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Moranifesto
‘I’ve lived through ten iOS upgrades on my Mac – and that’s just something I use to muck about on Twitter. Surely capitalism is due an upgrade or two?’
When Caitlin Moran sat down to choose her favourite pieces for her new book she realised that they all seemed to join up. Turns out, it’s the same old problems and the same old ass-hats.
Then she thought of the word ‘Moranifesto’, and she knew what she had to do…
This is Caitlin’s engaging and amusing rallying call for our times. Combining the best of her recent columns with lots of new writing unique to this book, Caitlin deals with topics as pressing and diverse as 1980s swearing, benefits, boarding schools, and why the internet is like a drunken toddler.
And whilst never afraid to address the big issues of the day – such as Benedict Cumberbatch and duffel coats – Caitlin also makes a passionate effort to understand our 21st century society and presents us with her ‘Moranifesto’ for making the world a better place.
The polite revolution starts here! Please.
When Caitlin Moran sat down to choose her favourite pieces for her new book she realised that they all seemed to join up. Turns out, it’s the same old problems and the same old ass-hats.
Then she thought of the word ‘Moranifesto’, and she knew what she had to do…
This is Caitlin’s engaging and amusing rallying call for our times. Combining the best of her recent columns with lots of new writing unique to this book, Caitlin deals with topics as pressing and diverse as 1980s swearing, benefits, boarding schools, and why the internet is like a drunken toddler.
And whilst never afraid to address the big issues of the day – such as Benedict Cumberbatch and duffel coats – Caitlin also makes a passionate effort to understand our 21st century society and presents us with her ‘Moranifesto’ for making the world a better place.
The polite revolution starts here! Please.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2016
226 people are currently reading
6620 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Moran
28 books3,845 followersCaitlin Moran had literally no friends in 1990, and so had plenty of time to write her first novel, The Chronicles of Narmo, at the age of fifteen. At sixteen she joined music weekly, Melody Maker, and at eighteen briefly presented the pop show 'Naked City' on Channel 4. Following this precocious start she then put in eighteen solid years as a columnist on The Times – both as a TV critic and also in the most-read part of the paper, the satirical celebrity column 'Celebrity Watch' – winning the British Press Awards' Columnist of The Year award in 2010 and Critic and Interviewer of the Year in 2011. The eldest of eight children, home-educated in a council house in Wolverhampton, Caitlin read lots of books about feminism – mainly in an attempt to be able to prove to her brother, Eddie, that she was scientifically better than him. Caitlin isn't really her name. She was christened 'Catherine'. But she saw 'Caitlin' in a Jilly Cooper novel when she was 13 and thought it looked exciting. That's why she pronounces it incorrectly: 'Catlin'. It causes trouble for everyone.
(from http://www.caitlinmoran.co.uk/index.p...)
(from http://www.caitlinmoran.co.uk/index.p...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
February 9, 2017
Home schooled Caitlin Moran is from Wolverhampton, she is a journalist, author and broadcaster. She has written a number of columns for The Times newspaper. This is my first reading of a book by Caitlin Moran and I found it a highly entertaining read. It is an amalgamation of many of her columns and thoughts from recent years, many of the topics are lighthearted, but she also tackles heavyweight issues such as the refugee crisis. The thrust of the book is how the world could be improved according to Caitlin Moran.
What might particularly attract readers is her section on her love of reading and the frustration she encounters when her children do not share that love. She dissects the joys of reading and the impact it has on an individual which will resonate with multitudes of readers. Caitlin looks at the 1980s, Mrs Thatcher, and the politics that defined a nation. She puts terrorism into historical context and tears down any thinking that suggests that it is a peculiarly recent phenomena. She examines how the lives of women have changed, the harrowing issues of rape and FGM. She is frank about the personal issues she has faced such as miscarriages and relationships. She touches on the role of technology, such as Twitter, and its impact on people today and the issues it has given rise to. She includes a look at contemporary British culture and entertainment industry.
This is an entertaining social and political commentary delivered with wit, charm and humour. It is an intelligent body of thinking and even where you might not agree with her, you cannot fail to be engaged with her thoughts. Much of it is delivered in the form of vignettes. I will warn readers that Caitlin often deploys fairly colourful language and if you are likely to be offended by this, do not read. For those put off by politics, Caitlin provides a knowledgeable and fun foray into the topic. Thanks to Random House Ebury for an ARC.
What might particularly attract readers is her section on her love of reading and the frustration she encounters when her children do not share that love. She dissects the joys of reading and the impact it has on an individual which will resonate with multitudes of readers. Caitlin looks at the 1980s, Mrs Thatcher, and the politics that defined a nation. She puts terrorism into historical context and tears down any thinking that suggests that it is a peculiarly recent phenomena. She examines how the lives of women have changed, the harrowing issues of rape and FGM. She is frank about the personal issues she has faced such as miscarriages and relationships. She touches on the role of technology, such as Twitter, and its impact on people today and the issues it has given rise to. She includes a look at contemporary British culture and entertainment industry.
This is an entertaining social and political commentary delivered with wit, charm and humour. It is an intelligent body of thinking and even where you might not agree with her, you cannot fail to be engaged with her thoughts. Much of it is delivered in the form of vignettes. I will warn readers that Caitlin often deploys fairly colourful language and if you are likely to be offended by this, do not read. For those put off by politics, Caitlin provides a knowledgeable and fun foray into the topic. Thanks to Random House Ebury for an ARC.
March 27, 2019
3.5*** rounded up!
These days, if your child announced that they wanted to be a politician most people would react as if they had come down to the breakfast table and said, 'Mother, Father – I've decided to become a massive pervert.
Caitlin Moran’s Moranifesto has got me through the flu that I’ve had for the last week. As someone who has seen a few of her interviews and podcasts, her quirks and funniness were a much needed remedy and I felt I could hear her voice when reading this.
This is a call and rally of our modern times. She discusses issues both big and small through a series of short essays she has written. Her insight into politics, the working class, feminism, FGM, etc., is much needed and should be given attention to. Not only does she highlight the importance of noticing these, but she does it in her quirky way of writing and with added amusements and yet also anger, that engages the reader readily into the topics discussed. I found it was quite informational as well for certain topics that I did not know much about.
Caitlin Moran has a talent for writing that engages readers like me into knowing more, and being able to process information efficiently and understand it-her writing is not drab or boring, which can be the issue with some journalists reporting political affairs.
