The CHICK-tionary by Anna Lefler
by Jenners • 12/14/2011 • 4 Stars, C Titles, Humor, L Authors, Non-Fiction • 62 Comments
The CHICK-tionary by Anna LeflerPublisher: Adams Media, 2011
Pages: 226
Genre: Non-Fiction, Humor
Where I Got It: From TLC Book Tours
Why I Read It: I’m out of touch with many modern slang terms and I wanted to be in the know. Plus it sounded funny.
My Rating: 4 stars
Book Description
As the subtitle states, The CHICK-tionary covers “From A-Line to Z-Snap, the Words Every Woman Should Know.” Containing 450+ words that “no woman can live without” (well, I could do without cameltoe and cankles), The CHICK-tionary is that rarest of reference books—one with attitude and a sense of humor. Organized by alphabetical order (like a real dictionary!), The CHICK-tionary is perfect for browsing for a giggle or for times when you hear a term and wonder exactly what it means.
My Thoughts
I’m one of those clueless dorks who is aware of various pop culture terms but don’t really know what they mean. For example, back when MILF started floating around, I was mystified about what it stood for. Same for when “cougar” started being bandied about. I’d have to ask Mr. Jenners what those terms meant … and have to endure both his incredulity and mocking. So, for someone who is perennially out of touch with pop culture slang, The CHICK-tionary helps me save face and seem “with it.” (Also, this was my first glimpse into all the possibilities of what could be done with your pubic hair—from “landing strip” to “vajazzle” to “merkin.” I had NO IDEA there were so many possibilities for that area.)
Besides illuminating me about the meaning of various terminology, The CHICK-tionary was a fun read as well. Anna Lefler has a sense of humor and she’s not afraid to use it … or tell it like it is. Perhaps the best way to convey the tone and feel of the book is to share a few of the definitions with you.
Beta Baby, noun
The heavily scrutinized first child born into a circle of female friends. The beta baby provokes a spectrum of reactions among group members, ranging from fascination and affection to annoyance and naked envy, depending on the friend’s current marital and/or relationship status and the degree to which the beta baby disrupts the group. Although scientists work to pioneer methods for testing the resilience of the female friendship dynamic, it is unlikely that a more effective instrument than the beta baby will ever be developed.
Poncho, noun
What is it about a poncho? What does that question even mean? Anyway, a poncho is like a tarp for a person—you throw it on, pop your head through a hole, and most everything is covered. The poncho is one of those timeless pieces of clothing that, although it becomes trendy every so often, never truly goes out of style, particularly if it’s made from something swanky like cashmere. Bonus features of a poncho include the ease of hiding things under it (see also: pooch) and that it may come with pom-poms that bounce around like crazy when you run.
Girl Scout Cookies, noun
The SCUD missile of dessert items, Girl Scout cookies can blast through the most impenetrable of diets and make rubble of ironclad New Year’s resolutions faster than you can say “I’ll take four boxes of Samoas.” What is it about these things? You know if they were on the supermarket shelves, you’d walk right past them without a second look, right? Is it their limited-time availability? The fact that you get hit up for them at the office when you’d rather do anything than finish writing that report? Is it the smiles of little girls whose hopes and dreams have not yet been crushed under the boulder of life’s realities? More importantly, is anyone selling them here today, right now? We’ve got CASH, people!
My only real complaint is that Lefler neglected to include a definition for “hooking up,” which Mindy Kaling rightly points out in her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, needs to be defined. Does it mean sex? a rigorous bout of kissing? I think Lefler missed out a chance to define this most nebulous of terms, which certainly cries out for a definition as it leaves me terribly confused whenever I read US Weekly.
Recommended For
This light and breezy book would be a perfect gift for your “bestie” or a sister or an older niece or an out-of-touch older person (much like myself) who needs to get with the times and stop misusing terms like “cougar.” And, good news for you, I will be giving away my copy in January!
What are other bloggers saying about this book? You can find out at the Book Blogs Search Engine or visit the other tour stops on the TLC Book Tour.
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I need this book! And hooking up can’t only mean sex, can it? I mean there must be a whole lotta sex going round if that’s the case. You are right that a clearer definition is needed.
Be sure to enter my giveaway … and check out the other TLC Tour stops. Lots of others are having giveaways for the book too. And hooking up seems to mean whatever a particular group or person wants it to mean, which can lead to lots of confusion!
I don’t think I’m TOO far behind the times with slang, but I have to say that it changes so damn often, how does anyone keep up anymore? Maybe that is a sign I am not as in touch as I think I am?
This sounds like a blast to read. I can imagine many a-ha moments where certain situations suddenly become more clear after understanding what people actually meant.
I had more than my fair share of a-ha moments! It was quite illluminating. I think you are right though … it is one that would be hard to keep updated.
My husband is WAY more up on all the hip terms than I am so I know how you feel. Sounds like I need to read this one from cover to cover myself …
Thanks for being on the tour Jenners!
Glad to hear I’m not the only one “outhipped” by their husband. Thanks for having me on the tour. It was a fun one!
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I have heard this one was fun….I like the poncho definition. I have one that I wear often during the cold months
It’s got a built in type cowl as well…lol.
It was a fun read, and the poncho one just cracked me up — “a tarp for a person.” I bet you crocheted your poncho and it is adorable!
Sounds like it could come in handy
It will help decipher many TV shows and teen conversations I think.
This sounds like so much fun!
It twas fun!
sounds like a fun read–I am also clueless about these things.
It was fun and educational … the best kind of read. ; )
I was the mother of elementary-school-aged children when MILF was used most, and I kept confusing it with MILK, which made no sense except to me. Mother I’d like to kiss kept suggesting itself. My imagination was more polite than pop culture.
MILK is much nicer … I wish you were in charge of slang.
do I know any out of touch people? oh yes, ME!
Join the club … we’re very nice but out of touch. : )
I always wondered about hooking up too. I thought it meant the whole shebang, but apparently, that’s not necessarily so. I’m so confused!!!
The book sounds fun, although I’m not sure I’m quite as clueless as you seem to be.
I’m confused too … but not as much as you. You have older kids to keep you sharp and in the know. Whereas I know a lot about Pokemon now.
Thanks so much for having me and for the lovely review! I’m so glad the book gave you some good laughs…
Take care and happy holidays!
Thanks for the fun book! It was a blast to read and performs a valuable public service for folks like myself. Best of luck with it.
This sounds like a lot of fun. I would probably learn a lot!
I sure learned a lot. It was fun AND educational.
Lol – You and me both on all the possibilities for your pubic area. I almost busted a gut over a few of those. This was a fun book.
It was a fun read … I was so glad to be on this tour!
I know some of these terms, but not others. Sounds like a fun book to dip into now and then.
It was a fun little book, and it would be handy to have when you hear something that is unclear.
I’m sure this would be educational for me! My husband and I were watching this game show called Baggage (with Jerry Springer) – ever heard of it? It’s a little classier than his other show (which I never watch). Anyway it’s a dating game show for people with baggage, most of it weird or disturbing. In one episode the baggage was that a guy had slept with three cougars for money in one weekend. My husband and I looked at each other and started laughing. We then tried to decide which kind of “cougar” would have been worse.
Too funny imagining the guy with a “real” cougar. I’ve not heard of that show but it sounds wonderfully trashy and funny in a good way!
Glad to read your thoughts on this, having read several other reviews on it, you have confirmed that I need to have a copy, thanks for a great review.
It is a fun little book. I could see you working some of them into your silly Monday posts or something!
I make ardent attempts to be up on the slang…I hate not being on top of these things. It is my feeble attempt at warding off middle age. But still, it is easy to see that this would be a funny book to pick up when I’m feeling pissy. You are right, “hooking up” is nebulous at best. I always assume the most extreme definition, so if someone implies that hooking up is occuring, I’m going to assume this means sex.
