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Suitable For Giving: A Collection of Wit with a Side of Wry
Whether she’s talking about loss of privacy in the Internet age, “Gone are the days when people only knew things about me that I wanted them to know. Now I can be Googled – and without benefit of lubrication,” or growing up Catholic, “Sticking a symbol of a brutally murdered dead guy over the bed of an impressionable young child and telling her ‘He died for your sins’ kind of messes with a kid for life,” Jayne Martin’s debut book of humor essays will have you laughing out loud from page one. A sharp observer of a world changing faster than new versions of the iPhone, Martin has gleaned this collection from over two years of posts on her popular blog aptly titled “injaynesworld… where nothing is sacred,” where she takes on everything from private parts to politics. With a voice that is both unique and accessible, Martin has crafted a body of work that will appeal to readers of all ages. A funny, fresh, often outrageous compilation, this book is most definitely “Suitable For Giving.”
104 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 23, 2012
I’ve known Jayne Martin from injaynesworld for a while now. Her writing has always been witty and intelligent crossing into areas of politics,relationship,etc. It seemed as if there was no place she didn’t have a problem speaking her mind.
When she told me that she had finished her book,I said “I’ll review it for you if you like”. Jayne took me up on the offer. I love her writing so I was pretty sure that I would love her book. I couldn’t have been more right. Jayne is funny,insightful and moving as she talks about her life.
I loved when she talked about “If Dixie has a hang nail,I rush her to the vet”. She was talking about how even broke her dog comes first. I loved her talking about AARP in her “Junk Mall Blues”chapter where the mail starts coming just because of your age.
Just like her blog there is no subject that is too controversial for Jayne. She wasn’t afraid to touch on anything. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it. I cried. I laughed and I connected to her. If you noticed I said “talking about AARP”because it felt like my best friend talking to me while I was reading. A wiser and witty best friend.
A little about Jayne herself, she has been writing injayneworld since 2009. Before that,she was a TV-movie writer whose credits include “Big Splendor”for Animal Planet and “A Child Too Many”“Cradle of Conspiracy”and “Deceived by Trust”for Lifetime. She lives on a ranch in Santa Ynez,California where she rides horses and shares her views on injaynesworld. Her blog is a must read as much as “Suitable for Giving”is.
Disclosure:This book was provided for review by the author. I was not paid to write this review other than receiving a book to review as well as one for the giveaway. As always all opinions are 100% mine. Thank you Jayne for the opportunity to do this review.
When she told me that she had finished her book,I said “I’ll review it for you if you like”. Jayne took me up on the offer. I love her writing so I was pretty sure that I would love her book. I couldn’t have been more right. Jayne is funny,insightful and moving as she talks about her life.
I loved when she talked about “If Dixie has a hang nail,I rush her to the vet”. She was talking about how even broke her dog comes first. I loved her talking about AARP in her “Junk Mall Blues”chapter where the mail starts coming just because of your age.
Just like her blog there is no subject that is too controversial for Jayne. She wasn’t afraid to touch on anything. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it. I cried. I laughed and I connected to her. If you noticed I said “talking about AARP”because it felt like my best friend talking to me while I was reading. A wiser and witty best friend.
A little about Jayne herself, she has been writing injayneworld since 2009. Before that,she was a TV-movie writer whose credits include “Big Splendor”for Animal Planet and “A Child Too Many”“Cradle of Conspiracy”and “Deceived by Trust”for Lifetime. She lives on a ranch in Santa Ynez,California where she rides horses and shares her views on injaynesworld. Her blog is a must read as much as “Suitable for Giving”is.
Disclosure:This book was provided for review by the author. I was not paid to write this review other than receiving a book to review as well as one for the giveaway. As always all opinions are 100% mine. Thank you Jayne for the opportunity to do this review.
February 20, 2012
Suitable for Giving is a wonderful read. I laughed. I cried. Martin, a former TV writer, has a sharp wit and her book is poignant and personal. She's been around the block a couple of times and culls from several different decades to regale us with her Catholic childhood, her first sporty car, her hobnobbing with celebrities, never getting married, and turning 60. My favorite story is "Out of My Hands", where she breaks her neck and as an independent woman has to learn to accept help from friends... friends that come from surprising places. Her stories are moving, funny and relatable, and I would highly recommend it. If you like her blog, injaynesworld, you'll definitely enjoy the book.
February 25, 2020
I devoured these fun and interesting essays in one day.
August 6, 2022
Pure enjoyment, with many laugh-out-loud moments. 'Private Parts' and 'Bitter - Party of One' were a special delight. Loved the exploits of Spit the Spitfire too.
January 29, 2014
Suitable for Giving is a delightfully entertaining read. Jayne Martin is a master wordsmith with a sharp wit and a talent for storytelling. Her book is very personal, yet served with a side of wry humor that will pull you in from the very first page.
I laughed out loud to many of the stories from this humorous collection of Jayne's true-life adventures (and misadventures). My favorite story would have to be "Out of My Hands", where she learns to accept help from friends after breaking her neck in an accident. I could feel her pain and her determination jumping from the pages of this story and could completely relate to her independent woman stance, even in the face of tragedy.
If you like Jayne's blog, you will thoroughly enjoy her debut book. I am definitely looking forward to more books from this exceptionally talented author.
I laughed out loud to many of the stories from this humorous collection of Jayne's true-life adventures (and misadventures). My favorite story would have to be "Out of My Hands", where she learns to accept help from friends after breaking her neck in an accident. I could feel her pain and her determination jumping from the pages of this story and could completely relate to her independent woman stance, even in the face of tragedy.
If you like Jayne's blog, you will thoroughly enjoy her debut book. I am definitely looking forward to more books from this exceptionally talented author.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews