Status
Available
Publication
Avery (2006), Edition: Reprint, 224 pages
Description
Decreed by David Letterman (tongue in cheek) on CBS TV's The Late Show to be the pick of "Dave's Book Club 2006," Candy Girl is the story of a young writer who dared to bare it all as a stripper. At the age of twenty-four, Diablo Cody decided there had to be more to life than typing copy at an ad agency. She soon managed to find inspiration from a most unlikely source-- amateur night at the seedy Skyway Lounge. While she doesn't take home the prize that night, Diablo discovers to her surprise the act of stripping is an absolute thrill. This is Diablo's captivating fish-out-of-water story of her yearlong walk on the wild side, from quiet gentlemen's clubs to multilevel sex palaces and glassed-in peep shows. In witty prose she gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at this industry through a writer's keen eye, chronicling her descent into the skin trade and the effect it had on her self-image and her relationship with her now husband.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member jaltergott23
First off, it was written by a stripper in Minneapolis (where I now live), so I knew of most of the places she was talking about. Not that I had ever been in any of them, of course, but they were places that I have walked or drove by on my excursions in downtown Minneapolis. I always thought I had
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an idea of what went on behind those doors. Turns out, I didn't - I have to say parts of this book were pretty shocking. As informative as it was, I still didn't get a real sense of why this woman became a stripper. She was new to Minneapolis, living with her boyfriend, and working a professional job when she saw a sign in the window for an amatuer strip night. She impulsively signed up and got a kick out of it - and decided to continue. Her motivation, other than money, just wasn't entirely clear to me. But at least now I know that there are some real freaks running loose in Minneapolis. Show Less
LibraryThing member cestovatela
Long before penning the Academy Award-winning screenplay for Juno, Diablo Cody walked past an advertisement for amateur night at a local strip club and felt mysteriously compelled to join in. So begins her year as a stripper, peep show dancer and phone sex operator. In spite of her unusual job,
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Cody's background is something that most readers will be able to relate to. She's from an upper middle class family, well-educated, not promiscuous or even terribly adventurous. She describes her body as "cello-shaped," deplores tanning and cannot imagine getting breast implants. Like us, she's an outsider to the sex industry and never pretends to be otherwise. Some people might appreciate that perspective, but for me, it made the book a little less than satisfying. Although I did learn a little about the trade, I craved the "inside story." What draws Cody's fellow strippers into the profession? How exactly did she conquer the art of pole dancing? Although there are some well-written, revelatory passages near the end of the book, my most tantalizing questions remained unanswered. My frustration compounded when I realized that Cody's narrative is composed almost exclusively of sardonic wisecracking. Taken individually, each line is funny -- hilarious even -- but as a whole, it makes her seem insincere. This is a quick-reading book and you won't be bored if you read it, but if you're genuinely curious about stripping, Strip City by Lily Burana is a much better pick. Show Less
LibraryThing member invisiblelizard
So, okay, the other autobiography I read this year (so far) is Candy Girl, by Hollywood "It Girl" du jour, Diablo Cody. Why? Well, I liked Juno (yes, I will still admit, and the soundtrack, too, goddammit) and I was intrigued by her rags to riches, er, I mean, stripper to screenwriter tale. (NB:
I found her book to be an eye-opener. Thematically, it's not for the faint of heart. Grandmothers and little kids might want to avert their eyes. She goes from bored secretarial lackluster to total immersion in Minneapolis' sex industry within a few chapters. Dancing and stripping on amateur night lead to more of the same as a full time profession, toning her abs and refining her "look." But she doesn't stop there. She morphs into a phone sex operator when the late night pressures amass and then into one of those girls "performing" behind the glass in the back rooms of a sex shop.
Is there a moral to this story? No, not really. It's just an interesting segment of her life and a story worth telling. (Actually, she says, "any story involving a panty auction is required to be told.") Apparently this excursion was her attempt to scoff at the boring middle class lifestyle she grew up in. No, it was more than that. Allow me to quote her from one of the final pages:
Most girls get into stripping because they’ve discovered a fast crowd, are mired in financial woe or have lived with dysfunction for so long that they're naturally drawn to the fucked-up family dynamic in strip clubs. For me, it was the polar opposite. I had spent my entire life choking on normalcy, decency and Jif sandwiches with the crusts amputated. For me, stripping was an unusual kind of escape. I had nothing to escape from but privilege, but I claimed asylum anyway. At twenty-four, it was my last chance to reject something and become nothing. I wanted to terrify myself. Mission accomplished.
