Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
NAL Trade (2006), Paperback, 416 pages
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Nonfiction. Humor (Nonfiction.) HTML:Unabridged ? 11 hours This is the smart-mouthed, soul- searching story of a woman trying to figure out what happens next when she's gone from six figures to unemployment checks and she stops to reconsider some of the less-than-rosy attitudes and values she thought she'd never have to answer for when times were good.
User reviews
LibraryThing member tipsister
I just finished Bitter is the New Black, by Jen Lancaster. I've been reading it for a while now, probably 2-3 months. It was my bed-time book. I usually have at least two books going, one to read before bed and one to drag around with me. I chose Jen's book to read before bed because I knew it was
As for Jen's book, I really loved it. I am enjoying Such a Pretty Fat a little more but I'll review that when I'm done. Jen is a woman who I wouldn't have liked very much when the memoir started. She was mean, entitled, and someone who would have made me cry if I had to work with her. The Jen I read about now could totally be my friend. Bitter is the New Black is essentially a book about a woman who keeps getting knocked down a peg, and then another, until she reaches bottom. Through her struggles, she always looks cute, which is very important. It's one of those books that is supposed to be funny and it is, but it's also heartbreaking because of all she and her husband lost. In the end, they are ok and have learned from their past mistakes. I do recommend picking up one of Jen's books if you want to laugh. A lot. I've got to go out and get Bright Lights Big Ass soon. Jen, if you are reading this? You are awesome!
Show More
a memoir and since I follow her blog, there isn't that anticipation to see if she survives. I know she's still alive, so no tragedy befalls the heroine. The reason it took me so long to finish is because I don't always read before bed. Sometimes I'm just too tired, or not in the mood. I read blogs at night on the computer and sometimes I am done reading and just need to close my eyes. As for Jen's book, I really loved it. I am enjoying Such a Pretty Fat a little more but I'll review that when I'm done. Jen is a woman who I wouldn't have liked very much when the memoir started. She was mean, entitled, and someone who would have made me cry if I had to work with her. The Jen I read about now could totally be my friend. Bitter is the New Black is essentially a book about a woman who keeps getting knocked down a peg, and then another, until she reaches bottom. Through her struggles, she always looks cute, which is very important. It's one of those books that is supposed to be funny and it is, but it's also heartbreaking because of all she and her husband lost. In the end, they are ok and have learned from their past mistakes. I do recommend picking up one of Jen's books if you want to laugh. A lot. I've got to go out and get Bright Lights Big Ass soon. Jen, if you are reading this? You are awesome!
Show Less
LibraryThing member nee-nee
Bitter is The New Black, was our latest book club read with my girlfriends. I was disappointed when this book was picked, "Chick-Lit" is not really my bag. Regardless of my apprehensions, I read this book and enjoyed it. Jen Lancaster is really funny, and surprisingly enough I found myself liking
One of her alternate titles for this book was "Confessions of an Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass" This title is the one that really describes her book the best. In the beginning of her memoir, Jen is single, has a great job that she is awesome at, and makes tons of money doing it. She dresses well, keeps up on her physical appearance and is justly proud of her work performance. She calls people out when they deserve it (mostly) but she says the majority of it in her head (with little footnotes for us.) I can't blame her for any of this.
When the bubble pops, Jen loses her job. She takes this hit with as much grace as she can muster. Considering the less than graceful way her skeezy boss fires her I think she did a fantastic job. Well, at least she didn't cry.
The rest of the book shows how Jen learns to deal with her straightened circumstances. There is a struggle at first. Yes she did actually bring a Prada bag to the unemployment office. But acceptance at last.
She is hilariously sarcastic throughout the book which is the only merit. The "rich girl becomes poor girl" plot line is lame. If you are looking for a piece of modern classic literature, look someplace else. If you want a laugh-out-loud, quick read, that you can discuss with your girlfriends, definitely pick this up!
