One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is t he New Black; Or

A lot has changed for Jen Lancaster since she first started writing, and in "My Fair Lazy" she realizes that not all of it is for the better. In a world overrun with reality television, is it really acceptable to just be less stupid than those people on TV? Not so much. In her new memoir, Jen shares her antics and adventures while working to become more cultured and escaping the comfort zone into which she has fallen. It's not always sunshine and roses, but it's always witty, insightful, and entertaining. This book is extremely relatable. Readers are reminded that life goes on after hardship and tragedy; and eventually, we all grow up (more or less). New readers should definitely start with "Bitter is the New Black" to fully appreciate the entire journey. I read this book cover to cover in less than 24 hours. It was so much fun that I just couldn't put it down.

I am a lover of chick lit and I really, really love memoirs that are written with a funny twist by female authors - which, of course, means that I should have loved ANYTHING by Jen Lancaster.

Actually, this is the 2nd book I have read by this author and while I admire how funny she is and how she can take an apparently "regular" event and turn it into a very funny retelling, there is something about reading this author's books that leaves me a little cold.

I know that she is immensely popular and that I have a few friends who love, love her, but for me, My Fair Lazy was cute and at times quite funny, but did not really ever engage me.

The writing is nicely paced - but I just could not really get into the stories she was telling.

Not bad and not good - kind of average for me.

I went crazy after I read my 1st Jen Lancaster book, Bitter is the New Black, and bought ALL of her books. They were all good except this one. I kept putting it down and forgetting to finish it. Her other books I could not put down! This one has the premise of her trying to do more high class things, like go to the theater, vacation in The Hamptons and go to a wine-pairing class. I thought she was funnier in her previous books when she talked about the Real Housewives and her ghetto apartment. I noticed she repeats herself a lot in this book, like she wrote it quickly on a laptop and never reread the whole book from the beginning.

I read a lot, I mean a LOT, probably about four books a week, and it's my addiction (other than shoes). From the classics to the guiltiest of chick lit pleasures - I read them all. How this girl-woman-razor wit-caustic-humor monger of a writer somehow managed to slip under my radar until this book "My Fair Lazy" was made available to me from a friend, is beyond comprehension (to me). Anyway, in all the reading I've done - rare is the occasion (maybe twice in my life?) that I have actually slightly embarrassed myself (I do most of my reading at Starbucks) by laughing out LOUD, repeatedly. Jen's rather cryptic and cynical take on herself, her peers, her life, her hubby, her endeavors and her travails is nothing less than wry comic genius. This book is funny, original, endearing, memorable, quotable and insightful (pretty basic ingredients for a memoir, yes - but the funny WAY exceeds the basic minimum requirements). I have to buy several more to lend out actually, as the one I WAS going to lend out, has now been highlighted beyond any readability so that I can quickly recall my favorite bits and weave them into future conversations as if they were my own (ah, plagiarism - the most genuine form of flattery). For the person who left only one star, I'd like to see what you would write that would make me laugh out loud, silly twit (left out the "A" I wanted to write that with as this is a family site). I've read Chelsea Handler's first book only half way through and didn't enjoy it (or even finish it) because while she IS funny, she is also so nasty in her humor and in her language that the funny gets lost in the vitriol, while Jen Lancaster manages to be HARD CORE funny without crossing that line (reminds of Bill Cosby in that sense, not a foul word in sight and still can make me laugh till my sides hurt). THAT, my friends, is REAL talent. Anyone can shock,rant,curse, be lewd and vulgar, but it takes REAL God Given Talent to write, tears in your eyes, wildly spinning twists on the most banal of everyday situations ("George Wallace said that any car going less than 60 mph qualifies as a house in Chicago", "brakes are for sissies" I mean come ON, that's funny stuff!). Do yourself a favor, in this sad, terror ridden, economically deprived world we live in now... grab a Jen Lancaster memoir (this one, for instance) and have a laugh or a thousand. You deserve it. We all deserve it. Thanks Jen, please don't stop writing. If you ever do a book tour in South Florida, I'll be in line. Not big on autographs, but would love to just say THANKS for being so freakishly funny and sharing. I gotta go now, there are several Jen Lancaster memoirs waiting for me at my table at Starbucks!

Jen Lancaster's My Fair Lazy took a bit more time to get to me than her other books. My Fair Lazy chronicles Jen's decision to broaden her horizons beyond the world of reality TV, pork chops and pop music. She begins the book convincingly explaining that since she got out of an office its been more than a bit too easy to avoid stretching her brain. When author Candice Bushnel tells her that she's into Baudelaire, Lancaster is mortified to realize that she doesn't have a clue as to who (or what) Baudelaire is--and she decides to start stretching herself, in part, so that she can begin picking up more cultural references--and also make her own writing references go beyond things like Deperate Housewives of New Jersey.

But before Lancaster can change, she has to fight her own demons of laziness and temptation. That takes a third to a half of the book. This got a bit frustrating for me, at least,though the usual witty reparte with her husband, Fletch, stories of pets and conversations with friends, kept me going. Jen sticks one toe in the water (seeing Desire Under the Elms at the theater for example)--then immediately slacks off. Determined as she is, a nationwide booktour becomes little more than a string of visits to luxury hotels. Finally, in Portland, Jen bites the bullet, goes to an authentic Chinese takeout joint and orders a pork bun--mostly because she is intimidated by the counter woman and then visits a tea shop where another salesperson hoodwinks her into buying $400 worth of tea.

But once Lancaster's plan takes off its lots of fun to watch. She describes visits to the theater, discovering Edith Warton and Huxley, enjoying real Indian food for the first time, listening to opera and making herself read poetry. She doesn't love everything--but she likes a lot more than she, or we, would expect. After a while she's game for everything--and her references to classic movies and books begin to replace a few of her allusions to reality TV. By the time I hit the last fifty pages of this book my main problem with it was that its too short!

Jen Lancaster's self-deprecating wit may convince more than one person to go find the DVD of Singing in the Rain, or to go to their first Indian restaurant. My greatest wish is that she keeps up the good work. I would love a sequel to this particular project as I loved reading about all of her discoveries.

This book was one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. I was first introduced to Jen Lancaster by my friend Kristin Billerbeck (author of What a Girl Wants (Ashley Stockingdale Series #1)), who was raving about this hilariously funny book she read. I read Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me? and thought it was just as hilariously funny as Kristin said it was.

I've never before read an author who just keeps coming at it, book after book, until I read this one by Jen Lancaster. OMG she does NOT let up! She's as funny as she was in Bright Lights, Big Ass. I found myself going to this book as my "comfort" book when I wanted something I knew would be entertaining, and I'd read a chapter or two and have my "fix."

The author's "Jenaissance," or cultural self-improvement project, is hilarious but also insightful. Jen is a highly intelligent woman who also enjoys reality TV and isn't afraid to admit it, and the combination of intellectualism and hedonism is refreshing. I could really relate because while I'm college educated, I fully enjoy romance novels even though my college peers would look down their noses at me for doing so. Jen handles her reality TV show addiction in a way that doesn't compromise who she is.

Anyway, Jen's self-improvement takes on such a range that it was really fun to watch her muddle through. She tells her stories with so much high entertainment that even though you know she's GOT to be exaggerating a little, you really don't care because you're having so much fun reading about it.

Jen Lancaster is now on my auto-buy list.

In this book, Jen Lancaster decides she needs to be able to have more intelligent conversations with people, so she goes on on kind of self education journey. At the beginning of the book, most of her entertainment comes from watching reality shows on TV. She talks about all of them and it was fun to hear her talk about the different people from all the shows. But, she knows that all of her conversations can't be based on which shows are on, so that's when she starts trying new things.

We follow along with her while she tries different cuisines, tea tastings, wine tastings, reading the classics, learning about poetry, listening to different types of music, etc. She has does all these things with a variety of girlfriends and/or her husband. Each new thing she tries is a real adventure and usually pretty funny.

The only problem I had with the book was I couldn't quite get used to her writing style. The book was full of footnotes that I found really distracting and after awhile, I didn't even bother to read them. Also, she used words that end in the letter "y" a little too much - shouty, stabby, spready - and that annoyed me a little bit. But, all in all it was a fun book to read and I'll probably read more of her books.

I think Jen is losing her edge and I mean that in a good way. She is now a female version of A. J. Jacobs on her quest to find the answers to life's questions. This book shows the importance of how an education is never complete. I have to admit I am not a huge reality television fan, but I now have to watch some of her favorite shows just to keep up with her blog. One disappointment with this book is -- NO PICTURES. I thought that those sly photos on her blog just make the stories that much more effective. And yes, I know a book is nothing like a blog, but I have to get my fix of Jen in at least a monthly dose or I become depressed. If you enjoy sarcasm, this is the book for you, all other steer clear.

Jen is back to her usual alcohol/Ambien-induced antics, except this time she is trying to soak up a little culture. First of all, I must say that I'm a HUGE Jen Lancaster fan and I consider her books some of the funniest around. This book made for a very enjoyable read and will not disappoint loyal fans. I did cringe at the parts that involved spending large sums of money on ridiculous things but I guess that is part of the 'Jen Lancaster experience'.

Also, I did notice that a bunch of the material was recycled from her blog in this book more so than the others. That isn't too upsetting given that so many books these days are based entirely on blogs BUT it's not as much fun when you already the ending to a bunch of the stories. Those who regularly follow her blog like I do will be in the same boat.

While all of this self-improvement is extremely entertaining, I am REALLY looking forward to Jen's next book which according to Publisher's Weekly is "tentatively titled Involuntary: My Year of Giving Dangerously" and "will detail Lancaster's work with various charitable organizations". I think it is a step in a great direction and will give fans like myself a whole new perspective.

So, Jen Lancaster decides to better herself by consuming "culture", assuming that poetry and theater and haute cuisine will make her a better person than reality tv and fast food will- her own personal " Jenaissance". But as her successful memoirs are based on portraying herself as a rude, crude , arrogant loudmouth ( who knows how closely the persona she creates in her books actually resembles the real person) wouldn't bettering herself endanger the success of future books? The premise is faulty- one can be a better person without ever having attended the opera.(And vice versa) Manners , humility, and treating people with respect is not just the province of the rich or well- bred.

This premise also does not make for a great book. Her previous books felt like they came organically from her life, while this book reads like the book proposal came first - the experiences here seem more for the book than an extension of real life- much like all those " My Year of..." books in which the author thinks of some project or stunt in order to write about it and obtain a book contract. It is good to expand one's experience, but in this book it feels like work, not fun, and that's sad.

Anyway, you don't have to worry about having much high culture inflicted on you in this book- the project doesn't rate that many pages- a few about theater, a few about poetry and dance, with a little description and not much reflection. The part of her project that gets the most pages is food- not a surprise for readers of her previous books. She tries new (to her) ethnic cusines, as well as molecular gastronomy, and in these pages we really feel Jen's excitement- something we never do when she's making herself read poetry. Maybe she does enjoy poetry , or theater, but she's just not as skilled at writing about that as the small moments of everyday
life that she excels at.

In the end, this book is just not as funny as he previous books. She got a lot more laughs from writing about being broke, unemployed, and fat. Her everyday life is the source of most of the humor, and I enjoyed the little glimpses of how her life has changed now that she's a more financially comfortable bestselling author, but maybe she's afraid that too much of that will alienate her regular readers. And the whole project does not seem to have come to much- the epilogue is mostly about food, and not being afraid to try new things. That's fine, but being a better person seems to have fallen by the wayside. ( But again, who knows how closely "Book Jen" resembles " Real Jen"?)

I'd like to give this book 4 stars, but it just never really delivers on the premise, or the humor that I expected.
It is her weakest book, and I hope for a less labored and funnier book next time around, as I still consider myself a Jen Lancaster fan.

Last thoughts-

A minor problem , but one I find annoying- errors like "fois gras" (repeatedly) and Hindi ( used several times to refer to a person rather than the language) show carelessness in both the writing and the editing and reflect badly on both the author and publisher.

And shouldn't the seemingly all-knowing, done-everything Stacey write her own book?

"Jenaissance"- this word was cute the first time, less so with each successive use. ( And calling muscles " strongs" was not funny the first time. Definitely not funnier with repeated use.)

I am not much for reading memoirs, so when I ran across this one, I was skeptical about diving into it. I didn't know anything about Jen Lancaster or her crazy, dry-witted humor. A couple of chapters into the book, I still wasn't too sure. I was reading about a woman who pees in the pool, consistently eats outdated food, wears stinky boots, spends most of her waking hours watching bad reality T.V., and allows her animals to urinate all over her house. I was afraid it was all going to be a bit much for me.

But somehow, I found myself being hooked. I became intrigued with Jen's premise in the memoir - to expand her world from hours of trash television every day to a life cultured with new dance, theater, food, music, and literature experiences. I was also captured by her easy-going, easy-to-read writing style. And the humor? I found myself snickering often (especially at the footnotes)as I related to her honest,sarcastic, self-deprecating wit.

By the end of the book, I was really pulling for Jen. Plus I felt she was successful in her cultural enlightenment without losing her true self - that became obvious during her encounter with Alec Baldwin in the last few pages.

After reading this memoir, I plan on going back and reading some of Jen Lancaster's past books. I admit, I went into this "book experience" as a reluctant reader, but I now consider myself a Jen Lancaster fan.

Have I mentioned that I love me some Jen Lancaster? All of her books are amazingly funny and quick reads. So many sections make me laugh out loud. This time Jen takes us through her mission to remove herself from the couch and her beloved reality shows and become more cultured. Afraid of not sounding intelligent at upcoming book events as a best-selling author, she sets out in an attempt to expose herself to those things which have never interested her or make her uncomfortable. Her closest friend Stacy, a fellow author, helps push her in the right direction and keeps her on track, Needless to say, hilarity follows. Reading poetry, wine and cheese tasting, theatre, and her determination to try different food from all different cultures are mixed in with the loss and gain to her beloved animal menagerie and a taunting rat who takes up residence and the attempts made to rid him. Jen Lancaster is one of my favorite authors and I would highly recommend her books to anyone. I will admit this was the least funny of her books but still hysterical and I can't wait for her new book coming out in April!

I love Jen Lancaster... and I love her books. Pretty in Plaid was the only one I didn't give a 5 star rating to, but I am happy to report that with My Fair Lazy, she's officially baaaaaaaaaaack!

I read this book in 2 days, and I laughed out loud. A lot. More than a lot. An obnoxious, ridiculous amount.

I will admit, as a huge fan of her blog, [...], I noticed that some of the material in this book was an elaboration of her previous blog entries. (example: Maisy's surgery, the Thundercats, her massage, Alec Baldwin's belt-less-ness, etc.) Having said that, I still laughed my arse off as if it was the first time I've heard these stories. And yet, THIS? RIGHT THERE? IS EXACTLY WHY I LOVE HER SO MUCH. I can read the same story, over and over again, and continuously find it hysterical.

I've read all of her books (in order), but you don't necessarily have to do that.... but you definitely should read them all! Highly recommended if you like snarky humor and an acid tongue.

In this latest installment of Jen Lancaster's life, she tries to become a better, more well rounded person through personal challenges and expanding her horizon. This includes reading classic books, learning to appreciate the theatre and arts (and by theatre I'm not talking about the ones that show Sex and the City), and trying different foods past steak and mac n cheese.

While Jen's personality definitely shines through, I don't think My Fair Lazy is as enjoyable if you haven't read her previous books. She references events that occurred in "Bitter" and "Such a Pretty Fat" and "Pretty in Plaid" that while bring chuckles when reading "My Fair Lazy" are infinitely better when recounted in more detail in her previous books. Also an added bonus for those who have read Lancaster's other books, there's plenty of Maisy and Loki action! Lancaster does not disappoint with this book-it is funny, snarky, and a laugh out loud fantastic summer read.

I went in to "My Fair Lazy" hoping for some semi-serious reflection on the state of culture and letters in America. Instead, I got sort of a half-baked one woman stand-up comedy routine, told in pseudo-memoir style.

I find myself wondering who this book is really for. People who want a discussion like I did will be disappointed. People who want juicy, tell-all memoirs will be bored.

I'm just sort of flummoxed by this book. It was moderately entertaining, but left my brain immediately after closing it. I find it hard to recommend.

Ahhh Jen, forget culture! We love you the way you are.

Jen Lancaster is funny! Laugh out loud funny.

Personally, I didn't find "My Fair Lazy" as relatable as her previous books. I mean, most of us have been unemployed and tried every diet on the planet. Most of us have not, say, eaten freeze dried Scallop Risotto or watched a naked play. I'd hazard to guess that most of us have also not seen Alec Baldwin's buttcrack. So while I found this book entertaining, I wasn't as able to put myself in Jen's shoes as in the previous books and I sort of missed that. (The food parts of this book, however, were my favorite.)

I know this is really mean, and I shouldn't wish this on anybody - but wouldn't it be GREAT if Jen went back into corporate America for just one year?!? Ahhhh, the tales she could tell. Take one for the team, Jen!

I'm looking forward to Jen's upcoming fiction.

Jen Lancaster is unabashedly outspoken, she is the kind of girl who says what is on her mind then would mutter...."Um, was that my outside voice....damn"......Jen loves reality tv, her dog, her cats and her husband but can't help feeling that maybe if she "cultured-up" a bit she would expand her horizons a little. Thus, we are drawn into her "Jennaisance"....where she boldly tries things she never has before in an effort to see what she is missing....There is the ballet, plays, the opera, books of poetry and the classics, wine and cheese pairing classes an unforgettable trip to San Francisco's chinatown and a whole "eat the world" project to taste new and different cuisines.

I had never read any Jen Lancaster books in the past and absolutely loved her writing from word one. It was like my best friend was sitting next to me telling me about her latest exploits. Maybe it is because we are roughly the same age and I "get" the references she makes. Maybe it is because I am sassy with a big mouth too...maybe it is because lately, I need to have someone really make me belly-laugh. Whatever the reason, by the second chapter I had logged back on the store to put the rest of her books on my wish list and had picked up a copy at the library of one of her earlier titles.
Jen's adventures are the written equivalent of a real-life I Love Lucy episode. She is funny, witty, and has a talent for taking the mundane and spinning it into a tear inducing laugh fest, seen through her eyes.

I found myself reading this instead of the new bestselling thriller I had and toted it along with me in the car reading the funny parts to my husband who concurred that not only can Jen write,but she has a gift for making people laugh.

Well, I would have to say she has definitely gained a new fan and I have already told several people about the book and if they want to "lighten it up a bit" and just laugh, Jen Lancaster's newest is just the ticket~

"My Fair Lazy" is my first Jen Lancaster book. I had been eyeing her books for awhile so I decided now was a good time to finally see what her books are like. "My Fair Lazy" deals with Jen's reality show addiction and how at parties, she doesn't feel cultured enough to make intelligent conversation. So she decides to go on a "Jenaissance", which is where Jen experiences culture by food, theatre, movies, and books.

Overall, I found the book to be okay. I do think that it's a good idea for a modern American to get more cultured and I liked the idea of reading about it. There were times I really enjoyed the book and some parts I found quite funny. However, there were times that I wanted to smack Jen because she was so annoying. There was a part near the beginning where she accompanied fellow author and friend Stacey Ballis to a party where Stacey is going to see her high school crush for the first time since high school. She tells Jen that she thought of her crush as Jake Ryan from "Sixteen Candles" and when they meet him, Jen tells the crush this. The crush has never seen "Sixten Candles" and Jen can't believe it. She then proceeds to badger the poor guy about how he MUST have seen it and won't let it go. Reading that really annoyed me because she was acting like a brat at that moment. There were other times that I was put off by Jen's writing and actions.

