"The problem is that public outrage has a short memory... So rarely do the ramifications of cancel culture extend past an internet connection. And whe
"The problem is that public outrage has a short memory... So rarely do the ramifications of cancel culture extend past an internet connection. And when they do, it is important to remember that they usually result in an incredibly privileged person temporarily experiencing slightly less privilege than they were accustomed to, which is still a very high baseline of privilege compared to the rest of the world. Personally, I long to be a canceled rich man because that is just a vacation." Pg. 78
This was a witty and insightful collection of essays by comedian, writer and talk show host, Ziwe! It had an element of memoir in it as well, as Ziwe shared many personal experiences from her youth, time in college, and at the start of her career. It was a very perceptive and thought-provoking collection, that not only fans of Ziwe should read, but that people, in general, could learn from, especially since the humour aspect and format make it very accessible.
The problems I had with this book were the footnotes and the grey boxes of text. The footnotes took away from my focus almost every time. I didn't find they gave enough context to things mentioned in the essays to be fully necessary, and there were just far too many in each chapter/essay. There were also many personal anecdotes via the footnotes, that I think would have served more of a purpose if they were just included in the essay rather than having to flip to the footnote every time. Additionally, the grey boxes of text seemed very unnecessary and really took me out of the essay every time they were included. If they were put in between chapters/essays they would have been less of a bother, but adding them within the essays just felt like an interruption.
Overall, I am happy I read this collection of essays, especially since I love Ziwe's talk show. I would recommend it to any fan of hers, especially because it is a short, but lively read....more
Good Material by Dolly Alderton was a witty novel following amateur comedian Andy as he reenters the dating world mid-thirties after splitting with hiGood Material by Dolly Alderton was a witty novel following amateur comedian Andy as he reenters the dating world mid-thirties after splitting with his long-term girlfriend Jen. I didn't know how much I would enjoy this book since I have never read a literary fiction/rom-com with a male main character but I really enjoyed it! Andy was funny, a little weird (in a good way), and although I have never been in his specific situation, insanely relatable. I was laughing out loud throughout the entire book and enjoyed how everything wrapped up in the end, especially with being able to read from Jen's perspective a bit. I think this book also did a great job of including realistic adult relationships and showing how they change as people get older, which is definintely one of Alderton's specialties when it comes to writing. I loved seeing Avi and Jane's relationship with both Andy and Jen after they broke up, and how supportive they were of both friends. I found Jen's perspective on her break-up with Andy to be something a lot of women struggle with, it really reminded me of Sylvia Plath's fig tree analogy. Overall, it was another win from Dolly Aldterton, I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse Canada for the advanced reader copy of Good Material by Dolly Alderton in exchange for an honest review!...more
Emma Griffioen
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Books:
humour
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