With teens in your home, I’m sure you’re more hip than I am. I only know what the 2nd graders are talking about. : )
And I think that is the problem with hooking up — I kind of assume sex too but that isn’t what people might mean and then I think “Slut!”
OK, I laughed at all of those, especially poncho.
At least you aren’t like a certain elderly acquaintance of mine, who thought that LOL meant “Lots of love.” She used to post on people’s facebook walls like, “Dear Cara, sorry to hear your brother passed away. LOL!” We had to explain to her…it was uncomfortable.
Your LOL story had me LOLing … seriously. That is so funny but so incredibly awkward and horrible. Love it.
I have been seeing this book everywhere, and it sounds like a lot of fun. I love the wittiness of the definitions, and like you, I had no idea that there was so much to be going on about in the pubic hair department! I need to read this one for myself. It seems like something that will make me giggle, which is just what the doctor ordered, I think! Great review today, Jenners!
It is a definitely a good giggleworthy book … and just full of ideas for spicing up your pubic hair area (just in time for the holidays. .. HAHA!)
*Sigh* . . .and I still don’t know what MILF stands for. Hey, wadda ya want? I’m 65 years old. Time to say I don’t care what others are calling their short and curlies. Do I get points for knowing TSTL?
You get 10 points for TSTL!
I think this would be a wonderful way to fill in those informational gaps that I have formed throughout the years….in the comfort of my own home. Sadly, I walk around on my very own set of cankles everyday, but the really sad thing is that I had to learn what “cameltoe” meant in my women’s Sunday School class.
I would just LOVE to hear how cameltoe came up in your women’s Sunday School class!! That sounds interesting!
Sounds like a good book for the bathroom, if one were the type to keep books in there…
It is a perfect bathroom book … not that I read in there.
Looks like a fun/easy/funny read! Also I am so out of touch already that I should read it and get back in with the cool kids immediately! ha!
Btw, I am toying with the idea of switching to wordpress- thoughts? Is it worth it? Do you like it?
Now that I’ve read the book, I’m in the cool kid club again. : )
And I love WordPress … much more flexibility but it does require a learning curve and some time commitment to learn it but it is worth checking out.
Yay! You answered my burning question in your last sentence. (if I can wait that long and, of course, be the winner) This sounds like SUCH a fun book!
Be sure to visit some of the other tour stops too … they are giving away copies of the book as well. It will increase your chances of winning.
I knew all of the pubic hair terms, so maybe I’m not as clueless as I believe I am.
The definition of hooking up is age-dependent, I think. For gals my age, it means “tethering the girls” (at least that’s how I look at it).
Hmmm…your knowledge of pubic hair terms is interesting … and maybe disturbing. HAHA.
“Hooking up” It depends on who you ask. My daughters are ages 21 and 28 and they both provide me with different meanings. Since this phrase did not exist when I was a teen or even in my 20′s I believe it’s a phrase that each clique knows about and only that clique knows the meaning. Those outside this specific clique have the same words but a totally different meaning.
I think you are so right! That is why this term is so confusing … every group defines it a different way.
Jenners, I also read this book, and enjoyed reading your thoughts about it. Well done!
You did a great job with your review too. I loved how you defined the book!
I’m a clueless dork, too, so I’m usually about ten years behind on the lingo.
Clueless dorks unite!
I was also thinking this would be the perfect gift for a girl-friend. I live in Canada. I will email you my address!!!!!
A perfect gift for a girlfriend that you read before you give her or borrow after you give it!
Haha! I’m actually quite in touch with slang terms but, man, are there a lot these days, right? And I think it is impossible to define “hooking up” because every person will use it differently. When my sister was sixteen, she was “hooking up” by making out. At the exact same time, the kids on The Real World were “hooking up” in an entirely different way (more along the lines of what I would call “hooking”). This book sounds funny!
From what everyone has been saying, “hooking up” does seem to be defined by smaller groups with their own meaning about what they mean! ACK. The book was a fun read.