Whether your spring break means going on a cruise, taking an exotic vacation or just making a trip home be sure to pack (at least one!) of Jennifer Weiner's novels with you. The author of "Good in Bed," "In Her Shoes" and her latest, "Little Earthquakes," has defined the new genre of "chick lit."
In her 2001 debut novel, "Good in Bed," readers meet Cannie Shapiro, a reporter for the Philadelphia Examiner, whose failed relationship with her ex-boyfriend is the subject of his magazine column, "Good in Bed." The story begins when she turns to her ex's latest installment, "Loving a Larger Woman," who he kindly refers to as C.
"I'll never forget the day I found out my girlfriend weighed more than I did," begins his article, as well as Cannie's fall into the most painful andmost triumphant year of her life.
We follow Cannie as she repeatedly stumbles and picks herself up. From learning to love her (larger) body, to her mother's sudden new-found love and unexpected pregnancy, Cannie represents the struggles and joys of a woman in her 20s trying to find herself, and her place, in a confusing and painful world. Her life is only complicated by her mother and her lesbian partner, her estranged father, and of course, Bruce, the ex she can't seem to forget.
Kyra Deblaker, a literature professor, teaches "Good in Bed" in her freshman Writing Seminar, Chick-Lit. She said that the appeal of Weiner's novels lie in her ability to align her issues in her characters lives with those of the women who read the books.
"Weiner is honest and real, and so are the characters she creates. Weiner offers a fresh perspective on how young women deal with life's inevitable pains: losing lovers, parents, and most difficultly, oneself," she said. "Cannie triumphs because she learns to love the person she is, not the person her ex-boyfriend, her father, or society, wanted her to be."
Although there are many similar novels on the market, Weiner's work is the gold standard for this type of writing.
"'Good in Bed' debuted right when chick-lit was becoming a respected term in the publishing world," Deblaker said, "It was not written to fit the current mold of this genre of writing."
Deblaker said that the fact Weiner stayed ahead of this new pack of writers has allowed her writing to stand out from the hundreds of other writers focused on the same topics.
"Much of today's chick-lit is low quality because, like so many other things in our society, it has become mass-produced," she said. "For every 'Amazing Race' a little 'My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance' must fall."
Jennifer Weiner goes from "Good in Bed" to her second novel, "In Her Shoes," in just one year. In this novel, Rose Feller loves every food that she shouldn't, her collection of Manolo Blahnik and Prada shoes, and her boyfriend, Jim. She is a powerful attorney at a prestigious law firm, and doesn't mind that her wardrobe hasn't changed since she finished college 10 years ago. Rose's life turns into one failure after another the day she finds out her younger sister, Maggie, was stealing shoes from her collection, plus more.
Young, beautiful, sexy, thin Maggie always gets what she wants, and this time, it's Rose's boyfriend. Now, Rose is forced to deal with her runaway sister who she misses but swore she never wanted to see again, unemployment from leaving the firm where she and Jim worked, and her father and his wife, Sydelle, who never misses an opportunity to remind Rose she shouldn't be eating carbs, butter, or any other food of substance.
"In Her Shoes" is a well-written, honest perspective of two sisters who thought their differences would forever divide them, but learn how to forgive and love each other in the face of sadness and loss. A bit less realistic than "Good in Bed," this novel is still well written and enjoyable. For any siblings, or friends, who never thought they could reconcile their past, Weiner shows how often times it is hardships, rather than joys, that bring people together.
Senior Nora Shimmel liked "In Her Shoes" and thinks it's a good spring break read.
"It's an easy read with a lot of fluff in it, but there's a deeper story underneath," she said. "It's a good beach book. You probably aren't going to learn any life lessons or take away anything concrete, but it's fun."
In her newest novel "Little Earthquakes," four women are brought together by their first experiences with motherhood, and eventually, by their difficult situations with their husbands. Rebecca Rothstein-Rabinowitz is a chef at a popular restaurant and the mother of a beautiful newborn girl, Ava. Her mother-in-law, who insists that the baby's name is Anna (after her own mother) tries everything she can to control her son's life, and in turn, Rebecca's.
Kelly Day has dreamed of the perfect husband since her own disappointing childhood that left her only with memories of lazy and embarrassing parents. She thinks she has found perfection in Steve, until he loses his job and sits around the house in shorts and a t-shirt all day hoping that somehow, a job will find him.
Ayinde and Richard Towne's marriage slowly falls apart. His sporadic visits home from playing for the NBA along with his public indiscretion with a 21-year-old woman leave Ayinde caring for their newborn son, and wondering if Richard is worth all the heartache he gave and privacy he took.
And finally, Lia Frederick, a glamorous Hollywood actress, is slowly deteriorating as she tries to deal with a horrible tragedy that may end her marriage.
Each chapter is told from the voice of a one of the women as all four of them try to deal with motherhood and lives that are flawed and painful behind the scenes of their seemingly perfect act. This too is a strong novel from Weiner, but the ending is flat and disappointing, where everything ties in a neat bow and everyone is left happy, or at least happier than when the novel began.
"Good in Bed" has been suggested as an HBO series, and "In Her Shoes" will be out as a film in the fall starring Cameron Diaz. In the meantime, grab one of Weiner's novels and relax.
More boredom-busting books for your spring break
And if the books mentioned in the article don't appeal to you, here are some other light reads:
"The Broker" John Grisham Doubleday 368 pages Newly released from prison, Joel Blackman heads to Italy to hide out from various bad guys who want him dead. Grisham doesn't cover any new territory here, but "The Broker" offers a story that's quick, fun and doesn't require much thinking.
"Eats, Shoots and Leaves: A Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" Lynne Truss Thorndike Press 231 pages A witty homage to grammar freaks everywhere. Truss draws on her experience as a writer and reviews how punctuation marks have been left behind, how question marks have been left out and other grammar no-no's. With the right punctuation, her title shows how a misplaced comma can mean the world - depending on how you read it, the book could be about a violent panda or one with a healthy diet.
"Holidays on Ice" David Sedaris Back Bay Books 144 pages The cynical spring breaker can sit on the beach with this snowflake-splattered book. The book is a compilation of short stories, and provides a good introduction to Sedaris' obsessive compulsive, homosexual, Greek and ubiquitous humor.
"The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book): A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction" The writers of the "Daily Show," Jon Stewart Warner Books 240 pages This satirical book examines everything about the United States' government, from its voting process to the media's relationship with it. Stewart's humor in his book is much like his sense of humor on the show: Nothing is safe from his hilarious commentary.
"I am Charlotte Simmons" Tom Wolfe Farrar, Straus and Giroux 688 pages If you don't plan on partaking in classic Cancun-style spring break debauchery, this book can take its place. Wolfe's latest novel is about a quiet country girl who is shocked to find that college life does not include fireside chats about Kant and French literature. She eventually abandons her modesty for a more conventional college lifestyle, and Wolfe's descriptions of frat-house life at times can be dead on. While the book is a long one, Charlotte's journey from good girl to bad girl is an interesting look into just how hard some people try to fit in.
-Compiled by the Scene staff
