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honeymonster's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
2.5
The first time I read this, way closer to its release date, I thought it was a really funny book. Having just reread it this month, though, I have to say I've changed too much to still enjoy it. Now the essays just feel full of classism and whining. Gotta say, this doesn't make me feel great about the Notaro books I already own..
kerris84's review
A fun and easy to read book. This book was highly relatable and a great seasonal read. I think that most readers would see parts of their Christmas traditions here. This book made me laugh out loud at times.
fantasyobsessed13's review
3.0
Solid 3 star for me. Some of the short stories I found quite entertaining, and some I didn't really enjoy. I am not a huge short story fan however, so others may enjoy this more than me. Overall, a cute Christmas read.
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review
5.0
Another very funny book. Although some of the stories are repeated in others of her books
amalia1985's review
2.0
This one was meh...It wasn't hilarious, it was light-hearted, occassionally funny. I chuckled a couple of times, I smiled a bit, but I didn't fall off my sofa laughing.Pretentious, witty humor doesn't really do it for me. I must say, though, that if the writer's mother is as obnoxious and dogmatic as she is described, then, my God, Laurie Notaro is a true heroine...Hence the two stars.
mentormikael_9's review
3.0
I read a few of the other stories before in other books. But it was good and funny. It was a short fast read.
thefourthvine's review
3.0
I think I'm done with Notaro for right now. It's not that I didn't enjoy this - I did, in places - but I think I'm getting diminishing returns - less laughter with each subsequent book. I'm also getting sort of tired of Notaro. One book is apparently my recommended yearly dose of her, and now that I've had three times that, I'm definitely feeling like I've overdosed.
The good news is that this book didn't make me flinch the way [b:I Love Everybody|7529|I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies) True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl|Laurie Notaro|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165627291s/7529.jpg|10643] did - there's less childishness and less shrieking. Notaro really has refined her voice a lot. It's just that she's kept in some parts I really wish she'd get rid of, and the number one entry on that list is self-deprecation. I have a few friends who can't open their mouths without insulting themselves, and I love them anyway, but talking to them can make me twitch. (And I can insult myself with the best of them, I truly can. I mean, I'm female, of course I can. But I try to keep that from being my primary mode of communication, is all.) Laurie Notaro is just like them - I'm so fat! I'm so clumsy! I'm so dumb! I'm so messy! I'm such a walking disaster of a person! - except here's the thing: she's not my friend. And so, it turns out, I don't love her anyway.
I guess the thing is - I want to laugh with Notaro. Not at her. And after three books, I'm just not doing much of either. Instead, I'm asking myself a lot of depressed questions, like: is this the only way a woman can be funny? By cutting herself down before anyone else gets the chance to?
In short, I need to back away from Laurie Notaro for a while, until I can read her books with more joy than sadness again.
The good news is that this book didn't make me flinch the way [b:I Love Everybody|7529|I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies) True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl|Laurie Notaro|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165627291s/7529.jpg|10643] did - there's less childishness and less shrieking. Notaro really has refined her voice a lot. It's just that she's kept in some parts I really wish she'd get rid of, and the number one entry on that list is self-deprecation. I have a few friends who can't open their mouths without insulting themselves, and I love them anyway, but talking to them can make me twitch. (And I can insult myself with the best of them, I truly can. I mean, I'm female, of course I can. But I try to keep that from being my primary mode of communication, is all.) Laurie Notaro is just like them - I'm so fat! I'm so clumsy! I'm so dumb! I'm so messy! I'm such a walking disaster of a person! - except here's the thing: she's not my friend. And so, it turns out, I don't love her anyway.
I guess the thing is - I want to laugh with Notaro. Not at her. And after three books, I'm just not doing much of either. Instead, I'm asking myself a lot of depressed questions, like: is this the only way a woman can be funny? By cutting herself down before anyone else gets the chance to?
In short, I need to back away from Laurie Notaro for a while, until I can read her books with more joy than sadness again.
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