So the book does have it's funny moments and it has inspired me to read more classic books that I have but I wouldn't say that now I have to rush out and buy Ms. Lancaster's other books because of what I've read in this one.

I eagerly await Jen's latest book every summer. She's funny (sometimes at others' expense), she's snarky (sometimes at her own expense), and she is charmingly (most of the time) full of herself.

That said, I always come across a sticking point while reading her stuff, and it happened when I picked up "My Fair Lazy" as well: Jen's kind of insufferable. I find myself reading about her glomming onto random strangers at parties and her socialite BFFs alike, and being furious at them for not having watched the same movies or gone on the same family vacations with a distinct sense of secondhand embarrassment. I want to like Jen as a person, but admittedly, I mostly like her as a caricature. In the same vein, I can't help but think that her quietly alluded to conservativism and strange prudishness means that she wouldn't really like me, either.

There are good points to "MFL", probably more than there are for her last couple of memoirs. Those who were tired of Mrs. Lancaster after she trotted out the anti-diet-and-exercise book or the lukewarm "Pretty in Plaid" will appreciate the "classic Jen" feel of "Lazy". Jen is in her element as a snarky couch potato who learns the hard-to-swallow lesson that a four-year degree and decade-old sales experience does not a cultured member of society make. Like learning not to bring Prada handbags to the unemployment office, it is heartening to watch Jen fumble her way through live theatre and eating things she previously denounced on sight as 'icky'. That Jen bothers to recognize this idiosyncrasy in herself, and that she goes out of her way to make it less obvious is something few would hassle with.

At the same time, whereas Jen squawks her disbelief that the entire world hasn't seen "Sixteen Candles," this reader wonders how some of the road traversed for Lancaster's "Jenaissance" hadn't already been, well, trodded. Thus, I am torn between genuinely rooting for the main character, and wondering whether Jen's friends hang around her because they'll always look more refined next to the awkward, loud-mouthed fat chick who doesn't know that she's awkward, loud-mouthed, or fat. As Jen herself says, I'm torn whether this book is a pleasure, or just a guilty pleasure.

Like so many other reviewers here, I loved Jen Lancaster's earlier books, and having just re-read them (and almost hurting myself numerous times from the laughter), I decided I'd read My Fair Lazy. Wow. I'm only a couple of chapters in and found myself being so disappointed I came to the store to see if anyone else felt the same way. (Apparently so.) From these same reviews, I'm realizing it's only going to get worse, not better, but I'm going to finish it anyway since I hate to waste money. Think I might be passing on future books, and it makes me sad that this really funny lady, just isn't so funny anymore. And now that I'm four chapters in, I'm pretty sure a lot of what I'm reading is recycled from the earlier books just with a little more detail. (I could be wrong, but since I just read them, I don't think I am.) Disappointing.

I eagerly await Jen's latest book every summer. She's funny (sometimes at others' expense), she's snarky (sometimes at her own expense), and she is charmingly (most of the time) full of herself.

That said, I always come across a sticking point while reading her stuff, and it happened when I picked up "My Fair Lazy" as well: Jen's kind of insufferable. I find myself reading about her glomming onto random strangers at parties and her socialite BFFs alike, and being furious at them for not having watched the same movies or gone on the same family vacations with a distinct sense of secondhand embarrassment. I want to like Jen as a person, but admittedly, I mostly like her as a caricature. In the same vein, I can't help but think that her quietly alluded to conservativism and strange prudishness means that she wouldn't really like me, either.

There are good points to "MFL", probably more than there are for her last couple of memoirs. Those who were tired of Mrs. Lancaster after she trotted out the anti-diet-and-exercise book or the lukewarm "Pretty in Plaid" will appreciate the "classic Jen" feel of "Lazy". Jen is in her element as a snarky couch potato who learns the hard-to-swallow lesson that a four-year degree and decade-old sales experience does not a cultured member of society make. Like learning not to bring Prada handbags to the unemployment office, it is heartening to watch Jen fumble her way through live theatre and eating things she previously denounced on sight as 'icky'. That Jen bothers to recognize this idiosyncrasy in herself, and that she goes out of her way to make it less obvious is something few would hassle with.

At the same time, whereas Jen squawks her disbelief that the entire world hasn't seen "Sixteen Candles," this reader wonders how some of the road traversed for Lancaster's "Jenaissance" hadn't already been, well, trodded. Thus, I am torn between genuinely rooting for the main character, and wondering whether Jen's friends hang around her because they'll always look more refined next to the awkward, loud-mouthed fat chick who doesn't know that she's awkward, loud-mouthed, or fat. As Jen herself says, I'm torn whether this book is a pleasure, or just a guilty pleasure.

Like so many other reviewers here, I loved Jen Lancaster's earlier books, and having just re-read them (and almost hurting myself numerous times from the laughter), I decided I'd read My Fair Lazy. Wow. I'm only a couple of chapters in and found myself being so disappointed I came to the store to see if anyone else felt the same way. (Apparently so.) From these same reviews, I'm realizing it's only going to get worse, not better, but I'm going to finish it anyway since I hate to waste money. Think I might be passing on future books, and it makes me sad that this really funny lady, just isn't so funny anymore. And now that I'm four chapters in, I'm pretty sure a lot of what I'm reading is recycled from the earlier books just with a little more detail. (I could be wrong, but since I just read them, I don't think I am.) Disappointing.

New York Times Bestselling author Jen Lancaster has done it again with a memoir called "My Fair Lazy, one reality television addict's attempt to discover if not being a dumb ass is the new black, or a culture-up manifesto". This is a fun, easy read, perfect for the beach to just relax, laugh and have fun. Jen's writing is truly hilarious, you will laugh out loud as we follow her through her day to day routines with her funny commentary. Jen shares with us how she is trying to reach cultural enlightenment and her lack of knowledge is just so funny, she makes us feel as though we are right there with her! You will laugh as she tries to justify why she must watch "Brett Michaels, Rock of Love Bus" which is a personal favorite of mine! You will see a piece of yourself in this book and you won't be able to put it down!

Jen Lancaster first burst on the scene with BITTER IS THE NEW BLACK as we followed her through joblessness and near homelessness with the wry wit that has become her hallmark. Her latest (the 4th memoir) is every bit has good as the others and will have you laughing out loud and cheering as she thinks and says what you wish you'd thought of at that time. She writes memoirs that are hard to believe are true! At times you think, "she has to be making this up" and less talented hands you would think she was making it all up. I love Jen Lancaster and buy her books the moment they come out now. If you like Jennifer Weiner's books, you will enjoy Lancaster's (although the other's are fiction). Good Job, Jen -- I can hardly wait to see what happens next and how come your life is so hilarious and mine is so dull?

Life as we know it? Average. Life as Jen Lancaster knows it? Hilarious.

MY FAIR LAZY is Jen's foray into self-enlightenment. She wonders if it is time to get off the couch, away from TV Reality Shows and venture into the world of culture. At the same time, she has a reflection that perhaps if she were a "kinder, gentler" Jen she might have more success, or at least not piss off quite as many people around her.

This is a great premise for her to explore with her wit and sarcasm. For anyone not familiar with her work, she is a bit like an "bitter Seinfeld" and her observations on life and all the people surrounding her are truly entertaining.

If you have been a fan of her books right from the beginning (Bitter is the New Black) you will love this book. However, be prepared that she has actually softened an ever-so-tiny bit...to my pleasant surprise! Having read all of her books (which, by the way, I strongly recommend before just jumping into this one, though it can certainly stand alone..why miss out?) I have seen her grow from a very bitter, bitingly sarcastic, fairly angry and even occasionally caustic person into a slightly (emphasis on that word) more laid back version of that same woman. I can't help but feel that I have had a part in that. Okay, so I only read her books, but still...it's been like watching my child develop into well rounded individual (minus all the college tuition bills).

During Jen's explorations she makes some great strides in "culturing up" as she puts it, and gains some insight regarding her personality, most importantly without losing her Fabulous self. I think one of her friends says it best at one point in the book, telling her that it might not be about what she is saying...but about what she is listening to. A lesson we could ALL learn, grudgingly, as she does.

I most definitely recommend following Jen as she leaps off the couch and into the "real world"!

I listened to this as an audiobook on a long car trip. The only reason I finished it is because I didn't have another audiobook option at the time. If I had been reading it at home, I definitely would have given up on it. I loved Bitter is the New Black, Bright Lights Big Ass and Such a Pretty Fat. They were all laugh out loud funny! However, My Fair Lazy is self-important drivel. It's like it was written by a high school student using lots of big words in their term paper so they would sound smart.

First off, I love Jen. She has made me laugh out loud whilst reading her books more than any other author. However, if I wanted a food review, I'd read Bourdain. Sorry Jen, this one just felt a bit lazy and empty. It wouldn't stop me from reading your next one, but it might not be first on my must read list.

Like many of the other reviewers I am a big fan of Jen Lancaster. I've read all of her books and I've enjoyed each of them in their own way. She is a truly talented writer and I was engrossed at her journey the whole way through. I see that some reviewers thought it wasn't as funny as her other books, but in my opinion I don't expect each book to be laugh out loud funny. To me this book was really funny in Jen's typical dry humor way, so if you don't like that kind of humor it might not seem as funny. It did occur to me as I was reading it that despite her best efforts Jen Lancaster just might have matured in the years since her first book came out and the subject matter and tone of her latest book definitely reflects that. I am already looking forward to her next installment.

I love this woman and her books have always kept me laughing this one is no exception

I fell in love with her writing years ago when I picke dup a copy of Bitter is the New Black at the beach, from there I was hooked... her writing is like a reality show on paper. From the crazy dogs to the neighbors to her very patient husband Fletch. Jen writes about her life with humor and sarcasm that we can all relate too. She has an acid tongue but in the best way.

This book is no exception, she talks about her love of TV and the fact she feels she needs a little more culture away from the tube and her quest to find it. You will not be disappointed. She is laugh out loud funny!

I am a hard sell when it comes to actual laughing-out-loud. I can think a comedian is hysterical, but they won't always make me laugh outside of my head. Before Jen Lancaster came along, the only writer to ever make me honest-to-God guffaw was Christopher Moore.

Lancaster's previous books all had me in stitches, and "My Fair Lazy" is no exception. Realizing that she lacked a bit of culture knowledge when it came to anything not related to reality TV, Lancaster decides to "culture up" and get some learnin' done. From tackling the theater to trying different kinds of cuisine, Lancaster (and Fletch!) emerge from this latest endeavor with a higher appreciation of stuff like stinky cheeses, but they are really no less sassy than when they started. This is a GOOD thing, as I'm sure any Lancaster fans will agree.

Also, there is a great picture of Jen and Fletch posing with Alec Baldwin in the back pages of the book. Enjoy!

I'm thinking this may be the last book of hers I read. Like many of the other readers, I can't recommend Bitter is the New Black or Bright Lights, Big Ass enough. They are wet-your-pants-laughing-out-loud HYSTERICAL. Her early books were great, and she deserved every bit of the success she got from them. Such a Pretty Fat was amusing too, though not quite as good, and I think that was the beginning of her decline. The books have simply been getting less funny and more shallow, materialistic and mean spirited. I'm certainly not the only one who's noticed it, judging by other reviews.
Jen herself briefly addresses this in the book, noting she's in a much different place in her life, and responding that being professionally and financially well off is not a crime. She wrote that there's nothing inherently wrong with owning a Prada bag if it doesn't own you. The problem is that her writing in this book makes it seem like she IS owned by these things. She gloats about her A-list treatment and possessions (buying a high end car because it has a refrigerator compartment, spending $400 in a tea shop), while continuing to spew the Fox News-style canards of a moneyed conservative. It doesn't happen all the time, but just enough to be in very poor taste, especially given the state of the economy. (To be fair she was vocal about her conservative views in the books she wrote while struggling too. Still, if I want to read political commentary, I look for a book in the political section.)
This isn't a new phenomenon in her writing, but the early books were so incredibly funny that you could overlook it. Unfortunately the payoff simply isn't there anymore. I applaud her desire to evolve as a writer and grow as a person, but it doesn't seem like she's moving in a terribly appealing direction. It's extremely rare for me not to finish a book, but I only got about halfway through this one. The sole reason I got that far into it was because her friends, family, and animals made for more interesting reading than she did.

I love Lancaster's books, and have devoured them all in less than a day, but this one I struggled to get through it. She is a fantastic writer, but this book felt forced, and it wasnt that funny. At times, she comes off as snobbish. In her other books, you are in her corner the whole time, rooting for her and knowing that she will be successful in the end. During this book, I just wanted it to end. Definitely dont make this your first read of Lancaster's work....you might not come back.

