SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A NUT: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
SOMETIMES I FEEL 

LIKE A NUT

BY JILL KARGMAN 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Demonstrating Woody Allen's magical math equation, comedy = tragedy + time, a sensational collection of witty essays about life, love, hate, kids, work, school, and more from the author of The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund and Arm Candy.

Jill Kargman is a mother, wife, and writer living the life in New York City . . . a life that includes camping out in a one-bedroom apartment with some unfortunate (and furry) roommates, battling the Momzillas of Manhattan, and coming to terms with her desire for gay men. In this entertaining collection of observations, Kargman offers her unique, wickedly funny perspective as she zips around Manhattan with three kids in tow.

Kargman tackles issues big and small with sharp wit and laugh-out-loud humor: her love of the smell of gasoline, her new names for nail polishes, her adventures in New York City real estate, and her fear of mimes, clowns, and other haunting things. Whether it's surviving a family road trip or why she can't stand Cirque du So Lame, living with a mommy vagina the size of the Holland Tunnel or surviving the hell that was her first job out of college, Kargman's nutty self triumphs, thanks to a wonderfully wise outlook and sense of fun that makes the best of everything that gets thrown her way. And if that's not enough, Kargman illustrates her reflections with doodles that capture her refreshing voice.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Kargman is deathly afraid of clowns. And mimes. Wait, mimes are worse. She lives in New York City where she writes magazine articles and trashy novels and enjoys wrap sandwiches. She is the author of teen books Bittersweet Sixteen, Summer Intern, and Jet Set, plus some excellent grown-up books. And by grown-up books she doesn't mean porn; she means not young adult but plain old adult. Her articles have appeared in Vogue, Teen Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Town & Country, Travel + Leisure, Elle, Elle Décor, and a bunch of British magazines you've never seen. She went to Yale where she did not study writing and has three children who keep her young. And exhausted. 

PRAISE FOR SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A NUT:

The author of The Ex Mrs. Hedgefund and Wolves in Chic Clothing, Jill Kargman firmly believes in Woody Allen’s magical math equation: Comedy = Tragedy + Time. Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut is a delightful collection of essays and observations based on Kargman’s family, her phobias (vans, mimes, clowns), and her ability to use humor as a tool to get past life’s obstacles, making the fun times funnier and the tough times bearable. Fans of David Sedaris, Sloane Crosley, and Nora Ephron will rejoice, howl, and sympathize.

“A smart, pocket-sized delight that artfully engages the funny bone.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“From somebody who shares Jill Kargman’s fear of both vans and clowns, I promise this book will make you laugh out loud.”
—Nate Berkus, host of The Nate Berkus Show and a regular contributor to The Oprah Winfrey Show 

MY REVIEW:

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A NUT is Jill Kargman’s first non-fiction book and she braved this untested territory and came up with a winner! This is a book of essays and observations from the mind of a comedic genius. Her comedy hero, Woody Allen, in my opinion, should take lessons from Jill Kargman.  The title SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A NUT comes from the fact that she grew up in a home where her father was an ad man (a la MADMEN, somewhat) and so the most important part of a television show was the commercials. She tells how she knew every jingle and thus felt the Almond Joy one fit her best for the title of this book.

Just a warning for those of you who prefer to stay away from certain subjects and language you consider taboo, the humor here is sometimes bawdy so be prepared…or just skip it if that is your concern. I think you will be sorry if you do as there is so much that is good about this book that it would really feel wrong if some  parts were left out. None of this is gratuitous, but rather part of who Jill Kargman is and how her comedic mind works. That said, I found this to be a hilarious, hold-my-sides-laughing, book written with skill and timing that was just right.

Living in New York City, Kargman comes from a family where a sense of humor was something you were born with and it is quite evident in this book. She tells personal stories and some are REALLY personal but there are also the “safer”, very funny parts like describing how Jill took up shooting a gun as well as became addicted to her spinning class. She describes how she got a tattoo not too long ago (well, not as a kid, that is) and my favorite part when she talks about “Things That Haunt Me”. I also, have a fear of clowns so can relate but laugh along with her as that is one thing she writes about as well as her fear of mimes, vans, meat, and just how much she hates Nellie Olson from “The Little House on the Prairie” Series (who can blame her there?).

Her humor doesn’t shy away from tough topics either as she tells about her cancer diagnosis in an essay called “Tumor Humor”. The section is short, as she is not one to mock such a serious subject but also deals with it in her own way as it certainly is a very important part of her life. Instead, she chooses to spend more time on things like her giving birth to her children and being a mother, her obsessions, and experiences that yield a more comfortable topic for her to obviously write about.

Jill Kargman includes a Glossary (in the front of the book which is appropriate in this case) in order to explain certain terms and names she references in case people don’t know who or what they are. Even this glossary, is funny. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A NUT is a slim book that you can easily read in one sitting, or you can put down and come back to. I myself, did not put it down and found that some of the funniest essays were ones I know I will go back to when I need a good laugh…and all of us can use one of those!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO CHELSEY AND MY

GOOD FRIENDS AT HARPER COLLINS,

I HAVE FIVE FABULOUS COPIES OF

THIS HILARIOUS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES, PLEASE
--INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS IN COMMENT
--ALL ENTRIES/COMMENTS MUST BE
SEPARATE IN ORDER TO COUNT
AS MORE THAN ONE ENTRY

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A NUT ABOVE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS  BOOK

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND LEAVE A LINK I CAN FOLLOW IN THE ENTRY

+1 MORE ENTRY: GO TO JILL KARGMAN'S WEBSITE HERE AND CHECK OUT ALL HER WONDERFUL "STUFF". I THINK YOU WILL ENJOY READING HER FAQs BUT WHATEVER, COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING THERE 

 +1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT IF YOU HAVE ENTERED ANY OF THE FOLLOWING CURRENT GIVEAWAYS OF MINE. FOR EACH YOU HAVE ENTERED, COMMENT SEPARATELY HERE TO EARN YOUR EXTRA ENTRIES.  TICK TOCK AUDIO BOOK, AND/OR THE NAKED WEREWOLF 2-BOOK SET, AND/OR THE TWILIGHT SAGA. THESE HAVE LOW ENTRIES AND SO YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING ARE BETTER!

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT

6 PM, EST, MARCH 4

GOOD LUCK!