The reason I have given this 3.5 stars is the fact that I overly enjoyed the feminism sections and more “serious” topic essays, rather than ones based on celebrities.
These days, if your child announced that they wanted to be a politician most people would react as if they had come down to the breakfast table and said, 'Mother, Father – I've decided to become a massive pervert.
Caitlin Moran’s Moranifesto has got me through the flu that I’ve had for the last week. As someone who has seen a few of her interviews and podcasts, her quirks and funniness were a much needed remedy and I felt I could hear her voice when reading this.
This is a call and rally of our modern times. She discusses issues both big and small through a series of short essays she has written. Her insight into politics, the working class, feminism, FGM, etc., is much needed and should be given attention to. Not only does she highlight the importance of noticing these, but she does it in her quirky way of writing and with added amusements and yet also anger, that engages the reader readily into the topics discussed. I found it was quite informational as well for certain topics that I did not know much about.
Caitlin Moran has a talent for writing that engages readers like me into knowing more, and being able to process information efficiently and understand it-her writing is not drab or boring, which can be the issue with some journalists reporting political affairs.
The reason I have given this 3.5 stars is the fact that I overly enjoyed the feminism sections and more “serious” topic essays, rather than ones based on celebrities.
August 31, 2016
This is simply a simply delightful collection of Moran's thoughts on topics both fluffy - her crush on Benedict Cumberbatch, a visit to the set of Girls - and serious - Syrian refugees, rape, and Charlie Hebdo. Like Caitlin Moran, I am an "enthusiast," and I can think of no better way to sell you on, and sell you, this book, than to let our girl speak for herself.
Here she is on the horrors of "slowly rotting":
Over the last six months, my first big Aging Sign has made itself apparent: a wattle. My neck has started to gently collapse, and I'm now rocking a small, dangly pleat in the middle . . . How exciting! Who knows what will grow next! Maybe I'll develop an erectable scaly display ruff -- or a tail that can drop off when under threat.
On dealing with terrorism:
The past was never perfect, and we never reach the future. It is always ahead of us, being built. The story of mankind is that every achievement we have ever made was built while running. We never rest. We do not pause. We are always in motion. We are countering as much "terror" now as we ever have. There have always been unhappy people who want to destroy, and kill. There always will be.
On something men need to know that women are pretty damned sick of:
And since we were teenage girls -- since the moment we went, mortified, to buy that first bra, and left the safe, unisex world of childhood to become "a woman" -- we've been judged and commented on. Catcalls in the streets; relatives saying we're too fat or too thin. Comments in yearbooks and on Facebook; hairdressers saying, "You have a mannish jaw." "Uncles" at weddings, and bosses at parties, and friends of friends, rating you to your face -- saying if they "would" or "wouldn't," scoring you out of ten, as if you're a gadget for sale on Amazon, or livestock at a fair.
On the hazards of social media:
So whenever you log on, do so in the knowledge that you are essentially walking into a bar or pub at nine o'clock on a Friday night. There's a lot of people out to either (a) get laid or (b) start a fight. People are horny or lairy. Or both.
The biggest standouts for me were the chapters on reading. Moran is a reader. And, like me, she is dismayed that her children do not share her love:
Because I need us to have shared literary references -- "Don't Panic!," "You are sleepy, like the Dormouse" -- in order for us to feel like a proper family, bound together by "our" books.
And the chapter entitled READING IS FIERCE? I'd kind of like to just retype the whole thing right here, but I'll stick to just a few quotes.
Your mind is the projection screen every writer steals; it is the firing of your neurons that makes every book come alive. You are the electricity that turns it on. A book cannot live until the touch of your hand on the first page brings it alive. A writer is essentially typing blank pages -- shouting out spells in the dark -- until the words are read by you, and the magic explodes into your head, and no one else's.
And so to read is, in truth, to be in the constant act of creation. The old lady on the bus with her Orwell, the businessman on the Tube with Patricia Cornwell, the teenager roaring through Capote -- they are not engaged in idle pleasure. Their heads are on fire. Their hearts are flooding. With a book, you are the landscape, the sets, the snow, the hero, the kiss -- you are the mathematical calculation that plots the trajectory of the blazing, crashing zeppelin. You -- pale, punchable reader -- are terraforming whole worlds in your head, which will remain with you until the day you die. These books are as much a part of you as your guts and your bone. And when your guts fail and your bones break, Narnia, or Jamaica Inn, or Gormenghast will still be there; as pin-sharp and bright as the day you first imagined them -- hiding under the bedclothes, sitting on the bus. Exhausted, on a rainy day, weeping over the death of someone you never met, and who was nothing more than words until you transfused them with your time, and your love, and the imagination you constantly dismiss as "just being a bit of a bookworm."
Moran's essays hustled me through a whole gamut of emotions. I was righteously outraged, profoundly saddened, and absurdly amused. And it all felt really good.
For me, this was one Morantastic read.
Here she is on the horrors of "slowly rotting":
Over the last six months, my first big Aging Sign has made itself apparent: a wattle. My neck has started to gently collapse, and I'm now rocking a small, dangly pleat in the middle . . . How exciting! Who knows what will grow next! Maybe I'll develop an erectable scaly display ruff -- or a tail that can drop off when under threat.
On dealing with terrorism:
The past was never perfect, and we never reach the future. It is always ahead of us, being built. The story of mankind is that every achievement we have ever made was built while running. We never rest. We do not pause. We are always in motion. We are countering as much "terror" now as we ever have. There have always been unhappy people who want to destroy, and kill. There always will be.
On something men need to know that women are pretty damned sick of:
And since we were teenage girls -- since the moment we went, mortified, to buy that first bra, and left the safe, unisex world of childhood to become "a woman" -- we've been judged and commented on. Catcalls in the streets; relatives saying we're too fat or too thin. Comments in yearbooks and on Facebook; hairdressers saying, "You have a mannish jaw." "Uncles" at weddings, and bosses at parties, and friends of friends, rating you to your face -- saying if they "would" or "wouldn't," scoring you out of ten, as if you're a gadget for sale on Amazon, or livestock at a fair.
On the hazards of social media:
So whenever you log on, do so in the knowledge that you are essentially walking into a bar or pub at nine o'clock on a Friday night. There's a lot of people out to either (a) get laid or (b) start a fight. People are horny or lairy. Or both.
