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Book Source: Personal copy (Mother's Day gift to be specific!)
Sensitive reader: Language, including the F bomb.
Tina Fey – master of Sarah Palin impersonations and creator of quirky Liz Lemon and 30 Rock - -has ventured into literary memoirs with her book, Bossypants.
I was expecting fall on the floor, choking on spit, side cramp funny – and it never materialized. For me anyway.
There are chapters on her childhood, her parents (her dad, Don, seems like one you’d want to meet!), summer jobs, her years as an improv actor with Second City, and her more recent work with Saturday Night Live, Sarah Palin and 30 Rock. Oh, and motherhood.
None of them were particularly memorable, or attention-grabbing. The highlight of the book was the latter chapters on creating the memorable scenes for SNL of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton with Amy Poehler in 2008. They rehearsed a total of TWICE before going live with that 5 minute scene! I was amazed! And her Mother's Prayer, which has made its rounds on Facebook, is worth reading too.
Bossypants read as if she were talking to herself in the bathroom. With no one around to listen. Or any intended audience. Like one big rambling session. With a few cuss words thrown in for emphasis.
I think this would have been a GREAT audio book – listening to the author recite her experiences, impressions, and antics first hand – and possibly a Sarah Palin accent thrown in for good measure.
I still love Tina Fey. And I still love 30 Rock. Just didn’t love her book.
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10 comments:
I checked the library for this one today (with no luck) had a feeeling it was probably going to be a borrow for me rather than a buy - sounds like I guessed right from your review!
I think I would want to read this one if the cover didn't freak me the heck out!
Pretty much thought the same thing.
This was my first ever audiobook purchase and I L O V E D it! You were spot on- she adlibs, does impressions, her voice inflections, it all made it totally hilarious to listen to!! I can see how reading it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun.
I loved the book although it definitely wasn't side-splitting. I'm going to listen to her narrate the book on CD though. Should be good!
This book has had so many fantastic reviews from the media outlet, and yet I've heard from numerous people that it wasn't nearly as funny as they thought it was going to be. I'm glad to hear it makes a good audio book- maybe it's something to listen to running in the morning.
Interesting. When you and I read the same book we tend to have a similar reaction. I have been waffling on this book (to read or not to read), I think I might pass.
Hope everything is getting better post tornado down there!
I'm listening to it now! I have had some laugh out loud moments, for sure, but listening to the f-bomb is a bit more lame than reading it, in my opinion :)
I'm glad to read your post. I really like Tina Fey's essays in the New Yorker but wondered if I'd really want to read an entire book. Maybe she's better suited to short-form works since her background is skit comedy? I will get this one from a friend or the library.
Fantastic review :] I kind of really want to read this now and I NEVER read anything remotely non-fiction unless I'm literally being forced :P
Marlene Detierro (Alaska Skagway)
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