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A review by nerdese
The Fran Lebowitz Reader by Fran Lebowitz
3.0
3.5
While this fully admits to being dated, and despite being genuinely funny at times, the book(s) as a whole feel a bit aimless. I certainly laughed aloud and wanted to highlight bits and pieces, but there wasn’t a strong sense of purpose here. Maybe it’s not the point, but it made it a slower and tougher read. It is still relevant in a lot of its overarching observations but bogged down by that which the world has evolved past, which I suppose can’t be helped. Lebowtiz really is that prototypical New Yorker that so many have come to expect…salty about just about everyone’s choices (good or bad) but deeply committed to her own.
Despite her literary prowess, I find Lebowitz much more compelling to watch/listen to than read. The humor scans a bit differently and the tongue in cheek aspect comes out better in her interviews and talks, which is actually how I came to first experience her work. It’s worth it to listen to some of her more updated talks as that acerbic wit has certainly not diminished, but the contemporary reader may be better able to digest her opinions when they relate to things we actually understand!
While this fully admits to being dated, and despite being genuinely funny at times, the book(s) as a whole feel a bit aimless. I certainly laughed aloud and wanted to highlight bits and pieces, but there wasn’t a strong sense of purpose here. Maybe it’s not the point, but it made it a slower and tougher read. It is still relevant in a lot of its overarching observations but bogged down by that which the world has evolved past, which I suppose can’t be helped. Lebowtiz really is that prototypical New Yorker that so many have come to expect…salty about just about everyone’s choices (good or bad) but deeply committed to her own.
Despite her literary prowess, I find Lebowitz much more compelling to watch/listen to than read. The humor scans a bit differently and the tongue in cheek aspect comes out better in her interviews and talks, which is actually how I came to first experience her work. It’s worth it to listen to some of her more updated talks as that acerbic wit has certainly not diminished, but the contemporary reader may be better able to digest her opinions when they relate to things we actually understand!