If I knew Jen I wouldn't really want to hang out with her. Most of her humor comes from pointing out her own foibles, so it seems unfair to hold any of them against her. I mean, the whole point of the book is that she's trying to move away from a certain lowbrow fascination with popular culture and curb her sharp tongue, in an Eliza Dolittle kind of way. So, you know, more power to her and I'm not going to criticize her for something she's working on fixing.

And she writes really, really well. She's totally nailed the write-as-you-speak style, and has some clever turns of phrase and innovative punctuation (this? the thing where you have random question marks? is totally cool). I truly enjoyed her writing style and admired her ability to turn her daily experiences into a captivating narrative. Not many people can do that, whatever most solipsistic bloggers may think.

But the thing that really bugged me was the amount that she seems to depend on chemical relaxation. Ambien and wine seem really important in her life, and I couldn't really laugh along with her drunken escapades. At one point she cites her own idiotic, drunken Twitter posts that get worse and worse, and she recognizes that she lost a lot of followers in the course of them. But her response is to the effect of, hey, if they don't like Ambien-and-Sauvignon Jen, then what the (expletive) are they following her for?

That whole exchange made me stop and think. I don't like Ambien-and-Sauvignon Jen, so why am I still reading her? It was a problem for me.

The irony of this is that her apparently very honest writing made me care for her, and I found myself wishing that her NEXT book would be about her joining a 12-step program to get the drinking and prescription-drug thing under control. Call me prissy if you want, but some things just aren't funny.

So, overall, I have mixed feelings about the book. Very well done, but some of it just made me feel uneasy.

I thought Jen Lancaster's first book was amongst the funniest I had ever read. Loaned my copy to many; recommended the book to many. Unfortunately, this is by far the least funny, least interesting book she has written. With great difficulty I finished it, more out of a sense of hope and duty than any real interest. I kept thinking that since I too found reality TV a sleazy but compelling habit, the book would get to the point where I would enjoy it. It never did. Even worse is that increasingly with each book Jen's personal politics, which are not mine, enter her writing and while they used to amuse are now just plain irritating.

Each subsequent book is less funny that the one before. The first one was soooooooo good that the downhill coast wasn't that much of problem until this book. Perhaps every author has only so many books in him/her. If so, then Jen Lancaster has 3.5 books in her. Unfortunately, this is Book #4.

Read her first two books, maybe the 3rd; skip this, and hope she can turn it around in Book #5.

I could have read all night, I could have read all night, and still have begged for more... Seriously, I loved this book. And I did beg for more by the time I got to the end. I loved it so much, and was so enamored with Jen Lancaster's wit and honesty, I went and bought the rest of her books. (Reading My Fair Lazy was my first step into Jen Lancaster's world.)

Let me begin by saying that Jen Lancaster is someone who makes you want her to be your best friend. She's funny, warm, and has a wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor. She is straight-forward and often blunt. You know she's the kind of friend who would tell you if there was something wrong with your outfit or if you were dating a total jerk.

What makes reading her book wonderful, though, is her ability to take you with her on her adventures. She boldly steps out of her comfort zone and sets forth on her Jenaissance! Her goal to bring more worldly culture and less pop-culture into her life is a challenge throughout the book. Jen makes you feel as if you are right there with her when she braves stinky cheese, molecular gastronomy, naked stage performances, and political liberals.

Read My Fair Lazy and you will want to embark upon your own personal renaissance. You'll want to taste new foods, read new books, and take in some naked theater. (Ok, maybe not naked, but you'll want to take in some theater.)

I get frustrated whenever Jen releases a new book and people tear it to shreds for not being funny enough. She's an author- and a successful one now. Part of what that means is that she no longer has to write about the gas and cable being shut off because enough of us bought her other books! She's still a great writer whether or not you laugh out loud once or twenty times- I love her writing style. She's ten times funnier than any other author I've read, even now with this new book. It's a memoir- her life- and I can relate to it because it's something we all hope to achieve at this point-success!

If you like Jen's writing style or storytelling, I do recommend this book.

I'm a huge fan of Jen Lancaster's books, they are hilarious, fun and sarcastic. I've read all the previous novels, kept up on her blog and subscribed to her twitter feed, she's just that much fun to follow. I mean come on, she posts LOLcat pictures. That pretty much secures you a place in awesomeland.

This book follows Jen's journey to get a little bit more culture beyond her current realm of reality shows like The Hills and The Real Housewives and takes place over a little over a year, ending with the big event at The Hamptons. She pushes herself to read beyond her comfort zone of Lauren Conrad, eat beyond her comfort zone of cheeseburgers and try cheese that isn't made by Kraft. As a cheeseburger-loving, chick-lit reading gal, I cheered her on every step of the way and giggled at the interludes with rats along the way. I am glad to be back in the present with Jen (as "Such a Pretty Plaid" was more remembering the past than the present) because her life (at least how she writes it) is pretty darn funny. I still am a bit scared of Ambien but also wanna try it to see if I wind up with a Barbie head or a cake on the counter. It's not easy to write a memoir, it's also not easy to write a memoir if you are someone that claims everyone pretty much hates upon meeting however Jen does write her memoirs well and makes you want to be BFFs with her and meet her for cupcakes. It takes a darn good writer to do that!

I realize that Jen's wit and writing style isn't for everyone. She can be crass and overly sarcastic. However, if that's the kind of person you are, you will love this (and her other) books.

If you are thinking that you don't need to buy the latest novel because you follow her blog and/or twitter (and if you don't you NEED TO), think again because reading both only enhances the novel. I was online the night she took ambien and tweeted about it, laughing along the way, and part of that made it into the book and made me laugh even more remembering it.

PS: Jen if you read these (?) to read your Kindle in the bath, put it in a ziploc bag (the kind with the slider thing). Voila, bath readable kindle. I've used this method for a year and it's worked like a charm!

It sucked, I am a pretty big fan of Jen but this book just wasn't doing it for me at all. It seemed like she was trying way too hard to be funny. Their was also too many details describing dumb stuff. It seemed to me that she was just rambling about survior and to hurry up and write something just her book deadline. Thankfully, I was able to get a refund.

I love Jen Lancaster. I tell everyone about her books; I own every book she's written. That being said, this book made me hate her a little bit. I felt like it was really self indulgent by comparison. I think she is very funny, but it just didn't translate this time. Overall, I felt like it was whiny and ditzy at turns and not in a good way. Some of the stories she told, I am pretty sure I would have kept to myself. Either way, I will read whatever she puts out next. Every book can't be her best book.