The biggest standouts for me were the chapters on reading. Moran is a reader. And, like me, she is dismayed that her children do not share her love:
Because I need us to have shared literary references -- "Don't Panic!," "You are sleepy, like the Dormouse" -- in order for us to feel like a proper family, bound together by "our" books.
And the chapter entitled READING IS FIERCE? I'd kind of like to just retype the whole thing right here, but I'll stick to just a few quotes.
Your mind is the projection screen every writer steals; it is the firing of your neurons that makes every book come alive. You are the electricity that turns it on. A book cannot live until the touch of your hand on the first page brings it alive. A writer is essentially typing blank pages -- shouting out spells in the dark -- until the words are read by you, and the magic explodes into your head, and no one else's.
And so to read is, in truth, to be in the constant act of creation. The old lady on the bus with her Orwell, the businessman on the Tube with Patricia Cornwell, the teenager roaring through Capote -- they are not engaged in idle pleasure. Their heads are on fire. Their hearts are flooding. With a book, you are the landscape, the sets, the snow, the hero, the kiss -- you are the mathematical calculation that plots the trajectory of the blazing, crashing zeppelin. You -- pale, punchable reader -- are terraforming whole worlds in your head, which will remain with you until the day you die. These books are as much a part of you as your guts and your bone. And when your guts fail and your bones break, Narnia, or Jamaica Inn, or Gormenghast will still be there; as pin-sharp and bright as the day you first imagined them -- hiding under the bedclothes, sitting on the bus. Exhausted, on a rainy day, weeping over the death of someone you never met, and who was nothing more than words until you transfused them with your time, and your love, and the imagination you constantly dismiss as "just being a bit of a bookworm."
Moran's essays hustled me through a whole gamut of emotions. I was righteously outraged, profoundly saddened, and absurdly amused. And it all felt really good.
For me, this was one Morantastic read.
February 7, 2017
I had a really hard time rating this audio book. As always her chapters on feminism was phenomenal, and the articles on things men should know about woman, rape and abortion was insightful, thought-provoking and heartbreaking. I loved her lighter chapters - the ones that had me screaming with laughter (weekend festivals) and the ones I will remember for the longest time (on reading and libraries). But all that said I almost did not finish this audio, a lot of the chapters are VERY British-centric. And after four chapters about the housing crisis etc in London, and then two on the Queens jubilee I had to force myself to go on, and I'm very glad I did, but obviously this has an effect on my rating. I will read/listen to any of Caitlin Moran's future books as she has a way of cutting down to the core of any issue, and being open-minded about possible solutions - she is a true (and very funny) enthusiast. I also loved the narrator (joanna neary) on this one.
November 11, 2016
this book is so utterly irrelevant. most essays are 4/3 years old and they're about politics, which makes them mostly completely outdated. besides, the book itself wasn't funny or interesting to read and I was so bored most of the time. I still have a very big problem with how inconsistent Moran's opinions are (how she claims to be worried about marginalized groups and makes fun of one of those in the same breath) and how much of a white feminist she is. had the skip the essays about how Lena Dunhnam is the best thing about tv right now and the ass licking of Benedict Cumberbatch.
I might be done with Moran's books forever.
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2016/1...
I might be done with Moran's books forever.
full review here: https://catshelf.wordpress.com/2016/1...
September 26, 2020
I enjoy reading these Caitlin Moran collections (her previous one was Moranthology) because of her consistently funny, feminist outlook, but by the time they reach print the contents are always somewhat out of date. This is even more true of Moranifesto than of the previous book; without Brexit and the Trump presidency, it just doesn't feel as relevant as I kept wanting it to. Moran is good company but there's not too much else to recommend this. For completists only.
April 17, 2016
Insanely readable, eloquent and naturally funny - Caitlin, you'd be my Desert Island partner any day...
I have a soft spot for Ms Moran, she lived round the corner from me in Wolverhampton, a few years older than me, and always manages to includes references to the hometown I look back on with nostalgia and fondness.
But that's a minor attraction to her work for me. Caitlin Moran is a BRILLIANT contemporary commentator, cutting to the heart of moral dilemmas with rude wit, bolshie confidence and considered (and thought-through) opinion.
This collection of her writing is fresh to me, I don't read her newspaper pieces so none was familiar, but I thorough enjoyed reading about Bowie, Cumberbatch et al. Having never experienced a music festival, I feel I know exactly what the experience might be like after laughing through Caitlin's advice on how to prepare for one. And then soon after I cried quite mightily over her thoughts on rape, abortion and women's rights. And of course the heartfelt yet so sparse and tight letter to her daughter at the end. Beautiful writing. She can turn herself to any topic, it seems. Jealousy, thy name is Reviewer.
With choice language at times (afraid you'll have to suck it up if you're not a fan), she makes a lot of sense, and speaks with honesty about her own experiences, good and bad (miscarriages, cystitis) and speaks to the past-20s-women out there (my hand is up here) for whom life is rapidly changing, whether we like it or not.
More than one section caught me up in its beauty, but a chapter on becoming a judge for a literary prize (nice one, Caitlin!) quite stunned me with its wonderfully worded elegy to The Reader:
"A reader is not a simple consumer...a reader is something far more noble, dangerous and exhilarating - they are a co-artist. Your mind is the projection screen every writer steals; it is the firing of your neurones that makes every book come alive. You are the electricity that turns it on..." It goes on, but I won't, you'll have to read it for yourself.
I wondered if I'd find this repetitive after reading all of her other partly-autobiographical adult works, but I didn't one jot. I am yet more in awe of this considerably talented commentator who, to me, talks more sense than any politician out there (she includes some of her policy ideas, and each one rings true).
If you decided to become Prime Minister, Caitlin, you'd have my vote.
Excellent writing, entertaining, uplifting and inspiring.
I have a soft spot for Ms Moran, she lived round the corner from me in Wolverhampton, a few years older than me, and always manages to includes references to the hometown I look back on with nostalgia and fondness.
But that's a minor attraction to her work for me. Caitlin Moran is a BRILLIANT contemporary commentator, cutting to the heart of moral dilemmas with rude wit, bolshie confidence and considered (and thought-through) opinion.
This collection of her writing is fresh to me, I don't read her newspaper pieces so none was familiar, but I thorough enjoyed reading about Bowie, Cumberbatch et al. Having never experienced a music festival, I feel I know exactly what the experience might be like after laughing through Caitlin's advice on how to prepare for one. And then soon after I cried quite mightily over her thoughts on rape, abortion and women's rights. And of course the heartfelt yet so sparse and tight letter to her daughter at the end. Beautiful writing. She can turn herself to any topic, it seems. Jealousy, thy name is Reviewer.
