Looking for a summer read without vampire love triangles, or allusions to Faust? Summer reading is one of the greatest simple pleasures. But, finding a book that strikes a balance between too empty and too dense can be a challenge. One possible solution for this summer is Bossypants.
Bossypants is a memoir written by Tina Fey. In this, her first full length book, Fey talks about her life and how she blazed a trail through a male dominated comedy world. Bossypants is everything you would expect it to be. It is loaded with sarcasm, wit, name dropping, and undertones of liberal elitism.
Tina Fey first came into the public eye as an 'anchor' on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update segment. Since then, she has written and starred in major motion pictures such as Baby Drama. But she is perhaps best known for her uncanny impression of Sarah Palin, and her work on 30 Rock.
The memoir is broken down into three main parts. The first part is her childhood, followed by the story of her break into comedy, and finally her life today as an omni-talent personality and mother.
Fey describes her childhood with her typical sense of backhanded humor. She discusses how she first became interested in acting through a community theater, even though she didn't get the lead right off the bat. She also talks a good deal about her family and how that shaped who she is today. In one anecdote she describes an incident with her father and a faulty rug shampooer. Here she mentions how her father would never tolerate anything that was "defective."
The second part of the book talks about how she broke into comedy. Fey tells readers how she began as a student at Second City -- an improvisational comedy company. Here she shares with readers the fundamental rule for improv: always say "yes..and." In other words, agree with what the other person just said, then add something of your own. From there, she explains how she became a writer on SNL -- and how the culture there seemed to be a closed-to-girls, exclusive "boys' club."
In the last portion of Bossypants, Fey describes what it is like to be the executive producer of 30 Rock, a mother, and how she developed the impression of Sarah Palin. Fey lets readers in on how she seems to do it all -- she has help. She talks about what it is like to be "the boss" on 30 Rock, and how she reigns in other people's individual creativity in order to pull off a coherent episode.
This is maybe the one occasion were it is worth buying the hardcover copy. Since you can take the jacket off and not get distracted by the hairy, and burly arms on the cover.
This book review was written on behalf of: http://afreakshow.com/ by Gineen.
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