Show More
her. One of her alternate titles for this book was "Confessions of an Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smartass" This title is the one that really describes her book the best. In the beginning of her memoir, Jen is single, has a great job that she is awesome at, and makes tons of money doing it. She dresses well, keeps up on her physical appearance and is justly proud of her work performance. She calls people out when they deserve it (mostly) but she says the majority of it in her head (with little footnotes for us.) I can't blame her for any of this.
When the bubble pops, Jen loses her job. She takes this hit with as much grace as she can muster. Considering the less than graceful way her skeezy boss fires her I think she did a fantastic job. Well, at least she didn't cry.
The rest of the book shows how Jen learns to deal with her straightened circumstances. There is a struggle at first. Yes she did actually bring a Prada bag to the unemployment office. But acceptance at last.
She is hilariously sarcastic throughout the book which is the only merit. The "rich girl becomes poor girl" plot line is lame. If you are looking for a piece of modern classic literature, look someplace else. If you want a laugh-out-loud, quick read, that you can discuss with your girlfriends, definitely pick this up!
Show Less
LibraryThing member skinglist
This book was a lot better than I initially thought it would be. I had reservations because I'm one of those oddballs who doesn't like the Shopaholic series and thought Becky was an annoying twit. However I did enjoy Save Karyn (which the author also mentioned at one point) and so decided to give
Some favourite bits:
-I loved when Fletch is explaining about why she's eligible for and should take advantage of unemployment benefits how she asks "Are you about to start singing about how a bill becomes a law?". Squee. She's a bit older than I am but gotta love the Schoolhouse Rock tie-ins. Unfortunately I now have the Simpsons version of it in my head. On a more serious note, it reminded me of how many people didn't always take advantage of the opportunities provided to them--there's a big difference between being a dole bludger and taking advantage of a system developed for such situations. I think that in the unlikely event I do find myself in her situation I will heed her advice and not take a Prada bag. Lucky for me, it would have to be Kate Spade ;) The Kate Spade is authentic, from what I can tell. They're made in Korea and sold cheaply there. The Burberry is a China Town original :D
-I liked her theory and decision process on starting the website. Publishing has changed so much in the last five years and it seems that a lot of book deals are coming from blogs and vice versa in that you can almost now count on a favourite author having a blog. I also think the nature of blogs can lead to a book, whether it be something like this, any of the Written Road authors, or even Belle du Jour. Different topics, different situations but all maintain contact via a web presence. Now only if I hadn't been so lazy with my own :)
- Totally get the 'if onlys' wherein you realise what you could have had 'if only' you hadn't spent $X on Y. Hello, beanie babies? A lot of other stuff I buy second hand but I also have a fair bit of body products and hardcover books that are really taking up space. At least Half.com has proved useful for DVDs and the like. She mentions listing some of her bags and clothes on eBay but due to the nature of her book not being a blow by blow account--which kept it interesting--we don't know whether she was successful. I really need to read back through her website, she's quite the engaging writer.
Show More
it a go. I'm glad I did. I think there are a lot of lessons that can be learned from the author's experience, and her tongue in cheek sense of humour and way of putting her experiences forth makes it not sound like your grandmother giving you the 'back when I was your age' lesson.Some favourite bits:
-I loved when Fletch is explaining about why she's eligible for and should take advantage of unemployment benefits how she asks "Are you about to start singing about how a bill becomes a law?". Squee. She's a bit older than I am but gotta love the Schoolhouse Rock tie-ins. Unfortunately I now have the Simpsons version of it in my head. On a more serious note, it reminded me of how many people didn't always take advantage of the opportunities provided to them--there's a big difference between being a dole bludger and taking advantage of a system developed for such situations. I think that in the unlikely event I do find myself in her situation I will heed her advice and not take a Prada bag. Lucky for me, it would have to be Kate Spade ;) The Kate Spade is authentic, from what I can tell. They're made in Korea and sold cheaply there. The Burberry is a China Town original :D
-I liked her theory and decision process on starting the website. Publishing has changed so much in the last five years and it seems that a lot of book deals are coming from blogs and vice versa in that you can almost now count on a favourite author having a blog. I also think the nature of blogs can lead to a book, whether it be something like this, any of the Written Road authors, or even Belle du Jour. Different topics, different situations but all maintain contact via a web presence. Now only if I hadn't been so lazy with my own :)
- Totally get the 'if onlys' wherein you realise what you could have had 'if only' you hadn't spent $X on Y. Hello, beanie babies? A lot of other stuff I buy second hand but I also have a fair bit of body products and hardcover books that are really taking up space. At least Half.com has proved useful for DVDs and the like. She mentions listing some of her bags and clothes on eBay but due to the nature of her book not being a blow by blow account--which kept it interesting--we don't know whether she was successful. I really need to read back through her website, she's quite the engaging writer.
Show Less
LibraryThing member shanyn
Talk about a hard book to get your hands on - all of these Jen Lancaster books that I hear about all of the time are highly sought after in many communities. My library doesn't carry any of them, so I resorted to trying my best with used book stores and swapping. I ended up not reading it as soon
I used to read memoirs exclusively because it gives a book an extra kick (in my opinion) when the situations are real and you know they aren't exaggerating for more readers (now, I will admit I did get scammed by James Frey and his Million Little Pieces, but I have read many many other great memoirs to make up for it). The book mostly centers around Jen, her husband Fletch, and their troubles with money. As you may be able to figure out from the extended title (Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a condescending, egomaniacal, self-centered smart-ass, or why you should never carry a Prada bag to the unemployment office), Jen loses her job and is faced with many decisions and situations accordingly. It seemed especially appropriate to read right now because of our economy, even though the book is based in the early 2000's. I laughed out loud in many parts, and even found myself second guessing the way she reacted to some situations, but as I said, memoir means real (usually), which added some spice.
Show More
as I got it because I was afraid I had too high of expectations from the anticipation, but I just finished it yesterday and I loved it.I used to read memoirs exclusively because it gives a book an extra kick (in my opinion) when the situations are real and you know they aren't exaggerating for more readers (now, I will admit I did get scammed by James Frey and his Million Little Pieces, but I have read many many other great memoirs to make up for it). The book mostly centers around Jen, her husband Fletch, and their troubles with money. As you may be able to figure out from the extended title (Bitter is the New Black: Confessions of a condescending, egomaniacal, self-centered smart-ass, or why you should never carry a Prada bag to the unemployment office), Jen loses her job and is faced with many decisions and situations accordingly. It seemed especially appropriate to read right now because of our economy, even though the book is based in the early 2000's. I laughed out loud in many parts, and even found myself second guessing the way she reacted to some situations, but as I said, memoir means real (usually), which added some spice.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Jenners26
Book Overview
I usually don't like to use the blurbs on the back of the book to do my story overviews, but the one on this book is just too good to pass up:
This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter of a million dollars to being
In many ways, this is a classic Greek tragedy -- if you use Greek in the sorority sense and tragedy in the sense of "spending and not saving leads to a complete change in lifestyle once the dot com boom falls apart." At the start of the book, Jen Lancaster is living the dream -- a well-paying job, a to-die-for apartment in a ritzy section of Chicago, a live-in boyfriend, Prada handbags, designer shoes, regular highlight appointments at a trendy salon -- in other words, the lifestyle that many bright young people enjoyed during the dot com craziness when money seemed to grow from trees.
Then things start to fall apart. First, Jen is laid off for reasons that remain somewhat murky -- but seem to be due to the fact that her boss doesn't care for her straight talk and competence. Seeing this as a minor blip, Jen doesn't realize the gravity of the situation at first. Surely someone as competent as her would be able to get another job easily. But the jobs seems to dry up overnight -- and not just the executive level jobs she's enjoyed in the past. All jobs. She can't even get hired for a retail position.
Despite her increasingly lower standards, no employment opportunities come her way -- despite daily efforts to locate another job. So she starts a blog (which I suspect was a rarity back in the good old days of 2003) and starts writing about her life and job search efforts. (Eventually, her smart ass comments about companies that reject her actually cost her a shot at a job.) The years go by and nothing appears. Money is getting tighter and tighter -- and her former lifestyle of "easy come, easy go" money begins to catch up to her. Selling her handbags on eBay barely stems the increasingly hard to meet rent payments. So Jen does what any good woman would do -- gets married in order to get lots of gifts!
