I loved CYG and that may have been to my detriment in reading this book. I think, as a listener, I made some assumptions about their friendship. TheirI loved CYG and that may have been to my detriment in reading this book. I think, as a listener, I made some assumptions about their friendship. Their reflections on the ebbs and flows that are truly part of any relationship shattered or didn't quite live up to how they described it in their podcast--or how I assumed it was based on the podcast. I also just felt like I wanted more of their voices and less of their life lessons, but that they were pushing towards some universal explanations or expectations that may or may not resonate in every friendship (Big, as theirs is, or small). I don't know. I wanted to love this and just found myself falling OUT of love with them and their friendship as the book progressed. It's probably reflective of some kind of a parasocial relationship that I felt like I knew strangers that I don't know at all, and was disappointed when they pulled back the curtain a bit and revealed some of the messier aspects of being human? But I also just didn't like the narrative style and the way it jumped around? I don't know. I'm sad that I didn't love this and had to really force myself to finish it!...more
Full disclosure: I kind of view audiobooks as cheating, and this was my first audio book. When Goodreads emailed me saying I could have a free audibleFull disclosure: I kind of view audiobooks as cheating, and this was my first audio book. When Goodreads emailed me saying I could have a free audible version of #Girlboss because I had marked it as "to read" I jumped on it. I read Tina Fey's "Bossypants," and still regret not having gotten the audible version so that I could HEAR Tina Fey reading me her book.
This book was not read by Sophia Amoruso, and I cannot imagine what it would take to flawlessly read a book, chapter by chapter, and intone what the author wants to intone into every word and anecdote. That said, while I appreciate the effort, this particular reader mispronounced "ennui," making me question the very fabric of the English language and whether or not I knew how to speak it. I mean, was I wrong all this time and no one corrected me? Where else had I heard it? Could I somehow make someone say it for me? Then she mispronounced Roald Dahl and I realized, no, no. I have a handle on this. SHE doesn't.
All of that is to say, please take my review with the grain of salt that is my resistance to audio books.
The content of the book is a little bit like listening to Britney Spear's "Work B*tch* on loop for the 4 or 5 hours that it takes to listen to this book. At times inspiring, often irritating (sidenote: why does Britney adopt a British accent for just 1/4th of the song?), and, in the end, too much.
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Honestly, I felt like she told her story in the first two chapters and hooked you, but then filled in stupid details (OMG you once wore Abercrombie and believe in magic?) without real content for the next 10 chapters. She quotes a lot of really pithy, overused cliches like Steve Jobs and Leonardo DiVinchi and seems to mock everyone who does things differently than she does. "When I was in high school, I always submitted a real resume for retail jobs..." which is great, because it's obviously worked for her. But it's also just not the only way to do things (when I was in high school and worked retail and some toolbag came in with a printed resume, we laughed at them and thought maybe they weren't prepared for the real world of retail service, and made them fill in our paper application.) For example, after explaining how Nasty Gal grew out of her own feelings of ennui and anarchy, the author preaches positivity as, "your thoughts become your actions." So...#hypocrisy?
Often contradictory (do as I say, not as I do) and often condescending (although, again, maybe that was just the audio version coming across that way to me) I felt all my initial inspiration wane and grow into irritation. It was with great difficulty (and a long plane ride) that I finished this book. My recommendation? Read the first three chapters, watch the Britney video twice, and call it a day.
Holy crap. I don't even know where to start with this book. I really resisted reading it because I'm stubborn and an excessive number of people recommHoly crap. I don't even know where to start with this book. I really resisted reading it because I'm stubborn and an excessive number of people recommended it to me whenever the topic of gender comes up. But this book isn't really about gender. I mean, yes, the main character is socialized as a girl, later lives as a man, and gender comes up, but to me this was much more about history, family, and identity writ large than it was about gender specifically/in a silo. The novel winds through history, relationships, family, and friendships--from the end of the Ottoman Empire to the fall of Motor City, this book's got it all: jilted lovers, incest, first love, teenage angst, civil war, race relations. This would be too much for many authors to take on, and in fact there is a section that goes quite slowly towards the beginning, but overall the whole novel is engaging, fun, and deeply interesting....more
I think, for someone who has never worked with those living in poverty, that this would be a really tough and eye-opening book to read. For me, it wasI think, for someone who has never worked with those living in poverty, that this would be a really tough and eye-opening book to read. For me, it was still really compelling and interesting but perhaps didn't make as much of an impact as it has done to others.
I commend Rachel Lloyd for telling her story, and the stories of other girls who have been trafficked. Reading about a 13 year old girl who is forced to have sex 10 times a day and then told by police officers that it was her "choice" really brings home how tough gender norms and the sex industry make things for girls and women. Even though it's a tough subject matter it's not necessarily sad, and focuses largely on recovery and positive outcomes for girls, as well as prevention. ...more
I wanted to like this book. I even expected a little kick in the pants to motivate me to lean on in and be the best woman I could be. But after monthsI wanted to like this book. I even expected a little kick in the pants to motivate me to lean on in and be the best woman I could be. But after months of picking up, starting, putting down, restarting, and putting this book back down I am giving up. I just...can't. This is not a book about leaning in and being your best self and embracing your womanhood to gain an edge in the board room. It just isn't. This is a book by Sheryl Sandberg about how great Sheryl Sandberg thinks Sheryl Sandberg is. And maybe that's one small step for a woman but one great step for womankind. Lord knows men write enough tomes declaring their own greatness. It just doesn't translate into actionable items (unless you're Sheryl Sandberg and you've managed to perfect time travel and want to read your own book about how to become yourself. Even then I think you'll find yourself a bit cocky.) That said, the Ban Bossy campaign and other talk/items/campaigns that have arisen because of this book are great, and maybe that's it's best legacy....more
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