Tag: NonFiction

Books

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

RaeAnna

Read Yes
Length 323
Quick Review Amy Schumer is a household name as a bold and open comic, movie star, TV star, writer, and more, but do we really know her?

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I live under a rock, so I had never heard of Amy Schumer until her 2016 movie Trainwreck. In the two years following, I have become a big fan. I love her honesty. She’s not perfect, but she is real. In The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, she ramps up her candor and imperfections even more. She becomes an even more relatable star as she humorously tells some of the ups and downs and face plants of her life.

I am drawn to people who deal with struggle through humor; probably because I do the same damn thing. Schumer’s stand up is hilarious and powerful and sometimes in your face. Her book is a subdued version of all of those things. She looks comfortable on stage for comedy shows. During interviews, she seems nervous and uncomfortable like she’d rather be any where else preferably not in the spotlight. Instead of entertaining on a stage or sitting on a couch for an interview, her introversion shines through. She is just that: an introvert. In her book, it feels like she gets to tell her story on her own terms without having the pressure of being funny.

I have always appreciated her unapologetic honesty. Her book is even more so. She talks about her family, her struggles, her relationships, losing her virginity, abuse, the road to success, having money, and so much more. She lets her fans and readers in and see what is behind her on stage persona.

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She has a very self-deprecating sense of humor. I appreciate this because I too spend most of my time pointing out my flaws. Although, I hope she could see herself the way so many people see her: as a smart, talented, beautiful woman. It is obvious she deals with self-esteem issues sometimes bordering on ‘does she have any self-confidence at all?’ But I would love to meet a woman on this earth who doesn’t. This book was written two years ago, and it’s evident the themes in her latest movie I Feel Pretty have been long lasting themes in her own life.

Candor is one of the most notable points in her memoir. She talks about her parents honestly. She has no qualm about critiquing or slamming present and past self. Her inclusion of diary entries is hilarious and wonderful. She includes footnotes, which are equally funny. It takes a lot of lady balls to let the world see the ridiculousness that is teenage diaries.

Schumer is a born storyteller. She has a tendency to meander through her stories and chapters by adding one or three tales on her way to making her main point. They may or may not have something to do with her point, but they are all entertaining.
I highly suggest The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo to anyone who enjoys a good laugh and a multidimensional memoir. I know I do!

Memorable Quotes
“If you’re a true introvert, other people are basically energy vampires.”
“I don’t know what a hedge fund is. I want a hedgehog fund.”
“…nobody can be innocent and wise at the same time.”
“This is how we were raised: we were always oppressively OKAY.”

Title: The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo
Author: Amy Schumer
Publisher: Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster)
Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 9781501139888
Books

I’ll Have What She’s Having

RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: II
Length: III
Genre: NonFiction – Literary Journalism
Quick Review: Romcoms were changed by the iconic Nora Ephron when she began making her movies in the 1980’s.

Happy Birthday to Nora Ephron! 

Erin Carlson’s I’ll Have What She’s Having is named after one of the most iconic lines in Romantic Comedy. Nora Ephron was a creative icon as she pushed the genre into the modern age and had a hand in some of the most talked about movies of their time and today as a talented journalist, screenwriter, producer, and director.  Screenshot_20180521-171432_Instagram.jpgI grew up on Ephron movies; some I didn’t even know were Ephron movies – My Blue Heaven. She was born in New York City, but moved to LA as her parents’ screenwriting career blossomed. Never getting over her love for NYC, she moved back and never really left. Her career started out as a hard hitting journalist. She went through the dissolution of two marriages including a high profile marriage to Carl Bernstein before marrying her true love Nick Pileggi. Ephron was propelled to even greater success as a screenwriter with When Harry Met Sally. It was the first of what would be her trio of iconic films: Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. Though, her Hollywood credits extended much further.

Carlson tells Ephron’s story through the making of the three iconic films. Although, it’s not the only story being told. The story of the actors, crew, and Hollywood were also unfolding throughout the book. Ephron was a unique woman combining type A personality, warmth, drive, ambition, inclusion, and so much more into a pint sized woman. One of the things that really stood out about her was her ability to collect talented people utilizing their ideas when it added to a project. Collaboration was a word people used to describe her. She was a legend in her own time. People simultaneously loved and were intimidated by her. There’s a sense of her being completely fabulous yet transparently flawed.

