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I Was Told There'd Be Cake By Sloane Crosley ( Riverhead Trade )
Release Date: 2008-04-01
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $14.00
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Product Description
Wry, hilarious, and profoundly genuine, this debut collection of literary essays is a celebration of fallibility and haplessness in all their glory. From despoiling an exhibit at the Natural History Museum to provoking the ire of her first boss to siccing the cops on her mysterious neighbor, Crosley can do no right despite the best of intentions-or perhaps because of them. Together, these essays create a startlingly funny and revealing portrait of a complex and utterly recognizable character that's aiming for the stars but hits the ceiling, and the inimitable city that has helped shape who she is. I Was Told There'd Be Cake introduces a strikingly original voice, chronicling the struggles and unexpected beauty of modern urban life.
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 Eh...it's OK
I really had high expectations for this book; I shamefacedly admit that the cover and title had me smitten before it even arrived. However, I was disappointed. Crosley reads like a more angsty, less self-depricating Laurie Notaro. She thinks quite a bit of herself, this one does. The best essay-type book of humor mixed with memoir is "Hypocrite In A Poufy White Dress" by Susan Jane Gilman. That's snappy writing and actual giggle-worthy humor. So Sloane, give it another try...you are a smart girl and with a bit of luck you won't be ruined by all of the Sedaris comparisons.
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Title is funnier than the content
Comparisons to David Sedaris' work are inevitable, so I won't try to avoid them in this review. Each chapter is a humorous essay drawing from the author's life. Like Sedaris, the author writes in a somewhat sarcastic style, and the humor tends to be dry with some occasional slapstick. Although I did laugh out loud at a few of the pieces, the humor level varied too much for my taste from chapter to chapter. In fairness, Crosley is at a distinct disadvantage versus Sedaris because her family is not nearly as funny (e.g. Amy Sedaris). Given what she has to work with, not a bad effort.
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 She is not David Sedaris! ( msp_city_books )
Please stop saying Sloane Crosley's book is like David Sedaris' work! David Sedaris relies on minute observation and his daily encounters to create humor. Sloane Crosley's humor, by contrast, seems to be informed by Sex and the City, Lucky Magazine, Gap jeans, and that one commercial that makes you want to put an axe in the TV. People (caricatures?) like her are already plastered on the obnoxious sitcoms that litter the airwaves. Why read this book when you can just get the same thing through your TIVO?
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 She's Crafty
I found this book to be laugh out loud funny. The humor is satirical, uplifting, and unique. For me, this is a favorite read.
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 mean ( ballymeade )
I hope the story about her being asked to be a bridesmaid, and then maid of honor, is not true. If it's a fictional account, fine (even though it's not funny). But if it's true, then I feel really sorry for the poor bride who did not deserve to have a "friend" write about her in this way. I found it distasteful.
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