I Read It So You Don’t Have To: Sociable by Rebecca Harrington
In Sociable by Rebecca Harrington, Elinor Tomlinson has graduated from college a few years ago with a degree in journalism. So far, her degree is pretty useless. Instead of writing, she’s a nanny for a couple of spoiled bratty kids. She’s also living with her boyfriend, Mike, who also studied journalism. Their apartment is a total dump. They sleep on a foam pad instead of a regular bed, and their shower spits out water all over the place.
Mike wants to write long, involved “think pieces” that have some depth. He abhors listicles and click bait articles that are so prevalent in the age of digital media. It isn’t long before Mike gets a job with Memo Points Daily, which he believes will give him the chance to write the substantial articles he desires.
Elinor, on the other hand, gets a job at the newly launched journalism.ly, a Buzzfeed-type digital media site. And this is when Mike decides to dump Elinor, and her life goes a bit into a tailspin.
When Elinor starts her job at Journalism.ly, she isn’t given an guidance or pertinent training. There appears to be no editorial guidelines or an editorial calendar. Apparently, Elinor and her co-workers are supposed to write pieces that go “viral.”
Journalism.ly publishes really puerile eye-rollers about things only coffee drinkers know, and other such dreck. We’re not exactly dealing with The Atlantic here. But hey, if these articles go viral, then the powers that be at Journalism.ly are happy. Journalism integrity? What’s that?
Inspired by her break up with Mike, Elinor decides to write about the end of their relationship. Despite coming across like a snotty teenager, and lack of a punchy writing style, Elinor’s article gains traction, and you guessed it, it goes viral. It goes viral, and Elinor even gets invited to a local news show to talk about her article. My sympathies to the people who interviewed this charmless no-talent hack.
And then? Well, nothing much happens in Sociable. Elinor shows no growth and for the most part remains the vapid, entitled twit. In fact, most of those in her circle are completely without dimension and show no maturity. And to me, Elinor is one of the least “writerly” writer I’ve come across. She shows no curiosity beyond her own little world and doesn’t seem to have much use for reading anything other than her social media feeds. Everyone speaks in “uptalk” and uses the word “like” far too often. And when Elinor calls herself an influencer after her article goes viral, I wanted to chuck this book across the room. I’ve been working on this blog for nearly a decade, and I don’t call myself an influencer.
While reading Sociable, I kept wondering if it was a parody. The book kept portraying Millennials as tired tropes, self-absorbed, entitled, and obsessed with social media. If I was a Millennial, I’d be insulted. Sociable is not not written well-enough to be considered parody.
Plus, though Sociable is written mostly from Elinor’s point of view in third person, there are times when its written from other characters’ points of view, and there are times when it addressing the ready. The flow of this book is so disjointed.
And though Harrington may want Elinor to be a character to root for, we can’t. Elinor is too much a ditz and a downer. She’s shallow, judgmental, and refuses to grow up. No lesson is learned. No development is gained.
This book is called Sociable. Well, call me Anti-Sociable.
Book Review: Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan
Meet Ashley Keller. In another life she was working as a marketing executive and climbing the corporate ladder. Now she’s an overwhelmed stay at home mom to eight month old Aubrey. Ashley, of course, loves her daughter, but will she ever get her mama mojo going or is she destined to be a hot mess mom? Ashley’s journey to being a better mom is depicted in Bunmi Laditan’s novel Confessions of a Domestic Failure.
Ashley desperately wants to be a good mom, but she feels like a major screw up. She hasn’t lost the baby weight, she can’t bottle feed, and when it comes to having sexy time with her husband David, well, Ashley would prefer a good night’s sleep. And the fact that David is trying to launch his advertising business and working crazy long hours isn’t helping matters.
Mothers have struggled with feelings of inadequacy since time began. But in the modern day of social media and mommy expert influencers, feelings of inadequacy have increased tenfold. How can mothers compete with Instagram images of designer-clad mamas with adorable toddlers and Pinterest boards featuring homemade gourmet meals and fancy crafts?
