I will say that I am in no way a book critic. I studied English in college and am a lifelong reader, but honestly, I'm the only person who considers my opinions important. Even Nick zones them out.
I have two beefs with this book, and I'm probably the only one with them: one, there's no real plot, it's just like having thirty conversations with Tina Fey (which is great, don't get me wrong, but sometimes books need a plot); and two, there are a few recycled jokes from 30 Rock. As I told Nick last night, I'm probably the only one who noticed, and there are like 2 million jokes in the book so that's a pretty good ratio of recycled to new, but I still noticed.
Besides that, I felt like I could've been this girl growing up. Well, I sort of was. Overachiever, awkward, not liked by boys, and though I wasn't a virgin until my mid-twenties, I have certainly gone through periods where men barely spoke to me. Also, I love gay men. I know what you're thinking. "Everyone thinks they can be friends with Tina Fey!" And you're right. Unless you're Elle Woods (that's the second time today I've referenced Legally Blonde) (or Legally Yellow, if you've read Bossypants), I kinda feel like you could sit and talk to her about your headgear and the time you threw up on the bus in high school (check and check). But isn't that what's so great about Tina Fey? She has created a likeable, relateable character in Liz Lemon, and has made women everywhere feel as if they no longer need to be Jennifer Aniston or Megan Fox in order to get through life. Thank god, because I mostly find those two women annoying and degrading. (Degrading in that we're all supposed to feel bad for Jennifer Aniston because she's single, and we're supposed to look like Megan Fox regardless of ethnicity, heritage, or taste.)
I laughed a lot in this book. A lot. It was hard not reading it out loud every time I read something hilarious, because Nick is reading it too and I didn't want to spoil it for him. But seriously, don't read this in public unless you're already talking to yourself. Then you may proceed. I could see a lot of inspiration from her background leaking into the things she's done, except for her father-figure, Don Fey (as she calls him throughout the book). Her dad on 30 Rock is lovable and kind of "oh-gee-whiz-gosh-darn" if that's a thing. It is. But Don Fey is suave and intimidating and impressive. Maybe that would be too unbelievable for Liz Lemon's dad, and also, it would be too similar to Jack Donaghey. I get it.
I'm going to wrap this up because there's nothing I hate more than dissecting something that is just there to exist. While I feel like this book was written at the right time and it's making people laugh--what could be better?--it isn't exactly As I Lay Dying. Nor should it be! I never read Faulkner because he bores me. I've watched the first season of 30 Rock on the treadmill because it's the only thing that distracts me enough to keep going. Back in my exercise days, anyway. So I say, if you enjoy a good laugh, and don't mind a little bit of post-modern feminism thrown into the mix (in the form of worrying about having another child, which is moot at this point), as well as some scary looking haircuts, read Bossypants. And then let your friends borrow it. And then watch 30 Rock. We need to keep this woman in business, people.
My English professors would be so ashamed of what I just wrote. Oh well. Maybe they shouldn't have picked such lame books in the first place. Seriously, who puts his own book in the syllabus for American Masters II? Yes, I had a professor who did that, and no, I did not buy his book. I didn't have money to waste on yet another book I wouldn't have time to read, and because his class didn't have tests, I didn't actually buy any of the books required. Take that! When you go to school fulltime and work fulltime, you learn the meaning of priorities. They include: food, money, required books, papers, tests, sleep. In that order.
Go enjoy Monday!
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