With choice language at times (afraid you'll have to suck it up if you're not a fan), she makes a lot of sense, and speaks with honesty about her own experiences, good and bad (miscarriages, cystitis) and speaks to the past-20s-women out there (my hand is up here) for whom life is rapidly changing, whether we like it or not.
More than one section caught me up in its beauty, but a chapter on becoming a judge for a literary prize (nice one, Caitlin!) quite stunned me with its wonderfully worded elegy to The Reader:
"A reader is not a simple consumer...a reader is something far more noble, dangerous and exhilarating - they are a co-artist. Your mind is the projection screen every writer steals; it is the firing of your neurones that makes every book come alive. You are the electricity that turns it on..." It goes on, but I won't, you'll have to read it for yourself.
I wondered if I'd find this repetitive after reading all of her other partly-autobiographical adult works, but I didn't one jot. I am yet more in awe of this considerably talented commentator who, to me, talks more sense than any politician out there (she includes some of her policy ideas, and each one rings true).
If you decided to become Prime Minister, Caitlin, you'd have my vote.
Excellent writing, entertaining, uplifting and inspiring.
February 9, 2017
This book was quite political. I really had no idea what to expect. I liked it. I agreed with quite a bit. I didn't always understand the British slang but I could have googled it if I hadn't been so lazy! Although I liked this book, I really need a break from politics - for now.
I do feel bad that I know so little about British politics and Caitlin knows so much about ours. I don't deliberately set out to be ignorant, but British politics seldom come up in my circle so I would have to actively search it out online. The Graham Norton show probably doesn't count. . .
I do feel bad that I know so little about British politics and Caitlin knows so much about ours. I don't deliberately set out to be ignorant, but British politics seldom come up in my circle so I would have to actively search it out online. The Graham Norton show probably doesn't count. . .
April 11, 2017
Caitlin Moran is an English journalist, broadcaster and award-winning author. Moranifesto contains a collection of the columns she has written over the past few years. She tackles a diverse range of topics from TV reviews and pieces about London to feminism and a heavy dose of politics. Unfortunately, some of the pieces were dated. For example, reading about the Olympics in the UK or the Queen's Jubilee would have had more of an effect several years ago. I enjoyed her more universal and her personal articles, such as her posthumous letter to her daughter, her relationship experience and her thoughts about reading. Some of it was very touching as well as funny. As somebody who doesn't really understand the Benedict Cumberbatch obsession, I was surprised how much I enjoyed Mrs. Moran's interview with him. Overall, it was an interesting book and due to the short articles, it was nice to read bits in-between when there wasn't much time for anything else. For me personally, there was too much emphasis on feminism and politics, and some of the issues became repetitive (being able to wear comfortable shoes in the way men can or growing up on a council estate). I received an invitation from the publisher to read this and would probably not have picked this up myself. But readers who enjoy these topics will find a plethora of stuff to enjoy here because Caitlin Moran undoubtedly is witty, her style is very readable as long as you don't mind the occasional strong language, and her thoughts are insightful.
April 27, 2017
Caitlin Moran is a columnist with The Times newspaper and this book explains her view of the world. Moranifesto is her political and social analysis of how things could change, if bit by bit everyone altered one little bit.
I enjoyed reading Moranifesto in the same way I enjoy watching a stand up comedian on television. Catlin starts off each chapter in italics, to denote the new content which then leads into a previously published newspaper column she had written. The next chapter continues at a tangent with another introduction in italics and a republished newspaper column. I loved the flow throughout her book and it felt more like a concert than a book. Caitlin discusses many topical issues with a left wing bias that I agree with. I like her writing style which makes for easy reading. She uses a very extensive vocabulary and is not dumbing down our language. Her newspaper columns are very polished and top quality. Caitlin also has a nice humour which makes her writing witty, for example when she explains the joys of having a boyfriend who has access to a car…
I can remember the drunken conversation I had with my friend Sian. Opening a bottle of Baileys, exclaiming, ‘Oh, my God - he took me up the Big Sainsbury’s!’ Then explaining that wasn’t a euphemism, and pointing at all the heavy, jumbo-sized tins I’d been able to buy - because I didn’t have to drag them back on the bus.
... Caitlin writes about many popular topics and I agree with most of her opinions. It was refreshing to read about a woman who likes to wear sensible shoes and outdoor gear. It was nice she highlighted those feminist issues men are ignorant of - me included.
I liked the way that Moranifesto developed, it was almost like having a series of dates with Caitlin because through her newspaper columns, her personality shined and you began to understand the woman behind those opinions. The ending of Moranifesto was very good indeed and would warm the most cynical of hearts. Books and newspaper columns are very different markets but Moranifesto is a good bridge between the two media. I think this is a GOOD read that will entertain the reader and was a refreshing change from my usual diet of crime thrillers, so it gets 4 stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Random House UK and Ebury Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
I enjoyed reading Moranifesto in the same way I enjoy watching a stand up comedian on television. Catlin starts off each chapter in italics, to denote the new content which then leads into a previously published newspaper column she had written. The next chapter continues at a tangent with another introduction in italics and a republished newspaper column. I loved the flow throughout her book and it felt more like a concert than a book. Caitlin discusses many topical issues with a left wing bias that I agree with. I like her writing style which makes for easy reading. She uses a very extensive vocabulary and is not dumbing down our language. Her newspaper columns are very polished and top quality. Caitlin also has a nice humour which makes her writing witty, for example when she explains the joys of having a boyfriend who has access to a car…
I can remember the drunken conversation I had with my friend Sian. Opening a bottle of Baileys, exclaiming, ‘Oh, my God - he took me up the Big Sainsbury’s!’ Then explaining that wasn’t a euphemism, and pointing at all the heavy, jumbo-sized tins I’d been able to buy - because I didn’t have to drag them back on the bus.
... Caitlin writes about many popular topics and I agree with most of her opinions. It was refreshing to read about a woman who likes to wear sensible shoes and outdoor gear. It was nice she highlighted those feminist issues men are ignorant of - me included.