Yet even the wedding doesn't pull her and her new husband Fletch out of an increasingly dire financial situation. They face the inevitable -- a move to a less expensive neighborhood. But then even Fletch loses his job and falls into depression. Things gets worse and worse, and they begin contemplating the unthinkable: moving in with the parents. But at the last moment, Fletch manages to secure a job. And, at long last, Jen finally receives a job offer and -- almost simultaneously -- inquiries about her writing. (Her blog Jennsylvania has grown quite popular and some publications and a literary agent take notice.) She faces a classic dilemma -- take the job that will offer financial security or pursue her dream of writing? What to do? What to do? The fact that Jen Lancaster just released her fourth book -- Pretty In Plaid -- answers this question nicely.
My Thoughts
Putting aside my intense jealousy of her writing success and the fact that she "rose out of the blogosphere," I must admit that I loved this book. Jen Lancaster's writing style is funny, brash and in-your-face -- the reader can totally see why her blog became incredibly popular. And her use of footnotes must be admired -- I've never seen an author since Dave Egger's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius make such good use of this underused literary device. Treating herself almost as a larger than life protagonist, Jen Lancaster is a person you would want to hang out with -- but maybe not work for.
Her stories all have the ring of truth but come off as so dramatic and hysterical. She has a knack for self-depreciation mixed with smartassedness (not sure if that is really a word) that makes what might be a boring story in lesser hands turn into comedy gold. Her story of trying to discover which neighbor is stealing her Wall Street Journal is a stellar example of this. If a less talented writer had written it, it might go something like this:
Someone is taking my Wall Street Journal. I decide to find out who and set up a stakeout to find out. The guy in 3F seems like he might be the thief, but he takes USA Today instead. The lady with the big boobs from 2C walks right by. But seeing her drink her coffee reminds me I have to pee really bad as I've already had 6 cups of coffee.
In Jen Lancaster's hands, it sounds more like this:
Wait, I think I see something.....The guy in 3F has just left his apartment -- WHY DON'T YOU PICK UP THAT GODDAMNED TRASHBAG --and is heading down the catwalks. I grab the phone while holding the binoculars steady, fingers itching to dial 911. Aha! He's stopping to grab a paper! Thief! Thief! You are so busted, motherfu--Oh, damn. He took USA Today. At least that proves he's a moron. And I still really have to pee. However, I'll ignore the physical discomfort because I'm committed to seeing this through.
Uh-huh, here comes President Jugs out of 2C, bouncing down the stairs. Boing, boing, boing. She just bought an Audi convertible and still has her Mercedes. You'd think with all that extra cash she could afford a bra with decent support. She pauses to take a pull from her travel coffee mug. Oh, please don't drink that. Can't stand the idea of more liquid. Am crossing my legs at this point. But I must focus to catch this criminal. And jiggle, jiggle, jiggle, she's headed for my paper ... and walks right past it. She heads out the door and I see her drive away. So she's innocent. For now.
Let us all be happy Jen Lancaster decided to pursue writing instead of taking another high-paying corporate position. This way, we're all the richer for it ... not just her.
My Final Recommendation
Fun and filled with attitude, this book is a fast read that will leave you wanting more -- good thing she wrote three other books after this one! And underneath all the humor, snarkiness and wit, there are some important reminders about what is really important in life -- and guess what, it isn't a Prada bag. I will definitely be reading more by this author. If you want to get a feel for Jen Lancaster, I recommend a visit to her blog Jennsylvania.
