Bossypants

I avoid books written by celebrities for various reasons. Reading about their terrible childhood or vying with others about how many names they can drop in a sentence is not exactly how I want to spend my limited free time nowadays. I did make an exception to this unwritten rule with Tina Fey's Bossypants after several people told me that I had to read the book. After a long delay, I took a chance and actually really enjoyed it.

Description: From her youthful days as a vicious nerd to her tour of duty on Saturday Night Live; from her passionately halfhearted pursuit of physical beauty to her life as a mother eating things off the floor; from her one-sided college romance to her nearly fatal honeymoon, comedian Tina Fey reveals all, and proves that you're no one until someone calls you bossy.

Review: Bossypants straddles the line between memoir and humorist essay. Fey, in her trademark self depreciating humor and astute observations, hilariously covers her childhood and coming-of-age; time at Chicago's Second City; years at Saturday Night Live (SNL) as a writer and performer; development of 30 Rock; and her ubiquitous role as Sarah Palin. She doesn't flinch nor cover up the less glamorous aspect of her life such as having a hard time finding a job just so she can have enough money to pay for improv classes. Along the way, she also demystifies the celebrity particularly the required photo shoot. My favorite part of the book, however, is Fey's input on women in the workforce and in comedy. Many people think that Fey's impression of Sarah Palin was funny because of the uncanny resemblance and her mannerisms, but few would realize how the sketches about feminism would go undetected.
 Sure Bossypants is a funny book, but I was surprised how much depth lied within the jokes. Fey's comedic timing is perfect. I laughed out loud constantly, but also paused to think too. I'd definitely recommend picking this one up if you're in a reading funk or in a mood for a smart, funny book where a celebrity can actually write and is articulate. 

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Strong language and some crude humor throughout the book. Recommended for Grades 9 and up.

If you like this book try: Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling