RUDE BITCHES MAKE ME TIRED

Name: RUDE BITCHES MAKE ME TIRED
Author: Celia Rivenbark
ISBN: 978-1-250-02923-2

by Celia Rivenbark ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 22, 2013

Once again, Rivenbark reliably delivers what her fans have come to expect: a self-assured combination of common sense, sharp...

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More ribald social input from humor columnist Rivenbark.

The outspoken Southern author’s latest keeps both the tradition of eye-popping titles (You Don't Sweat Much for a Fat Girl: Observations on Life from the Shallow End of the Pool, 2011, etc.) and blunt, tongue-in-cheek content very much alive as she scolds the general public for its blatant lack of manners. Culled from interviews with panels of effusive friends, colleagues and random strangers, Rivenbark applies her unique brand of profanity-laden wisdom to chapters on relatable, touchy topics like PDAs (“affection should be private”), gym courtesy, Facebook civility and how to handle air travel’s notoriously “Entitled Recline Monster.” Elsewhere, her conveyance of smart—and often crassly hysterical—advice on restroom demeanor (think: toilet seats down vs. “pee spray”) and how to behave when you’re arrested or hosting guests leaves scant room for misinterpretation. Some serious laugh-out-loud moments come at the expense of those with gluten allergies, gossipers and mothers who grocery shop with unruly children (“you and your brood are shaving years off my life”). Even readers unfamiliar with Rivenbark’s unique brand of cautionary guidance will giggle right along with her, knowing the author fearlessly admits to being “all about the cheap, easy laugh.” Still, particular guidance, like a chapter on respecting your partner post-marriage (“the slide begins when the kids come”) reads as more heartfelt than facetious. Mostly directed toward the “exhausted, overworked, undervalued mommy,” yet applicable to anyone since “some bad behavior is practically universal,” her etiquette tips are satisfying and mostly entertaining.

Once again, Rivenbark reliably delivers what her fans have come to expect: a self-assured combination of common sense, sharp humor and a dash of Southern charm.

Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-250-02923-2

Page Count: 288

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2013

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

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NUTCRACKER

by E.T.A. Hoffmann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28, 1996

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This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)

Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996

ISBN: 0-15-100227-4

Page Count: 136

Publisher: Harcourt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

GENERAL NONFICTION

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING
by E.T.A. Hoffmann ; adapted by Natalie Andrewson ; illustrated by Natalie Andrewson

- BOOK REVIEW
THE NUTCRACKER
by E.T.A. Hoffmann & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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TO THE ONE I LOVE THE BEST

EPISODES FROM THE LIFE OF LADY MENDL (ELSIE DE WOLFE)

by Ludwig Bemelmans ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 23, 1955

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An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.