If Tina Fey’s New Yorker essay “Confessions of a Juggler” is a taste of what’s to come in her upcoming book Bossypants, we’ll be getting what we’ve come to expect of her: razor-sharp observation delivered with trademark prickly wit. Her writing here isn’t quite what you’d expect of a typical comedian’s book—there are a number of joke-free paragraphs, and, like Liz Lemon, Fey the author isn’t afraid to pontificate. She covers a lot of ground in a few short pages: the trials of being an extraordinarily busy working mom; women over 40 in Hollywood; having children later in life. Individually, the topics are nothing groundbreaking, but the smart-girl humor and Fey’s relatable honesty makes the piece readable and laugh-out-loud funny. Her rundown of the types of roles Hollywood gives women of a certain age is the centerpiece of the story for me: a villainous boss; several different types of overworked women, a lesbian therapist in “Disregarding Joy,” a desperate cougar-type in “The Wedding Creeper” in which she falls in love with a handsome videographer played by Gerard Butler … Brilliant! The essay is a taste, but not enough. Come April 15th, I’ll be shelling out way too much money for the book, despite the scary cover.
Archive: February 2011 (21-30 of 30)
After a taste of Tina Fey's prose in 'The New Yorker', we want more!
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On the Books: February 9th
Image Credit: Carlos Alban; David Gabber/PR PhotosLady Gaga’s rumored boyfriend Lüc Carl, a bartender, plans to publish a book this year called The Drunk Diet. Not a traditional diet book, it’s a memoir of his year spent losing 40 pounds without giving up his “principles of being a hard drinking party maker.” Glad Gaga (allegedly) found a man with principles.
With so many movies based on comic books being made, it seems as though one of these days Hollywood might run out of comics to take to the screen. Auteur film director Darren Aronofsky avoids this problem by writing his own, Noah, which he hopes to adapt to film.
Amanda Hocking, 26, has sold more than 450,000 copies of her self-published e-books. Others are making good money from self-publishing as well.
Two new books examine the erotic side of the Bible.
Women’s literary group surveyed 14 major publications and counted the percentage of female contributors and writers appearing in them. The results: a gender gap still exists in literature, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller.
The Tipping Point was great, but do you think his books have started getting formulaic? Check out the Malcom Gladwell book generator, a fun site that cranks out Gladwellian book titles.
Universal Pictures and Strike Entertainment have bought the rights to Jay Asher’s YA cult fave novel 13 Reasons Why as a vehicle for Selena Gomez.
Richelle Mead's new series 'Bloodlines' cover reveal -- EXCLUSIVE
Richelle Mead has graduated from Vampire Academy, her popular YA series that wrapped up in December with the release of its sixth and final book, and now she’s moving onto new territory. Well, somewhat new: Bloodlines will be a spin-off of VA, moving the previously tertiary character Sydney, a human alchemist, from the sidelines to the forefront. It will also be set in a sunny Californian high school instead of that rigid, preppy-bloodsucker academy, which I imagine will be like transferring from the Undead Poets Society to Bayside High. Check out the finalized cover for the first book of the series—that’s Sydney with the filigreed face, by the way—and watch a video after the jump of Mead talking about how it will differ from Vampire Academy. Bloodlines is set to hit shelves on August 23.
On the Books: February 8th
Harpo, Inc. has chosen Abrams to publish a book celebrating The Oprah Winfrey Show scheduled for release in Fall 2011.
The real Michael Oher says he has “more personality” than The Blind Side’s Hollywood depiction of him. Oher tells his side of the story in I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness to the Blind Side, which hits bookstores today.
Donald Rumsfeld defends his decision-making and criticizes Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell in his memoir Known and Unknown.
Hip-Hop: A Cultural Odyssey, a mammoth, comprehensive new offering from ARIA traces hip-hop from its roots to the present moment. Interviewees include pioneers such as Afrika Bambaata and current Grammy nominees, including Cee-Lo Green.
One mom sees what happens when she uses Amy Chua’s book as a parenting guide..
Even given the scary state of publishing, there’s still room on the shelves for debut novelists.
Do you have “reading attention deficit disorder” (RADD)? It may have everything to do with lighting.
Whitney Port teaches 20-somethings how to find 'True Whit' in new lifestyle book
Image Credit: David Gabber/PR PhotosWhitney Port is a rare breed of reality star — more a listener than a talker, she tended to be the voice of reason on MTV’s The Hills and The City, the one her more dysfunctional co-stars would gravitate to in times of need. So it’s no surprise that Port has come out with True Whit, a how-to book of sorts about navigating your twenties, covering topics like work, style, dating, and food. We caught up with the blond TV star-turned-author in the middle of her book tour to find out more. READ FULL STORY »
Bristol Palin to possibly write memoir, publishing industry to possibly take a good, hard look at itself in the mirror
Memoirs aren’t just for people with an interesting story to tell, or for those who are old enough to have a degree of perspective on their life—no, that boat has already sailed. So I guess the fact that Bristol Palin is apparently set to write a memoir of her own shouldn’t necessarily make my brain implode in on itself like the house at the end of Poltergeist. Still, the recent creation of an Amazon page for Untitled Bristol Palin Memoir, to be published by William Morrow, does raise some questions. For example, “How much will she talk about Levi?” Or, “Can it possibly sell as well as her mother’s books?” And even, “Is continued existence worth it now that we know that something like this is possible?” Here’s hoping the memoir will answer these and many more burning queries when it comes out on June 21, the shockingly close release date mentioned on the Amazon listing. Until then, we should all just take it one day at a time.
Brian Jacques, beloved children's author of the 'Redwall' series, dies at age 71
Brian Jacques, the beloved British author of the Redwall series, died of a heart attack over the weekend at age 71.
Hailed as one of “the best children’s authors in the world,” Jacques’ 21 Redwall books were translated into 29 languages and sold 20 million copies worldwide. His novels — despite centering on anthropomorphic woodland critters, such as mice, otters, moles, and squirrels — told epic tales of good triumphing over evil and never spoke down to their young audiences. When I was nine years old I finished Martin the Warrior, the third installment of the series, and remained in a daze for an entire afternoon. The characters had grown dear to me, and when a few of the most lovable ones died in the final battle scene, I felt genuine loss but also a sense that I was better for having known them. It was the book that cemented me as a reader for the rest of my life — I’d discovered what it was like to have such connection to a story, and I wanted to have it again and again.
With the news of Jacques’ death, I want to go through my closet and dig up those dusty childhood books I haven’t read in more than a decade. I know I’ll find them — Jacques’ novels aren’t ones you ever throw out.
Exclusive: 'A Song of Ice and Fire' graphic novel and comic book rights are bought by Bantam
Bantam Books is set to announce that it has acquired the comic-book and graphic novel rights to George R. R. Martin’s hugely popular A Song of Ice and Fire series. The first of the monthly comic books — to be illustrated by Tommy Paterson and adapted by Daniel Abraham — is due out later this spring, as is the HBO adaptation of the first book in the series, Game of Thrones. Dynamic Entertainment will issue the comic books and Bantam will later collect them in graphic-novel form. While we all wait for this influx of Games-related stuff, here are some preliminary comic sketches for characters Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister to tide us over. They’re after the jump. READ FULL STORY »
On the Books: February 1
Late night host Jimmy Fallon will pen a two-book series entitled Thank You Notes for Grand Central Publishing. Based on a popular weekly feature from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, he’ll express his undying gratitude to various people, inanimate objects, and abstract ideas.
What are our future leaders reading? A list of the top ten bestsellers on college campuses reveals few surprises—Tucker Max at number seven is disappointing but predictable—but the W memoir besting Jon Stewart is pretty shocking.
Brooke Burke admits to “not always liking her children” in her new book The Naked Mom.
Outgoing Google boss Eric Schmidt is on the hunt for a book deal about “the effect of technology on authoritarian governments.”
Kathy Freston’s new book, Quantum Wellness: A Practical and Spiritual Guide to Health and Happiness inspires Oprah and her 378 staffers to go vegan for one week.
Jane Lynch to pen a personal memoir
Image Credit: Bob Charlotte/PR PhotosAfter years of shining in small roles in Christopher Guest and Judd Apatow comedies, Jane Lynch finally hit it big on the very popular—but for some reason rarely covered by us at EW—TV series Glee. Now she’s writing about her experiences, presumably in her own voice and not that of the perpetually abrasive Sue Sylvester. According to the New York Times’ ArtsBeat blog, Lynch’s memoir will be titled Happy Accidents. Lynch told the Times that the book has its roots in speeches she has given following her newfound popularity on the inspirationally themed Glee, and that it will detail her history in comedy, how she came to accept her homosexuality, and her (victorious) battle with alcoholism. Happy Accidents is set to hit bookstores in September.
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