Friday 23 December 2011

Bossypants

Original Title: Bossypants
Author: Tina Fey
Publisher: Hachetter Audio
Published Date: April 5th, 2011
Genre: Non-fiction, Funny, Autobiography


Recently winning the award of "Best Humor" from Goodreads Choice Awards 2011, I can't accept more with Goodreads about this award.  This is the best non-fiction, I have ever read.

I hope most of us know Tina Fey.  If any of you don't, please visit IMDB.  Her mini biography in IMDB shows the following trademarks for her:


  • Black plastic-rimmed glasses
  • Characters with embarrassing addictions to junk food
  • Characters with unsuccessful or embarrassing relationships
  • Frequent references to Star Wars (1977)
  • Her Sarah Palin impression
  • Characters wanting to be mothers

While Tina's memoir in Bossypants accept all these trademarks, she has a great way to carry her voice.  The book is a series of evocative episodes in Fey's life.  It jumps from topic to topic, like "when she felt as a woman" to "her prom dress" to "equality of woman in workplace" to "her accident while in honeymoon".  But its perfect for me.  When she shared about her childhood and her early stages of motherhood, I really thought her as a common woman with common fears, but learnt to bring herself out, in spite of all those fears.  When she answered some of her interview questions (very bad questions from her non-admirers), it was just awesome how she manages her life in front of such extreme criticisms.  Polite, sarcastic, smart humor and wit - that is Tina Fey.




I don't know about the some of the TV and movie references she made.  Other than this, no complaints.  While I don't know much about Tina Fey, somewhere along this book, I came to respect her and even admire her work and life.

If I ever got the opportunity to interview Tina, I would most likely either die of laughter or embarrassment.  I never thought non-fiction could be fun, before reading this.  Well, now I have to accept that I have not picked the right book.  Excellent job, Tina Fey!

If you are a fan of non-fiction genre, you should never wait to read this book.  Go pick it up..NOW!

Some of my favorite quotes:


“It is an impressively arrogant move to conclude that just because you don’t like something, it is empirically not good. I don’t like Chinese food, but I don’t write articles trying to prove it doesn’t exist.”


“If you retain nothing else, always remember the most important rule of beauty, which is: who cares?”


“Lesson learned? When people say, "You really, really must" do something, it means you don't really have to. No one ever says, "You really, really must deliver the baby during labor." When it's true, it doesn't need to be said.” 


“Don’t waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions; go over, under, through, and opinions will change organically when you’re the boss. Or they won’t. Who cares? Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.”


“Photoshop is just like makeup. When it’s done well it looks great, and when it’s overdone you look like a crazy asshole.” 


“I don’t hate animals and I would never hurt an animal; I just don’t actively care about them. When a coworker shows me cute pictures of her dog, I struggle to respond correctly, like an autistic person who has been taught to recognize human emotions from flash cards. In short, I am the worst.”


“THERE ARE NO MISTAKES, only opportunities.”


“Whatever the problem, be part of the solution. Don’t just sit around raising questions and pointing out obstacles.”


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