Reading about a typical male fantasy from the clinical female point of view was quite interesting. From that perspective, there is nothing erotic at all about all of that forced eroticism. Bruised knees and sore feet become the focal point, not the exposed flesh or various gyrations. Stripping becomes a business, a lifestyle, a routine. Men become pigs – something I suspect women have known for some time.
The highlight of this book, which is also the lowlight, is the writing, which is every bit as crafty and clever (at first) and then tiring (after a while) and border-line pretentious as it was in her virgin screenplay attempt. It starts out impressive and eventually wears on you. Young Diablo doesn't know when to tone it down, nor when to use it for effect, which sort of requires that it doesn't overstay its welcome.
But I want to add to that last sentence the word: "yet." I think she has more in her, and a few years of maturity will go a long way towards stabilizing her voice. If nothing else, it brought her down off the pole and bawling like a baby up on stage at the Academy Awards. Clearly this girl embraces change. I just hope the literary world hasn't lost her for good for the money and fame that Hollywood has to offer. I think it would be a shame.
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All of this, presumably, was told on her blog [called, I kid you not, The Pussy Ranch], so the story of blogger-cum-novelist naturally interests me, too.)I found her book to be an eye-opener. Thematically, it's not for the faint of heart. Grandmothers and little kids might want to avert their eyes. She goes from bored secretarial lackluster to total immersion in Minneapolis' sex industry within a few chapters. Dancing and stripping on amateur night lead to more of the same as a full time profession, toning her abs and refining her "look." But she doesn't stop there. She morphs into a phone sex operator when the late night pressures amass and then into one of those girls "performing" behind the glass in the back rooms of a sex shop.
Is there a moral to this story? No, not really. It's just an interesting segment of her life and a story worth telling. (Actually, she says, "any story involving a panty auction is required to be told.") Apparently this excursion was her attempt to scoff at the boring middle class lifestyle she grew up in. No, it was more than that. Allow me to quote her from one of the final pages:
Most girls get into stripping because they’ve discovered a fast crowd, are mired in financial woe or have lived with dysfunction for so long that they're naturally drawn to the fucked-up family dynamic in strip clubs. For me, it was the polar opposite. I had spent my entire life choking on normalcy, decency and Jif sandwiches with the crusts amputated. For me, stripping was an unusual kind of escape. I had nothing to escape from but privilege, but I claimed asylum anyway. At twenty-four, it was my last chance to reject something and become nothing. I wanted to terrify myself. Mission accomplished.
Reading about a typical male fantasy from the clinical female point of view was quite interesting. From that perspective, there is nothing erotic at all about all of that forced eroticism. Bruised knees and sore feet become the focal point, not the exposed flesh or various gyrations. Stripping becomes a business, a lifestyle, a routine. Men become pigs – something I suspect women have known for some time.
The highlight of this book, which is also the lowlight, is the writing, which is every bit as crafty and clever (at first) and then tiring (after a while) and border-line pretentious as it was in her virgin screenplay attempt. It starts out impressive and eventually wears on you. Young Diablo doesn't know when to tone it down, nor when to use it for effect, which sort of requires that it doesn't overstay its welcome.
But I want to add to that last sentence the word: "yet." I think she has more in her, and a few years of maturity will go a long way towards stabilizing her voice. If nothing else, it brought her down off the pole and bawling like a baby up on stage at the Academy Awards. Clearly this girl embraces change. I just hope the literary world hasn't lost her for good for the money and fame that Hollywood has to offer. I think it would be a shame.
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LibraryThing member vfranklyn
I thought this book was okay. It is a quick read and did keep my attention, but I thought the author was sometimes trying too hard to be hip. Plus, being the prude that I am, the content was pretty freakin' nasty at times. But I finished the book, so it didn't suck.
The reason I gave it 2 1/2 stars
Juno was a great movie, though.