It’s hard not to be drawn into the book because so many of us have a special place in our hearts for these films. Carlson has a big story to tell, and she does a very good job of covering this topic. She writes with a strong sense of humor and a style that can be described as bouncy. It is apparent she has so much admiration for Ephron.

Carlson writes incredibly well with her own style. The book includes excerpts from the script, anecdotes, and tons of quotes. The quotes are funny, sweet, honest, and add so much depth to the book and Ephron. Carlson includes tons of pertinent facts about Ephron, crew, actors, companies, locations, and history. These are really wonderful. Due to the immense amount of quotes and excerpts used the style and syntax can get very complex. Carlson increases this complexity as she peppers the book with her own opinions and thoughts about certain aspects. She is fostering a feeling of friendship between herself and the reader, which supports the style of film Ephron made. However, these personal opinions made the syntax even more complex. Sometimes it detracted from the reading experience because I would get distracted by the interesting side notes. Footnotes might have been a more effective way of communicating some of the side information.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was wonderful learning so much history and backstory to some of my favorite movies growing up. I sped read this book in a day, a Sunday. After reading it, I had a movie marathon to watch all three of the iconic films because it truly made me nostalgic.

Memorable Quotes:
“Sleepless, Stressed, and Addicted to Starbucks.”

Title: I’ll Have What She’s Having; How Nora Ephron’s Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy
Author: Erin Carlson
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2017
ISBN: 9780316353908

Books

White Trash.

RaeAnna

Read: Yes
Difficulty: II
Length: III
Genre: NonFiction – History
Quick Review: A deep look into the American class system from the colonial period through the present, and how this system has greatly affected the direction of the country while maintaining a nonexistent status.

I mentioned I was reading White Trash. The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg on Instagram, and so many people responded saying they enjoyed it. As I read, I understood why it was such a hit for my followers because I couldn’t put it down either. Isenberg wrote a book about the complex class system in the United States through history, but added a new preface to directly address the 2016 election. In the post-Trump election, the American class system, which has often been overlooked and undocumented, propelled the country and the election in a certain direction.

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There is a common thought process as Americans that when we separated from England we escaped classism. Isenberg debunks this ideology as she tells a chronologic story of the American class system. Looking into the motivations, language, government, and more, it is impossible to ignore the existence of a society which has maintained a social order with a thriving class of “white trash.”

As Americans, we see ourselves as a unique entity. In fact, many of our ideas about people and class include linguistic remnants from our time under British rule. Wording and context has changed with time, but many things have remained solidly intact. The idea of white trash comes from the term waste people meaning a class of people who under utilized their capabilities. These people were seen as lazy, empty, and disposable instead of being treated as products of their environment.

Throughout history, class and social standing has been inherently linked with land ownership, and this concept is still prevalent in our society. People are seen as having achieved success when they own a house.

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I highly enjoyed how inclusive this book is. It does not glance over racial statistics or issues throughout history. Slavery and indentured servitude are often talked about. The faults and failings of the American founding fathers are highlighted throughout. It’s easy to overlook these traits, but Isenberg puts them on blast for the inequity they worked into the foundation of this country. Such as: voting laws, Jefferson trying to breed the black out of slaves, keeping the poor landless, and so much more. They, of course, had some good ideas, but they weren’t necessarily the awesome people we have been lead to believe they are.

I have spent a great amount of time in North Carolina, so I thought it was funny when Isenberg devoted three pages to talking about how the state is nothing but a dirty swamp. This did serve a very important function into explaining why North Carolina was populated by the impoverished because the rich, white guys didn’t want to live there, so they pushed everyone else that way.

As a linguist, there were tons of fabulous discussions about the history of language and how it was used to keep people in certain brackets. This idea isn’t something playing out solely in history; it is still prevalently used in today’s society.

Alright, so this book is really hard to concisely sum up because it covers such a wide range of topics. Isenberg must have spent an excruciating amount of time researching because it was incredibly well written. With a serious topic, she wrote with a compelling tone and just the appropriate amount of humor. It is well worth the read, and a seriously interesting look into American history.