I discovered Jenn Lancaster's books a few years ago. Bought the first one off a discount rack, read it, and immediately bought the next two. I toted that to ladies beach week and eagerly shared them and turned everyone in the condo into a Jennfanatic. They all bought there own copies of the books, we read excepts aloud, roaring with laughter. Her sharp wit and brass balls made a wonderful week at the beach that much more memorable.

So I waited impatiently for the release of her latest book. I barely made it home before pulling it out of the bag, settling on the sofa with a glass of wine, and digging into what I hoped would be another side-splitting, snarky adventure through Jennsylvania.

To my very sad shock, Jennsylvania had been transformed into Pretentiousnation. I literally had to force myself through each chapter. But I wasn't going to give up, because I had such high hopes that maybe, just maybe, Jenn would thrash her way through the self-indulgent naval-gazing and bring home the snark.

Sadly, she never did. I found myself, instead of laughing out loud, snorting in disgust and rolling my eyes over her continuous, pretentious, name-dropping and life-styles-of-the-rich-and-self-involved, artsy-fartsy adventures at "bettering" herself with her woefully rich and painfully boring gal pals.

I finished the booked feeling incredibly let down and sad that a writer I once lurved, who I pimped to anyone who would listen, morphed from a witty, fabuous, fearless, sarcastic biotch into an incredibly shallow, shadow of her former snarky self.

Can't say I will be buying her next offering...unless I find it in the discount bin of Book A Millon.

Jen is officially unfunny and unlikeable. Enough has been said about this self-indulgent crapfest, so I won't elaborate too terribly much. She completely lost me during the chapter in which she gets botox, restylane, veneers and hair extensions in one day, not to mention the 10 course dinners and $100 lunches. She's "made it" and I don't begrudge her these apparent necessities or her success. However, I do think it's pretentious and unrelatable. If she really wanted to expand her horizons, she could do charity work in a soup kitchen or a women's shelter.

I was enjoying it, until she goes out of her way to "joke" that Rachel Maddow is a man. Just a stupid and lazy attempt at getting a laugh that displays the worst of her prejudices. It was particularly awkward since it seemed the harder she tries to become cultured, the more vapid and shallow her writing became. Not impressed.

What can you really say about Jen Lancaster? She totally cracks me up. I've learned not to read her books in public places because I look like a looney sitting there laughing with tears rolling down my cheeks. Even her husband (Fletch) and their animals make me laugh.

I really love the fact that she writes so honestly about her life and doesn't sugarcoat anything. She doesn't mind revealing things about herself that may be embarrassing (like struggles with weight).

If you need a fun, light-hearted book, I would definitely check out any of Jen's books. They are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

I am a big fan of Jennifer Lancaster's writing style and had a lot of hope for this book. It had some funny spots but overall I found it somewhat boring and not as cohesive as her other books. It held my attention enough to keep reading for the next antic, because when they come up they are laugh out loud funny.

I've read all four of Jen Lancaster's previous books and really loved the first two, but, by the time that I got to her third and fourth ones, I felt like they weren't as funny as her first two had been. Since I was able to get an advanced copy of Lancaster's new book, though, I couldn't pass by this opportunity -- and I have to say that this is great fun and feels fresh! Jen is back to her hysterical antics in this new book, and I couldn't put it down once I started it.

The book opens with Candace Bushnell (writer of _Sex and the Series_) interviewing Jen and mentioning something about Baudelaire. Jen realizes that she has no idea who Baudelaire is since she's spent so much time in front of the TV (watching reality shows) lately and not as much time "broadening her horizons," as she puts it. The result of this realization? Jen's quest to "discover it not being a dumb ass is the new black" (the sub-title of the book).

If you're familiar with Jen's previous books, you'll be happy to see that she still gets into her usual escapades with her familiar cast of characters -- patient husband Fletch, personal trainer Barbie, writer friend Stacey, and her personal menagerie of dogs and cats. Also, I'm not familiar with many of the reality TV show references that pop up in the book (I'm not much of a TV watcher), but still found the humor to be fun, and found myself laughing out loud throughout the book.

I think you'll find this book funny if you're in the same age group as Jen: late-thirties and early- to mid-forties. As a child of the '80's, I found her references to things like Jon Hughes movies (especially the chapter about a party where discussion of Ryan Jake, a character from the film _Sixteen Candles_, comes up) to be funny and nostalgic. You also don't need to have read any of her other books to enjoy this one since this new one will still give you a strong sense of Jen's personality.

If you need a good laugh and a fun read, I definitely recommend Lancaster's new book!

I love this book- this is my favorite of all her books so far. I find that I can really relate to her, around the same age, married, have animals, addicted to reality tv... but I cant rock the pearls the way that she can.
I enjoyed taking this journey with her, I felt as if I was there tasting new food, listening to new music and putting my self out there. I have decided to follow in her foot steps and get a little culture myself!
You will laugh out loud in many places and feel for Jen as she tries to make her way through new ideas, food, books,culture.
If you are looking for a fun read, with stories that will at times make you sad, most times make you laugh ( I got yelled at for reading the book and work and was told to shush) but at the end you feel like you have learned something, and had a hell of good laugh and time getting there!

When I read the synopsis for this book, there was no question that I would read it and love it. I'm yet to read a Lancaster memoir that I didn't want to hug. But when Lancaster decides she is dumb because she knows everything about the Kardashian's and not a clue what the G20 summit is, expect a whole new level of funny. Lancaster is laugh aloud funny. You will giggle with delight when you read her books.

Absolutely one of my favorite authors, I highly recommend Lancaster's memoirs. Also, her first fiction book, If You Were Here, is being released in May of 2011.

I have read several of Jen Lancaster's books and her humor and wit never cease to make me laugh out loud at inappropriate times. Maybe I should stop reading her books while my students are reading the books that they have to for class. Meh.

It's funny how the the store review system gives up to five stars, since Jen Lancaster's books started out with five and have now moved down to one. Truthfully, if I could have given negative stars, this would be the book that got them.

The author was at her best years ago, when she was broke and desperate and laugh out loud funny as she received her comeuppance and came through her unemployment a better person. She may not have been likeable at the beginning but at the end she was an every woman hero. Her second and third books tempered her growing arrogance with self deprecation that still entertained her readership. I loved the girl who threatened people with a shovel. I loved the girl with a fear of the scale. That girl is nowhere in this book. This book feels like it was written by the same lady who wrote the first pages of her first book. Lancaster has gone back to being unlikeable, unsympathetic and totally unfunny.

