has seen both these dreams come true.

At last, Tina Fey's story can be told. From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty onSaturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon -- from the beginning of this paragraph to this final sentence.

Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

(Includes Special, Never-Before-Solicited Opinions on Breastfeeding, Princesses, Photoshop, the Electoral Process, and Italian Rum Cake!)

My Thoughts: When I first heard about Tina Fey's book (I even blogged about it!), I was very excited. I have always thought as Tina Fey as one of those women who is still down to earth, even though she is a major celebrity. She never takes herself too seriously, so I knew that this book would be something that I would have to read! Let me say this:  Bossypants will have you laughing outloud, sometimes holding your sides from laughing too hard, and you will learn something along the way. Whether it's soemthing about Fey as a person or about the entertainment industry or mothering, there is something here for everyone.

Each chapter is an essay, each with a funny title. Fey takes us back to what it was like growing up in Philadelphia, having a strong father figure, and her first boyfriend at a theater summer camp. She continues to her college years, her first couple of jobs, her stint with Second City (an improv troupe), and her interview for a writer on SNL. Fey never bogs you down with boring details; instead, she takes her experiences and delivers them in a sarcastic way that makes you laugh and look back on your own life experiences. To illustrate her points, Fey even includes some childhood photos ... highlighting fashion choices and bad haircuts.

Unless you are easily offended (I would rate this book a PG-13 if it were a movie), I don't think there is a person out there who wouldn't love this book. I read it in one day and wish that there was more to it! With summer right around the corner, this would make a great read for the beach, the pool, the backyard ... where ever you might find yourself this summer!

Me Talk Pretty One Day

A few months ago, I saw David Sedaris' book, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, in my local bookstore. It seemed intriguing,  so I bought it. Read it in a few days, and thought it was really enjoyable. I thought hey, why not try

another one of his books? I picked up Me Talk Pretty One Day. Let me just say, this book had me laughing so hard at times!

David Sedaris is an essayist, writing about his life, from his childhood in North Carolina, to his moving abroad to

France. The book is divided into two parts, the first being about his younger days, the second part about his experience living in a country where he doesn't know the language, but willing to learn.

Each chapter is a peak into Sedaris' world, from when his father attempted to have his children create their own jazz group, to trying to understand the gender of nouns in French. He writes in such a carefree manner that it's almost like you are hearing about a friend's trip to Paris. You are instantly pulled into Sedaris' world and feel as if you have known each other for years and are catching up over coffee.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a light read, or anyone who just needs a laugh. It's an

easy read, something very easy to pick up and put down. 

Overall, I would give Me Talk Pretty One Day ....

   

(out of 5)

PS - Sorry that the formatting isn't great, I'm still playing with it!