My Fair Lazy

One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being a Dumb Ass Is t he New Black, or, a Culture-Up Manifesto

By: Jen Lancaster

Narrated by: Jamie Heinlein

It's a JENaissance! The New York Times best-selling author of Pretty in Plaid gets her culture on.

Readers and listeners have followed Jen Lancaster through job loss, sucky city living, weight loss attempts, and 1980s nostalgia. Now Jen chronicles her efforts to achieve cultural enlightenment, with some hilarious missteps and genuine moments of inspiration along the way. And she does so by any means necessary: reading canonical literature, viewing classic films, attending the opera, researching artisan cheeses, and even enrolling in etiquette classes to improve her social graces.

In Jen's corner is a crack team of experts, including Page Six socialites, gourmet chefs, an opera aficionado, and a master sommelier. She may discover that well-regarded, high-priced stinky cheese tastes exactly as bad as it smells, and that her love for Kraft American Singles is forever. But one thing's for certain: Eliza Doolittle's got nothing on Jen Lancaster - and failure is an option.

©2010 Jen Lancaster (P)2010 Penguin

hilarious

I don't know if I read the same book as these people, or if Jen Lancaster was mean to them in school, but this book is hilarious and satisfying!

I love the narrator!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This book is hilarious and very witty. It is a great read when life is stressing you out and you need a fun escape.

jen lancaster is my dream bff@

I just stumbled onto this author bcz i thought the title of the first book was funny! Now I am 2 wks & 4 books into her world! I laugh out loud all the time!

Jen did not let me down!

My Fair Lazy, reminded my why I loved reading Such a Pretty Fat. This book is once again full of laughs. Listening to Jen's daily struggles with laugh is always refreshing!

Disappointing ... Both Narration and Story

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Since her debut memoir (and seriously, how many people can say that?) Bitter Is the New Black (which chronicled her journey from dot.com executive to unemployed Prada-wearing temp), Lancaster has mined almost all aspects of her life in her humorous memoirs—ranging from weight loss (Such A Pretty Fat) to city living (Bright Lights, Big Ass). In this one, she’s determined to smarten herself up by getting cultured, which involves tasting wine, attending the theater, trying new cuisines, reading literature and participating in other “hoity toity” activities.

MY THOUGHTS

Well, when you’re on your fourth memoir before the age of 40, you’re going to start running out of material—and that seemed pretty apparent in this book. Although the premise seemed OK (less reality television, more ballet), the problem in this book was Lancaster herself. Rather than being an amusing smart ass, I thought Lancaster just came off as an ass this time around. Perhaps this grasping for topics to memoirize (Is that a word? If not it should be! And I just coined it!) was why her latest book was a novel instead of a memoir.

Although there are some funny sections, most of the book made Lancaster seem self-involved, shrill and shallow. It was the first book of hers that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy, and the first time I didn’t want to hang out with her. Here’s hoping her foray into fiction nets her some fresh ideas.

ABOUT THE NARRATION

I was surprised that Jen Lancaster herself didn’t narrate the book. However, I’ve never heard her talk so perhaps her voice wasn’t suited for narration. (But if Sarah Vowell can do it, ANYONE can do it.) Jaime Heinlein had shades of “Valley Girl” in her voice somewhere that didn’t sit well with me. In fact, I found it a bit of a chore to listen to the book. Part of it was the content of the book itself, and part of it was Heinlein’s voice. Now that I’ve listened to several audiobooks, I’m learning that there are some narrators that you don’t mind spending time with and those that wear out their visit. For me, Heinlein wore her visit by hour two.

RECOMMENDED FOR
Die-hard Jen Lancaster fans and reality show junkies.

Not the best of her work.

Not read by the author. A bit pompous. I'm usually a big fan, but I don't care a much for this one.

Not her best

I felt like this book went no where and that while Jen tries to explain her personal growth, I didn't really observe that much of a change from beginning to end.

Pointless

This book has no momentum. It's like listening to someone read their ridiculous blog of superficial & idiotic thoughts without any point what so ever.

Disappointing.... (but terrific narrator!)

My first Jen Lancaster book...I'm a reality tv nut and was really excited to read My Fair Lazy. Unfortunately, I was really disappointed. Had a hard time following the story, couldn't quite figure out the plot so I lost interest and didn't finish the book.

Despite the book, the narrator, however, was really terrific --- animated and spirited. She was the main reason I stuck with the book for as long as I did.