The book is little more than an expansion on her epilogue from Pretty in Plaid (a crapper in and of itself) which leads me to believe that the second Lancaster hit the NYT Bestseller list she stopped trying. That final chapter is a rant about how hard she worked and how successful she is and a step by step detail of how she basks in that success. No really. This book? The same drivel. She talks, again, about spending money most people don't have, doing things the former Jen couldn't do because she was flat broke and creative. I'm not entertained by a story where the heroin spends half my rent price on tea. I'm not amused by her segue on page 267 where she basically whines that she gets negative feedback because her readership is noticing that she has changed from wacky heroine to self-important snob. The majority of this book is available on her blog where she also whines about people who question her authenticity. However, on her blog, you can read, first hand, Jen's pleads to a personal army for a defense against those people who are being OMGSOMEAN. She also points out that she isn't speaking to her family and I can't help but wonder if it's because they don't condone her behavior. Finally, in case you forget, Jen spends a lot of time in her book reminding you that she and her husband are Republicans.

She claims that she never stated she'd stay broke forever, and she's right. It's unfortunate, though, because poor Jen was way more talented than Rich Jen. To put it bluntly, successful Jen successfully sucks.

Though I agree with some other commenters that this book isn't as funny as some of her other ones, I still couldn't put it down. Though I wasn't necessarily laughing out loud, I was still smiling or shaking my head or telling my friends about it. Jen Lancaster is a great story teller and I love how she puts her own spin on things and events, making them pretty darn funny. I'll continue to read her books - I love her work.

I read this while I was on vacation. I laughed out loud a lot. Jen Lancaster is so witty. I didnt read any of the other reviews, so I'm sorry if I repeat things someone else has said. Jen chronicles her attempts at bettering herself through culture and mostly FOOD. I love her sense of humor.

This was soooooo bad I felt compelled to warn people !

I haven't been this put off by a tome full of drivel like this in quite some time; that is how bad it was.

Between the stupid references to "the strongs" and the footnotes, oh, the hundreds upon hundreds of inane footnotes and sidebars !...

...adnauseum... I feel absolutely traumatized !

How this drivel keeps getting published and finding a market is beyond me.

You have been warned !

I've read all of Lancaster's books and regularly follow her blog. This wasn't her best book, but still enjoyable to read. I thought a lot of the topics discussed were either already on her blog or Twitter, so I felt like I knew the stories before I read them.

Jen Lancaster does it again, creating a piece of work that leaves us laughing so hard we almost pee our pants. We take a journey with Jen in her effort to get "cultured." Reading her take on various plays, some even including n-a-k-e-d people, her attempts of eating the world, and the hunt for a house. Some of my favorite chapters include RATINMYHOUSE! and of course anything including the Thundercats. With her snarky wit, her footnotes, and her partners in crime, Jen Lancaster is a must read for everyone who loves to laugh.

Let me first say that I LOVE Jen's books. Bright Lights Big Ass made me laugh out loud god knows how many times. I've loved every book and blog entry she's ever written... This book however, was sub-par for her. Don't get me wrong- if you're a Lancaster fanatic, read it. It's worth the time, but just definitely not her best. If you're new to Jen, then PLEASE start with another book to understand how great she truely is!

I've read all of Lancaster's books and regularly follow her blog. This wasn't her best book, but still enjoyable to read. I thought a lot of the topics discussed were either already on her blog or Twitter, so I felt like I knew the stories before I read them.

Jen Lancaster does it again, creating a piece of work that leaves us laughing so hard we almost pee our pants. We take a journey with Jen in her effort to get "cultured." Reading her take on various plays, some even including n-a-k-e-d people, her attempts of eating the world, and the hunt for a house. Some of my favorite chapters include RATINMYHOUSE! and of course anything including the Thundercats. With her snarky wit, her footnotes, and her partners in crime, Jen Lancaster is a must read for everyone who loves to laugh.

Let me first say that I LOVE Jen's books. Bright Lights Big Ass made me laugh out loud god knows how many times. I've loved every book and blog entry she's ever written... This book however, was sub-par for her. Don't get me wrong- if you're a Lancaster fanatic, read it. It's worth the time, but just definitely not her best. If you're new to Jen, then PLEASE start with another book to understand how great she truely is!

I've been a fan of Jen Lancaster since her first book. She is a witty writer with a sharp tongue. I was very excited for My Fair Lazy: One Reality Television Addict's Attempt to Discover If Not Being A Dumb Ass Is the New Black, or, a Culture-Up Manifesto However I found myself struggling to get through this book. Usually I would read her books in one day. However with my fair lazy Jen seems too full herself and very snobby. I expected it to be funnier and the "jenaissance" was too over the top for me.

I read Lancasters first book and it was the real deal. Some books are just like bad candy but you keep eating it. That's what this book is. I read it...every last page. But I also read Tori Spellings books too. I can admit that sometimes I want mindless reading...the type of book that if I miss a page and skip over another it's not going to matter. This is probably because I'm a full time college student.

This book is the novel equivalency of STAR magazine. Just candy...not substance.

I loved Bitter is the New Black so I was very excited to read My Fair Lazy. Unfortunately it is just not as funny or interesting. It's as if she was lazy when writing it. I couldn't even give this one 3 stars, but there are a few funny lines.

I've read all of Jen's previous books, and this one was just as sarcastic and witty as the others. Her hilarious commentary on the quest for cultural enlightenment kept me in stitches. Lancaster's approach to life and writing has once again made for a fantastic read.

Did anyone else notice the hypocrisy of Jen the Republican (although she won't say specifically) enjoying all this "culture" while at the same time favoring politics that do not support the arts (unless you are a rich patron). For the majority of us, the only way of accessing the arts is through government support. This chipping away of support for the arts is why those of us who grew up on Sesame Street now have to pay admission to most museums. I wonder how many of the starving artists Jen enjoys are driving SUVs. For shame! (otherwise I really enjoy her books. I suppose you could consider me a hypocrite as well)

I really can't explain the extent of my love for Jen Lancaster's writing! This is the 3rd of her books that I've read and I love each one more than the last. Jen's stories are quick and witty and so self-deprecating that you just can't help but love her. I hope she continues to write, I'll be waiting!

I read this book because Jen Lancaster is one of my favorite authors. I found this book like all of her others, very funny and true to life! A lot of the things she deals with I can really relate to. She now has me motivated to do my own Jenaissance. You go girl!

Her first two books were fantastic. The third one was only ok. This one was a ridiculous jumble of stupid situations and sarcastic comments. Wish I could get paid to write about the dumb stuff I do on a daily basis.