Books - Tina Fey

I hate to admit that my first real introduction to writer/actress/general-asset Tina Fey was through that lame movie Date Night, but that's the sad truth.

Since then I happened across her funny Saturday Night Live version of Sarah Palin.  Then - only embarrassingly recently - I started watching her weird and wonderful TV show 30 Rock.  (I've finished season two and heading on into the more-recent-past of season three.)  Now I've finished reading her very funny memoir Bossypants.  Good stuff.  Some very funny, serious, life-as-I-recognize it ridiculousness.  I would seriously suggest you read it - like, last week already.

Paperback cover of Bossypants by Tina Fey

In case you need a more authoritative version of my "Read this! Read this!" plea, HERE's the NY Times review.

Book and Film Catch-Up

Don't you love the pile of Christmas books and DVDs?  I'm slowly making my way through some well-chosen gifts.

Among the books: Three Men in a Boat (and its companion piece Three Men on a Brummel) by Jerome K. Jerome.  This laugh-out-loud tale of three buddies on a boating trip was first published in the 1880s: some aspects now appear rather quaint - though funny - others are as timeless as the author's riff on the way you can so carefully and neatly coil a rope, only to find it, minutes later, in a maddening snarl.

Believed public domain image messed with

I've also been dipping into The Complete McAslan by George McDonald Fraser.  Best known for his Flashman books, Fraser's stories of life in a Scottish battalion just after WWII are long-time favorites of mine.    His memoir of the British campaign in Burma, Quartered Safe Out of Here, is one of the best from WWII.

Films?  I've just finish the new PBC documentary on Woody Allen - a must-see for a fan.  Also the first season of 30 Rock which is great.  How did I miss this on TV?  I'll keep my eye on Tina Fey from now on.

I hope you're having as much fun with your holiday stockpile!

TV Catch-up

After avoiding television for fifteen years, then discovering that, in fact, there HAD been a few things on worth watching, I'm slowly and carefully catching up.

My latest catch-up is on 30 Rock.  I'm the last one in North America to discover this, but it's pretty funny.

Link to NBC's 30 Rock site HERE.  

Image not mine, of course - will be removed by request.