I liked the way that Moranifesto developed, it was almost like having a series of dates with Caitlin because through her newspaper columns, her personality shined and you began to understand the woman behind those opinions. The ending of Moranifesto was very good indeed and would warm the most cynical of hearts. Books and newspaper columns are very different markets but Moranifesto is a good bridge between the two media. I think this is a GOOD read that will entertain the reader and was a refreshing change from my usual diet of crime thrillers, so it gets 4 stars from me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Random House UK and Ebury Press for giving me a copy of this book on the understanding that I provide an honest review.
April 21, 2017
(2.5) I’m pretty weary of Caitlin Moran these days, so I only gave this collection a quick skim. As most of the pieces are reprints of her newspaper columns, they end up seeming dated. Political and pop culture references alike are of their time and don’t age well. So all the TV reviews and whatnot feel like filler. My two favorite essays were one about why the taboo around menstruation still exists, and a mock posthumous letter of advice to her daughter.
December 23, 2016
In a few days I am off to dive with turtles and search for seahorses and I can’t wait. After flipping the bird to TWO taxis yesterday I realised that if I don’t leave Joburg soon I may just become violent.
So this is probably going to be my last review for 2016.
I loved How to Be a Woman, yes it was a bit ranty and feminist but it was genuinely funny so I always knew I would try another of her books.
This installment is made up of the little stories, published columns, musings, rants and ravings and was perfect on audio.
I may not agree with everything Caitlin says but I do admire her passion for her subject matter.
Whether it is ripping apart a bad reality TV show (The Apprentice) or fan girling over Benedict Cumberbatch to more serious matters like immigration or rape culture, her narrative was riveting and entertaining at the same time.
In fact, a big portion of this book was a lot more somber and political than her first book but I actually enjoyed that side of her more than I thought I would. It was easy to pick up which stories she spoke about from a position of experience or knowledge and which ones she was just shooting from the hip but the majority of stories had me nodding along, laughing out loud or made me look at certain things just a little differently.
If you are a fan of this author I am sure you will enjoy this as much as I did.
So this is probably going to be my last review for 2016.
I loved How to Be a Woman, yes it was a bit ranty and feminist but it was genuinely funny so I always knew I would try another of her books.
This installment is made up of the little stories, published columns, musings, rants and ravings and was perfect on audio.
I may not agree with everything Caitlin says but I do admire her passion for her subject matter.
Whether it is ripping apart a bad reality TV show (The Apprentice) or fan girling over Benedict Cumberbatch to more serious matters like immigration or rape culture, her narrative was riveting and entertaining at the same time.
In fact, a big portion of this book was a lot more somber and political than her first book but I actually enjoyed that side of her more than I thought I would. It was easy to pick up which stories she spoke about from a position of experience or knowledge and which ones she was just shooting from the hip but the majority of stories had me nodding along, laughing out loud or made me look at certain things just a little differently.
If you are a fan of this author I am sure you will enjoy this as much as I did.
April 20, 2016
I love the way Caitlin Moran writes but I felt a little cheated by this book. It's a collection of articles she's written, so I was expecting to read some old ones but some of them are really taking the piss, with articles from 2012 & 13 (!!!!) about such narrow subjects like the first series of The Voice UK, the Queen's Jubilee and how bad the weather was (?!) and Ant & Dec's TV comeback... I just don't understand the need to republish these things in 2016. I live in the UK so I guess some of these were mildly relevant to me, but if you're reading from abroad (maybe you've picked it up as an Emma Watson 2nd suggestion for the April book on Our Shared Shelf) I really don't know what you're going to get from it.
Having said that, the articles that are about more universal subjects are a hoot and her style is so much fun that towards the end of the book I started to forgive her for the Ode to Ant & Dec of earlier pages. The article about libraries is great, there's a Benedict Cumberbatch one that is just really fun, there are serious pieces about the migrant crises that make a lot of sense and many many more interesting things.
I guess my main point is that there's a lot of filler and it's definitely not all killer.
Having said that, the articles that are about more universal subjects are a hoot and her style is so much fun that towards the end of the book I started to forgive her for the Ode to Ant & Dec of earlier pages. The article about libraries is great, there's a Benedict Cumberbatch one that is just really fun, there are serious pieces about the migrant crises that make a lot of sense and many many more interesting things.
I guess my main point is that there's a lot of filler and it's definitely not all killer.
May 9, 2016
I adore Caitlin Moran. I absolutely adore her. This book is kind of a mix of the two Caitlins: the light, funny Caitlin, and the serious, intense Caitlin. This is another collection much like Moranthology, but this time a bit more of a connecting thread: politics. The world that we live in. This spans from feminist issues such as what women should wear to festivals (spoiler: exactly the same as men), to FGM and the housing crisis.
I'm quite impressed and proud that she seems to have expanded upon her observations which DID seem to focus more on 'white feminism' - talking mostly to cis white people. Here, she discusses racism, she touches on trans issues - as much as a cis white person can. She talks about her own personal experiences, and paves the way for those less privileged to talk about their experiences.
At times it does get VERY heavy - particularly the dedicated 'moranifesto' sections; discussing politics, and how to build a better political party system. But it is interesting. Especially her stance on mixing capitalism AND communism.
And, of course, bits of it still had me giggling in public. I have come to expect no less from Caitlin.
I'm quite impressed and proud that she seems to have expanded upon her observations which DID seem to focus more on 'white feminism' - talking mostly to cis white people. Here, she discusses racism, she touches on trans issues - as much as a cis white person can. She talks about her own personal experiences, and paves the way for those less privileged to talk about their experiences.
At times it does get VERY heavy - particularly the dedicated 'moranifesto' sections; discussing politics, and how to build a better political party system. But it is interesting. Especially her stance on mixing capitalism AND communism.
And, of course, bits of it still had me giggling in public. I have come to expect no less from Caitlin.
Read
August 15, 2017Finally! I finished!!!!
I read it really slowly because my life is busy and her words are cool.
She is so accessible and so lovely and chatty. And she makes me feel, as a woman, very special which is so so so so important.
I'd recommend to anyone who would like to recommend a good book to their younger niece/friend/daughter/hamster, this book.
I love her, it's almost true love.
I read it really slowly because my life is busy and her words are cool.
She is so accessible and so lovely and chatty. And she makes me feel, as a woman, very special which is so so so so important.
I'd recommend to anyone who would like to recommend a good book to their younger niece/friend/daughter/hamster, this book.
I love her, it's almost true love.
November 1, 2016
Lovely essays about everything from TV to politics in Moran's inimitable style!
