Friday, November 6, 2009

Snookered - Again

Clearly my "learning curve" is pretty much a straight line. As in "flat lined." I have a weakness for books that purport to be funny. I have yet to find one and today's report is just another notch on my failure stick.

"I Was Told There'd Be Cake" essays by Sloane Crosley who has written for Playboy, the NY Times, the Village Voice. Having tasted the "Cake" I have to wonder just how many articles she wrote for any one of them.

She is a "professional New York woman," writing about the trials, tribulations and joys of living in Manhattan. I have noticed (tiny peak on the learning curve?) the "professional New York woman" is going to be "Poor hapless(but adorable) me! Aren't I just the cutest little thing you've ever seen in shoe leather?" New Yorkers seem to have an unholy pride about living in Manhattan.

She covers "preciousness" in chapter 1 - she tells her dates not to bring her flowers, candy or wine, she wants a pony! Yes a plastic My Little Pony And Me doll. She keeps them in a kitchen drawer and will often ask guests after dinner, "Coffee, tea or a pony?"

Religion - nominally Jewish but her parents were never ardent about it. They always had a Christmas tree and a Hannukah bush.

Carelessness - Has left her wallet in cabs, or subways and it always gets mailed back to her! (Minus the money, of course.) Subtext - Aren't New Yorkers big-hearted folks? (Take it from me, they aren't as a general rule.)

Sex - she thought it was a man and a woman, jumping on a bed (shoes off) and laughing.

The title doesn't seem to have anything at all to do with the contents of the book, but:

"I Was Told There'd Be Cake" Sloane Crosley, Penguin Books, $14 230 pages

No comments: