Monday, August 12, 2013

Reviews - Bossypants and Mary Poppins

Bossypants by Tina Fey
Rating: 3 Stars

Description:  Bossypants is basically a general biography of Fey and her career.

Genre: Humor, Biography, NonFiction

My Impression: Unlike what feels like most of the world I don't have a huge crush on Tina Fey.  I thought she was the only person on Saturday Night Live who made it worth watching when she and Jimmy Fallon did Weekend Update together.  I've enjoyed what I've seen of 30 Rock though it's not on my must watch list of shows at the moment.  So all in all I have pleasant but mostly neutral feelings about her not an overwhelming desire for her to be my BFF.  Bossypants had gotten so raved about that I finally decided to read it and for the most part I enjoyed it.    There is nothing particularly in depth or personal about the majority of the stories.  I definitely didn't feel like I had a greater insight to who Fey is after reading it other than fame seems to have snuck up on her.  In insight into how comedy works both in improv situations and on SNL was interesting.  I laughed a few times and smiled a bit more but it definitely wasn't the funniest book I've ever read.  It actually reminded me a bit of Mindy Kaling's book Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? but I enjoyed Kaling's writing style a bit more.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Probably not.

Would I Recommend this Book?:  No - I would recommend Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling over this book

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
Rating: 2 Stars

Description: Mary Poppins is the story of a magical unusual nanny who blows in with the wind the take care of the Banks children.

Genre: Children/YA, Classics

My Impression: I've been reading a lot of children's classics lately thanks in part to the library and what is free on my Kindle.  Most of them I've loved.  When I saw Mary Poppins at the library I was thrilled.  I've watched the movie a few times but it's been awhile though I remember liking it.  I expected magical nonsense and got lots of nonsense and while there was a magic in the book it didn't translate to a magical reading experience.  Mary was vain, prickly and frankly just not very nice.  The stories were disjointed and the book itself read more like a collection of short stories than an actual book.  This is one of the few books that I've enjoyed the movie more.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?:  No, not interested. Though I might read a biography about P.L. Travers

Would I Recommend this Book?:  No, there are so many other classics to read that were so much more entertaining.

1 comment:

  1. I haven't read Bossypants, so I won't comment on it. I agree that Mary Poppins (the book) is more of a collection of short stories than a novel, and the character of Mary is less likable than in the movie. I have fond memories of the books from childhood, though, and recently enjoyed listening to the first audiobook. I'm about to start the second.

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