Book Review: The Glow by Jessie Gaynor

In Jessie Gaynor’s novel, The Glow, protagonist Jane Dorner is in a funk; her life seems to be going nowhere. Though Jane had aspirations of being a poet, she ended up dropping out of her grad program, and is now working in public relations for a New York City firm. Working in public relations may sound glamorous and lucrative, but Jane can barely care about her work and her output is slipshod at best.

And on top of her less than exciting job, Jane is now without a boyfriend after a break up and due to an emergency surgery, Jane is now drowning in medical debt (something I bet a lot of my fellow Americans can relate to). Jane is trying to hold onto her job so she can pay off her nearly six figure medical debt.

Needing a boost to her career, Jane seeks out something to inspire her so she can publicize it and perhaps save her job. And Jane thinks she’s found the perfect thing when she discovers Fort Path, a wellness retreat. At the helm of Fort Path, is Cass. Cass is beautiful, ethereal, and has a huge following on social media. Her Instagram passages promise wellness, healing, and the ultimate journey of self-fulfillment. Jane is drawn to both Fort Path and Cass, and she believes if she can connect with both of them, she will find not only a higher state of being, she will also amplify her career and keep her job.

Jane makes a sojourn to Fort Path. At first she has a hard time fitting in with the retreat’s strict diet and weird rituals, which includes group masturbation and refraining from showering. But still, Jane can’t help but be drawn to Cass. Cass just radiates self-confidence, wholeness, and true enlightenment. Perhaps if Jane follows Cass and Fort Path’s strict guideline, she, too, will achieve these lofty goals.

Whereas Cass may be the face and inspiration for Fort Path, it is her husband, Tom, who handles the business side of running the retreat. Jane gets closer to Cass and Tom, and often wonders about their marriage, especially since Tom doesn’t exactly seem 100% straight. Is it true love or a marriage of convenience. And once Jane loses her PR job, and finagles her way into a job with Fort Path, she finds out more and more about Cass and Tom’s marriage and the behind the scenes of running Fort Path.

Jane comes up with a plan. She figures with her public relations experience, she feels she can sell Fort Path on a grander scale (even if she herself, isn’t a true believer of Fort Path’s mission and practices). If Jane can put Fort Path on the wellness map and make Cass a major health guru on par with Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop. And to do this, Jane does some rather nefarious and less than savory things that are more about making the big bucks and exploiting Cass, Tom, and Fort Path than actually doing something positive for the the two of them, the retreat, and its clients. Will Jane make Fort Path a health and wellness a huge success and become a huge success herself? Or will everything tumble like a house of Tarot cards?

The Glow is a fascinating look at the rarified world of wellness and the people involved even though some of these people aren’t exactly good people. Sure, Cass and Tom may have an odd marriage. And I’m not a fan of Cass’s dietary and hygienic habits, but for the most part these are two well-meaning characters who are sympathetic.

However, Jane is a walking red flag. Though I empathize with her work and money troubles, I found her behavior towards Cass and Tom, and Fort Path to be appalling. Her exploitation is truly offensive. But I wondered is she truly an awful person or is her behavior due to the huge pressures, challenges, and set backs she has dealt. And I also questioned if our seeking out of enlightenment and a better life via a wellness retreat, a yoga class, or a candle smelling like Gwyneth Paltrow’s vagina is a panacea for the true systematic obstacles problems we face in modern society. The Glow prompts us to think a bit about those things.

Book Review: Glossy-Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier by Marisa Meltzer

When it came cosmetics, you often went to your local drugstore to get your lipstick and eye shadow. Or, if you were feeling fancy and flush with cash, you went to an upscale department store to get your Estee Lauder or Lancome fix. Cosmetics like Maybelline’s Great Lash mascara and Mac’s Ruby Woo lipstick remain iconic. Stores like Ulta and Sephora are an overwhelming mix of cosmetics, hair and skin care lines, and various fragrances (and now can be found within Target and Kohl’s.) And it seems like every other week, and celebrity or influencer comes out with a beauty and fragrance line.

It seems like in the past 10 to 15 years, cosmetics and other beauty products have become more than something we use to adorn our faces or pamper our bodies. They have become brands many women (and maybe some men) have made a part of their identity. Glossier, founded by Emily Weiss back in 2014. And Marissa Meltzer discusses Glossier and its founder in her book Glossy: Ambition, Beauty, and the Inside Story of Emily Weiss’s Glossier. Meltzer does a deep into Glossier’s rise, fall, and rebirth. She also takes a look at its elusive founder, Emily Weiss.

Before there was Glossier, there was one singular Emily Weiss. Born in 1985 and raised in Connecticut, Weiss showed a passion for beauty and fashion from a very young age. She also showed an incredible amount of drive and ambition. She even asked on of the parents she babysat for for an internship at the company he worked for. They company? Ralph Lauren.

Stylish, tall, attractive, and privileged, Weiss was able to make important connections and allies, and thusly, was able to parlay herself into early success. Probably most people became familiar with Weiss when she appeared in a handful of episodes of the reality show “The Hills.” Dubbed the “super intern,” Weiss proved to be smart and capable, and pretty much left cast members of “The Hills,” Lauran Conrad and Whitney Port, in the dust.

In 2011, Weiss launched her website, Into the Gloss. Into the Gloss featured many notable people in the world of fashion and culture in which they shared their beauty routines with the readers of the website. Into the Gloss became a huge hit and ended up quite the profitable media venture for Weiss. Yet, Weiss wanted more.

Weiss was able to parlay the success of Into Gloss (along with two million dollars in seed money) into developing Glossier. Glossier started out with only four products, but that didn’t stop this new beauty brand from taking off and grabbing the dollars of Millennials and older Gen Z-ers. The Millennial Pink packaging may have helped. Within a year, Glossier was selling nearly a year’s worth of product within a three month period.

Glossier added more products and its success was stratospheric. Glossier wasn’t just a cosmetics company and a beauty brand. It became a part of its followers identity. The vibe of Glossier was femininity, inclusiveness, and making it what the consumer wanted. You could use as much product you wanted or as little. Glossier was a fun club and worshipped by its users.

And Weiss became a rock star of CEOs. Sure, it helped she was young and attractive, but she was also hard working, driven, and had her finger on the pulse of what young women wanted when it came to beauty and cosmetics. The media took notice of Weiss, and she was named Forbes magazine “Forbes 30 Under 30” list and Time magazines “Next 100.” What was I doing when I was around that age? Not getting featured in Forbes and Time, that’s for sure.

But soon Glossier started to falter. There was some gossip that things weren’t so rosy amongst the staff of Glossier and Weiss’s leadership, Weiss confused people by claiming Glossier was more of a tech company than a beauty company, and the pandemic didn’t help things either. However, Glossier is having a resurgence and young women remain fans of its products. I even saw Glossier at my local Sephora.

Meltzer has definitely done her research when it comes to Glossier, and she was able to interview Weiss on several occasions. Weiss doesn’t reveal much; she’s probably a very private person. And though I respect Meltzer for her hard work, I did have some problems with Glossy. At some times, Meltzer acts like she worships Weiss, and at other times, it comes across like she’s trying to villainize her. Weiss isn’t perfect, but she isn’t the female, Millennial Bernie Madoff or a brunette version of Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos.

Also, Meltzer gets quite repetitive in Glossy. I kept reading the same information over and over again. I think Glossy might have worked better as a long article in Vogue or Vanity Fair.

But I think my biggest problem with Glossy was, well, me. I’m a Gen X-er. Glossier was never my beauty brand of choice. And I’ve never treated any beauty brand as part of my identity or something worthy of my worship. Though I did have a thing for Bonne Bell Lipsmackers. Its Dr. Pepper Flavor was the bomb!

Still, Glossy does have some interesting aspects, and I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of Glossy, a fan of Emily Weiss, or anyone interested in the world of beauty brands in the 21st century.

