Book Review- Curtis Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of Curtis Sittenfeld’s latest novel, Romantic Comedy.

Sally is a staff writer for an SNL-esque variety show called Night Owls. She holds her writing and comedy skills in high esteem, but feels like she is the funny friend, the one behind the scenes, the one who blends into the crowd, rather than standing out. Dating hasn’t been easy. She finds herself in a series of lackluster, sex-based relationships, where she doesn’t feel like she can share her true self, including details of her employment.

Noah is an aging rock star who is booked on Night Owls as both the musical guest and weekly host. Sally and Noah have an immediately connection and easy banter, which almost goes further, but comes to an abrupt halt due to a misunderstanding.

Years later, during the 2020 pandemic, Sally and Noah reconnect through email, laying misunderstandings to rest and deepening their connection. They decide to meet-up, Sally driving to Noah’s mansion in California to become part of his “bubble.” However, under the surface, both Noah and Sally have personal doubts and misconceptions that threaten to prevent a relationship from happening. Can they overcome their issues to allow their relationship to blossom?

I’m a huge fan of Sittenfeld’s writing. She’s one of those authors that I’ll read anything she writes and Romantic Comedy was on the top of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was not disappointed. I fell for Sally and Noah’s messy romance. They are both likable characters and although the backdrop is flashy, with Sally’s television career and Noah’s rockstar mansion, at the heart of it, these are two very normal people.

A huge part of Sally’s hang-up is she can’t imagine a bigger life for herself. Even though Noah is clearly into her, and she into him, Sally will not allow this to be a possibility. She pushes him away. She even writes a sketch for the week that he is host which involves a Pete Davidson/Ariana Grande type relationship, playing on the idea that an unattractive guy who is funny, can date a gorgeous woman. Sally writes this as a joke for a fellow writer, who is in that type of relationship with a celebrity, but in reality, Sally is exploring the concept based on her own feelings towards Noah. She feels like she is the “Pete Davidson” type and yet, as a woman, it would be impossible for Noah to fall for her. The role reversal of the sexes does not allow for a hot guy to fall for the funny woman. However, this is clearly not how Noah views her or the situation, making the sketch quite insulting. Additionally, Sally is so steeped in her own insecurities, she can’t even realize that Noah has his own insecurities.

As I mentioned, the magic in this story is that the leads are very ordinary people and this is how they eventually meet in the middle. Noah pushes past Sally’s insecurities and helps her during a family crisis, assisting her with caregiving for her beloved step-father. As someone who has been a caregiver for elderly relatives, I found this part of the storyline to be refreshing and honest. After all, at the end of the day, the private jets and premiere parties are meaningless, if the person that you love isn’t there when life is most difficult. Romantic Comedy is at its best in these smaller, less flashy moments, when the love between Noah and Sally shines brightest.

Romantic Comedy is an engaging and lovely novel by one of my favorite contemporary writers. It’s a good pick for someone who wants a funny, mostly light-hearted story with a dash a glamour and a bit of depth.

Book Review- Zosia Mamet's My First Popsicle

Thank you to LibroFM for an audio arc of the essay collection, My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings, edited by Zosia Mamet.

Actress and writer Zosia Mamet ( daughter of famed playwright David Mamet) had an idea to curate a collection of essays regarding food and our emotions surrounding food. Mamet contributes her own essay, but also calls upon famous friends, such as Kaley Cuoco, her costar on The Flight Attendant, to contribute to the anthology. I listed to the audio version and many of the essays are read by the writers themselves, adding to the charm and intimacy of the stories.

As with many anthologies, the content was uneven in how I connect with the stories. Regarding this collection particularly, the writing talent was uneven, likely due to the abundance of celebrity contributors. I’m not implying that celebrities can’t also write, just that it was uneven and some contributions felt less polished or poignant than others. That said, I applaud the concept and generally delighted in several of the contributions.

Although we may connect with food in different ways, the idea of having emotional attachment to taste and the power of that particular sense is universal. I think most readers will find a connection with some of the essays, enough to make this collection recommendable.

Book Review- Hua Hsu's Stay True

Thank you to NetGalley and Libro FM for providing me with both physical and audio copies of Hua Hsu’s memoir, Stay True.

A recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize for memoir, Hsu recounts his childhood and college years, including the murder of a close friend.

I’m the same age as Hsu and what struck me most about Stay True was how Hsu so vividly captured young adulthood in the late 90’s. I felt transported back to that time in a way that I have not felt from any other writing set in that decade. It was a remarkable experience. Further more, having also lived in the Bay Area during college, I went to Mills and the author attended Berkeley, I connected with the setting, in addition to the era.

Prior to the death of his friend, one of Hsu’s primary concerns was establishing his identity. Visiting record stores and curating his music tastes is an important aspect of this. I remember doing the same in the late 90’s, prior to mp3 players or streaming, when figuring out your tastes and identity took quite a bit of effort and perhaps, even seemed more meaningful.

Hsu creates zines to reflect his thoughts and tastes. Zines are still around of course, but with blogging and social media, a zine feels like a relic of the past. Compared with modern sensibilities, a rapid-fire consumer culture and short attention spans, a zine is positively slow and permanent. It’s akin to a piece of art. All this to say, I had forgotten how we existed in the 90’s and the things that seemed so important when coming of age. Through Hsu’s writing, I felt nostalgic for those early internet days, before social media and before it was common to capture every moment with our phones. How do we know what is special, if we always aim to capture everything?

In addition to pop culture, Hsu’s identity is shaped by his family and the death of his friend. Hsu is a Taiwanese-American and an only child. I am also an only child and I can verify that this signifier has an enormous impact on developing identity. During high school. Hsu’s father moved to Taiwan for work. It’s hard to believe it now, but back during the 80’s and 90’s it was enormously expensive to make phone calls. I think of how lucky we are now, especially as my step kid’s live in Sweden and we can inexpensively speak with them whenever we want. But back then, even the shortest of calls, even calls to a nearby city, were prohibitively expensive. As a work around, Hsu would connect with his father via sending faxes, including getting help on homework this way.

Hsu’s friend Ken was murdered during their time at Berkley. Ken and Hsu had very different personalities. While Hsu sought out obscure bands and thrift store clothes, Ken was less alternative, blending in, rather than stand out. However, this isn’t to say that Ken was actively seeking to mesh. Ken was authentically himself or at least appears to be. Ken’s death during a robbery, shook up Hsu and their extended friend group, the first peer lost. I didn’t experience the loss of a peer until I was in my mid-twenties. It is of course shocking and upsetting to lose a friend, but there is the other level of the death of a person your own age. A confrontation with mortality when you feel invincible.

I was engrossed in Stay True from page one and felt emotionally connected until the last page. A fantastic memoir, one that I have been recommending to everyone. I’m sure with the Pulitzer win that it will get a big, much deserved boost.

Oh, and nothing to do with the book, but one more little side note. I discovered that Hsu is a professor at Bard College in New York, which is where I spent the fall semester of 1995, prior to having to leave due to a family illness.