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Available
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Description
"A collection of humorous essays about aging by actress and comedian Annabelle Gurwitch"--
User reviews
LibraryThing member Citizenjoyce
Near the beginning of the book the author says, after whining interminably, "they may be first world problems, but they're my first world problems." That pretty much sums it up. I've created a new tag for my books, NIA for Not Intended Audience, which I certainly am not for this book. In Gurwitch's
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defense, she's turning 50 in Southern California. Trying to stay Southern California beautiful as you age is a near impossible task, so I kind of understand her angst, I just don't care. Barbara Ehrenreich loved it, so what do I know. Show Less
LibraryThing member shelleyraec
I was oblivious to Annabelle Gurwitch’s identity before selecting I See You Made an Effort for review otherwise I probably would have given it a wide berth. I don’t have a single thing in common with a Jewish/atheist actress/comedienne living in Hollywood, and I still have ten years until I
That being said I found this collection of essays on reaching middle age readable, sometimes touching, and even occasionally funny.
The most moving story is about the slow death of her friend from pancreatic cancer and the story of ‘The Sandwich Generation’ which includes the recurrence of her mother’s breast cancer.
I laughed at Annabelle’s trampoline induced injuries, ‘This is Fifty’ and her parents technological cluelessness.
The ’4am Club’ was the essay I could relate to most with those same questions and fears running nightly through my own head.
I was least interested in her accidental membership of a cult or the price of her anti aging serum, though I can see how the two are connected even if Gurwitch misses it.
I didn’t think I See You Made an Effort was anything other than an okay read but I’m probably not the right audience for it either, you might be.
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turn 50 anyway.That being said I found this collection of essays on reaching middle age readable, sometimes touching, and even occasionally funny.
The most moving story is about the slow death of her friend from pancreatic cancer and the story of ‘The Sandwich Generation’ which includes the recurrence of her mother’s breast cancer.
I laughed at Annabelle’s trampoline induced injuries, ‘This is Fifty’ and her parents technological cluelessness.
The ’4am Club’ was the essay I could relate to most with those same questions and fears running nightly through my own head.
I was least interested in her accidental membership of a cult or the price of her anti aging serum, though I can see how the two are connected even if Gurwitch misses it.
I didn’t think I See You Made an Effort was anything other than an okay read but I’m probably not the right audience for it either, you might be.
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LibraryThing member debnance
Fifty. You can say all you want how fifty is the new forty, but the truth is there: fifty. Fifty brings with it all the things that fifty has always brought, and, in addition, all the current and hopeless cures that go with it. You can Botox it all you want, but old friends are still going to get
That’s what Gurwitch takes on, albeit in a much lighter vein than I am. And the lightness helps, somehow, doesn’t it?
So try this book, if fifty is looming ahead of you just down the road. It is, you know. And you may as well face it with strength and a laugh.
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cancer and die. You can yoga it all you want, but directors just aren’t going to choose you for that new picture.That’s what Gurwitch takes on, albeit in a much lighter vein than I am. And the lightness helps, somehow, doesn’t it?
So try this book, if fifty is looming ahead of you just down the road. It is, you know. And you may as well face it with strength and a laugh.
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LibraryThing member maneekuhi
I was attracted to this book by the publisher's blurb, which included words like "funny", "hilarious".....Ditto for some celebrity endorsements, more "funny", "hilarious", even a "rollicking" or two. And who could resist those pink panties on the cover. I wish I had. Yes, there was some humor, but
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far less than what I expected. Insightful? I don't think so, more like irritated, sarcastic. Too often, I felt like I was eavesdropping on a therapeutic rant. There was stuff that I felt just didn't belong, like the passing of a friend from pancreatic cancer. There were chapters that were very nicely done, like the one about trampoline session with the author's 13 year old son, though I didn't find it particularly funny. Humor must be very difficult to write; I haven't found a great many humor books that I have found to be really, really funny. Strangely enough, the book that made me laugh out loud the most, "Where'd you go, Bernadette?", was a straight novel and not written for yucks; the humor was there to give insight into the characters. But as other reviewers have noted, humor is a very personal thing, and with that being said I suggest anyone contemplating buying this book should first read a chapter or two to see if it is a good match for you. To its credit, it is consistent throughout and what you'll read is what you'll get. Show Less
LibraryThing member kqueue
Like the author, I am rapidly approaching fifty and experiencing some of the same things she is. Because of that, I really, really wanted to like this book and there are some great laugh out loud moments as well as some very poignant ones. But in between, there is whining. Lots of whining about her
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teenaged son not wanting to be seen with her, her physical problems, her income and on and on. Because of the whining, this book really wasn't for me. Show Less
LibraryThing member carolfoisset
Fun light read about getting older.