I usually don't like to use the blurbs on the back of the book to do my story overviews, but the one on this book is just too good to pass up:
This is the story of how a haughty former sorority girl went from having a household income of almost a quarter of a million dollars to being
Show More
evicted from a ghetto apartment. It's a modern Greek tragedy, as defined by Roger Dunkle in The Classical Origins of Western Culture: a story in which "the central character, called a tragic protagonist or hero, suffers some serious misfortune which is not accidental and therefore meaningless, but is significant in that the misfortune is logically connected." In other words, the bitch had it coming.In many ways, this is a classic Greek tragedy -- if you use Greek in the sorority sense and tragedy in the sense of "spending and not saving leads to a complete change in lifestyle once the dot com boom falls apart." At the start of the book, Jen Lancaster is living the dream -- a well-paying job, a to-die-for apartment in a ritzy section of Chicago, a live-in boyfriend, Prada handbags, designer shoes, regular highlight appointments at a trendy salon -- in other words, the lifestyle that many bright young people enjoyed during the dot com craziness when money seemed to grow from trees.
Then things start to fall apart. First, Jen is laid off for reasons that remain somewhat murky -- but seem to be due to the fact that her boss doesn't care for her straight talk and competence. Seeing this as a minor blip, Jen doesn't realize the gravity of the situation at first. Surely someone as competent as her would be able to get another job easily. But the jobs seems to dry up overnight -- and not just the executive level jobs she's enjoyed in the past. All jobs. She can't even get hired for a retail position.
Despite her increasingly lower standards, no employment opportunities come her way -- despite daily efforts to locate another job. So she starts a blog (which I suspect was a rarity back in the good old days of 2003) and starts writing about her life and job search efforts. (Eventually, her smart ass comments about companies that reject her actually cost her a shot at a job.) The years go by and nothing appears. Money is getting tighter and tighter -- and her former lifestyle of "easy come, easy go" money begins to catch up to her. Selling her handbags on eBay barely stems the increasingly hard to meet rent payments. So Jen does what any good woman would do -- gets married in order to get lots of gifts!
Yet even the wedding doesn't pull her and her new husband Fletch out of an increasingly dire financial situation. They face the inevitable -- a move to a less expensive neighborhood. But then even Fletch loses his job and falls into depression. Things gets worse and worse, and they begin contemplating the unthinkable: moving in with the parents. But at the last moment, Fletch manages to secure a job. And, at long last, Jen finally receives a job offer and -- almost simultaneously -- inquiries about her writing. (Her blog Jennsylvania has grown quite popular and some publications and a literary agent take notice.) She faces a classic dilemma -- take the job that will offer financial security or pursue her dream of writing? What to do? What to do? The fact that Jen Lancaster just released her fourth book -- Pretty In Plaid -- answers this question nicely.
My Thoughts
Putting aside my intense jealousy of her writing success and the fact that she "rose out of the blogosphere," I must admit that I loved this book. Jen Lancaster's writing style is funny, brash and in-your-face -- the reader can totally see why her blog became incredibly popular. And her use of footnotes must be admired -- I've never seen an author since Dave Egger's A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius make such good use of this underused literary device. Treating herself almost as a larger than life protagonist, Jen Lancaster is a person you would want to hang out with -- but maybe not work for.
Her stories all have the ring of truth but come off as so dramatic and hysterical. She has a knack for self-depreciation mixed with smartassedness (not sure if that is really a word) that makes what might be a boring story in lesser hands turn into comedy gold. Her story of trying to discover which neighbor is stealing her Wall Street Journal is a stellar example of this. If a less talented writer had written it, it might go something like this:
Someone is taking my Wall Street Journal. I decide to find out who and set up a stakeout to find out. The guy in 3F seems like he might be the thief, but he takes USA Today instead. The lady with the big boobs from 2C walks right by. But seeing her drink her coffee reminds me I have to pee really bad as I've already had 6 cups of coffee.
In Jen Lancaster's hands, it sounds more like this:
Wait, I think I see something.....The guy in 3F has just left his apartment -- WHY DON'T YOU PICK UP THAT GODDAMNED TRASHBAG --and is heading down the catwalks. I grab the phone while holding the binoculars steady, fingers itching to dial 911. Aha! He's stopping to grab a paper! Thief! Thief! You are so busted, motherfu--Oh, damn. He took USA Today. At least that proves he's a moron. And I still really have to pee. However, I'll ignore the physical discomfort because I'm committed to seeing this through.
