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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
It's very refreshing to read a book about a complete fuck up who absolutely owns that they are a complete fuck up. And who hasn't been a complete fuck up at some point in their life? And be honest, really truly - whether it lasted for a week or a decade, we've all been there to some degree. And like Bryony, I think it's about time we owned it. Would probably make our lives a little easier to be perfectly honest.
Bryony wrote a follow-up piece for Elle UK and talked about the aftermath of publishing her tell-all. She'd changed some names, and been criticised for that (unjustly if you ask me) and her family doesn't want to read it. But why would they? They had front row seats for the first show!
The thing I got throughout the book was that, despite everything, she always had a support network behind her. Fucked up as she was, she never crossed that line into the territory of no return. And that's what I'll take away from this. That it is ok to be a fuck up for a time but to remember and acknowledge those around you who can bring you back up for air when you need.
This book is not for everyone (prudes, the self-absorbed, and the "superior" should put it down). It's hard to read sometimes, and you just want to scream at her to get a grip. But somehow, she is incredibly endearing. I think I would really like her if I met her. And she would obviously be great on a night out. This book is just so much fun, and not because I'm sitting at home thinking "thank god that's not me". It's fun because, to a certain degree, I've been Bryony. And hey, I'm still in my 20s! I've got 7 years for a bit of chaos yet!
Bryony wrote a follow-up piece for Elle UK and talked about the aftermath of publishing her tell-all. She'd changed some names, and been criticised for that (unjustly if you ask me) and her family doesn't want to read it. But why would they? They had front row seats for the first show!
The thing I got throughout the book was that, despite everything, she always had a support network behind her. Fucked up as she was, she never crossed that line into the territory of no return. And that's what I'll take away from this. That it is ok to be a fuck up for a time but to remember and acknowledge those around you who can bring you back up for air when you need.
This book is not for everyone (prudes, the self-absorbed, and the "superior" should put it down). It's hard to read sometimes, and you just want to scream at her to get a grip. But somehow, she is incredibly endearing. I think I would really like her if I met her. And she would obviously be great on a night out. This book is just so much fun, and not because I'm sitting at home thinking "thank god that's not me". It's fun because, to a certain degree, I've been Bryony. And hey, I'm still in my 20s! I've got 7 years for a bit of chaos yet!
The Wrong Knickers first came to my attention on Twitter, as my evening is morning in the UK and hence my feed is full of bookish thoughts from there. I didn’t know that Bryony Gordon was a well-known journalist in the UK, I just thought she’d written a memoir of her twenties. I didn’t know what she was up to nowadays. That didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this audiobook at all, I think it probably added to it as I didn’t think Bryony’s crazy days were ever going to end!
Growing up, Bryony dreamed of being the highly cool person in her twenties that we’ve all thought we were going to be. How many of us actually made it to the cool job, awesome flat and fantastic boyfriend? Bryony’s twenties were much closer to what we could all relate to – the dodgy one room studio in the even dodgier area, the awful boyfriends and the drunken nights out. I felt a kind of empathy with Bryony, she had that life that everyone did but nobody ever dared to admit. She dropped out of college, getting a job as a dogsbody on a newspaper that eventually led to greater things. She had nights where she didn’t recall where she went or how she ended up at the place she awoke. She had crazy times with friends. There were drugs involved. There was a payday lender. There were all the things you thought nobody else did, but Bryony did it all.
What was best though was that Bryony made no excuses. Sure, she screwed up royally many times but she never tried to duck for cover. To use an Aussie phrase, she copped it sweet (took it on the chin). She survived her twenties and turned out quite normal by all accounts but with a number of cringe worthy and hilarious tales to tell. Getting given the wrong knickers by a one night stand? Check. Throwing the mother of all parties in a one room flat? Check. Meeting a work colleague at the STD clinic? Yep. Giving a sympathy pash? Done.
Although Bryony’s life seemed to be teetering on the edge of no return at times, never did it seem like she’d lost control. Perhaps it was the way the story was written or perhaps it was that Bryony herself knew that this period was only temporary: that love and stability would soon be found and she’d settle on to the straight and narrow. The beginning of her more ‘adult’ life chronicled in the book was a little less exciting to hear about, but I felt glad for Bryony and that she’d survived her various horrors. Her writing style was easy to listen to (Sophie Bleasdale was a wonderful narrator, with just the right hint of embarrassment in her voice at times) and very friendly, like a good mate. She tells the story warts and all, which made for a great fascination for me. I couldn’t wait to see what mess she’d land herself in next. There have been comparisons to Bridget Jones’ Diary, but I think that this is different – this is somebody’s real life we’re talking about, not insta-messaging Hugh Grant in the office. It’s that little bit more can’t look away from by knowing that it’s real. But, if you are a fan of Bridget or the Sex and the City girls, or just enjoy a good confessional involving outlandish deeds…you certainly won’t be disappointed by Bryony’s story.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Growing up, Bryony dreamed of being the highly cool person in her twenties that we’ve all thought we were going to be. How many of us actually made it to the cool job, awesome flat and fantastic boyfriend? Bryony’s twenties were much closer to what we could all relate to – the dodgy one room studio in the even dodgier area, the awful boyfriends and the drunken nights out. I felt a kind of empathy with Bryony, she had that life that everyone did but nobody ever dared to admit. She dropped out of college, getting a job as a dogsbody on a newspaper that eventually led to greater things. She had nights where she didn’t recall where she went or how she ended up at the place she awoke. She had crazy times with friends. There were drugs involved. There was a payday lender. There were all the things you thought nobody else did, but Bryony did it all.
What was best though was that Bryony made no excuses. Sure, she screwed up royally many times but she never tried to duck for cover. To use an Aussie phrase, she copped it sweet (took it on the chin). She survived her twenties and turned out quite normal by all accounts but with a number of cringe worthy and hilarious tales to tell. Getting given the wrong knickers by a one night stand? Check. Throwing the mother of all parties in a one room flat? Check. Meeting a work colleague at the STD clinic? Yep. Giving a sympathy pash? Done.
Although Bryony’s life seemed to be teetering on the edge of no return at times, never did it seem like she’d lost control. Perhaps it was the way the story was written or perhaps it was that Bryony herself knew that this period was only temporary: that love and stability would soon be found and she’d settle on to the straight and narrow. The beginning of her more ‘adult’ life chronicled in the book was a little less exciting to hear about, but I felt glad for Bryony and that she’d survived her various horrors. Her writing style was easy to listen to (Sophie Bleasdale was a wonderful narrator, with just the right hint of embarrassment in her voice at times) and very friendly, like a good mate. She tells the story warts and all, which made for a great fascination for me. I couldn’t wait to see what mess she’d land herself in next. There have been comparisons to Bridget Jones’ Diary, but I think that this is different – this is somebody’s real life we’re talking about, not insta-messaging Hugh Grant in the office. It’s that little bit more can’t look away from by knowing that it’s real. But, if you are a fan of Bridget or the Sex and the City girls, or just enjoy a good confessional involving outlandish deeds…you certainly won’t be disappointed by Bryony’s story.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Funny and honest, this was an exceedingly easy and mostly enjoyable read, but certain moments, such as a long misguided paragraph about anorexia including the sentence 'I didn't pity anorexics; I envied them', made the character who had previously evoked my like and pity seem irritating and just stupid in my eyes Apart from these occasional moments however, the book is generally good.
challenging
medium-paced
2.5. Ugh. I was starting to love this book at about 80% of the way in but then it ends with a guy saving her. And how an unexpected pregnancy saved her too. Gag. Ugh. Ugh again. And I wish people would quit normalizing what’s obviously alcoholic behavior. Like if she addressed it that be cool but she never really does!!! Just flippantly says “oh that’s how the 20’s are!!!” Like no. It’s not okay to barely remember a decade of your life just because you were blacked out. God.
I really wanted to hate this book. It looked vaguely familiar from the cover, something I’d really avoid. High heels on a pale blue background with pink lettering really makes me queasy. I’d downloaded a sample and another Bryony Gordon book in the 99p sale; this was the friend that recommended A Little Life to me after all!
So, when I found myself in the charity shop on the main road after an internal examination (read: feeling very sorry for myself) this book was 20p. I had skipped past it at first, but then I checked that I hadn’t bought it after a few glasses of wine on kindle sale day (see Paul O’Grady: the Savage Years) and realised I’d bought the second in the series, well, I just couldn’t say no.
So here am I reading it. I can’t put it down. I wince a bit at ‘indie barman’, Dylan as in Bob, I’ve met every single one! Then I think, oh my, I’m 200 pages in. I take a few pictures of the book for Instagram and things. I drink some wine. I can’t sleep, I have watched all of Masterchef (yawn), caught up with The Bill and Sewing Bee but I need to do about 3 wees before I can possibly think of sleeping, so I read this. The sun is coming up, it is 4.25am. Cecil is flat out so I put the light on low. I am still reading this. I might disturb him by laughing out loud, but he’s had some beers and is cuddling the cat so...
This book made me LOL.
So, when I found myself in the charity shop on the main road after an internal examination (read: feeling very sorry for myself) this book was 20p. I had skipped past it at first, but then I checked that I hadn’t bought it after a few glasses of wine on kindle sale day (see Paul O’Grady: the Savage Years) and realised I’d bought the second in the series, well, I just couldn’t say no.
So here am I reading it. I can’t put it down. I wince a bit at ‘indie barman’, Dylan as in Bob, I’ve met every single one! Then I think, oh my, I’m 200 pages in. I take a few pictures of the book for Instagram and things. I drink some wine. I can’t sleep, I have watched all of Masterchef (yawn), caught up with The Bill and Sewing Bee but I need to do about 3 wees before I can possibly think of sleeping, so I read this. The sun is coming up, it is 4.25am. Cecil is flat out so I put the light on low. I am still reading this. I might disturb him by laughing out loud, but he’s had some beers and is cuddling the cat so...
This book made me LOL.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced