(no subject)
Jeneration X, by Jen Lancaster. New American Library, 2012
I picked this book up off the library ‘new books’ shelf on a whim. I don’t often read humor books, but the description sounded fun- a late coming of age story. I figured I’d read the book a little at a time, in between bouts with a history of China book. Instead, I found myself addicted, ignored the serious book, and read this straight through.
Each of the 27 chapters describes events - some pivotal, some simply ludicrous- as the author is dragged, kicking and screaming, into late onset adulthood. Buying a house, buying life insurance, finally training the dogs that have the manners of very friendly ferals; nothing seems to happen to her without disasters, which, luckily for her, she sees the humor in. And so did I.
It’s odd; she and I have pretty much nothing in common other than being females of the human species. She’s comfortably well off (now; at one point, she lived in poverty), lives in a high class neighborhood, carries designer handbags and can afford a cleaning woman. But she can describe a situation in such a funny way that, even though I’ve certainly never been in that situation, I can feel how she saw it and feel for her- and laugh until I nearly cried.
After reading the book, I found that Lancaster has written several other books and has a blog, and that many readers were upset because much of what is in Jen X is taken from those. Coming at the book as a new reader, I am able to say that the book is hilarious.
I picked this book up off the library ‘new books’ shelf on a whim. I don’t often read humor books, but the description sounded fun- a late coming of age story. I figured I’d read the book a little at a time, in between bouts with a history of China book. Instead, I found myself addicted, ignored the serious book, and read this straight through.
Each of the 27 chapters describes events - some pivotal, some simply ludicrous- as the author is dragged, kicking and screaming, into late onset adulthood. Buying a house, buying life insurance, finally training the dogs that have the manners of very friendly ferals; nothing seems to happen to her without disasters, which, luckily for her, she sees the humor in. And so did I.
It’s odd; she and I have pretty much nothing in common other than being females of the human species. She’s comfortably well off (now; at one point, she lived in poverty), lives in a high class neighborhood, carries designer handbags and can afford a cleaning woman. But she can describe a situation in such a funny way that, even though I’ve certainly never been in that situation, I can feel how she saw it and feel for her- and laugh until I nearly cried.
After reading the book, I found that Lancaster has written several other books and has a blog, and that many readers were upset because much of what is in Jen X is taken from those. Coming at the book as a new reader, I am able to say that the book is hilarious.