February 9, 2017
I'm well aware that some people find Caitlin Moran's work a little, well, samey. It's a viewpoint I find perplexing; nobody says, ooh, those Alps, they were impressive a few millennia ago but now... They're a bit, well, Alpy, aren't they? All those breathtaking snowcapped peaks and the awesomeness of nature and all that just gets a bit repetitive after a few thousand years, amiright? Harrumph. Point is, Moran is the best at what she does. She has cornered the market in acerbic observation, f**k yeah feminism and making you laugh so much a bit of wee comes out. If it ain't broke, why fix it? However. Moranifesto might just surprise the dismissers. Like the Alps (I like this analogy, I'm keeping it), Caitlin is as, usual, all soaring peaks and a fair few troughs, and a chill wind bloweth over now and again. But about halfway through Moranifesto, it strikes you that change is afoot. This is, for all the bellylaughs and Benedict-mooning, quite a serious book. It makes you cry as often as it makes you laugh, and makes you bloody angry as often as it makes you punch the air and say 'At last, SOMEBODY is saying this stuff!'. In fact, it often makes you do all four things simultaneously, which is marvellous entertainment for your fellow bus passengers (oh yeah: read in public with extreme caution).
Moranifesto should be subtitled 'If Caitlin Ruled The World'. It's a world I'd rather like to live in (even if I would disagree fundamentally with my Overmistress with regards to Ripper Street, 'Girls' and being all mature and respectful to Tories. Nerp. Luckily we agree on everything else, so it's fiiiine. Although I might start a petition to inaugurate an annual National Bowie Day, something she'd be all for by the looks of it). The wonderful thing about Caitlin is that she's Everywoman, albeit with better eyeshadow/hair. She's done the crippling poverty, the UTIs, the childbearing, the nasty wormy head-problems, the fancying unsuitable men, the losses, the drinking, the being a bit better off in your 40s. She's seen life from all sides, not to mention its dark underbelly. The difference between her and us/me - apart from eyeshadow and hair - is that she is able to so eloquently, accessibly and succinctly express her experiences, and use them to ask/illustrate, why is this so? Does it have to be so? Why can't things be different? Let's MAKE things different!
Some of Moranifesto is hard to read. Some of it will make you - as a woman, or a man who thinks women are equal to you - want to punch the nearest wall in anger, before crying until you can't quite see out of your swollen up eyes anymore. Of course, you will find yourself crying just as much in mirth at very, very many points throughout the book - but be warned; it won't be long until you're a ball of anger/snot again. But this is the galvanising sort of anger, the sort of rage which burns and sets other things alight. This is GOOD anger. The kind of ire which confronts things, gets things done, changes things.
So. If you want to find out what Benedict Cumberbatch's bedroom walls look like, or nod in sage, sympathetic agreement at a polemic on cystitis, or marvel at how much one woman can worship Ant and Dec, this fabulously curated collection of Moran's columns, essays, articles and reviews will hit the spot. If you want to feel like you can actually, possibly, really DO something about cruel austerity measures which target those who can least bear them, or libraries closing, or the systematic dismantling and demonisation of the welfare state in a literal sense (the Tory government) and in a moral-panicking sneery sense (The Daily Mail), there is much, so much, for you here, too. Because that's what Moranifesto does: It's saying things CAN be better. It's hope, distilled. And God knows, we could all do with a bit of that right now.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Moranifesto should be subtitled 'If Caitlin Ruled The World'. It's a world I'd rather like to live in (even if I would disagree fundamentally with my Overmistress with regards to Ripper Street, 'Girls' and being all mature and respectful to Tories. Nerp. Luckily we agree on everything else, so it's fiiiine. Although I might start a petition to inaugurate an annual National Bowie Day, something she'd be all for by the looks of it). The wonderful thing about Caitlin is that she's Everywoman, albeit with better eyeshadow/hair. She's done the crippling poverty, the UTIs, the childbearing, the nasty wormy head-problems, the fancying unsuitable men, the losses, the drinking, the being a bit better off in your 40s. She's seen life from all sides, not to mention its dark underbelly. The difference between her and us/me - apart from eyeshadow and hair - is that she is able to so eloquently, accessibly and succinctly express her experiences, and use them to ask/illustrate, why is this so? Does it have to be so? Why can't things be different? Let's MAKE things different!
Some of Moranifesto is hard to read. Some of it will make you - as a woman, or a man who thinks women are equal to you - want to punch the nearest wall in anger, before crying until you can't quite see out of your swollen up eyes anymore. Of course, you will find yourself crying just as much in mirth at very, very many points throughout the book - but be warned; it won't be long until you're a ball of anger/snot again. But this is the galvanising sort of anger, the sort of rage which burns and sets other things alight. This is GOOD anger. The kind of ire which confronts things, gets things done, changes things.
So. If you want to find out what Benedict Cumberbatch's bedroom walls look like, or nod in sage, sympathetic agreement at a polemic on cystitis, or marvel at how much one woman can worship Ant and Dec, this fabulously curated collection of Moran's columns, essays, articles and reviews will hit the spot. If you want to feel like you can actually, possibly, really DO something about cruel austerity measures which target those who can least bear them, or libraries closing, or the systematic dismantling and demonisation of the welfare state in a literal sense (the Tory government) and in a moral-panicking sneery sense (The Daily Mail), there is much, so much, for you here, too. Because that's what Moranifesto does: It's saying things CAN be better. It's hope, distilled. And God knows, we could all do with a bit of that right now.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 11, 2016
I think Caitlin Moran is excellent, and have very much enjoyed all of her other books. I was a little surprised, then, when I saw that Moranifesto had such harsh criticism from those I know who also like her, and/or her sense of humour. I read many comments about how the material was old, and not at all relevant to today. Yes, all of the newspaper articles have been previously published - surely that is the point? It would be almost impossible to publish a book like this where everything was current, and that book would then surely be out of date in six months, or a year's time. Catch-22.
I do read books like this from time to time; David Mitchell's Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse... is a very enjoyable case in point. I see no issue with reading 'out of date' articles, particularly when, like Moran's, they are amusing, and still relevant to a lot of the things which are going on in the world at the moment. They offer new slants, and new perspectives, and therefore make 'old news' seem fresher.
There were a good few laugh-out-loud moments for me here, and reading Moranifesto has reestablished that Moran is incredibly talented at what she does. I wasn't disappointed with this, and eagerly look forward to her next release.
