Although I am a somewhat recent convert into the world of strong female celebrity memoirs, I have recently read had 3 of them read to me by the authors through the fascinating experience that are audiobooks, and I must admit I have been converted. It’s always a breath of fresh air to have an intelligent woman talk to/at you for 4-6 hours about funny little anecdotes that may or may not carry some underlying lesson about the world.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have never seen an episode of 30 Rock, not do I watch Saturday Night Live or did so at the time she worked there, so I really had no expectations starting this. I didn’t know what Tina Fey’s kind of humor was. It just seemed like the world overwhelmingly recommended everyone in the world and their mothers read this if they were into memoirs. So I bit the bullet and bought it.
To be honest, I don’t think Tina Fey set out to write a feminist book. Many people say it is a feminist book, but I don’t think that’s the point at all. I think it was just unavoidable. When a woman enters a male-dominated industry and lives to tell the tale, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife she will invariably end up facing sexism and touching upon the subject when telling her story.
All I can say is that she touches upon a myriad of issues that are in no way, shape or form limited to gender in a such a funny and nonchalant way that it takes a while to process and understand just how inspiring it all really is. I’m all for the self-deprecating-honest-truth-using-humor-as-a-deflection-mechanism tone she uses in this book, so really, it was right up my alley, but I think there’s tons of good stuff there for everybody.
I highly recommend this for just about anyone who has a pulse. Also, if there is any choice in the matter, go for the audiobook – it is well worth the difference.