Memorable Quotes:
“Language rules.”
“Beyond white anger and ignorance is a far more complicated history of class identity that dates back to America’s colonial period and British notions of poverty.”
“Parody was one way Americans safely digested their class politics.”
“The Fundamental Constitutions did more than endorse slavery. It was a manifesto promoting a semifeudalistic and wholly aristocratic society.”
“North Carolina forged a lasting legacy as what we might call the first white trash colony.”

Title: White Trash. The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America
Author: Nancy Isenberg
Publisher: Penguin Books
Copyright: 2016
ISBN:9780143129677

 

Books

The Book of Tea

RaeAnna

Difficulty: II
Length: I
Quick Review: A beautiful look into the history and importance of tea from a master and historian.

Written by and for the tea lover. This incredibly short book is jam packed with teaism. In reality, The Book of Tea isn’t a book at all but a long essay by the Japanese scholar Kakuzo Okakura. Written in English for the Western world to pear inside the world and history of Japan through tea.  Screenshot_20180521-195047_Instagram.jpgTea is a central component of Japanese and Asian identity. It has played a major role in their culture for a millenia and some. With a beginning in the religious and medicinal worlds, tea evolved into a staple beverage in Asia and eventually the world. As times changed so did tea. It has lived a life in three different stages with three different preparations. Boiled Tea came from a cake or brick of tea, which, at one point in time, the ingredients included salt and even onions. After that period, Whipped Tea was concocted from a powder forever leaving behind salt and onion. As technology progressed, tea arrived in its modern form of Steeped Tea utilizing the leaves. Whipped Tea or powdered tea is still present but not popular.

The first traces of tea, as we know it, arriving in Europe was documented by Marco Polo in 879. Tea gained immense popularity in the sixteenth century as access increased and cost decreased. Tea became a drink of the people no longer reserved for the filthy rich and royal.

Okakura talks extensively about the history and significance of tea. It embedded itself in the Asian cultures and religions. Tea plays a significant role in Taoism and Zennism. The tea ceremony has evolved as Tea Masters have mastered the art. Okakura discusses the masters in length before describing the tea ceremony.  The efforts required to hold the ceremony are extensive starting long before one even begins. The tea room must be built from the best materials, flowers must be just so, the tea must be grown correctly, so on and so forth. Like many things in Japan, the tea ceremony is executed with precision and mindfulness.

Okakura’s first language was Japanese, but he wrote The Book of Tea in English. The language is simple, elegant, and captivating. He draws the reader into his world. Through focusing on tea, he is able to allow the Western world into a culture vastly different than our own. His words are about more than tea; they are about appreciating the beauty in life.

Memorable Quotes:
“Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage.”
“In joy or sadness, the flowers are our constant friends.”
“He only who has lived with the beautiful can die beautifully.”

Title: The Book of Tea
Author: Kakuzo Okakura
Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc
Copyright: 1964
ISBN: 9780486200705

 

Books

Keep Marching

RaeAnna

Difficulty: II
Length: III
Quick Review: A look into the pitfalls, the successes, the struggles, the reality of being a woman in the United States today.

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner is a founder of MomsRising and works tirelessly to promote women’s rights through public speaking, campaigning, writing, and, yes, marching. Keep Marching is a look into the status of women in the United States. It’s incredibly well researched and accessible. I will refer to the author as KRF for the rest of the post because it is simpler.

I am always wary of feminist books, especially when written by white women. Feminism, historically, has left women-of-color out of the narrative, out of the statistics, and out of the picture. From the beginning of Keep Marching, KRF preaches inclusivity and intersectionality. Thankfully, she follows through.

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I don’t want to give too much away. KRF discusses topics falling into three categories: Our Money, Our Bodies, Our Communities. Under these categories our right to choose, pay gap, motherhood, immigration, laws, and more are discussed at length.

Full of statistics, Keep Marching is both distressing and shows signs of hope for women and society. Motherhood is a recurring topic as it is a central component in many women’s lives, even those who are not mothers face obstacles based on reproduction. Women of color are often overlooked, and KRF includes statistics to show just how left behind they are. The stats are often given for women as a whole, but also given based on ethnic background, socioeconomic background, motherhood status, and more.

