As previously mentioned on this blog, I am now dividing my reading between day books and night books. Day books are so named, you will be astonished to learn, because I read them during the day. Night books are chosen to keep me company when I can’t sleep, and are generally cheerful and silly.
ARE YOU THERE VODKA? IT’S ME, CHELSEA, seemed to fit the bill as a night book, being a loosely autobiographical collection of comic short stories, written by a quite successful female American comedian. I always want to support women in comedy, as it’s such a misogynist field, with the two available roles for women (virgin and whore) providing not much space to be funny in.
Unfortunately the book also didn’t have much space for funny. It badly needed an editor, being sloppily and repetitively written. It also seriously needed some fresh ideas. There is an entire story about midgets. You’d think every joke that could be made in that area had already been made, and you’d be right, but this didn’t stop this writer. There’s also a lot of stuff about vibrators, which while less overdone that midgets is hardly comedy gold.
I do like the title, based on the young adult classic ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET by Judy Blume. But that’s about it.
After reading the title I thought it was going to be a confessional autobiography of a past alcoholic. the content bamboozled me. Jokes are the most difficult thing to do. A friend once said during a discussion, what if after all no one laugh?
I hate books that are badly editing and I wonder if I would go in for this. Thanks for letting me know.
Exactly Nana – she is safe in a book because she can't hear that no one is laughing! But then maybe it is just me, she is very poular.
Geosi I hate bad editing too, and this was awful – lots of strange repetitions, and clumsy sentences – painful.