Author captures wit in everyday experiences
Anna Clay
Issue date: 8/6/10 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Sloane Crosley is a writer capable of making her readers feel as if they could be friends. Her well-crafted non-fiction essays are most aptly described as hilarious. As demonstrated by her visit to the Free Philadelphia Library July 22, the humorist writer not only creates funny essays, but is also incredibly witty in person. The packed room, which kept exploding into laughter at the reading and Q&A, reflected the success of her first book, "I Was Told There'd Be Cake," and the excitement surrounding her newest book "How Did You Get This Number," which was released earlier in June.
The charm of Crosley's books, beyond being both well written and humorous, is that they depict the life of a normal person. While many memoirs illustrate lives outside the ordinary, the reader can see him or herself falling into some of the same situations as the writer. While Crosley is a talented writer, she is also an average New York resident in her early thirties that still has a day job as a publicist. The essayist has mentioned in numerous interviews that she does not quite feel like the essays are about her. To her, they are more about human experiences in general; they just happen to be demonstrated by her life.
Not everyone finds him or herself in Portugal, talking to three circus clowns in training, as described by Crosley's first essay in "How Did You Get This Number;" however, she has the ability to make these heightened experiences relatable. Everyone ends up in bizarre situations every once in awhile, and Crosley highlights the humor and lessons that can be found in them. Her latest collection brings the reader through strange stories, like her opening tale, but also through normal ones: a wedding of a friend, childhood pets and bad relationships. Her stories do not follow a straight timeline from beginning to end, but rather are pieces of stories that fit together to draw out deeper meanings. Her commentary, ranging from satirical to insightful, reveals her addictive personality and also allows the reader to learn something about him or herself, while - more importantly - making him or her laugh.
Crosley's books definitely deserve a spot on most bookshelves. Her lighthearted tales are just as enjoyable a second time around and are definitely worth lending to friends. HBO recently purchased the rights to "I Was Told There'd Be Cake," so fans new and old should keep on the lookout for a change of medium and well deserved spike in Crosley's popularity.
The charm of Crosley's books, beyond being both well written and humorous, is that they depict the life of a normal person. While many memoirs illustrate lives outside the ordinary, the reader can see him or herself falling into some of the same situations as the writer. While Crosley is a talented writer, she is also an average New York resident in her early thirties that still has a day job as a publicist. The essayist has mentioned in numerous interviews that she does not quite feel like the essays are about her. To her, they are more about human experiences in general; they just happen to be demonstrated by her life.
Not everyone finds him or herself in Portugal, talking to three circus clowns in training, as described by Crosley's first essay in "How Did You Get This Number;" however, she has the ability to make these heightened experiences relatable. Everyone ends up in bizarre situations every once in awhile, and Crosley highlights the humor and lessons that can be found in them. Her latest collection brings the reader through strange stories, like her opening tale, but also through normal ones: a wedding of a friend, childhood pets and bad relationships. Her stories do not follow a straight timeline from beginning to end, but rather are pieces of stories that fit together to draw out deeper meanings. Her commentary, ranging from satirical to insightful, reveals her addictive personality and also allows the reader to learn something about him or herself, while - more importantly - making him or her laugh.
Crosley's books definitely deserve a spot on most bookshelves. Her lighthearted tales are just as enjoyable a second time around and are definitely worth lending to friends. HBO recently purchased the rights to "I Was Told There'd Be Cake," so fans new and old should keep on the lookout for a change of medium and well deserved spike in Crosley's popularity.
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