Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema
Lindy West
(Author)
Description
One of the "Best Books of 2020" by NPR's Book Concierge**Your Favorite Movies, Re-Watched** New York Times opinion writer and bestselling author Lindy West was once the in-house movie critic for Seattle's alternative newsweekly The Stranger, where she covered film with brutal honesty and giddy irreverence. In Shit, Actually, Lindy returns to those roots, re-examining beloved and iconic movies from the past 40 years with an eye toward the big questions of our time: Is Twilight the horniest movie in history? Why do the zebras in The Lion King trust Mufasa-WHO IS A LION-to look out for their best interests? Why did anyone bother making any more movies after The Fugitive achieved perfection? And, my god, why don't any of the women in Love, Actually ever fucking talk? ?
From Forrest Gump, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Bad Boys II, to Face/Off, Top Gun, and The Notebook, Lindy combines her razor-sharp wit and trademark humor with a genuine adoration for nostalgic trash to shed new critical light on some of our defining cultural touchstones-the stories we've long been telling ourselves about who we are. At once outrageously funny and piercingly incisive, Shit, Actually reminds us to pause and ask, "How does this movie hold up?", all while teaching us how to laugh at the things we love without ever letting them or ourselves off the hook.
Shit, Actually is a love letter and a break-up note all in one: to the films that shaped us and the ones that ruined us. More often than not, Lindy finds, they're one and the same.
Product Details
Price
$27.00
$25.11
Publisher
Hachette Books
Publish Date
October 20, 2020
Pages
272
Dimensions
5.5 X 8.3 X 1.0 inches | 0.8 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780316449823
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About the Author
Lindy West is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times and a contributor to This American Life. She is the bestselling author of the essay collection The Witches Are Coming as well as Shrill, a memoir, which she adapted into a comedy for Hulu starring Aidy Bryant. She lives in Seattle.
Reviews
"Oh God, I hope something I make is skewered by Lindy West--what an honor!"--ELIZABETH BANKS
"TWO THUMBS UP."--SAMANTHA IRBY
"It's annoying how many good, funny, and laser-precise books Lindy has written. Here's another damn great book! It's the opposite of shit, actually."--AIDY BRYANT
"[A] laugh out loud romp... [these essays are] warmhearted, acutely self-aware, and surprisingly timely, providing insight into modern society through movies first sold on VHS... Like catching up with a dear and funny friend, this insightful and irreverent book is a soothing balm for turbulent times."--Kirkus Reviews
"Queen of keenly observed, hilariously rendered cultural criticism, West offers this delicious distraction from reality....a cathartic, joyful exploration of entertainment....in true West form she reads like your smartest, funniest, and warmest friend. A perfect blend of substance, escapism, and laughter - a gift from West to the rest of us."--Booklist Review (starred)
"It's a no-holds-barred romp through modern movie-making."--LitHub
BookRiot, "Book Recommendations for October 2020"
Fortune, "Five New Books to Read in October"
SeattleMet, "11 Localish Books to Read This Autumn"
Up News Info, "5 new books to read in October"
"[A] hilarious, sharp collection..."--BookRiot
"In our opinion, Lindy West is the ultimate authority, and we agree with her on all matters--including her assessments of beloved iconic movies... Shit, Actually is the ultimate read for the pop culture-obsessed."--Hello Giggles
"TWO THUMBS UP."--SAMANTHA IRBY
"It's annoying how many good, funny, and laser-precise books Lindy has written. Here's another damn great book! It's the opposite of shit, actually."--AIDY BRYANT
"[A] laugh out loud romp... [these essays are] warmhearted, acutely self-aware, and surprisingly timely, providing insight into modern society through movies first sold on VHS... Like catching up with a dear and funny friend, this insightful and irreverent book is a soothing balm for turbulent times."--Kirkus Reviews
"Queen of keenly observed, hilariously rendered cultural criticism, West offers this delicious distraction from reality....a cathartic, joyful exploration of entertainment....in true West form she reads like your smartest, funniest, and warmest friend. A perfect blend of substance, escapism, and laughter - a gift from West to the rest of us."--Booklist Review (starred)
"It's a no-holds-barred romp through modern movie-making."--LitHub
BookRiot, "Book Recommendations for October 2020"
Fortune, "Five New Books to Read in October"
SeattleMet, "11 Localish Books to Read This Autumn"
Up News Info, "5 new books to read in October"
"[A] hilarious, sharp collection..."--BookRiot
"In our opinion, Lindy West is the ultimate authority, and we agree with her on all matters--including her assessments of beloved iconic movies... Shit, Actually is the ultimate read for the pop culture-obsessed."--Hello Giggles