I do read books like this from time to time; David Mitchell's Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse... is a very enjoyable case in point. I see no issue with reading 'out of date' articles, particularly when, like Moran's, they are amusing, and still relevant to a lot of the things which are going on in the world at the moment. They offer new slants, and new perspectives, and therefore make 'old news' seem fresher.
There were a good few laugh-out-loud moments for me here, and reading Moranifesto has reestablished that Moran is incredibly talented at what she does. I wasn't disappointed with this, and eagerly look forward to her next release.
July 30, 2016
Caitlin Moran is brilliant. I've loved her writing since How To Be a Woman which i read in 2 days.
Moranifesto is a collection of articles which obviously have already been published from her Times columns. Arguably people could say this is another Moranthology (which I haven't got round to yet). However, they all lead up to the bigger picture of which she is trying to voice to us in her manifesto which ultimately she would hope would inspire each of us to write our own manifestos of which will include what we feel is important and needs to happen, and/or change in the world today.
Moranifesto is a collection of articles which obviously have already been published from her Times columns. Arguably people could say this is another Moranthology (which I haven't got round to yet). However, they all lead up to the bigger picture of which she is trying to voice to us in her manifesto which ultimately she would hope would inspire each of us to write our own manifestos of which will include what we feel is important and needs to happen, and/or change in the world today.
July 6, 2016
There were several sections that I really loved and agreed with, but they were outweighed by loads of her Times columns that were only really relevant for the month they were published.... Which ultimately left the whole thing feeling a bit lazy. Disappointing as Moran can be pretty marvellous when she puts her mind to it!
May 9, 2016
A brilliant collection of journalistic pieces grouped together to help put the world to rights, suggest how we can make the world a nicer place and make us laugh so hard your brew comes out your nose (that happened twice).
July 29, 2016
Being outside the UK, I discovered Caitlin Moran through her breakthrough book, "How to be a woman" and instantly adored her and her work ever since. Okay, she's loud, pointy, uncompromising, tends to submit ideas before really working them through before the deadline and completely unapologetic about all of this. She's not everyone's "White with one" but she makes a fair point or two.
This is essentially a collection of her columns - although there is some extra material that tops and tails each section, so there's more to the book than you would get from simply reading her column every week.
I admit I didn't adore every single column, and there's a few in there I really could have done without. I'm more than fine accepting that the same person who can raise really vital points about the nature of social policy making and its impact on the working classes, can also exist within the psyche of a person who adores Benedict Cumberbatch and black leggings - in fact, in some instances, I needed light relief from realising some pretty bad things about modern life - however sometimes the switch was too extreme and I felt like it lessened the impact of the more "worthy" subjects - in a way that reading it as originally intended - with a week between these columns - would have been different.
I therefore read this in bits (yes, it took ages) - but it meant that the columns with an actual message could sink in and I could skip along after the more light-hearted ones.
I was a little disappointed to see at least one entry repeated from "Moranthology' - I had hoped it had been included to provide context for a follow-up on the same topic, but unfortunately not. Likewise I don't think some of the columns aged well enough to merit inclusion - especially with some things being changed for the better since they were written. I felt there was space where Moran could have added a little post-script in reflection.
While I was reading the book (after all, it took me a while) I binge-watched "Raised By Wolves" - the TV series written by Moran with her sister about their unconventional upbringing. I had read enough of her previous work that I understood a bit about her childhood, however seeing the series helped to really bring it into sharp relief and made it easier to see a lot of the points she was making, so I really recommend it.
Personally, I would like to see a memoir by both Caitlin and Caroline Moran about their childhood - as I want both the bold and vibrant version (Caitlin) and the considered version (Caroline) - and while much had been changed for the TV series, it's fascinating how little had been.
I really recommend this book - even if you don't agree with Moran, at least she brings up important issues - and I also recommend checking out the youtube channel she's set up to accompany the book where she reads columns and adds some extra bits (and you get to experience her full range of muppetty facial expressions!)
This is essentially a collection of her columns - although there is some extra material that tops and tails each section, so there's more to the book than you would get from simply reading her column every week.
I admit I didn't adore every single column, and there's a few in there I really could have done without. I'm more than fine accepting that the same person who can raise really vital points about the nature of social policy making and its impact on the working classes, can also exist within the psyche of a person who adores Benedict Cumberbatch and black leggings - in fact, in some instances, I needed light relief from realising some pretty bad things about modern life - however sometimes the switch was too extreme and I felt like it lessened the impact of the more "worthy" subjects - in a way that reading it as originally intended - with a week between these columns - would have been different.
I therefore read this in bits (yes, it took ages) - but it meant that the columns with an actual message could sink in and I could skip along after the more light-hearted ones.
I was a little disappointed to see at least one entry repeated from "Moranthology' - I had hoped it had been included to provide context for a follow-up on the same topic, but unfortunately not. Likewise I don't think some of the columns aged well enough to merit inclusion - especially with some things being changed for the better since they were written. I felt there was space where Moran could have added a little post-script in reflection.
While I was reading the book (after all, it took me a while) I binge-watched "Raised By Wolves" - the TV series written by Moran with her sister about their unconventional upbringing. I had read enough of her previous work that I understood a bit about her childhood, however seeing the series helped to really bring it into sharp relief and made it easier to see a lot of the points she was making, so I really recommend it.
Personally, I would like to see a memoir by both Caitlin and Caroline Moran about their childhood - as I want both the bold and vibrant version (Caitlin) and the considered version (Caroline) - and while much had been changed for the TV series, it's fascinating how little had been.
I really recommend this book - even if you don't agree with Moran, at least she brings up important issues - and I also recommend checking out the youtube channel she's set up to accompany the book where she reads columns and adds some extra bits (and you get to experience her full range of muppetty facial expressions!)
July 25, 2017
I was right when I commented that you shouldn't read this book all at once. It is too much. Some parts, if read too quickly and all at once, might give you a headache or - worse even - make you feel like the world is not worth saving anymore because it is populated by bigoted idiots.... Which, to be fair, I do believe is sometimes true.
If I take for example the part on feminism, which I feel strongly about; I did read it all at once. And wanted to jump from a very high building in despair afterwards. While being incredibly on point every time (except for that one column on Lena Dunham, but we shall let that one pass), Moran shows a naked truth that might not agree with everyone. In a way, I like it, because it forces us to open our eyes and stare at the problems we are facing. But we humans do love to forget about the problems right in front of our nose, or to see only what we can accomplish in the short run to make it better. It's hard to see how fucked up this world is, it's even harder to realize that we can do something about it and we should do it sooner rather than later.