The reason I gave it 2 1/2 stars
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instead of 3 is because at the end of the book the author says she grew up during the birth of punk (or something like that). However she grew up in the 90s. Puhleeze. The birth of punk was in the 70s, that garage grunge crap in the 90s is NOT punk.Juno was a great movie, though.
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LibraryThing member Jacey25
Not as good as I was expecting. I did enjoy the voice in which the book was written but at the same time it seemed that Cody was always emotionally distanced from the situation and straining things through an intellectual filter before putting it down on paper. Outside of this the book provided an
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interesting look into a variety of different types of gentleman's clubs and how they operate. A decent read. Show Less
LibraryThing member PigOfHappiness
Cody presents an interesting look into the life of strippers and adult entertainers (at least those found in the Midwest) that is both hilarious and intriguing. Although the ending was not as dramatic as one might have liked (and she admits to this), it is still a pleasurable read. Appropriate for
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college aged and beyond... Show Less
LibraryThing member ndbecks
This book starts off fairly strong but has a weak finish. Read it if you must, but don't buy it.
LibraryThing member Brianna_H
Candy Girl tells the story of a smart young woman recently graduated from college stuck in a deadend job in Minnesota. Bored and in need of a taste from something wild, she enters into an Amateur Night contest at a local strip club and becomes hooked (for a time) on the sex trade world. Cody gives
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us a peak behind the curtain of this seamy underworld. Cody's writing talent is evident on the pages of Candy Girl and it is easy to see how she was discovered by a Hollywood producer; which set her on a path to write the Academy Award winning screenplay, Juno. Show Less
LibraryThing member subbobmail
Juno was my favorite movie last year. Yes, go ahead and call me twee or insufferably hip if you like. I thought it combined sweetness with cleverness. I am a sucker for both of those qualities.
The woman who wrote Juno, as you may have heard, is an ex-stripper. Candy Girl (which was published before
Less than a paragraph is all is takes to learn that Ms. Cody's voice is very similar to that of a certain fictional pregnant teenager. If the dialogue in Juno got on your nerves, avoid this book. I enjoy a playful way with language, even if it does occasionally veer into eye-rolling punnery. (Honest to blog!)
Anyway, Cody was a straight-arrow sort who got into stripping because she needed to prove to herself that she wasn't too chicken to have a wild streak. She describes her titty-bar times with what feels like complete candor. Strippers are jaded for good reason; she clients use them as fuckdolls, and the club owners use them as chattel, taking the vast majority of the money the women make. (She calls a typical strip club a "pink gulag.") Then again, Cody conveys that stripping made her feel shockingly alive and in control of herself for the first time. At her office job, she is efficient and feels like a fraud; peeling away her garments, though it's rarely glamorous, gives her a real high. Until eventually it doesn't.
What with sex workers taking down governors this week, Candy Girl felt very a propos to me as I read it. Not for the sexually squeamish or the terminally scornful.
The woman who wrote Juno, as you may have heard, is an ex-stripper. Candy Girl (which was published before
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the film appeared) is the story of Diablo Cody's walk on the nude side.Less than a paragraph is all is takes to learn that Ms. Cody's voice is very similar to that of a certain fictional pregnant teenager. If the dialogue in Juno got on your nerves, avoid this book. I enjoy a playful way with language, even if it does occasionally veer into eye-rolling punnery. (Honest to blog!)
Anyway, Cody was a straight-arrow sort who got into stripping because she needed to prove to herself that she wasn't too chicken to have a wild streak. She describes her titty-bar times with what feels like complete candor. Strippers are jaded for good reason; she clients use them as fuckdolls, and the club owners use them as chattel, taking the vast majority of the money the women make. (She calls a typical strip club a "pink gulag.") Then again, Cody conveys that stripping made her feel shockingly alive and in control of herself for the first time. At her office job, she is efficient and feels like a fraud; peeling away her garments, though it's rarely glamorous, gives her a real high. Until eventually it doesn't.
What with sex workers taking down governors this week, Candy Girl felt very a propos to me as I read it. Not for the sexually squeamish or the terminally scornful.