For inspiration and in hope of improving her mothering skills, Ashley looks up to Emily Walker, a mommy influencer extraordinaire! Ashley reads Emily’s blog religiously and is a devoted viewer of of Emily’s TV show. Ashley is also engrossed in Emily’s new book Motherhood Better and is valiantly soaking up Emily’s words of wisdom.
When Ashley finds out about Emily’s Motherhood Better Bootcamp she quickly enters and becomes one of the lucky winners. Ashley is thrilled and thinks this is the ticket to motherhood greatness. It’s one things to follow Emily and watch her show, but to be mentored by the maternal goddess herself! Wow! Jackpot! And Ashley is also pretty stoked about going on Emily’s Motherhood Better retreat and possibly winning a huge cash prize.
Emily connects with Ashley and the other moms in the boot camp via several video chats. All of the moms try to excel in the tasks and challenges laid before them by Emily. Despite giving these tasks and challenges her all, Ashley feels like she’s screwing up and compares herself to the other moms in the group who seem to be doing a much better job. Ashley also tries to make mom friends in her community and inadvertently joins a group for breastfeeding moms. What’s going to happen once they find out she doesn’t breast feed Aubrey?
After the boot camp ends the moms collect themselves at the retreat. And this is where things get a big out of hand. And it’s also where Ashley and the other moms realize things aren’t always as they seem. Perhaps, Emily isn’t as perfect as she comes across on her blog and her TV show. But is she a monster? No. She’s just a mom going through what countless other moms go through. Nobody, even mommy influencers, is perfect.
Ashley and the other moms, including Emily, learn an important lesson-go easy on themselves and each other. They’re doing the best they can do as mothers, wives, and women.
Confessions of Domestic Failure is an entertaining story featuring a mom who is flawed but has the best of intentions. I think a lot of moms will relate to Ashley’s foibles and find solace in her struggles. And they’ll also cheer when Ashley has her triumphs.
Book Review: Tales from the Back Row-An Outsider’s View from Inside the Fashion Industry by Amy Odell
Even if you don’t know the difference between a Balenciaga and a Valentino you probably know fashion is a huge business. Fashionistas like magazine editors, style reporters, bloggers, and influencers definitely know the difference between Balenciaga and Valentino. They can spot trends that the public will embrace and they can make or break a fashion designer. And even if we flick through a copy of Vogue, watch Project Runway, and follow popular fashion blogs, the inner sanctum of fashion is one closed to many of us. Just what is it like to be in the rarified world? Fashion journalist Amy Odell knows, and she gives us the inside scoop in her book Tales from the Back Row: An Outsider’s View from the Inside of the Fashion Industry.
With a degree in journalism and literature from New York University, Odell got a job with New York magazine’s newest online blog The Cut. This was when blogging was still quite new, and we still had no idea fashion bloggers would become as big as they are and hugely influence the world of fashion.
Though Odell had very little experience in media and in fashion, The Cut somehow thought she was up to the task. Odell began to attend fashion shows (often as far away from the back row as possible), met models, designers, influencers, and other fashion journalists like herself. She learned a lot and grew as both a journalist and in her knowledge of the fashion industry.
Odell did have her missteps. She learned to never shop while high because you may make some unfortunate fashion purchases. For some reason Alexander Wang sweatpants aren’t very impressive, and they actually offended Odell’s then boyfriend, now husband. And then there was the time she asked various celebrities like Jay Z on what they smell like at a fragrance launch.
But Odell also had her triumphs. Italian fashion journalist and Editor-at-Large of Japanese Vogue, Anna Dello Russo acted as a mentor to Odell and even taught her how to pack. Odell got the scoop on how Victoria Secret models got in tip top shape for the now defunct Victoria Secret Fashion Show. And in one glorious moment, got to interview with Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour, who comes across as much warmer than her The Devil Wears Prada doppelganger, Miranda Priestly.