Uh-huh, here comes President Jugs out of 2C, bouncing down the stairs. Boing, boing, boing. She just bought an Audi convertible and still has her Mercedes. You'd think with all that extra cash she could afford a bra with decent support. She pauses to take a pull from her travel coffee mug. Oh, please don't drink that. Can't stand the idea of more liquid. Am crossing my legs at this point. But I must focus to catch this criminal. And jiggle, jiggle, jiggle, she's headed for my paper ... and walks right past it. She heads out the door and I see her drive away. So she's innocent. For now.
Let us all be happy Jen Lancaster decided to pursue writing instead of taking another high-paying corporate position. This way, we're all the richer for it ... not just her.
My Final Recommendation
Fun and filled with attitude, this book is a fast read that will leave you wanting more -- good thing she wrote three other books after this one! And underneath all the humor, snarkiness and wit, there are some important reminders about what is really important in life -- and guess what, it isn't a Prada bag. I will definitely be reading more by this author. If you want to get a feel for Jen Lancaster, I recommend a visit to her blog Jennsylvania.
Show Less
LibraryThing member thisismebecca
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK:
* I could relate to the main character. Even though parts of Jen were a turn-off (aka her holier-than-thou attitude at the beginning), she really is down-to-earth about her relationship and she has good morals. She is dearly in love with Fletch and even stands by him
* Like I said, the book was hysterical.
* I liked the stream-of-consciousness writing for this particular book. It works because it is how Jen thinks, and, coincidentally, how I think. The reader is taken through Jen's thought processes and into her core. Although I don't always care for this writing style, it was perfect for this book.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE AS MUCH:
* It ended. What's up with that?
* I did not have the second book to immediately pick up and devour.
IF IT MATTERS TO YOU:
* There is sometimes strong language in the book.
* I could relate to the main character. Even though parts of Jen were a turn-off (aka her holier-than-thou attitude at the beginning), she really is down-to-earth about her relationship and she has good morals. She is dearly in love with Fletch and even stands by him
Show More
when the going gets really, really tough. I love that.* Like I said, the book was hysterical.
* I liked the stream-of-consciousness writing for this particular book. It works because it is how Jen thinks, and, coincidentally, how I think. The reader is taken through Jen's thought processes and into her core. Although I don't always care for this writing style, it was perfect for this book.
WHAT I DID NOT LIKE AS MUCH:
* It ended. What's up with that?
* I did not have the second book to immediately pick up and devour.
IF IT MATTERS TO YOU:
* There is sometimes strong language in the book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member readingrebecca
I thought this was a fantastic book. The author tells her story of her great, well-paying job, her great apartment, her great boyfriend, her great clothes, her great shoes, he great purses. She also tells of her mean spirit, her impatience with those who do not hold her same views. I figured she
Show More
couldn't be as bad as she was saying--how did she have such a great boyfriend. Then the author loses her great job and things go downhill from there, to the point of selling her shoes and purses on ebay! While this discription doesn't sound too funny, it is an hysterical book, laugh out loud, squirt milk out of your nose funny. I enjoyed it very much and didn't want it to end, the mark of a really good book! Show Less
LibraryThing member tobikd
This book was hystrical! I saw a bit of myself in Jen, and I love her snarky wit. It kept me entertained, and in my opinion, shows a bit of the struggle of my (and Jen's) generation.
LibraryThing member bookworm12
Jen Lancaster’s memoir is an unflinching, yet deeply funny, look at herself and her over-the-top life. She is the embodiment of why I avoided sororities like the plague in college. She’s mean to everyone around her, always wants to be the center of attention, spends money like there’s no
For the first half of the book I just couldn’t get past Jen’s general attitude towards those around her. Somewhere along the way (after getting laid off) she seems to recognize that humility isn’t a bad word and she becomes tolerable. She absolutely has a strong voice and a really funny way of describing things; I understand how she got a book deal after writing her blog. She’s personable and I felt like I knew both her and her husband Fletch.
Bottom line: Did I like reading Jen’s snarky memoir? Yes. Would I want her as a friend or co-worker? Absolutely not.