The book is separated into three parts discussing different topics in chapters. The reader is not bogged down solely in statistics. There are many anecdotes supporting her claims and statistics. The stories also show the struggles every day women face from all backgrounds. They ground her argument in reality. At the end of each chapter, there is a short section about taking action. In case the chapter sparks your interest or lights a fire under your butt, you now have a resource to help you know where to start.

As a cofounder of MomsRising, KRF has been a part of legal reform on state and federal levels. She often reiterates the phrase “we won” giving a sense of hope. An important theme to keep repeating. If we connect, support, fight, and raise our voices as a group, women can win. When women win, society wins. KRF gives many examples showing that when women win we all win. Investing in the future and success is an investment in society. She gives a lot of statistics on how society improves when women are involved at all levels because people need proof to take women seriously…. Or at least, that’s my experience.

It feels like Keep Marching is directed at white women. It is important to educate all women, but KRF makes it important to highlight the battles woc face. White feminists have left this group of women out of the discussion, and KRF is doing her best to include them. I was really impressed by the fact KRF focused so much on the different groups making up women. We are a group, but we are a diverse group, most of whom are consistently overlooked.

None of the information was new to me, but KRF does an excellent job laying out the information in an appealing and educational format without losing the reader.

Title: Keep Marching; How Every Woman Can Take Action and Change Our World
Author: Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner
Publisher: Hachette Books
Copyright: 2018
ISBN: 9780316515566

 

Books

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

RaeAnna

Difficulty: II
Length: II
Quick Review: Mindy Kaling is sweet, hilarious, honest, and absolutely fabulous in her memoir about being a successfully awkward human being.

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I love Mindy Kaling. Not just because she’s a woman of color succeeding in a white, male dominated field. She’s hilarious! She’s smart! She’s confidant! She’s stylish! She’s true to herself. She is everything a young woman should aspire to be. I’ve been following her career for a good while now, but I never picked up her book. Why? No idea.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) is great title. A mouthful, but I think that’s kinda Kaling’s style. If you’ve ever heard her speak, you’ll hear her voice coming through from word one.

Kaling grew up with a brother. Her parents set her up to be funny as they dressed their children as genderless as possible. I think it worked out for her. She grew up, went to Dartmouth, moved to NYC, wrote a play with her best friend, moved to LA, wrote for the Office, and that’s where her book ends, but it’s nowhere near the end of her success. Since the publication of her book in 2011, she has found even more awesomeness. She talks about all of these experiences for the good, the bad, the weird, and the memorable.

Honestly, all of her candid awkwardness gives me hope for my future.

Her writing style is really straight forward. It reads the way she speaks in interviews. She is realistic, funny, relatable, and truly genuine. She isn’t trying to give advice, but she does in many ways. Through the telling of her experiences, she could potentially ease the minds of so many girls who don’t peak in high school… Let’s be honest, that should never be anyone’s goal. She has this amazing honesty in her writing as she dives into her quirks, her mistakes, her friends, and her success. She tackles everything with a truly laugh out loud way with words. So much so, I think this book could have earned her a place in the looney bin with her fantasies – a nicer word for delusions – if she weren’t so awesome and successful as a writer and actress.

The book has a few grammar mistakes. They are by no means glaring, but the editor could have edited a tad better.

I personally enjoyed the section where she discussed the franchises she would develop herself, INCLUDING the girl gang ghostbusters… I hope she earned some royalties off the idea because she predicted it five years before the movie hit theaters. I’m now eagerly awaiting her other ideas.

I highly suggest this book. It’s a quick read but entertaining.

Memorable Quotes:
“When Your Boyfriend Fits into Your Jean’s and Other Atrocities”
“I went to Dartmouth to pursue my love of white people and North Face parkas.”
“If you’re a kid who was not especially a star in your high school, I recommend going to a college in the middle of nowhere.”
“Also, chubby people can never truly pull off ethereal the same way skinny people can never be jolly.”

Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)
Author: Mindy Kaling
Publisher: Three Rivers Press (Crown Publishing Group – Random House)
Copyright: 2011
ISBN: 9780307886279