Reviews: Bossypants and My Horizontal Life
by Jenners • 07/10/2011 • 4 Stars, B Titles, F Authors, H Authors, Humor, M Titles, Memoir, Non-Fiction • 46 Comments
Bossypants (Audio Book) written and read by Tina FeyPublisher: Hachette Audio, 2011
Length: 5 hours and 35 minutes
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Humor
Where I Got It: Downloaded it from Audible
My Rating: 4 stars
Brief Overview: Tina Fey, former head writer at Saturday Night Live (SNL) and creator of the sitcom 30 Rock (of which I happen to be a big fan), writes about her awkward childhood, awkward school years, awkward post-college life and awkward professional life. Plus she dishes about SNL and the creation of 30 Rock, as well as the evils of Photoshop, the realities of a magazine photo shoot, how it felt to be at the center of the Sarah Palin impersonation zeitgeist during the 2008 election, being a woman in a man’s world, motherhood and why she will never go on a cruise again. (My personal favorite part was her wickedly smart-ass responses to various nasty comments posted about her on celebrity gossip sites.)
My Thoughts: This was such a fun listen!! I think this book would be best experienced on audio as Fey’s phrasing and asides add so much to the experience. However, she is a very fast talker and you’ve got to listen closely. This is the only audiobook where I frequently had to rewind to ensure that I caught everything. (Another plus to listening on audio: she includes the actual audio of the first Sarah Palin skit she did with Amy Poehler.) If you’re worried about missing photos, a PDF file is included with the audiobook so you can see the pictures referenced in the book—a feature that I very much appreciated. If you’re a Tina Fey fan, you want to listen to this book! If you’re not a fan, I think you still might enjoy it as Fey is a self-depreciating and very funny woman whose smarts, sarcasm and hard-won experience are on full display throughout the book. My only real complaint is that I wish the book was longer.
My Horizontal Life by Chelsea HandlerPublisher: Bloomsbury USA, 2005
Pages: 213
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Humor
Where I Got It: Bought it for my Kindle
My Rating: 4 stars
Brief Overview: Chelsea Handler is a stand-up comic who now has her own talk show on the E! network. I’ve never watched her show, but I kept seeing her releasing all these books so I thought I ought to give her a try. This particular book is a collection of her one night stands … and it is bawdy, raunchy, brutally honest and very, very funny. Handler isn’t afraid to let it all hang out … and it makes for a riotous and fast read.
My Thoughts: Total fun but not for readers who blanch at the idea of frank talk about sex. If you blush at the f-word or cringe at the thought of multiple casual sexual encounters, this book isn’t for you. However, if hearing about someone else’s sexual experiences (sex with midgets! sex with black men! trying to get your annoying virgin roommate laid!) told by a comedienne who has a gift for relating the details of her sex life in a way that will make your snort out loud, this is the book for you. While reading, I frequently wondered how she could possibly share this stuff with the world … and whether she ever contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
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I want to listen to Bossy Pants. It will be the first audio book I ever purchase.
If you get it through Amazon with an Audible 30-day free trial, you can get it for free! That is how I got hooked on Audible. Enjoy.
I’m eyeing for this book Bossypants. After reading your post, I’m thinking now of getting an audio book instead of print. Thank you for this good review! Both books sound really great!
Audio is the way to go with Bossypants.
I find both of these women to be hilarious so I’m sure I would enjoy reading or listening to both. I think after reading your review I should listen to Bossypants rather than reading it.
I do think Bossypants is best experienced on audio. I thought her narration and some of the audio clips just added so much to the experience.
These both sound very funny, but you can probably guess that I’m going to say the second one sounds too raunchy for me.
On the other hand you did make me curious about they crazy things she did.
It is like listening to a friend’s friend who does all these crazy things and just sitting there going “I can’t BELIEVE she said that.”
These both sound good. I like Tina Fey and Chelsea Handler is a riot. I read Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea and enjoyed it.
I’m going to keep on reading Chelsea Handler’s books after getting a taste of her humor in this one.
I loved Bossypants too. I didn’t listen to it and I wish I had. I’ve never read anything by Handler, but I want to. I watch her show occasionally and it really is hilarious. She says what everyone is thinking, but would never say… then she takes it even farther.
I think you gave the perfect description of Chelsea Handler! I’ll definitely have to check out her show. She seems pretty fearless. And I’m sorry you didn’t listen to Bossypants!