Odell’s career went from strength to strength. She’s been the editor of Cosmipolitan.com and an editor at Buzzfeed. She’s also been published in Time, Business of Fashion, and Refinery29. Her biography of Anna Wintour has been recently released.
For the most part Tales from the Back Row is a fun and interesting read. Odell is no cold and imperious fashion diva. Nor is she over the top outrageous like Diana Vreeland. She’s sort of like your friend from college who spills the tea on the good, the bad, and the ugly of the fashion industry. We learn fashion isn’t always glamorous and a great deal of talent and hard work go into everything from a fashion show to a fashion magazine. Tales from the Back Row is an open book on anyone interested in fashion whether one wants to make it a career or as a casual observer of the stylish and chic.
Book Review: How to Be Famous by Caitlin Moran
In the book How to Be a Girl (which I reviewed a few years ago) we met one singular character, Johanna Morrigan who prefers to go by her pen name, Dolly Wilde. Dolly has a really great gig writing for the British music publication Disc and Music Echo (D and ME), which is a feather in her teenage chapeau. She’s still living with her family yet desires to move to London where everything is happening. She also has a mad crush on John Kite, a musician on the verge of fame.
Now Dolly is back in Caitlin Moran’s sequel How to Be Famous. Dolly has moved out and is living in a flat in London. She’s still writing for Disc and Music Echo and is having a made flirtation with John Kite. Kite has hit the big time. His songs are climbing the charts and he’s playing sold out concerts. Dolly is young and despite her success she’s still trying to figure things out. But of course, she’s 19. This is understandable.
Now de-virginized, Dolly sees herself as a bit of bon vivant and a “Lady Sex Adventurer,” proud of being a sexual being and ready for anything. Anything, unfortunately, turns out to be a night of nookie with a stand up comic named Jerry Sharpe. Dolly should feel honored to hook up with Jerry. Comics are the rock stars of the 1990s don’t you know. Unfortunately, Jerry is less than gentlemanly, and he video tapes their shagging session.
Other than sex, Dolly is fully immersed in the local music scene. Her friend Zee has a fledgling music label and Dolly gets to know one of his label’s new bands The Branks. At the helm of The Branks is the brash and over the top lead singer, Suzanne Banks who comes across like a British Courtney Love. And when it comes to her family, her father is trying to take up permanent residence in her flat. Dolly is not pleased with this.
When it comes to her writing, Dolly gets a really a job writing for The Face, one of Britain’s premier magazines. Dolly is thrilled with this opportunity and loves being in the world of famous people, but often feels like a total outsider.
And then things get quite complicated for Dolly. The little sex tape that comic Jerry Sharped filmed gets out there and is seen by far too many people. Even though this is in the mid 1990s in a time before everyone was on the internet. Things like sex tapes didn’t exactly go viral but they did get released. Remember the infamous sex tape of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee?
Dolly is absolutely mortified about this is turn of events. Sure, Jerry Sharpe is a massive sleaze and douchebag, but she’s the disgraced fallen woman. Will her amazing life in London end just as it’s beginning? And what about her budding romance with John Kite?
Through the support of her new friend Suzanne, Dolly is able to stand up for herself and hold her head high during one highlight during the book. Dolly may be down, but no way is she out. And before she knows it, things heat up with John Kite, and she travels with him on his tour of America.
Though I did think How to Be Famous had it’s high points, I still felt like something was missing. Dolly is a fun and interesting character. I admire her gumption and willing to give everything whether her love life or her career, her all. Yet, some aspects veered to close to the #MeToo movement 20 years too soon, and her relationship with John Kite seemed a bit too unbelievable. Still, How to Be Famous is an entertaining read with lots of 1990s references certainly to make readers misty-eyed with memories. Apparently, How to Be Famous is second in the series. I think it will be quite a ride once Dolly gets older and faces new adventures and challenges as she approaches the 21st century.
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