LibraryThing member lhaines56
A pretty good book--lot of truth for a woman in her 50s. Good read.
LibraryThing member MyPenNameOnly
I received a copy of this book through a giveaway on GoodReads.com and the following review is my honest opinion for this book.
There are several important ages in a woman’s life, the first of which is the age of sixteen; the in which they go from being a girl to being a young woman.
The next is 21
We now come to the age of 50, the dreaded age which Annebelle Gurwitch writes about in her book. I found Ms. Gurwitch didn’t flinch in writing any of her essays when it came with the myriad of topic she discusses, whether it be about a relatively mundane topic as getting anti-aging cosmetic products at the beauty counter, to those intimate subject matters a woman might not even write about in her diary.
The author’s comedic background allows her to add a certain humorous approach to whatever the topic might be, an element which would have been lacking had someone else written the same item. Ms. Gurwitch’s essays, I feel, gives a reason for women to possibly laugh at themselves as they reach this crucial age in their lives.
For opening a new door to the world of possibilities, I’m happy to give 5 STARS for this book.
There are several important ages in a woman’s life, the first of which is the age of sixteen; the in which they go from being a girl to being a young woman.
The next is 21
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where their parents can no longer legally tell them what to do. They can now legally smoke and drink to their heart’s desire. And they can have a relationship with any man they want to and how they want it.We now come to the age of 50, the dreaded age which Annebelle Gurwitch writes about in her book. I found Ms. Gurwitch didn’t flinch in writing any of her essays when it came with the myriad of topic she discusses, whether it be about a relatively mundane topic as getting anti-aging cosmetic products at the beauty counter, to those intimate subject matters a woman might not even write about in her diary.
The author’s comedic background allows her to add a certain humorous approach to whatever the topic might be, an element which would have been lacking had someone else written the same item. Ms. Gurwitch’s essays, I feel, gives a reason for women to possibly laugh at themselves as they reach this crucial age in their lives.
For opening a new door to the world of possibilities, I’m happy to give 5 STARS for this book.
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LibraryThing member MyPenNameOnly
I received a copy of this book through a giveaway on GoodReads.com and the following review is my honest opinion for this book.
There are several important ages in a woman’s life, the first of which is the age of sixteen; the in which they go from being a girl to being a young woman.
The next is 21
We now come to the age of 50, the dreaded age which Annebelle Gurwitch writes about in her book. I found Ms. Gurwitch didn’t flinch in writing any of her essays when it came with the myriad of topic she discusses, whether it be about a relatively mundane topic as getting anti-aging cosmetic products at the beauty counter, to those intimate subject matters a woman might not even write about in her diary.
The author’s comedic background allows her to add a certain humorous approach to whatever the topic might be, an element which would have been lacking had someone else written the same item. Ms. Gurwitch’s essays, I feel, gives a reason for women to possibly laugh at themselves as they reach this crucial age in their lives.
For opening a new door to the world of possibilities, I’m happy to give 5 STARS for this boo
There are several important ages in a woman’s life, the first of which is the age of sixteen; the in which they go from being a girl to being a young woman.
The next is 21
Show More
where their parents can no longer legally tell them what to do. They can now legally smoke and drink to their heart’s desire. And they can have a relationship with any man they want to and how they want it.We now come to the age of 50, the dreaded age which Annebelle Gurwitch writes about in her book. I found Ms. Gurwitch didn’t flinch in writing any of her essays when it came with the myriad of topic she discusses, whether it be about a relatively mundane topic as getting anti-aging cosmetic products at the beauty counter, to those intimate subject matters a woman might not even write about in her diary.
The author’s comedic background allows her to add a certain humorous approach to whatever the topic might be, an element which would have been lacking had someone else written the same item. Ms. Gurwitch’s essays, I feel, gives a reason for women to possibly laugh at themselves as they reach this crucial age in their lives.
For opening a new door to the world of possibilities, I’m happy to give 5 STARS for this boo
Show Less
LibraryThing member katsmiao
Often funny, sometimes poignant, look at aging, midlife and everything you imagine associated with the magic number 50
LibraryThing member katsmiao
Often funny, sometimes poignant, look at aging, midlife and everything you imagine associated with the magic number 50
LibraryThing member katsmiao
Often funny, sometimes poignant, look at aging, midlife and everything you imagine associated with the magic number 50