I Read It So You Don’t Have To: Rebecca, Not Becky by Christine Platt and Catherine Wigginton Greene

The novel, Rebecca, Not Becky by Christine Platt and Catherine Wigginton Greene is the tale of two Millennial age women, one white and one Black, as they navigate raising children, taking care of elderly relatives, managing their marriages, and dealing with the thorny topic of race, bigotry, and race relations.

Meet De’Andrea Whitman. She just left her successful career as a lawyer, and not by chance, and is now settled in Rolling Hills, Virginia with her husband Malik and their little girl, Nina. The Whitmans have moved to Rolling Hills to be closer to Malik’s mother who has dementia and is living in a care facility called Memory Village. The Whitmans used to live in Atlanta and found a sense of place within the Black community. De’Andrea stays in touch with her old Atlanta friends and doesn’t know if she can find a home in the very white Rolling Hills.

Now meet Rebecca Myland. She used to go by Becky, but with the name Becky being used as a euphemism for clueless basic white bitches. Rebecca is a stay at home mom who lives with her husband Todd and their two daughters Lyla and Isabella in Rolling Hills. And like De’Andrea, she also has a mother in law at Memory Village.

Rebecca is thrilled when she finds out a Black family has moved to Rolling Hills. She hopes to befriend the Whitmans, which will allow her to use all the knowledge she has gained when it comes to race as a diversity leader at her daughters’ school and as a member of an anti-racist book club. And it does come across like Rebecca might treat this black family as an experiment instead of seeming them as unique individuals.

De’Andrea is feeling adrift and depressed in Rolling Hills. She’s dealing with the heavy burden of running a household, raising Nina, and being there for Malike’s mother. De’Andrea feels useless without her law career and she misses her friends in Atlanta. Is she going to find a sense of community in the white bread enclave of Rolling Hills?

De’Andrea’s therapist comes up with an assignment. De’Andrea should try to befriend a white woman. Not surprisingly, De’Andrea is a bit apprehensive. She doesn’t want to have a friendship that feels forced. And can she really fit in with the privileged white ladies of Rolling HIlls?

But then De’Andrea’s daughter Nina becomes besties with Rebecca’s daughter Isabella. The two little girls have bonded in their kindergarten class. This means De’Andrea has to deal with Rebecca at school drop offs and pick ups, various school functions, and at play dates for Nina and Isabella.

At first, De’Andrea tries to keep Rebecca at arms length. But begrudgingly, she begins to get involved with some of Rebecca’s social activities and social circle. Rebecca can be a bit too much when it comes to being the “white savior.” And to be honest, De’Andrea comes a across as a bit stand-offish and narrowminded. But at times, it is quite understandable why she would question the motives of a privileged white woman like Rebecca.

But De’Andrea and Rebecca soon bond over similar life experiences. Both are dealing with raising children and elder care issues. Both are trying to keep their marriages strong. And both are trying to navigate the racial and social issues that affect Rolling Hills.

Then De’Andrea and Rebecca join forces to bring down a Confederate soldier’s statue in Rolling Hills. A lot of the town’s people also want to bring the offending statue down. But due to a place like Rolling Hills being in the deep South plenty of the town’s citizens want to keep the offensive statue up because or “heritage” or “history” or some rot. De’Andrea and Rebecca learn through all of this that people are stronger when they work together.

Rebecca, Not Becky, in the hands of better writers, could have really been a fantastic read. It covers many of the current issues we face today-race, bigotry, and social changes. It also covers the everyday issues so many women face-raising children, running a household, elder care, and trying to make their marriages thrive. But in the less capable writing talents of Platt and Wigginton Greene, these issues and situations never go very deep. Plus, when Rebecca, Not Becky goes into some intriguing story lines, the writing just putters out. It’s quite disappointing.

And there’s the two main characters, De’Andrea and Rebecca. I don’t expect characters to be flawless, but both ladies are not likable. Both of them come across as conceited and full of themselves. There’s a lot of name-dropping, slang that won’t age well, and vapid texts in place of decent dialogue. It’s as if both of these women were the real housewives of Rolling Hills rather than fully fleshed out characters who are compelling.

