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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Eh. I'm fond of travel writing and women's travel writing in particular, so I tossed Newman's book in my bag as I headed off on vacation. It was very funny in parts, and entertaining, but I couldn't love it. Maybe because I'm a mother of young women instead of a young woman myself, the grittier details of some of Newman's escapades seemed icky and desperate rather than romantic or even just fun.
Slow paced, stories eventually became repetitive
Really great book about single girl life, traveling, and everything in between. It's witty and an all-around perfect read. Loved it!!
I wanted more about her travels and less about the relationships she had while traveling.
After initially reading this book three years ago, I was really underwhelmed and rated it poorly. Interestingly enough, I got a second chance to read this book when recently, I was chatting up a friend and before departing she and her adult daughter gave me three books to help tide me over the COVID winter. On of her daughters favorite books, What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding was one that was given to me. At the time, I didn't have the heart to tell her I had already read it and did not really like it, so I took it gracefully and decided to give it another go. I'm so happy that I did.
I'm not entirely sure what was different this time around reading it (it's only been three years - has my world view changed so drastically?), but once I got going, I found a depth and insight about relationships (running away from them as well as towards them) that I hadn't detected before. Yeah sure, some of it comes off glib, initially, but once I tuned into Kristin's history and how it shaped her world view, I connected with her journey(s) and felt like her struggles mirrored many of mine.
There's some real insight into what makes relationships work. The chapter when she's interacting with the Mixed-Israeli couple who's marriage was arranged has some very deep insight as to the qualities that are important in a long-standing relationship. It gave me pause to the things I'm currently focused on in my own relationship.
But the thing that solidified this book in my eyes this time around was from one of her earlier trips to South America where there was no romance, but only a rag-tag group of travelers that met up and had the time of their lives together. It's here that Kristin starts to realize that friendship is the most important thing in any relationship. Passion, Sex, and Romance ebbs and flows, but good, authentic friendships are the thing that endures. I was also deeply moved by her short essay in the end about how all things end, so you better enjoy the moment for what it is. Nothing lasts.
This book is definitely worth a couple reads. In addition to all the wisdom found in this book, it's a hell of a lot of fun to read.
Initial Review (for posterity):
As hard as I tried, I couldn't get into this book. I had high hopes that it would be a good travel memoir with stories of adventure and experiences that transformed the readers perspective on life. Instead, it read like a blog that details all the partying and sexual escapades of said author. Nothing against those experiences, but it quickly got old when each subsequent chapter read the same. Privileged Hollywood writer travels to exotic locales and starts a romantic relationship with one of the locales. Sure - she picks up some Spanish along the way, but it just got too repetitive for me.
Afterwards she travels home and laments her failed relationships and grows more cynical about love.
On a more positive note, Kristen Newman is a good writer, and her writing definitely made my laugh on occasion. I enjoyed reading about her experience in Israel and how the people there approach relationships. But beyond that, for me, it didn't read much better than Eat, Pray, Love.
I'm not entirely sure what was different this time around reading it (it's only been three years - has my world view changed so drastically?), but once I got going, I found a depth and insight about relationships (running away from them as well as towards them) that I hadn't detected before. Yeah sure, some of it comes off glib, initially, but once I tuned into Kristin's history and how it shaped her world view, I connected with her journey(s) and felt like her struggles mirrored many of mine.
There's some real insight into what makes relationships work. The chapter when she's interacting with the Mixed-Israeli couple who's marriage was arranged has some very deep insight as to the qualities that are important in a long-standing relationship. It gave me pause to the things I'm currently focused on in my own relationship.
But the thing that solidified this book in my eyes this time around was from one of her earlier trips to South America where there was no romance, but only a rag-tag group of travelers that met up and had the time of their lives together. It's here that Kristin starts to realize that friendship is the most important thing in any relationship. Passion, Sex, and Romance ebbs and flows, but good, authentic friendships are the thing that endures. I was also deeply moved by her short essay in the end about how all things end, so you better enjoy the moment for what it is. Nothing lasts.
This book is definitely worth a couple reads. In addition to all the wisdom found in this book, it's a hell of a lot of fun to read.
Initial Review (for posterity):
As hard as I tried, I couldn't get into this book. I had high hopes that it would be a good travel memoir with stories of adventure and experiences that transformed the readers perspective on life. Instead, it read like a blog that details all the partying and sexual escapades of said author. Nothing against those experiences, but it quickly got old when each subsequent chapter read the same. Privileged Hollywood writer travels to exotic locales and starts a romantic relationship with one of the locales. Sure - she picks up some Spanish along the way, but it just got too repetitive for me.
Afterwards she travels home and laments her failed relationships and grows more cynical about love.
On a more positive note, Kristen Newman is a good writer, and her writing definitely made my laugh on occasion. I enjoyed reading about her experience in Israel and how the people there approach relationships. But beyond that, for me, it didn't read much better than Eat, Pray, Love.
Slightly rascist, sexism, and homophobic; mostly about the men she was fucking and not her solo travel adventures; I didn’t finish so maybe the author gets into it but she probably should’ve gone to therapy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racism
Spoiler
This was decent but I wanted to hear more about her adventures in other countries, not just about all the men she met or slept with. It felt a bit privileged and disconnected and ultimately she ends up exactly like all the friends she mentions in the book: married with children.
I'm missing travelling, popping into a bar for drinks, the chance to go on an adventure, all of the things!!!!! Pandemics that last many many months and that keep you in your own abode 90% of the time are for the birds.
All that is to say, I think I generously gave this an extra star because of it all. I quickly made it through this as I envy the ability to hop on a plane and be in an amazing and wonderful place. And since I can't do that myself right now-- live vicariously. It is easy to do with this book -- fast paced and funny.
Though, this is more about her single sex life than it is about the travel. But to be fair, almost all the sex is while traveling.
Last point, I was utterly unsurprised by the ending.
All that is to say, I think I generously gave this an extra star because of it all. I quickly made it through this as I envy the ability to hop on a plane and be in an amazing and wonderful place. And since I can't do that myself right now-- live vicariously. It is easy to do with this book -- fast paced and funny.
Though, this is more about her single sex life than it is about the travel. But to be fair, almost all the sex is while traveling.
Last point, I was utterly unsurprised by the ending.