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LibraryThing member faerielibrarian
This book was great! I devoured it in one night. Diablo's wit and voice is amazing! I laughed out load and spoke to Diablo as I followed her in and out of strip clubs on her adventures.
LibraryThing member mochap
perversely engrossing back-story of the screenwriter of Juno. Couldn't put it down, but felt kind of sick about it...
LibraryThing member ajpohren
Ok, I must admit that this is a topic that I have not read about before, lol. The thing that piqued my interest in this particular memoir, was the fact that the author attended college here in Iowa. So of course, I wanted to check it out. It is not often that Iowa gets noticed, so I am always
On with the book... As the title indicates, the book spans a year in the life of Diablo Cody. After leading a very "normal" life, complete with Catholic upbringing, she decides to move to Minneapolis, Minnesota, from Chicago, with her boyfriend Jonny.
Once there, she settles into a quiet, sensible job. However, one evening on the way to the bus stop, from work, Diablo passes by a topless bar named The Sky Lounge. She notices the marquee announcing an upcoming "Amateur Night". On a whim, she goes inside to inquire furthur. Thus begins the obsession of stripping. Now, obsession is my own take and may not be how the author considers her time in stripping. Throughout the year, Diablo moves from a few different establishments - going from topless to full nude. Along the way, she meets many girls - all very different from one another. From this, the author gives the reader a full - on trip to the whole behind the scenes life of a stripper, at least while they are working.
Near the end, Diablo takes a job as a "live" nude model at Sex World, which is more or less fantasy porn emporium.
Throughout this all, Jonny, is highly supportive and a treasured part of Diablo's life. After one final gig at a strip club, Diablo no longer feels that rush of adrenaline that stripping, at one time, gave her. She decides to nix any furthur stripping and takes on a very short gig as a phone sex girl. After that, it doesn't take long for Diablo to "retire" from the whole sex industry. There is no longer the curious appeal that it once held.
Diablo, once again, decides to get a regular "straight" job and, as they say, the rest is history....
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thrilled when even the mention of our state is in a book, etc. I know, I am a nerd, lol.On with the book... As the title indicates, the book spans a year in the life of Diablo Cody. After leading a very "normal" life, complete with Catholic upbringing, she decides to move to Minneapolis, Minnesota, from Chicago, with her boyfriend Jonny.
Once there, she settles into a quiet, sensible job. However, one evening on the way to the bus stop, from work, Diablo passes by a topless bar named The Sky Lounge. She notices the marquee announcing an upcoming "Amateur Night". On a whim, she goes inside to inquire furthur. Thus begins the obsession of stripping. Now, obsession is my own take and may not be how the author considers her time in stripping. Throughout the year, Diablo moves from a few different establishments - going from topless to full nude. Along the way, she meets many girls - all very different from one another. From this, the author gives the reader a full - on trip to the whole behind the scenes life of a stripper, at least while they are working.
Near the end, Diablo takes a job as a "live" nude model at Sex World, which is more or less fantasy porn emporium.
Throughout this all, Jonny, is highly supportive and a treasured part of Diablo's life. After one final gig at a strip club, Diablo no longer feels that rush of adrenaline that stripping, at one time, gave her. She decides to nix any furthur stripping and takes on a very short gig as a phone sex girl. After that, it doesn't take long for Diablo to "retire" from the whole sex industry. There is no longer the curious appeal that it once held.
Diablo, once again, decides to get a regular "straight" job and, as they say, the rest is history....
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LibraryThing member GypsyJon
Fun book written by the woman who wrote the screen play for Juno, which has to be one of the best movies of 2007. It is an autobiography of her year as a stripper in Minneapolis of all places. Funny and and touching at the same time.
LibraryThing member jmcilree
Fascinating, but frankly, near the end of the book I was ready for it to be over. So gross.
LibraryThing member cmatrau7
This was a GREAT book. I was so into the book that I managed to read it in one day. It was very insightful and well written. I would recomemend this to anyone that loves to read or a just occasionaly reader.