Rebecca, Not Becky is not to be read.

Book Reviews: Strip Tees-Memoir of a Millennial Los Angeles by Kate Flannery

“I was in Los Angeles for less than a month before I got scouted by a cult.”

This is how Kate Flannery’s book Strip Tees: Memoir of a Millennial Los Angeles opens. And with a line like that how could I not keep reading? Scouted by a cult? Tell me more!

Kate Flannery (no, not the actress who played Meredith on “The Office) was a recent graduate from Bryn Mawr. Not finding fulfillment in her post-grad job at Urban Outfitters in Philadelphia, Flannery left for the sunny climes and a new start in Los Angeles. However, things weren’t going so well. Flannery was out of a job, and her funds were dwindling. She was in a deep funk.

While drowning her sorrows at a dive bar, Flannery was approached by an attractive woman, a complete stranger, who wanted Flannery to interview with the clothing retailer American Apparel.

American Apparel may be a sleazy footnote in retail history, but in 2005 American Apparel was hot, hot, hot. The company was lauded for its American made, non-sweatshop made clothing, which included T-shirts, shorts, bathing suits, and the like. American Apparel was the brainchild of creator Dov Charney who initially was seen as a good guy with his non-sweatshop clothing made in the USA that paid its workers a decent wage. But soon rather nefarious details began to emerge about Charney about his less than savory behavior.

I’m getting ahead of myself. American Apparel was the clothing choice of many Millennials like Flannery, and after an interview, she was hired to work at one of the stores. Though probably a bit too educated and over-qualified to be a shop girl, Flannery was thrilled to have a job and grew close to many of her co-workers. She did so much more than ring up customers’ purchases. She managed hiring and took photographs for American Apparel’s very infamous and very recognizable advertisements.

It wasn’t long before Flannery ascended the ladder at American Apparel and went beyond her shop girl role. She went on the road, scouting new recruits, and opening new American Apparel stores (including the now closed location in my lower east side Milwaukee neighborhood).

Flannery was exhilarated to be doing so well with American Apparel, and for the longest time she relished her work despite the travel and long hours. She was working for the hippest clothing company around, and it was intoxicating.

However, things weren’t always so rosy at American Apparel and much of it had to do with Dov Charney, the king of sleaze. Dov was known for sleeping with many of his subordinates (called “Dov’s Girls). He had no shame and would walk around in his underwear and have sex with girls in the stores’ dressing rooms. He was also accused of masturbating in front of a writer from the now defunct Jane magazine while she interviewed him. Ick.

At first Flannery tried to ignore Dov’s behavior, thinking these women were just uptight. It was the time of “indie sleaze” and “do-me feminism.” But after a while, Flannery just couldn’t ignore Dov’s behavior and the behavior of other employees including one asshole who tried to sexually assault her. And though initially American Apparel seemed to be about sexual liberation, it soon became clear it was more about sexual exploitation. Flannery soon realized she needed to make a change in her life. So she did. And through it all she came to grips of what was really important to her.

It’s now American Apparel is now out of business. Flannery has gone onto better things like writing for the reality show “Rupaul’s Drag Race.” But Strip Tees is a riveting tale of a singular time in fashion and one Millennial’s coming of age in the aughts. I found American Apparel to be a riveting and fast-paced read whether your a rapidly aging hipster still coveting your American Apparel t-shirts, or anyone interested in everything from the world of retail, growing up, and finding oneself..

Book Review: NSFW by Isabel Kaplan

When I came across Isabel Kaplan’s novel, NSFW, I asked myself, “Can I possibly read another book about a Millennial working in a ‘glamorous’ industry?” Well, after reading NSFW, I most certainly can!

As NSFW begins, our unnamed narrator (who I will call MC for Main Character) has just graduated from Harvard and has moved back to Los Angeles. Through nepotism and her mother’s connections to the head of development, Robert Braun, MC gets a low level assistant job at the fictional network XBC. It’s the the early 2010s. Network television still has some currency and streaming services are in their infancy. MC knows her new position is just a start but she hopes with her hard work and determination she’ll climb the corporate ladder to success.

MC is ambitious and smart, and is willing to put in the hard work to get ahead (as long as she can keep her dignity).We get to seen the inner sanctum of a TV network, from program pitches to getting a program on the air. But we also learn of the less than ideal machinations that permeate a great deal of work places. NSFW isn’t just about one young woman trying to make it in show business and the corporate world. It’s also about the patriarchal structures that still affect our world in the modern day. Sexual harassment, rape, and sleazy innuendo remarks abound at XBC. MC tries to stay above the fray, but gets sucked in without her consent. It isn’t long before MC hears about the rape allegations of a huge star of one of the biggest hits on XBC, and how it was nearly covered up by the network.

MC also goes through several changes to keep up with living in Los Angeles and working in the industry, you can never be too hot or too thin. And MC goes through great lengths to look good-manicures, coloring her hair, and making sure she never packs on the pounds. She also tries to do the proper networking and meeting the right people so she can climb up that corporate ladder. Outside of work MC starts dating a sweet, supportive guy, but seems uncomfortable in a relationship. She also has a roommate who swears by the power of crystals and is in a “throuple” with a couple. This is LA were talking about. I can’t imagine a throuple in Boise, Idaho, but who knows?

And then there is MC’s relationship with her mother. MC’s mother is a powerful attorney and an advocate for victims of rape and sexual assault. MC’s parents divorced years ago, and MC’s mother is still bitter about it. She often spills her guts to MC almost making her a unpaid therapist. MC’s mothers manipulations and martyrdom is incredibly obnoxious and made me quite uncomfortable while reading NSFW. MC also smokes pot with her mother. Hmm, when my mom and I get together, we play Scrabble. Is this the difference between Silent Generation moms with Gen X daughters and Baby Boomer moms with Millennial daughters? I wonder.

When Robert Braun at XBC is accused of some very sleazy behavior, NSFW goes into a weird twist. Instead of supporting Braun’s accusers, MC’s mother instead supports her longtime friends. MC is completely appalled, especially consider she knows someone at XBC who has been sexually harassed by Braun, and she herself, was assaulted by a co-worker. How could her mother betray women by supporting a completely disgusting man like Robert Braun?

In the course of her time at XBC, MC learns so much about what it’s like to be a woman in the workplace, and despite all the work people have done to make rape and sexual harassment seriously, we still have such a long way too go. Remember NSFW takes place in the early 2010s. There was no MeToo movement, Bill Cosby was still a favorite TV dad, Harvey Weinstein was known for Oscar winning movies, and a President who bragged about grabbing pussy had not yet sullied the White House. Even in 2023, we are dealing with these issues.

NSFW is not a light hearted chick lit read about a young women, fresh-faced, just starting out in the big city in a glamorous industry. NSFW is a very exacting look at world that isn’t so positive for women, fraught family relationships, and the difficulty of finding your place and your purpose. NSFW is also quite triggering and portrays a lot of truly upsetting things. There were passages where I actually gasped out loud when I read about what MC and her coworkers went through. But I do think NSFW is an important and very well-written novel, and I’m hoping Isabel Kaplan has a sequel up her sleeve. I really want to know what MC is up to in 2023.

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.

The Problem with Everything-My Journey Through the New Culture Wars by Meghan Daum

In her 2019 book, The Problem with Everything: My Journey Through the New Culture Wars, author Meghan Daum takes on a host of topics. These topics include the Trump presidency, feminism in the modern day, cancel culture, and the differences between Gen X and Millennials.

In The Problem With Everything, Daum writes about being a kid in the 1970s, a time of of the TV show Zoom and when girls weren’t forced into the color pink. Things were a bit more unisex back then. She writes about the 1980s, when women were climbing the corporate ladder, yet were admonished as selfish careerists in a time of latchkey kids. And she also covers the 1990s, when she was in college and an intern in New York City. She looks back at these decades and compares them to the modern day. How have things changed? How have things not changed?

