The Boss

Bossypants by Tina Fey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Tina Fey is one of the funniest people I know. She's also progressive, intelligent, a feminist, liberal, honest and humble - she's like the perfect package (if you're into progressive, feminist, liberal, funny women).

I admit that I didn't "read" this book as in "look at black markings on a white piece of paper and make sense of those markings." Instead, I listened to Tina herself read the book aloud to me as I went through my exercise routine. This routine consists of 4 miles of walking/jogging along the lake front trail near my home or around the track at the campus gym. While listening to the book made this time go by quickly for me (a major plus because I'm not an exercise lover), it also was cause for some embarrassment as I would scoff and laugh while passing other people on the trail.

Tina's book is part memoir, part social justice treatise, and part feminist manifesto. She treats topics such as gay marriage, Saturday Night Live, working mothers, 30 Rock, women in show business, Palin impressions, female bosses, family vacations, and privilege. And she does it all with the humor, sarcasm and wit that we have come to expect from her based on 30 Rock and SNL. It's full of pointed, critical quotes ("People ask me if it's awkward for me to be the boss, much like I'm sure they ask Donald Trump if it's awkward for him to the boss") and personal stories in which Fey isn't afraid of embarrassing herself to make an important argument (such as her story about recognizing gay people don't exist solely for her own entertainment).

While I can't say the book is a worthwhile read - but it was definitely a worthwhile listen (and I'm sure it really is a worthwhile read). Any fan of Fey or other funny people will love it!



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