I have heard of Tina Fey who has appeared on English tv but not Chelsea Handler. Not a big fan of autobiographies unless I’m interested in the person/subject I can’t see myself reading either of these soon though I’m sure I’d quite like Bossypants as I think I’d enjoy the humour – I certainly laughed when I saw Fey on tv.
Fey’s book isn’t so much of an autobigoraphy as a loose collection of humorous essays about various aspects of her life. Neither one are “straight” memoirs in any way shape or form.
I think I am in love with Chelsea Handler. Her books always make me laugh uproariously!
I’m definitely planning on reading some more of her books.
Axiously awaiting my turn for the audio of Bossypants from the library. (I need a good laugh)
I’m guessing there is a quite a waiting list for Bossypants!
The Chelsea Handler book appeals to me more than the other. My younger daughter has one of her books in her Kindle and I’m hoping to “borrow” it at some point.
Cool! How young is younger daughter? I wonder if she should be reading Chelsea Handler!!! HAHA!
Ahahaha! She’s 23 so I give her permission.
Well OK then. : )
Glad you enjoyed your reads.
I’m less interested in Chelsea’s book though I’m sure I’d still laugh my way through it. I REALLY want to read Tina’s since she’s one of my faves and I’ve heard spectacular things about it.
If you are a Tina fan, Bossypants is a must. BUT LISTEN TO IT ON AUDIO!! : )
I am not a big Tina Fey person but she is definitely talented and I would probably be entertained by listening to the audio version. I do enjoy audio books quite a lot.
I’ve found audio books essential for getting through boring household chores. I don’t know why it took me so long to try them out.
somehow I think you and Tina Fey would be good friends.
It is my dream to be friends with Tina Fey!
I have Bossypants on my wishlist but didn’t realize that Tina Fey does the actual reading! I’m really looking forward to it now. And Chelsea Handler sounds like she’d be a hoot to read/listen. I’ll have to check her out too. Great reviews!
I was hoping that Tina Fey read her own book and was so glad she did. It adds so much to it … her delivery is half the fun of it. And Chelsea Handler has like five books to choose from!!!
I read part of this book..ok, I was on a bus and reading the copy of the woman next to me, and boy was she slow….but I think it might be one I would better enjoy on audio.
plus, my neck started to hurt…
Too funny! I have such a visual (of course, you look like a lighthouse … which is my image of you in my mind) reading over someone’s shoulder and thinking “TURN THE PAGE!!!!” : )
For some reason, I am put-off by Chelsea Handler. I’m not a prude, and have no problem with hearing about raunchy sex adventures, but there is just something about the woman that makes me uneasy. I don’t think I would listen to that one. The Tina Fey book, on the other hand, sounds like it’s right up my alley and would make for a great listening experience. I am not a huge Fey fan, but she is really funny, and I do appreciate her comic style.
I’m very curious how Chelsea Handler comes off in person after reading her book. I’ve never seen her do anything … but I feel like I know her intimately after reading all about her sex adventures!! : )
And Tina Fey is the kind of woman that I think every woman wishes she could have as a best friend.
I really want to read Bossy Pants – abut it’s not yet available for the Kindle in Europe.
I’m sensing a theme here … it seems to take awhile for books to make the transition to Kindle Europe. Boo!!!!
I knew that Tina Fey HAD to be experienced on audio, so I waited like six months to get it from the library, and now I have it uploaded. It is maybe number two on deck right now for me. I haven’t read any Chelsea Handler, but I know I’d find her funny. The raunchier the better with these things.
You have good instincts for audio. It was the quickest listen I ever had … I was so sad when it was over. And if you like raunchy, Chelsea is your lady!
thanks for the head’s up about tina fey’s hilarious
book. i will definitely get the audio book now.
Audio is definitely the way to go with that one!
When I get around to Bossy Pants I plan to listen to it. I LOVE Tina. Did the caps make me look stalkerish?
I’ve tried to watch Chelsea’s show and there’s just something that rubs me the wrong way so I am probably not going to read her books.
I love Tina too!! I want to be her best friend … so I think I beat you in stalking behavior. : )
I’m curious to see how Chelsea Handler comes across in person after reading her book.
I read Bossypants in print and after all the reviews of the audio, I kind of wish I’d experienced it that way.
Her voice and delivery really added a lot to the experience. I think some of it might not “read” as funny as it sounded on audio.