One things Daum talks about is the cancellation of people who may have a difference of opinion. She wonders where is the nuance and critical thinking when it comes to various issues. Perhaps, in the day of social media, where one tweet can be misconstrued, this may no longer be the case. Everything is so black and white. Will we ever embrace the gray in-between? Will conservatives and liberals offer each other an olive branch?

When it comes to feminism, Daum thinks it has accomplished most things. And yes, many women are better off than their grandmothers. But we still have a long way to go. She also questions the feminism of Millennials, which can come across as both celebrating victimization and calling oneself a “badass.” We’ve gone from Riot Grrrl to #Girlboss, but what does it mean? I know one, thing. Gen X feminists were also looked down upon back in the 1990s.

Daum also discusses the dissolution of her marriage, the state of the college campus then and now, and how people are afraid of the most mildest of criticism, worried they will be brandished a racist, homophobe, or misogynist. There’s really a lot to unpack these days.

I found Daum’s writing to be enlightening and interesting even though I didn’t agree with her on everything. But she does bring up some very compelling ideas that should provoke debate and discussion. And I wonder what Daum’s take on the issues she she could write about in 2022 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the January 6th insurrection, and the overturn of Roe V. Wade. Perhaps Daum will cover these things in her next book. I know if she does, I will definitely read it.

Book Review: Easy Crafts for the Insane-A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things by Kelly Williams Brown

Kelly Williams Brown had a really awful string of bad luck, over two years worth. Her marriage fell apart. She broke three of her limbs at three different times. Her father was diagnosed with cancer. And she felt completely upended over Trump’s election in 2016.

She didn’t just feel bummed out; she fell into a horrific morbid depression. Due to a failed suicide attempt, she ended up in an in-patient psych facility. It was there, Williams Brown started to face her demons and find the path to healing. Crafting was a part of that healing, hence, her latest book Easy Crafts for the Insane: A Mostly Funny Memoir of Mental Illness and Making Things.

According to Williams Brown, she’s the person who coined the millennial term “adulting.” Maybe, it’s because I’m a crotchety Gen X-er, but the term adulting makes my teeth itch. Guess what, kids? You don’t deserve a trophy for paying your bills or showing up to work on time.

But I digress.

I thought this book would be the ideal read for me. I’m quite the crafter myself, and I’ve been in the trenches when it comes to my mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD). However, I couldn’t get into it. Though Williams Brown is a talented writer, and I thought some passages funny and sad, I still found her at times to be shallow and self-absorbed. She’s clearly a privileged person and only briefly touches on the issues of how mental illness is looked down upon and the how access to proper mental health treatment eludes so many people.

Furthermore, I couldn’t feel too much empathy about her divorce. She selfishly buys a Miata without discussing it with her husband; she’s quite dismissive of his feelings and opinions. And after her divorce, she comes across way too desperate to be in another relationship instead of focusing on what made her marriage fall apart in the first place. And despite being marginally employed, she seems to have loads of money to play around with.

As for the crafts? Most of them seem more suited for children. Williams Brown will never be the millennial version of Martha Stewart. The craft tutorials are poorly written and not very creative; however, the illustrations are kind of cute.

I’m not a complete monster, and some passages of Easy Crafts for the Insane truly touched me. My heart broke when I found out about Williams Brown attempt to kill herself (thank goodness, her boyfriend at the time found her), and I really related to her time in a psych ward. And I’m happy she found solace in crafting. Creative projects do help us feel better in so many ways.

Still, I can’t quite recommend Easy Crafts for the Insane. Perhaps if Williams Brown had spent more time “adulting” by being more self-aware than self-absorbed I would have found this book to be a more solid effort.

Book Review: She Memes Well by Quinta Brunson

A few months I started watching a charming and very funny television show called Abbott Elementary. Abbot Elementary is a mockumentary in the same vein as The Office and Parks and Recreation. Whereas, The Office took a look at the workplace of a small paper company and Parks and Recreation focused on local government, Abbott Elementary brings to light the inner sanctum of an underfunded Philadelphia grade school. The show has become a ratings hit and critical darling. And much of the praise can go to its creator and star, Quinta Brunson.

