That’s right…I am following the day after the U.S. Presidential election with a review of Tina Fey’s Bossypants. (I’m sure Tina Fey could insert a hysterically appropriate love-of-country joke here. I drafted a few of my own renditions, but, alas, I realized I am not destined to be a writer on SNL.)
I can only refer to her as “Tina Fey.” I thought about calling her “Tina” or “Ms. Fey” throughout the post, but “Tina Fey” is much more appropriate. It’s reminiscent of the way she always calls her dad “Don Fey” throughout the early portions of the book. Endearing, no? And yet also a little like a boss…oh, wait…I see a connection here. Well played, Tina Fey. Well played.
To the short of it – Bossypants is delightful. Be warned: there’s some language, a few “rough” jokes, a strong feminist (redundant much?) perspective, and you just might be a traffic hazard if you’re listening during your commute. I definitely felt that way as I found myself deep in thrown-back-head, belly-hurting, tear-wiping laughs. I’m pretty sure I snorted a few times.
Throughout the four audio discs Tina Fey discusses elements of her childhood, her growth as a writer and actor, working at SNL and creating 30 Rock, impersonating Sarah Palin, fashion, and “what to expect on a photo shoot” because – as Tina Fey wisely points out – both she and Snooki have experienced it, so there’s no telling – it just might come in handy one day. I took the information to heart, for sure.
A fan of audio books, I love it when authors read their own work. I appreciate vocal actors/professionals reading books, but it doesn’t feel genuine. It’s the author who knows the appropriate inflections and pauses, giving a true “voice” to the book. Bossypants is an excellent example of this. I love the way Tina Fey reads the parenthetical comments and asides within her book – under her breath. And she references the audio book as an audio book. This may seem like a trivial detail to some. It is not. Audio books are a different media than text books, so as many narrators may say, “This book is a life-long dream,” Tina Fey says, “This audio book…” It’s a big deal because it shows the author has thought about this detail. The audio book also includes a CD full of photos and clips, and Tina Fey mentions the “PDF” no less than seven times throughout the book, which made me look at it. Honestly, I would have otherwise skipped over it, but she was right – it’s totally mind-blowing.
Oh, Tina Fey, you make me laugh. That’s just what this nurse needed driving to and away from work. Thank you.