LibraryThing member ennie
I saw Diablo Cody during her "Juno" tour, and recently finished this book. She had mentioned it might be considered a "stunt book" and I don't know if she went into stripping solely to write about it. Whatever the motive, the book's snappy writing made it an easy, but still sleazy, read. And if the
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aim was to get noticed, it worked as she's been racking up the show-biz credits. Show Less
LibraryThing member tipsister
I just finished Candy Girl by Diablo Cody. Wow. What a ride. Really, it's a good read. My only caution is you should be very comfortable with the different names for body parts and not be too prudish. Diablo is an interesting gal. I loved Juno so very much and I enjoy her articles in Entertainment
I would never be a stripper. It just wouldn't be a good choice for me. Ever. I get why women do though. For so many it's about money, and they can make good money. For others it is about power, some I'm sure are just desperate for something. If you are willing to read a book that might make you blush and will definitely squick you out, go for it. I enjoyed it. It's just not for everyone
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Weekly. My friend bought me Candy Girl after I commented that I'd like to read it but was a bit embarrassed to be buying a book about a stripper. With good reason. She was graphic in parts. On the whole though, I think it was a very interesting memoir. I was under the impression that she started stripping for research purposes. I thought the book idea came before the stripping. I was wrong. She was intrigued by the idea and did it. More power to her.I would never be a stripper. It just wouldn't be a good choice for me. Ever. I get why women do though. For so many it's about money, and they can make good money. For others it is about power, some I'm sure are just desperate for something. If you are willing to read a book that might make you blush and will definitely squick you out, go for it. I enjoyed it. It's just not for everyone
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LibraryThing member daSage
Only the smutty content saved this book. The author has a great vocabulary, but her writing doesn't live up to the hype. Sour grapes from this frustrated writer? Perhaps.
I really should have gotten this one from the library instead of buying it (secondhand), but I'm glad I read it. Now I know what
I really should have gotten this one from the library instead of buying it (secondhand), but I'm glad I read it. Now I know what
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goes on inside all the strip clubs in town - no need to investigate on my own. Show Less
LibraryThing member MariaKhristina
Cody is a really good writer which enabled me to to finish the book in a couple of days. She is hip without being annoying or pretentious and doesn't glamorize stripping. She does a good job at giving the reader a nice voyeuristic look on what goes inside those dark facade buildings.
LibraryThing member sunfi
An interesting and entertaining view into the life of a stripper. The memoir was written by the screenwriter for Juno (I didn't realize this when I picked it up though). There is a bit of redemption towards the end of the story but the journey to that point is a great one. One I wouldn't chose but
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an interesting choice for someone else. I will never look at the exotic dance profession the same way again. Show Less
LibraryThing member MelindaLibrary
This was disturbing because Cody only felt "successful" at stripping when she (finally) made herself a blond, brainless, vacuous body that appealed to males who pay women for sex and to behave as sexual objects. She kept trying to be "successful" at this profession apparently so that she would feel
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that she is attractive to these males. No insight was given as to the why of that. Left me feeling puzzled and irritated. Show Less
LibraryThing member Aeroette
I knew relatively nothing about the world of strippers and sex clubs prior to reading this book. In fact, I'll admit I've always had distaste for that sort of thing. However, this book drew me in and my curiosity about how a college grad with a full-time job could become a stripper got the better
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of me. I now know much more about how the sex industry works and, to my surprise, I enjoyed learning about it. Cody has a light and friendly tone and kept me interested in the wild people she came across as well as amusing me with anecdotes of her experiences. I have to admit though, I'm sure the experience she had would have been different if she had been in the shoes of other strippers she mentioned who had no escape due to their circumstances. However, Cody is very candid and open, allowing the reader, like it or not, to feel as if he/she is actually in the clubs witnessing the action. I really enjoyed the book and will never look down my nose at strippers again. It's not the world I had imagined at all. I would highly recommend this book, but it is not for those who are easily offended and is certainly not for children. I'm also pretty sure my mom would not enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did. My dad might though. lol Show Less
LibraryThing member thehistorychic
What I Loved: I didn't love the book so nothing really stood out.
What I Liked: To say I liked the book, might be overstating.....I found it interesting. Diablo Cody wrote Juno (which I loved) and is writing The United States of Tara (which I am looking forward too) so I like her writing. Plus, how
What was So-So: The story in general wasn't as catching as I thought it would be.
