The Hook-Up Handbook : The Single Girl's Guide to Living It Up

by Andrea Lavinthal

Let's face it - dating has changed. Rare is the romantic and handsome lover waiting to whisk you away for a lifetime of smug coupledom. More likely is that guy you get down with every now and then. It's not a one-night stand and it's not dating - it's a hookup. THE HOOKUP HANDBOOK includes essential how to recognise the players (Mr December, the older man; Oops I Did it Again, the ex-boyfriend); how to deal with the next morning ( The Walk of Shame Rears its Uncombed Head); hookup lingo (Beer Google - drunkenly typing his name into every Web search engine). Is he crazy in love or just crazy as hell? Is he hetero, metro, or gay? And 3 Hookups Do Not a Boyfriend Make; When Some Stupid Boy Leaves You Remember That One Day He'll Be Sporting a Comb-over and Nose Hair. There is a chapter on 'Where the Boys Are' - likely hangouts to find hookups - such as invite-only functions (pickup line 'Are you friends with the bride or groom?'); first year at college ('What floor do you live on?'); destination getaways ('I can show you the stuff they don't print in brochures'). Also great tips on how to ready your flat for a hookup - what to stash away (facial hair bleach, granny panties) and what to proudly display (Sopranos DVDs, a pair of stilettos). Part satire and part field guide, THE HOOKUP HANDBOOK gives readers the lowdown on getting down.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

About the author

When she isn’t writing books with her friend Jessica Rozler, Andrea Lavinthal is an editor at Cosmopolitan. She lives, works, and shops in New York City.

Reviews

[Kat]

I'm hoping Patti will offer good advice on CHEATING in this book.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn’t have just picked this up for pleasure reading, but it was definitely one of the more entertaining books I’ve read for a class.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

From a blog post I wrote in 2005:

This was an impulse pickup at the library. The full title is The Hookup Handbook - A Single Girl's Guide to Living It Up and it's by Andrea Lavinthal and Jessica Rozler. It was pretty frickin' funny. They talk about the different types of hookups, "The Walk Of Shame" and the dangers of drunken dialing to potential hookups.

Here's some stuff out of the summary from the book:

All We Really Need to Know We Learned from Hooking Up
(Well, Maybe Not Quite, But...)

Three hookups do not a boyfriend make.

Guy friends are great for hanging out with but usually make for a hookup disaster (unless, of course, you get magically beamed up into a Meg Ryan movie).

Yes, he really was a as painfully boring as your friends kept telling you.

Wearing sweatpants in front of your hookup is the quickest way to end things.

Know when to see him free: A little drama in your life is fun, but too much is a Lifetime movie.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hilarious. Give it a look the next time you are at the book store, library, or perhaps my apartment! I actually came across this book when I was reseraching for my senior sociology project. Go figure.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Superbly funny and successfully bring forth the more unabrigged definition in the so called difficult thing to define entity worldly known as hook-up. Laugh till you drop!

[Brianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really made me laugh. Didn't make me want to hook up with anyone, but it's a good read if you're single and need a good laugh! LOL

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Funny book, and funny to see this stuff from a girl's POV.

[Tisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is hilarious.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only read 65% of this because it promotes promiscuity without any caution regarding STD's. Is amusing at times.

[Paras · Rating 4 out of 5]

ONe of the most amazingly hilarious books..
P.S. Keep it away from boys ;)

[Vanessa Maxwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasn't really into it. I was ready to enter into the dating field thought it may be useful, but it was on a different level ie "hookup" than starting anew and creating a relationship.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is anecdotal and silly. It's a very frivolous read.

[Summer Heeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wasn't really into it. I was ready to enter into the dating field thought it may be useful, but it was on a different level i.e hookup than starting a new and creating a relationship.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So funny! Great witty humor :)

[Xanthi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a mildly amusing fluff piece with a tiny smidgen of practical advice. Not really book material, but rather long article in a women's mag like Cosmo.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was so funny!! Not to be taken seriously but also completely and utterly true.

[Merary · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those promiscuous women who want to have a good laugh. :)