Sloane Crosley, author of I was told there'd be cake, has a new book that had me snickering in quite a few instances (and those who know me know I'd don't laugh lightly). How did you get this number (which depicts a guilty faced brown bear on the cover, see below) is a collection of 9 essays in which Crosley critically examines certain episodes of her life with witty humor and some catch phrases that I wish I was smart enough to think of first.
A few examples the insight in Crosley's essays:
On language barriers "...with the conviction that the longer one speaks Portuguese, the more apt your foreign subject is to understand it. It's the Portuguese version of screaming English in order to better communicate. Everyone knows that works." ...p. 24.
On an anorexic kleptomaniac roommate "None of my clothes would fit her without the aid of a staple gun."... p. 50.
On the safety of a night-light "...if they worked for me, would they not also work for the eight-eyed monster hiding in the closet?...She can see a night-light." ...p. 70.
See...Aren't these clever concepts? Don't you wish you had thought of some of these yourself?
'Light Pollution', her essay about the differences between the lower 48 & Alaska made me want to schedule my flight and check it out with my own eyes.
Emily Gould's latest literary work, And the heart says whatever, is comprised of 11 short stories about a single woman and finding direction in life. Set in New York City, the moods of the stories range amongst depression, irony, sarcasm, and humor. She entertainingly tells tales of boyfriends (many), jobs (also many), pet ownership, decorating minuscule apartments, and seeking the fitting persona to adopt upon her graduation from the New School. I thought the stories read like an extension of a creative writing class with carefully chosen descriptive wording although they were casual enough to convey that the writer is grounded in reality. I loved the thoughtful way these stories ended; not leaving the reader hanging, rather understanding how deeply the author analyzed the topic and story line and created writing that would convey strong sentiment while giving the reader a voyeuristic fishbowl view of her life. This slim book makes a great take-along beach read and the stories are short enough to read between naps in the sun. Emily Gould's blog site is http://www.emilymagazine.com/.
Whip Smart is a cracking good tale detailing the author Melissa Febos’ life as herself and as ‘Justine’, a well-paid dominatrix. This is not a book for modest, naïve, or easily nauseated readers. It is frankly startling as the author reveals how she has made a living, what clients have paid her to do, and her conflicting feelings about her own behavior. As her clients who repeatedly pay for abuse and humiliation, ‘Justine’ has her own addictions: to substances, lifestyle, and the sadomasochistic job that keeps her returning to the ‘dungeon’ to enthusiastically deliver biting remarks and twisted torture. After deciding to break ties, she suffers dominatrix withdrawal, loss of the power of dominant oppression over men, and relationship issues. I didn’t find it surprising that this type of behavior held a certain addictive quality for the author. I did find surprising that Febos had the audacity to perform the acts she describes and even more surprising that she has publicly revealed her actions as a dominatrix (I don’t think I could even write about behavior like this without feeling completely embarrassed). No matter if you are shocked or sickened by the subject matter, this book is beyond the imagination of even the most vivid minds and definitely difficult to put down.
See what Elle has to say about Whip Smart
Some girls: My life in a harem – Jillian Lauren had an alter ego which she would slip into (or out of, as the case may be) when she arrived at the royal palace in Brunei. Paid to live on the estate of one of the richest sultanates for months at a time, Lauren would check her own emotions and desires as she became one of a herd of foreign women handsomely compensated to be at the beck and call of the Sultan’s brother, Prince Jefri. Lauren’s exhausting jet-setting travel to exotic locales with her Louis Vuitton luggage would rival the itinerary of Lara Croft. In an atmosphere of privileged boredom, catty female behaviors reminiscent of New York Housewives Bethenny and Kelly, is the daily forecast for Brunei. Jealousy in the harem abounds over jewelry, designer clothes, and the favor of the prince. In learning the best way to please the prince, Lauren learns important lessons about herself, her attitudes about love, and her values. Like Pretty Woman is to Cinderella, a movie of this tale would be the modern version of The King of Siam.
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