I preferred this anthology/manifesto to her previous one (Moranthology), if only because it was broader. Without needing much editing, it fits as well for a North American public as it does for a European one. The issues discussed in this book are issues that we need to care about, no matter where we are in the world. Does she derive to talk about Benedict Cumberbatch once in a while, forgetting the bigger picture in favour of drooling over the hottest British actor right now (don't tell Hugh Grant about this)? Yes, she does. You can't hold it over her, she's British. And it's Benedict Cumberbatch.
If I take for example the part on feminism, which I feel strongly about; I did read it all at once. And wanted to jump from a very high building in despair afterwards. While being incredibly on point every time (except for that one column on Lena Dunham, but we shall let that one pass), Moran shows a naked truth that might not agree with everyone. In a way, I like it, because it forces us to open our eyes and stare at the problems we are facing. But we humans do love to forget about the problems right in front of our nose, or to see only what we can accomplish in the short run to make it better. It's hard to see how fucked up this world is, it's even harder to realize that we can do something about it and we should do it sooner rather than later.
I preferred this anthology/manifesto to her previous one (Moranthology), if only because it was broader. Without needing much editing, it fits as well for a North American public as it does for a European one. The issues discussed in this book are issues that we need to care about, no matter where we are in the world. Does she derive to talk about Benedict Cumberbatch once in a while, forgetting the bigger picture in favour of drooling over the hottest British actor right now (don't tell Hugh Grant about this)? Yes, she does. You can't hold it over her, she's British. And it's Benedict Cumberbatch.
March 24, 2016
Love love love
To borrow from one of Moran's own essays featured in this collection ('Reading is Fierce' - yes!):
'My head is on fire, my heart is flooding'
I also almost peed myself laughing.
(I read most of this on a plane and in the middle I binged watched the first 5 episodes of the new season of Broad City. It was one of the best flights ever.)
To borrow from one of Moran's own essays featured in this collection ('Reading is Fierce' - yes!):
'My head is on fire, my heart is flooding'
I also almost peed myself laughing.
(I read most of this on a plane and in the middle I binged watched the first 5 episodes of the new season of Broad City. It was one of the best flights ever.)
May 16, 2018
I thought Caitlin Moran was just hysterically funny and really smart about feminism. I had no idea she was one of the wisest, most insightful people I've ever encountered with some of the literal best, most creative and insanely reasonable ideas for how we should organize our societies to make things not just better, but fucking AWESOME. Caitlin Moran is my official hero/crush/hope for humanity. I love her.
August 22, 2019
4.5⭐️
I love Caitlin Moran’s non fiction books so much- they’re galvanising, make me nod along saying “Yes! Exactly!” and really make me consider the ways in which I view our world, and my place in it (especially as a woman). This collection of writing covers a huge variety of topics, and whilst I don’t agree with everything she has to say, I still enjoy the way she says it! This is funny, empowering, heartbreaking, and very very honest. Highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys non fiction and/or feminist lit.
I love Caitlin Moran’s non fiction books so much- they’re galvanising, make me nod along saying “Yes! Exactly!” and really make me consider the ways in which I view our world, and my place in it (especially as a woman). This collection of writing covers a huge variety of topics, and whilst I don’t agree with everything she has to say, I still enjoy the way she says it! This is funny, empowering, heartbreaking, and very very honest. Highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys non fiction and/or feminist lit.
January 15, 2018
Moranifesto was my go-to book during a long painful period of my life. Yet, despite my stressed state, I found myself admiring the wisdom I saw in most of the articles. In other words, I went "Whoa, so dope" a lot.
Book covers feminism, revolution and poverty, along with some well meaning tips and hints for young girls. Loved it. Five stars.
Book covers feminism, revolution and poverty, along with some well meaning tips and hints for young girls. Loved it. Five stars.
November 2, 2017
Insightful and funny.
August 14, 2018
I really do love her, what more can I say? If you want a positive life kick that will make you determined to fight for what's right, sure read the book. I tend to be a naysayer sometimes and in those moments there is Caitlin and her belief in human capability of betterment. I found the topics real interesting and well-balanced with the heavier pieces lightened up by some more trivial yet highly amusing ones. If you like Caitlin Moran make sure to read her Moranifesto!
March 6, 2017
Rather to my shame, I've not read much of Caitlin Moran's work before so I took the chance to sample some of her work here – and it's brilliant.
Moran's writing is genuinely funny, genuinely intelligent and genuinely incredibly readable. Whatever she is writing about, she brings an often laugh-out-loud wit to it but there is real intellectual depth in it, too. There is a lot of thoughtful and perceptive social and political analysis here and it's a joy to read pieces which often make very serious, important points while remaining readable and engaging enough to really involve you. And, of course, there are the plain hilarious pieces dealing with such profound subjects as Daft Punk's single Get Lucky.
I expected this to be a book which I would dip into, read a few pieces and then read something else for a break before returning. It's the opposite – I enjoyed it so much that I just kept lapping it up and had to tear myself away. Back in the 80s I used to read P.J. O'Rourke, even though I profoundly disagreed with his politics, because he wrote so well and so funnily and because he made me think. Caitlin Moran has a similar effect on me – with the added bonus that I agree with her on pretty well everything.
Quite simply, this book was a slightly unexpected joy for me, and I can recommend it wholeheartedly.
Moran's writing is genuinely funny, genuinely intelligent and genuinely incredibly readable. Whatever she is writing about, she brings an often laugh-out-loud wit to it but there is real intellectual depth in it, too. There is a lot of thoughtful and perceptive social and political analysis here and it's a joy to read pieces which often make very serious, important points while remaining readable and engaging enough to really involve you. And, of course, there are the plain hilarious pieces dealing with such profound subjects as Daft Punk's single Get Lucky.
I expected this to be a book which I would dip into, read a few pieces and then read something else for a break before returning. It's the opposite – I enjoyed it so much that I just kept lapping it up and had to tear myself away. Back in the 80s I used to read P.J. O'Rourke, even though I profoundly disagreed with his politics, because he wrote so well and so funnily and because he made me think. Caitlin Moran has a similar effect on me – with the added bonus that I agree with her on pretty well everything.
Quite simply, this book was a slightly unexpected joy for me, and I can recommend it wholeheartedly.
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