Show More
tomorrow and generally thinks she’s better than everyone on the planet. That being said, she can be hilarious and she understands that she is all of the above. She’s proudly proclaims, throughout the book, that she’s a “huge bitch.” For the first half of the book I just couldn’t get past Jen’s general attitude towards those around her. Somewhere along the way (after getting laid off) she seems to recognize that humility isn’t a bad word and she becomes tolerable. She absolutely has a strong voice and a really funny way of describing things; I understand how she got a book deal after writing her blog. She’s personable and I felt like I knew both her and her husband Fletch.
Bottom line: Did I like reading Jen’s snarky memoir? Yes. Would I want her as a friend or co-worker? Absolutely not.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kjk2008
Bitter is the New Black centers around, Jen, a young professional who takes for granted her extravagant lifestyle and fancy work title. Her good fortune comes to a quick halt, and the bulk of the story focuses on how Jen's sarcastic personality deals with her life during this down time. ...And, for
Show More
those of you that think she is just a spoiled brat with her overpriced handbags, too many shoes, and over-the-top apartment---hey, she comes around. Show Less
LibraryThing member lyssrose
I can't get over how much I love this book! After my miserable experience with "Confessions of a Sociopathic Social Climber", I was a bit hesitant about starting another book with a less-than-pleasant lead. However, I was rolling on the floor with laughter practically from page one with this book!
Show More
Everthing I wanted from Confessions (and didn't get) was here: the thrill of the "bad" (read: pushy) girl; the love interest (I adored Fletch!); the epiphany; everything! Show Less
LibraryThing member Meggo
The author is, quite frankly. a stunningly unsympathetic character until she loses her job. That's when the story starts getting good. Unfortunately, I'd taken such a dislike to her that it was hard to root for her in the end. I'm sure she's not quite so shallow and unlikeable in person, and she
Show More
appears to have some genuinely redeeming qualities, but they take a back seat in this history to the quest for the perfect highlights. Show Less
LibraryThing member ndomenica
The book follows Jen as she struggles to find a job, but finds herself instead. Jen is smart, witty and at times, mean. At first, it seams like she's got it all: a loving boyfriend, a great job, lots of money, and the ability to buy whatever she wants. However, once she looses her job she has to
Show More
learn to prioritice and purchase only what she needs, instead of what she wants. At the end, she releases that her true passion is writing and pursues a literary career. Show Less
LibraryThing member joiescire
Really enjoyed this perfect beach read! Sarcastic and so funny with a lot of fashion and style references that are fun for a quick read.
LibraryThing member Jadesbooks
I LOVE JEN LANCASTER! This is probably the funnies book I've read in years. Jen Lancaster has guts, and she's not afraid to talk about the embarrassing moments of her personal life. Granted, she can be catty, but that makes her so much fun. And through all her shallowness, she has a heart of GOLD!
Show More
What's not to like, she has a pitbull who rules the house and she got married in a black dress! God Bless Jen Lancaster for sharing her life with the world. I also bought this book for all my friends - had to share the fun! Show Less
LibraryThing member sunshine608
I read her second book before I read this one and I have to say I enjoyed this one a lot more. I enjoy Jen's sacrcastic dry humor and I enjoyed this book b/c i felt it had a point and in the end both Jen and her husband learned valuable lessons. Good, solid, laugh out loud read. Not for those
Show More
without dry,sarcastic sense of humors. Show Less
LibraryThing member BUSTED
I love this book! She had me laughing at her not so great moments and feeling badly for her when things would continue to go wrong for her. Very entertaining and a great read!
LibraryThing member kelley.close
This book starts off making me cringe for the author as I know she really does deserve what I know must be coming. Her honesty is really something and her humor even more. I laughed while reading and cried at the end. She found redemption in seeing her foolish ways of the past and she "got it",
Show More
meaning that she understood her new priorities. Such a wonderful read for the humor as well as the life lesson learned. One of my favorites. Show Less
LibraryThing member mcelhra
I liked this book better than Bright Lights, Big Ass which I actually read first even though it's Jen's second book. This book made me laugh out loud several times and I felt much more sympathy for Jen than I did in Bright Lights, Big Ass.
