Nonfiction | Aging, Forgetfully

Back when I committed to the Read Harder Challenge, I did a fair amount of book research and made a whole big list of the titles I was going to read for each category. For the category requiring "a book written by someone when they were over the age of 65," I had originally picked Joan Didion's A Year of Magical Thinking, because I've never read any Didion.

Well, that was a year ago that I made that selection, and at this point, I'm really not in the mood for some deep, depressing literature. So a quick browse through my library's eBook offerings led me to something shorter and sweeter—Nora Ephron's humorous observations on aging, I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections.

Knowing that Ephron passed away just a couple years after this was published, this series of essays and comedic ponderings feels almost like her final reflections on the meaningful moments and serendipitous situations of her life. She talks about her early career and entry into journalism in an era during which women were relegated to lower, menial job titles for no reason other than blatant sexism and gender inequality. She jokes about her constant battles with technology, despite penning a rather successful screenplay based on just that [though funnily enough, though, her recent encounters with technology seem to be stuck in the You've Got Mail era of internet communication]. She discusses the satisfaction of professional success and the heartbreak attached to flops. 

Obviously, Ephron is an engaging, enjoyable, observant writer. This collection, though humorous, certainly has a bit of melancholy tagging alongside. Sure, she shares lots of funny anecdotes and on-point observations that inspire that chuckle of agreement, but what she's really speaking to is the act of GETTING OLD. And that's not without some small level of sadness, be it because of fear or unfulfillment or whatever. But what I think Ephron is trying to do here with this book, as with all her works, is bring a lightness to a disagreeable idea, to trigger a realization that this experience is universal, to make molehills out of the mountain of Aging.

I didn't love this. Some bits seemed more worthy of a recollection over drinks with a friend than an essay published to the masses. And I'll probably forget most of what she said by this time next month. But then again, Ephron is writing plainly, jovially here about life experiences, ones that I don't currently have but that many do. If this connects with the right reader, and brings a little humor to a daunting concept, then I guess it has served its purpose.

Tina Fey, grade 4, room 207

We've all heard about Tina Fey's Bossypants (unless you've been living in a cave). We've all probably even read it already (unless you waited too late to put it on hold at the library and are still 176 out of 342 on the list). So I am not going to tell you about this book, because you probably already know all about it. Instead, I'm going to post some of he things that made me LOL on the subway.

• "A heart-shaped ass. Unfortunately, it's a right-side-up heart; the point is at the bottom." - re: Tina's stunning physical assets
• "Don Fey is a grown-ass man! Black people find him stylish!" - re: Don Effing Fey, bad-ass father of Tina, who else?
• "Always on the cutting edge of beauty, I believe this haircut was executed by folding my face in half and cutting out a heart." - re: the best haircut Tina ever got
• "On at least three occasions, I vomited on Christmas Eve from mixing chocolate, peel-and-eat shrimp, summer sausage, and cheese. No alcohol was involved." - re: remembrances from Tina's fat phase
• "By 19, I had found my look. Oversize T-shirts, bike shorts, and wrestling shoes. To prevent the silhouette from being too baggy, I would cinch it at the waist with my fanny pack. I was pretty sure I would wear this look forever. The shirts allowed me express myself with cool sayings like ‘There’s No Crying in Baseball’ and ‘Universität Heidelberg,’ the bike shorts showed off my muscular legs, and the fanny pack held all my trolley tokens. I was nailing it on a daily basis. Find something like this for yourself as soon as possible." - sound style advice from Tina
• "And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it." - excerpts from The Mother's Prayer for Its Daughter

Tina had me burst out laughing with the one-liners. Or the frequent juxtaposition of a serious statement and a ridiculous picture, like this. (see left)

Her ability to look/sound ridiculous by making fun of herself is unlike that of anyone else I can think of. I have a couple friends who were disappointed with this book because they had the expectation it was going to be some empowering yet humorous memoir on succeeding and paving new ground for women in comedy and entertainment, and they were let down. Maybe if you read between the lines, you can find the "go go girl power" in there, but mostly, it's just Tina being funny. So go in expecting that. Funny.

With Snooki, Beyonce, and Glee references abundant, I don't think this book is really going to stay relevant too long (I hope to God that Snooki is not still relevant in 10 years). But you're probably going to laugh now, which is what matters. Tina Fey is awkwardly candid, which is hilariously awesome.


More fun Tina Fey linkage!
• Every Liz Lemon Flashback Scene From '30 Rock'
• Meet the Hand Model Behind Tina Fey's 'Bossypants' Cover [you know you're curious]

Demetri Martin's Brevity and Wit

Few comics are as funny off the page as when they are on stage. Demetri Martin's comedy reads wonderfully in his new collection of shorts, bits, and drawings entitled THIS IS A BOOK. Martin's droll sense of humor blends irony, absurdity and potty humor with little excess. When others need paragraphs, Martin uses a sentence--he is a master of shortform.

The book is divided into four parts each separated by sets of one panel drawings. The sections are organized without thematic reasons; instead Martin separates his narratives and one-liners equally throughout the book.

Particular standouts are ‘Socrates’s Publicist’ (as seen in this month’s Playboy), and ‘Optimest, Pessimist, Contortionist,’; each representative of Martin’s ability to turn simple phrases and premises on their ear. ‘Sheila’ demonstrated Martin’s ability to create longer narratives, something I hope he continues and explores in his next book.

I considered several methods of describing THIS IS A BOOK, but none felt natural and germane to Martin’s style. Instead I’ve drawn a few pictures to summarize my opinion on his first book. As you will see below I had a great time reading THIS IS A BOOK. If you’ve chuckled at one of Demetri’s standup acts or at one of his appearances on the Daily Show this book is for you. Whimsical, accessible, and sure to make you laugh. Unless you hate fun. I would stay away if you hate fun.

A Pie Chart Showing the Content of the Book