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?
About this title: Jen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites "aren't" party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining. Whether she's reporting rude neighbors to Homeland Security, harboring a crush on her grocery store clerk, or fighting-and losing-the Battle of the Stairmaster- Lancaster explores how silly, strange, and not-so-fabulous real city living ...
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Your search:Books»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?(48 available copies)
Description: Good. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Good. 0451221257 Book could have shelf wear, or a bump, or sunfade to edges. These are new unread books from the publisher with one of these conditions. See are feedback as customers are satisfied in how we grade our books. Has remainder mark. Fast shipping and customer service is our number 1 priority! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: NAL Trade
Date Published: 2007-05-01
ISBN-13:9780451221254ISBN:0451221257
Description: New in None as issued jacket. New, unread copy with publishers inventory mark. We ship 6 days a week, generally within 24 hours; single CDs and DVDs upgraded to 1st class! read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: New Amer Library
Date Published: 2007-05-01
ISBN-13:9780451221254ISBN:0451221257
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780451221254. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: NAL Trade
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780451221254ISBN:0451221257
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: New American Library, New York
Date Published: 2007
ISBN-13:9780451221254ISBN:0451221257
Description: New. No Jacket Issued. Jen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites "aren't" party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining. Whether she's reporting rude neighbors to Homeland Security, harboring a crush on her grocery store clerk, or ... read more
Description: Very good. Appearance of only slight previous use. Cover and binding show a little wear. All pages are undamaged with potentially only a few, small markings. Help save a tree. Buy all your used books from Green Earth Books. Read. Recycle and Reuse! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: NAL Trade
Date Published: 5/1/2007
ISBN-13:9780451221254ISBN:0451221257
Description: Good. 0451221257 Soft cover copy with over all wear to the cover. The pages are tight and clean with no markings on the text. We ship fast and package well. Expedited shipping is available. read more
"After a bad-book hangover, I needed the literary equivalent of Ibuprofen. Jen Lancaster's second novel fit the bill nicely (actually it was more like literary lortab- all the laughing made me a little lightheaded and dizzy).
I loved this book. The chapter describing her gyno visit caused me to laugh so hard, I ended up making high pitched dolphin-like squeals. Two days later I still giggle madly when I think about it. Likewise, Lancaster's diatribe of Rachael Ray was incredibly entertaining. I do believe I am going to have to OWN this book.
Two warnings before embarking on this novel. First, unlike her first novel, "Bright Lights..." does not have a traditional plot with rising action, climax, resolution, and all that jazz. It is more of a compilation of essays, describing her life within a certain timeframe. So do not expect this book to actually go someplace, just sit back and enjoy it.
Secondly, one must have a high tolerance for some foul language to make it through this book. The good news is while Jen Lancaster can swear like a sailor, she is mute when it comes to her sex life (or, really, anyone's sex life for that matter). It fact, it's kind of refreshing (that is, if one can get past the, uh, bad words...)"
"This was the first book I've read by Jen Lancaster - and it was hilarious. Warning - there is significant language and her sarcastic wit is not for everyone. She skewers just about everything imaginable, and she says the things most people think but are too afraid to say themselves. Parents, her husband and especially her neighbors - nobody is safe. Unfortunately, her parents are similar to mine - her DH is similar to mine - and there are many aspects of her personality with which I identify (DH loves NatGeo channel while I secretly flip to train wrecks like The Bachelor when he's not looking).
For me - this was a welcome dose of humor much needed after a recent run of Jane Austen and intermittent reads of The Shack (a "heavy" Christian novel). She also helped me get back in touch with that sarcastic part of myself that pokes fun at some of the more annoying parts of my life. I was beginning to slip into a bit of self-pity and more than a bit of secret resentment and loathing (i.e. - nothing more awful than knowing you are turning into a depressed but shrewish w*itch). Now I can at least appreciate the ironic humor and think "What would Jen say?"
I will definitely be reading her other books. For those who can overlook the profanity to enjoy the real humor - this book is great."
"Lancaster is a different kind of author - she is a witty and light-hearted chick-lit author, yet makes fun of herself in her memoirs, which is beautiful. I almost wish more authors made fun of themselves from time to time! I didn't really like Jen's writing style - it was too elementary for me, but then again, this was a memoir, so I can't be too critical of her for her use of it! I found I could relate to Jen on some levels- her love of Target (ahem.. I LOVE that store!), Trader Joes, and Ikea. I liked some of the points she made about the changing world as well, such as the deteriorating customer service and the explosion of the cell phone culture, whose users often make those around them subject to their personal conversations.
Just some random notes about the book: Jen mentions her favorite "avoid-writing" technique is redecorating her house- what's mine? What's yours? After much contemplating, I decided mine is cleaning the house or grabbing another book to read.
One of the things I most appreciate about the book is Jen's frankness-she literally gets on every class of human being- she admits to the world her conservatism and her dislike of liberals; she admits to being xenophobic; she "kind of" makes fun of the Spanish-speaking lady in Target; and, she almost makes fun of the gay population. While in no means is this politically correct, I found it quite liberating for an author to break those boundaries and just blurt them out loud. That, in my mind, makes Jen a bit more human, a bit more real (I'm not in any way saying she's correct to have those viewpoints... I'm merely saying she's a bit less superficial and perfect).
An okay read- I'm not quite sure I'd read anything else of hers, but a funny, liberating experience nonetheless."
"OK, I went back and forth on this one. Sometimes I found her mean spirited, shallow, and just a plain pain in the ass. (As well as way too conservative in her political leanings for me. An Ann Coulter fan????? OMG!...but that's beside the point.) Regardless, the good outweighs the bad in my opinion. This lady is freakin' hilarious! There are times when you cannot keep yourself from busting out laughing. If you are in a public place, people are bound to think that you are a nut! I think perhaps my favorite chapter is one in which she confronts a telemarketer. She says things that most people only wish they could think of at the moment. She is sarcastic, opinionated, quick-witted, and someone whom you hope, if you ever met, you could be friends with instead of enemies. :)"
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