LibraryThing member tls1215
One of the funniest books I've ever read. Based on a blog that the author started on a fluke. She has a terrific sense of humor, and at one point I was laughing so hard I was crying. Went to a book fair in Chicago so I could meet her. Elizabeth Berg and Augusten Burroughs were also there, so
Show More
definitely worth the trip. Show Less
LibraryThing member lizhawk
Very entertaining, if sometimes off-putting, account of a woman who describes herself accurately (in the subtitle). Too much success, too soon sets Jen up to an unsustatinable lifestyle when she and Fletch lose their jobs in the same week. Still, she continues to view and cope with the harsh
Show More
realities of life, off-putting as they are, through her skewed but laugh-out-loud lens. Show Less
LibraryThing member kysmom02
This was the funniest, most laugh-out-loud read that I've ever had the pleasure of reading!! I literally laughed myself to tears and a rib ache! And although I'm not much into memoirs, it definitely added to the enjoyability of this book. Jen is real. Her situation is real. And she makes no bones
Show More
about how she feels about it all. From her high profile job raking in the dough, to being evicted from her apartment to live in the 'ghetto and selling her prized bags on e-bay, she keeps searching for a job knowing that she has something to offer. Jen's relationship with Fletch is one that we all dream of. He truly loves her unconditionally, and their communication skills are to be admired. I loved this book so much, I'm now a follower of her website and can't wait to crack the spine of the other 3 books that she's written since Bitter is the New Black. Really...you HAVE to read this book! Show Less
LibraryThing member TBRetc
Damnit, this book was funny. It's a story of a girl who made it big in the dot com era, only to find it all come crashing down. She tells the story not in a "woe is me" way, but in a way I think we can all relate to. (ok, maybe some of us have never owned a Prada bag, but you get the idea). I
*Even though this book of hers is still my favorite.
Show More
picked it up because I liked the title and I'm very glad I did. I love her sense of humor and really related to her experiences in Chicago. I have found one of my favorite authors and plan on reading everything she writes*. *Even though this book of hers is still my favorite.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mzebra
I had to re-read this book after I got laid off for my job. It was a relief to hear about someone going through the same struggles as I face. Jen, tells it how it is. If you are looking for a book that's savvy and will make you hoot and holler, and if you have soft spot for gucci, prada, or kate
Show More
spade, you will enjoy this memoir! Show Less
LibraryThing member Leeny182
Honestly one of the funniest books Ive read in a long time... I cant recall ever really laughing out loud while reading a book and this book had me laughing non stop. Especially her voicemail on page 389, I was laughing so hard I cried.
The story itself is very good, it shows you that even in hard
Jen is an awesome writter and I definitely recommend this book. I cant wait for my book club meeting Wednesday, Im anxious to hear what all my ladies thought about my pick. I wish I could give this 6/5 stars!
The story itself is very good, it shows you that even in hard
Show More
times if you never give up you can make the best out of the situation. Jen is a very hard worker and despite her attitude sometimes she never had anything handed to her. I totally respect that. Jen is an awesome writter and I definitely recommend this book. I cant wait for my book club meeting Wednesday, Im anxious to hear what all my ladies thought about my pick. I wish I could give this 6/5 stars!
Show Less
Original publication date
2006-03-07
Physical description
416 p.
ISBN
0451217608 / 9780451217608
Similar in this library
Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? by Jen Lancaster
Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest to Discover If Her Life Makes Her Ass Look Big, or Why Pie Is Not the Answer by Jen Lancaster
Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase by Jen Lancaster
Jeneration X: One Reluctant Adult's Attempt to Unarrest Her Arrested Development; Or, Why It's Never Too Late for Her Dumb Ass to Learn Why Froot Loops Are Not for Dinner by Jen Lancaster
My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or, a Culture-Up Manifesto by Jen Lancaster
The Tao of Martha: My Year of LIVING; Or, Why I'm Never Getting All That Glitter Off of the Dog by Jen Lancaster
The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death: Reflections on Revenge, Germophobia, and Laser Hair Removal by Laurie Notaro