Pre-Abbott Elementary, I was only vaguely aware of Ms. Brunson. I had heard of some of her work with Buzzfeed and A Black Lady Sketch Show. However, I’m thrilled to have made the acquaintance of this talented and funny lady, so when I came across her book, She Memes Well, I just knew I had to read and review it.

She Memes Well is a mix of both essays and memoir. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Quinta Brunson grew up the fifth child in loving and close family. A desire to perform came early to her when she started taking dance classes. Ever the ham, it was comedy that grabbed Quinta as she grew older. Somehow she knew she had to make comedy her career, but how?

After a brief stint at Temple University and learning improv in her free time, Quinta dropped out and made her way to Los Angeles hoping to find her way to comedic brilliance. But dreams don’t come true easily, and Quinta had to pay quite a few dues along the way, including working a regular job. It was at a local Apple Store where she made the cash to pay the bills, but performing was her goal. To gain experience and exposure, Quinta spent time with other comedic performers, made videos for YouTube and Instagram, and even made TV’s Judge Joe Brown laugh at The Comedy Store. One of her most popular acts was about a girl who has never been on a nice date, with the tagline, “He got money” when her date actually paid for something. Not surprisingly, a lot of women could relate and laughed.

Thanks to her massive talent and a few connections, Quinta landed a gig working for Buzzfeed, her first video featuring her tasting Doritos (yum) and other funny videos and bits. It wasn’t long before Quinta’s work with Buzzfeed got some, well, buzz, and she started working with A Black Lady Sketch Show and other creative endeavors.

But there were struggles, and Quinta is very honest about paying her dues and facing rejection and disappointment. Now these things aren’t rare in show biz, but they can really sting and do a number on one’s self-esteem.

Today, Quinta is with Abbott Elementary, which was inspired by both her mother who was a teacher and her favorite teacher growing up. I’m thrilled for both the show and Quinta’s success. It proves that actual talent and hard work can lead to victory. Abbott Elementary is good to go for a second season, and I hope it’s remembered come Emmy time.

She Memes Well is both very funny and touching. Quinta discusses issues like being broke, having one’s heart trampled on, making it in comedy, which is still a white dude bro culture, and the importance of edges when it comes to black hair. She jokes about her troubles in the kitchen, dealing with being sort of famous, and gets sentimental when talking about growing up in a devout Jehovah Witness family. She also isn’t shy to admit some of her misgivings when it comes to social media.

And then there are moments that focus on more serious topics. She lost a cousin to gun violence and your heart breaks for her. And her rage over death of young black men to police violence is quite palatable. As humorous as Quinta is, her life hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs.

However, Quinta never strays far from a more fun side of life and she expresses her love of various pop culture in her chapters titled, “Quinta’s Classics.” Among Quinta’s pop culture faves? They include TV shows like The Office, the movie Jurassic Park, the music of Stevie Wonder, and Tina Fey’s book “Bossypants.” She also mentions a few millennial touchstones like the TV show Even Stevens and the video game Mario Kart.

Abbott Elementary made me a fan of Quinta Brunson. She Memes Well makes me an even bigger fan.

Book Report

Here is a quick book report on Daniel Torday’s novel Boomer1.

This novel explores the battle between boomers and millennials from the perspective of three people, Mark Brumfeld, his mother Julia, and Mark’s ex Cassie. In the beginning Mark has it all-a great career in media, a stellar education (he’s getting his PhD), a place in a bluegrass band, and Cassie. And then Mark loses it all and moves back in with his parents. Bitter, Mark dons a disguise, calls himself Boomer1 and uploads videos to YouTube solely blaming baby boomers for his lot in life. His videos go viral setting off a revolution and Cassie’s attention. Meanwhile Julia is dealing with her own issues.

Boomer1 seemed so promising, but Torday’s writing is pretentious and moves at a snail’s pace. Mark and Cassie are unlikable. And Julia is just meh.

Grade D