I Might Regret This

 Book 8 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities, and Other Stuff

by Abbi Jacobson

3 stars

Published in 2018, I Might Regret This is collection of essays chronicling the time Abbi Jacobson spent on a solo cross-country road trip following a breakup.

I bought this book used and it was well-loved by the owner(s) before me.  Things were underlined, emphasized, etc.  I loved that they felt moved enough to highlight "be still and think" and "butt-crack" on the same page.  There was also an inscription in the front: "[name redacted]'s GIVE BACK!  but please borrow LOVE YOU!"  I hope that the person named is the one who got rid of the book and not that the borrower not only didn't return it but sold it as well.

Now that the information about my physical copy is out of the way, I really don't have much to say about the book itself.  It felt like a journal in a good way with sidenotes, drawings, etc. filling out the essays.  I didn't make any notes while reading it which means I didn't have strong likes or dislikes.  Rated a neutral 3 stars.

Generation Friends

 Book 7 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era

by Saul Austerlitz

4 stars

Published in 2019, 25 years after Friends premiered in 1994, this book is a behind-the-scenes look at the show, both during its run and the popularity it continues to have.

I'm a fan of the show.  I don't remember watching it religiously at the beginning but by 1998 or 1999, I was altering my schedule to make sure I was able to watch it on Thursday nights.  In a coincidence, I was pregnant at the same time as Rachel and my daughter was born in May 2002 so the birthing episode was very timely and extra funny.  I own the DVDs and my 16-year-old daughter is currently working her way through them now (with Kevin and I generally watching if we happen to walk by).

I picked this because I needed a "waiting" book (one that can be read in spurts between driving or activities) and this worked perfectly.  The author is interested in entertainment, not necessarily Friends, and I think helped with the tone of the book.  He presented things with enough background that you don't have to be a rabid fan to enjoy it but there was also lots of new stuff even if you have seen every show and DVD extra.

I felt the ending about the after-effects and new audience was a little long but overall I really enjoyed this book.

Paperbacks From Hell

 Book 6 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

Paperbacks From Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction

by Grady Hendrix

4 stars

As the title states, the author explores the genres, authors, illustrators, publishers, etc. of the thriller paperbacks of the '70s and '80s.

I saw this book on a bookclub Facebook page and the author recognition and subject matter interested me.  I received it for Christmas and was excited to start it quickly.

It's a niche book celebrating an odd time and genre.  I've actually read a few of these and if I was a little older I definitely would've read more.  

When the first few pages talk about Gestapochauns (Nazi leprechauns) you know right away if this will be a book for you or not.  If it is for you, this book will be even more than expected.  I love books that celebrate books, especially when it's not taken too seriously.

The book isn't shock value alone, there is information as well.  It's divided into categories and while I don't have a standout favorite, "Creepy Kids" is probably what I've consistently read the most.

This is a good book to read physically because there are a lot of things to look at.  I hadn't thought about the changes in cover art until the author talked about it; now that publishers want to appeal broadly instead of capturing a specific audience, cover art has become a dying art.  Nobody would pick up these paperbacks accidentally without an idea of what it's about, and they will grab the eye of the people that would enjoy them.  Depending on your guests, this would make a good coffee table book because it's easy to flip through and find something that would make you stop and look.

The One You Want to Marry

 Book 5 of my 2022 Reading Challenge

The One You Want to Marry (and Other Identities I've Had)

by Sophie Santos

4 stars

Published in 2021, The One You Want to Marry is a memoir by Sophie Santos.  Moving often because of her father's military career, she learned to "try on" different personalities, accentuating different qualities of herself to fit into wherever she was at the time.  It wasn't until her twenties that she took the time to identify her true self, leading her to look back at her childhood and wonder how it took so long to figure out what was right in front of her the whole time (with her sexuality, mostly).

The author is a stand-up comic and while I haven't seen her material, it shows in the conversational way she frames a story. I started the book with the intention of reading a few pages to get the gist of it and ended up blowing through 4 chapters without even realizing it.  The pages definitely fly by.

She really put it all out there.  I'm not sure if her stand-up is similarly forthright but I'm going to look her up to see.  I'll be curious if her voice and mannerisms match what I was envisioning as I read it.