Bossypants by Tina Fey

Title: Bossypants
Author: Tina Fey
Genre: Memoir, Humour
Source: Review Copy
Release Date: April 5th 2011
Buy the Book: Amazon
Rating: ****

My Thoughts:
For many weeks, I was puzzled to see Tina Fey's memoir sitting atop the New York Times Best Seller list so finally I cracked open the spine to see what all the fuss was about. I ended up discovering a purely enjoyable novel filled with direct honesty perfect for reading into the wee hours of the night against my better judgement.

It's truly remarkable to be able to say I finally enjoyed a novel (in recent times) outside of the YA genre and with such a curious cover image. As quoted by Tina's father on the topic: "I hope that's not really the cover. That's really going to hurt sales". And to be honest, I'm not even really that familiar with the author besides a few interviews on Letterman, her writer/actor role in Mean Girls and a failed attempt at being a fan of 30 Rock.

From the minute I hear of a novel made up with essays, I'm automatically deterred... just the thought of a certain topic being broken down and discussed in a report more commonly submitted at college is a major negative for me but luckily, Tina Fey has weaved together chapters in consecutive order from the most interesting stages of her life from first discovering her talent for improvisational comedy at a summer theatre program to her time at SNL as Sarah Palin and how motherhood has affected this all.

The only real negative I can find with Bossypants is the lack of laughs. I was expecting quite a few from a novel written by a comedian but what it lacks in laugh out loud humour, it makes up for in sly grins and eyebrow raisings. Tina regularly referenced topics I was rather unfamiliar with but it's done in such a manner of friendship that it's almost like having a conversation with a family friend.

Overall, I feel as I have a much better understanding of Tina Fey's hard-work and determination to do it all as a woman in a mans world. Well Done, Tina!