I would recommend it as a book to read if you are interested (or curious) about how that industry works. It was eye opening-really. I do believe she got a great (is that the word) chance to work in several different types of places. Her writing was excellent as always and entertaining.
What I Liked: To say I liked the book, might be overstating.....I found it interesting. Diablo Cody wrote Juno (which I loved) and is writing The United States of Tara (which I am looking forward too) so I like her writing. Plus, how
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brave (or crazy---it is all perspective) it was for her to try stripping for a year. It was an interesting tale to read and a little disturbing. What was So-So: The story in general wasn't as catching as I thought it would be.
I would recommend it as a book to read if you are interested (or curious) about how that industry works. It was eye opening-really. I do believe she got a great (is that the word) chance to work in several different types of places. Her writing was excellent as always and entertaining.
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LibraryThing member LyzzyBee
Acquired via BookCrossing 28 Feb 2010 - from a donation of books for my OBCZs
Out of the 4 people who had had this book, pass through their hands, only the first had read (and rather disliked) it. So I took up the challenge.
Right - this book has now been read!
I didn't actually think it was that bad.
Will release somewhere child-proof!
Out of the 4 people who had had this book, pass through their hands, only the first had read (and rather disliked) it. So I took up the challenge.
Right - this book has now been read!
I didn't actually think it was that bad.
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The narrator is honest about her reasons for wanting to try out stripping (she just liked the idea), carrying on (the money is good and it gave her more self-esteem than her day job in an office) and the people surrounding her, whether other strippers and sex-workers or their clients. It does go into a lot of detail and while I'm fairly unshockable, having read a few books on this subject, it would not suit someone more easily shocked or not keen on this kind of stuff. I found it interesting and well-written, and liked the author's positivity about her fellow-workers, and lack of a judgemental attitude.Will release somewhere child-proof!
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LibraryThing member dysmonia
Candy Girl is well-written, with clever turns of phrase and smooth transitions. Diablo Cody tells her story honestly and thoroughly, without one boring sentence. It's not an expose of any kind, just her experience working as an "entertainer" in several clubs in the Minneapolis area around the turn
One thing she leaves out is her interactions with female patrons. Perhaps she didn't have any. She tells a story of going to a club with her fiancee and receiving a couple's dance; she later takes a job there, so she was employed at an establishment that allowed female customers. While she enjoys her one personal experience with stripper breasts in her face, she uses it as a lesson in how to better her own technique more than anything.
As a female chauvinist pig who is also, in a fit of dichotomy, a card-carrying feminist, I wanted a glimpse into what the strippers are really thinking about bisexual women who use their roommates as the required male escort to gain entrance to the joint and then ogle with the best of them. Cody offers no opinion on this, however.
I thought "Diablo Cody" sounded like a pseudonym, and also sounded familiar. It turns out that long after her stripper days were over, she wrote the screenplay for "Juno" (which I disliked for political reasons) and also worked/works as a writer for "The United States of Tara" (which I dislike because I find it boring). I may not like her efforts in movies and television, but I definitely enjoyed her memoir. She is an intriguing, talented woman.
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of the millennium. One thing she leaves out is her interactions with female patrons. Perhaps she didn't have any. She tells a story of going to a club with her fiancee and receiving a couple's dance; she later takes a job there, so she was employed at an establishment that allowed female customers. While she enjoys her one personal experience with stripper breasts in her face, she uses it as a lesson in how to better her own technique more than anything.
As a female chauvinist pig who is also, in a fit of dichotomy, a card-carrying feminist, I wanted a glimpse into what the strippers are really thinking about bisexual women who use their roommates as the required male escort to gain entrance to the joint and then ogle with the best of them. Cody offers no opinion on this, however.
I thought "Diablo Cody" sounded like a pseudonym, and also sounded familiar. It turns out that long after her stripper days were over, she wrote the screenplay for "Juno" (which I disliked for political reasons) and also worked/works as a writer for "The United States of Tara" (which I dislike because I find it boring). I may not like her efforts in movies and television, but I definitely enjoyed her memoir. She is an intriguing, talented woman.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2005-12-29
Physical description
224 p.; 5.27 inches
ISBN
1592402739 / 9781592402731
Local notes
autobiography