Fizzy Thoughts

Moranthology
Caitlin Moran
2012
234 pages

“Words can be weapons, or love-spells, or just motorcars you can drive across country borders.” Caitlyn Moran, Moranthology

Warning: this post contains more love for Moran.

I bought Moranthology almost the very second after I finished listening to How to Be a Woman because Moran says oodles of things that I wish I’d thought of. And while I’m not nearly as into music as she is (a fact supported by my abysmal performance on the SongPop app), I forgive her because she’s still both hysterically funny and insightful even when I don’t know what the hell she’s talking about.

Moranthology is a collection of some of her columns from The Times (and most likely published because How to Be a Woman was wildly successful, but if my first book was a runaway success and I had oodles of columns to re-publish you can damn will bet I’d've done the same thing). If you’ve already read How to Be a Woman, some of it is a bit of a repeat, but most is not. Mostly it’s more brilliant social commentary from Moran, mixed in with lots of irreverence. Well, brilliant if you’re a liberal pop-culture loving woman with feminist leanings. Not that others can’t or won’t enjoy. I’m just guessing that those of us who will love it the most are liberal pop-culture loving women. With potty mouths.

Ironically, some of my favorite essays were on topics that I’m totally unfamiliar with.* There was funny one on her interview with Keith Richards (done at the time that his book came out) that made me want to run out and buy his book. And the talk of Dr. Who made me wish I’d seen all the episodes. Ditto for Downton Abbey. And Sherlock Holmes. Not that I can’t buy/rent them now, but if I can’t even be bothered to rent The Shining, do you really think an entire tv show is gonna happen?

Anyhoosie, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, I’m at the point where I’ll read anything Moran writes. She just needs to hurry up and write another book. Please??

*To clarify: I know who Keith Richards is. I’m not THAT oblivious to music. I just haven’t read his book. And I didn’t want to until I read this one.

MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend
Rachel Bertsche
2011
349 pages

True story: Girl moves to Chicago, gets married, and realizes she needs a local BFF. So she sets out to find one. Diligently. Like, beyond diligently. What follows is 52+ girl dates as the author searches for new friendsies. Most of the dates are duds, but some are promising. And by the end of the year, Bertsche has made herself some new friends (although none have quite attained BFF status by book end).

When I first started this book I thought the author was a neurotic whack-job (okay, not really on the whack-job part, but for reals on the neurotic neediness). And by the time I finished I was quite impressed by her willingness to put herself out there, not to mention by the energy it must have taken to go out on that many girl-dates. Good lord, I was exhausted just reading about it!

Also, I feel seriously deficient in the friend department. I need you all to move to California RIGHT NOW so we can bond over sushi (full disclosure though: I hate sushi) and drinks and we can go get pedicures after work and I can pour out ALL OF MY WOES to you after I call you up at midnight and you come running over, because that’s what friends do for each other.

Seriously? I don’t know about you, but all I want to do at 6pm is go home, eat dinner, and then relax with my book. I think I’m too old for this book.

Also, I feel like a total loser because I don’t have that many local friends. Thanks a lot, Bertsche.

Way back at the beginning of the month when I was still a semi-responsible blogger (in other words, I might have read and responded to a post or two), Lu posted about Friends With Boys and I fell in love. And then I got even more excited because my library actually had the book (I know! I practically fell out of my chair!). But then I remembered it was a Monday and my library is closed on Monday (if I’d actually fallen out of the chair I probably would’ve kicked it in frustration) and before I knew it it was the weekend and I was in Seattle (yay!) and I was at Elliot Bay Book Company (double yay!!) and they had the book.

I might have maybe bought it.

It’s been awhile since I read a graphic novel, and this was a great way to re-visit the genre. Also, it was the perfect way to end the long (but fun!) days traipsing up and down and around the streets of Seattle. It was a little bit cute, and a little bit sad, and a little bit hopeful. Basically, it was a story of teenagers being teenagers only it was nice in that it doesn’t beat you over the head with angst. And the art? Kick-ass. I loved all of the emotion you could see in the faces.

And if you’re wondering what it’s actually about? In brief, it’s the story of Maggie’s first year of high school. Meeting new friends, wondering what’s up with her older brothers (why do the twins fight all the time? why does her oldest brother Daniel keep glaring daggers at her new friend Alistair?), dealing with her mother’s abandonment. Some of the usual teenage drama, along with some not-so-usual teenage drama.

Also, there’s a ghost. But no vampires! That’s right…a book with teenagers but no vampires! How refreshing.