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sohnesorge's review against another edition
Very light, reminiscent of David Sedaris or David Rakoff. Borden is very funny and has a pleasant voice and style, but I felt her keeping the reader at a distance. The incongruities between who she claimed to be and her actions felt curious and, somehow, dishonest. Overall, though, I would recommend it for the funny bits, and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
kristenbritt's review against another edition
5.0
Hilarious essays about not being or doing what's expected.
dundermifflin's review against another edition
2.0
This is a fairly old book, but I picked it up when I was in Durham for two weeks. I thought I'd like this because I love books on culture classes and, maybe, just maybe, I'd finally understand high society Southern belles. I'd hoped it would have me laughing til' I snorted considering the raves from Amy Poehler and others like her, and because she wrote for SNL. It seems like a compilations of stories she told the back cover reviewers over a drink in a Manhattan bar.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
readalot662f9's review against another edition
2.0
This is a fairly old book, but I picked it up when I was in Durham for two weeks. I thought I'd like this because I love books on culture classes and, maybe, just maybe, I'd finally understand high society Southern belles. I'd hoped it would have me laughing til' I snorted considering the raves from Amy Poehler and others like her, and because she wrote for SNL. It seems like a compilations of stories she told the back cover reviewers over a drink in a Manhattan bar.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
ckporier's review against another edition
3.0
Kind of fun to read a Carolina grads' view of living in NYC. A quick and entertaining read.
librarianlyssa's review against another edition
5.0
I really loved this book. Borden is witty and an excellent writer. We have similar style and I could relate to her being torn between New York and the Old South.
mildlyjulie's review against another edition
2.0
It was ok. The first chapter was really confusing, because she kept jumping from the present to the past to the present to the past. (This continued occasionally throughout the book.) After that I started to enjoy it more. Then after that it just felt meh. I think there's only so much any one book should contain of "New Yorkers do this! New Yorkers don't do that! In New York, you're weird if you (blank)!". I live here and while all those things are true, it's so cliched by now. (New Yorkers don't like cliches!)
However, there were bits that I definitely liked:
p. 44: "When one walks up Seventh Avenue, she is stepping behind one person, in front of another, around a couple holding hands, underneath a window washer, over the heroin addict nodding off, and between two piles of poo. New York offers only a prepositional life. No action exists without a modifier."
p. 74: "I refuse to believe that when Billy Joel said he was in a New York state of mind, he meant he felt like punching a cabbie."
p. 204: "Investing in permanence is discouraged when movement is the only constant in life." (This perfectly encapsulates my thoughts of NYC--I can't even invest in permanent *thought* about it!)
However, there were bits that I definitely liked:
p. 44: "When one walks up Seventh Avenue, she is stepping behind one person, in front of another, around a couple holding hands, underneath a window washer, over the heroin addict nodding off, and between two piles of poo. New York offers only a prepositional life. No action exists without a modifier."
p. 74: "I refuse to believe that when Billy Joel said he was in a New York state of mind, he meant he felt like punching a cabbie."
p. 204: "Investing in permanence is discouraged when movement is the only constant in life." (This perfectly encapsulates my thoughts of NYC--I can't even invest in permanent *thought* about it!)
ginabeirne's review
1.0
I don't even know if I should count this as "read" since I didn't finish it. A.J. Jacobs promised me on the cover that it is "very funny," but I just don't agree.
dundermifflin's review
2.0
This is a fairly old book, but I picked it up when I was in Durham for two weeks. I thought I'd like this because I love books on culture classes and, maybe, just maybe, I'd finally understand high society Southern belles. I'd hoped it would have me laughing til' I snorted considering the raves from Amy Poehler and others like her, and because she wrote for SNL. It seems like a compilations of stories she told the back cover reviewers over a drink in a Manhattan bar.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
readalot662f9's review
2.0
This is a fairly old book, but I picked it up when I was in Durham for two weeks. I thought I'd like this because I love books on culture classes and, maybe, just maybe, I'd finally understand high society Southern belles. I'd hoped it would have me laughing til' I snorted considering the raves from Amy Poehler and others like her, and because she wrote for SNL. It seems like a compilations of stories she told the back cover reviewers over a drink in a Manhattan bar.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.
Let's just say that she's no David Sedaris. Don't quit your day job.