‘Have you ever recognized Mrs. Elton in an office colleague? Or caught a glimpse of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the neighborhood crank? Have you spott‘Have you ever recognized Mrs. Elton in an office colleague? Or caught a glimpse of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the neighborhood crank? Have you spotted a young Emma Woodhouse in your teenage daughter's clique? Over two hundred years after their creation, Jane Austen's mean girls are still alive and kicking.
Bitches in Bonnets explores parallels between Austen's world and our own, showing how modern social and behavioral scientists are just beginning to document and quantify what the author knew instinctively. Interweaving modern research and sociological experiments, author and Austen scholar Sarah Makowski looks beyond Austen's texts for the sources of female aggression both during the Regency and today. Despite incredible advances in gender equality, women still face discrimination and bullying from creche to career. The cruelest assaults are those that are least expected – from other women. Hardly a woman alive has not experienced a false friend whose opinions and affection bring both positive and destructive consequences. The very ordinariness of Austen's stories leaves room for us to identify with her flawed heroines and make peace with their enemies.
Bitches in Bonnets examines how six novels of quiet English life, penned by a parochial Regency spinster, still provide insight on female relationships after all these years and how Austen’s writing – and our reading of it – offers solace to millions of fans worldwide.’ ___________________
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
Bitches in Bonnets: Life Lessons from Jane Austen's Mean Girls is a blend of humor and sociological analysis on the female relationships portrayed in Austen’s works and how they compare and/or remain in modern life.
I love Austen and I love sociology so I was intrigued to read this and possibly add another layer to consider during my next Austen read. I found much of it interesting and was intrigued by many of the comparisons that had not occurred to me before. There were several moments where I felt a sense of agree-to-disagree with the author in that I sometimes found her observations to be cynical and overly critical. I do note though that the author worked for two decades in HR, which I think has maybe painted her opinions to look upon certain behavior with a less tolerant lens. Also some characters featured more heavily and others less than I would have thought to see.
Overall, I enjoyed reading the authors insights, even if I did not agree on all points. I found several points to be thought provoking and I enjoyed considering how our interpretations on characters’ interactions and relationships affect those in our day-to-day lives and vice versa. _____
I would like to thank NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield | Prometheus for sharing an eARC of Bitches in Bonnets: Life Lessons from Jane Austen's Mean Girls by Sarah J. Makowski with me. This is my honest review....more
'Tom Papa is a little worried about you. You seem stressed, overworked and, frankly, a little mixed up.
Everyone is fighting an overwhelming feeling th'Tom Papa is a little worried about you. You seem stressed, overworked and, frankly, a little mixed up.
Everyone is fighting an overwhelming feeling that things are getting worse, that we should be doing more, that we’re not good enough. Well, life isn't perfect. There have always been problems and there always will be. You can fight for the things you believe in, you can work really, really hard, but you shouldn't lose track of the fact that while you’re doing all that, life is flying by at lightning-fast speed. If you actually take a breath and look around you’ll realize you’re actually doing great.
Here’s the thing: We live in an amazing time filled with airplanes, scooters, and peanut butter cups. We have air conditioning, blenders, and martini shakers. It's time to refocus, enjoy it all, and stop waiting for something better! Relax with comedian and Live from Here writer and performer Tom Papa as he explores his favorite subjects in 75 essays, including:
You Don't Have to Live Your Best Life Don't Open the Mail I'm So Baked I Love Your Love Handles Don't Go Tubing Shut Up and Eat
Recalibrate, turn off your device, and open your eyes to a better reality: You’re doing great!' _________________________________
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.
You're Doing Great! is stand-up comedian Tom Papa's second book. It is a light-hearted take on the popular self-help genre, in which Tom tells us we don't have to continue to strive for constant improvement to attain perfection; we're pretty great as we are already.
I've been known to read a self-help book or two and my biggest issue with them is that they can often come across as a bit preachy or give you so much to address that it leaves you feeling overwhelmed instead of inspired. But that is not the case in this book. Each chapter addresses something different that you might find yourself wanting to work on, but this book says: don't sweat the small stuff! Tom gives examples from his own life in the form of amusing anecdotes. Most of the book is dedicated to helping people to accept themselves the way they are, that they are already great as they are. But there are a few chapters with some solid advice that you can follow, like not to do something because it's someone else's idea of fun; if you don't want to do something, don't.
I could recognize bits from his stand-up in the book, which I really enjoyed. I initially worried that his comedy wouldn't come across through text, but I could hear Tom Papa's voice as I read. I haven't read his first book, so I can't comment on if his voice is always this distinctive in his writing, but I would read more from him in the future when looking for something light and amusing to read. _____
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing an eARC of You're Doing Great! by Tom Papa with me for reviewing purposes. This is my honest review....more
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