Dubai Debt Issues Push Stocks Down
Family Gets Early Christmas Gift From Ellen DeGeneres
Stuy Pyro Leaves Notes In Hieroglyphics
Photos of D Train Murder Depict Bloody Panic
Have Fancy Dress & Thirst For Spotlight, Will Crash State Dinner
Okay, it's official, after reading a profile of The Devil Wears Prada author Lauren Weisberger in the Daily News, the sleeves are rolled up. Check this out:
Weisberger was 22 and relatively fresh out of Cornell when she was hired to be Wintour's assistant at the end of 1999. Among other mundane duties, she spent a year fetching coffee and booking town cars, as well as making arrangements with the caterers and florists for after-hours business events.
"There were certain aspects of the job I could have done without," Weisberger, now 26, recalls. "For one, it involved being in early - in the 7:30 range - which I found unbearable."
If The Devil's narrator/heroine, Andrea, is based on Weisberger, then she's "sour, sarcastic, self-involved" and "too much of a pill to be endearing" according to Janet Maslin's review today. Much like Kate Betts' argument that Weisberger had an amazing opportunity to work at Vogue and should have appreciated it, Gothamist thinks that Weisberger is dumb as a brick for thinking that she'd have a byline right out of school. And, Christ, you can't wake up to get to work early and make a good impression in order to try and move higher in the pecking order? At a competitive, cutthroat company? It's not Better Homes and Gardens...it's Vogue. It's a JOB. There are thousands of investment bankers, not to mention countless other employed, who can attest to the virtues of getting to work early.
Gothamist's advice to anyone graduating from college and thinking about working in New York City: Suck it up. Stop being such babies. In spite of reading Page Six, people do actually work hard in this town. On the other hand, don't think Gothamist isn't trying to parlay a year of work experience into six figure book and movie deals, plus four years of publicity work hyping them.
To close, Lauren Weisberger can swing on Gothamist's nut sack.
NEW Gothamist on Lauren Weisberger's April 17 Today Show appearance
Gothamist on Anna Wintour and movie producer Scott Rudin
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
In my vitriol, I realize I'm sounding like my mom. Another reason I hate Lauren Weisberger!
I wholly second the "suck it up" motion for the recent college grad NYC immigrants. I moved here and expected to have my ass kicked around substantially before landing any kind of percs (if any at all!), so all this whining about "BUT I HAVE A DEGREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!! AND ITS SO HARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!!!" really chafes the old hide.
I wouldn't expect to get to the office at 7:30 my entire life, but that seems like the *least* you might do for a few years to jumpstart a successful corporate career.
All I know is that if I hear one more 22-year-old whining that they went to this or that school, so they shouldn't have to make copies, I'm gonna whomp their ass with my fucking Ivy diploma and boarding school cred. Yeah, biznatch, you went to an Ivy, but guess what? No one gives a shit what grade you got in Econ 101 or that yr parents drive a hummer. Can you use Excel? That's what I wanna know. We old folks just make work look easy, babe. Now fetch my coffee. No sugar.
Finally, glamour jobs at fun papers have always meant some sucking-up was necessary. I believe in getting paid to suck ass, if I must do it. That's why I'm in financial services.
Yeah her sense of entitlement is astounding. But so's Kate Betts kissing up to Anna for a job disguised as a book review.
she just makes it so easy to hate her.
"the next 'it' writer" :
makes me wanna gag, how much did she get for that book (a), & do people think it'll sell to Hollywood?
I guess she'll get the last laugh if she's got a nice paycheck but sounds like she'll NEVER write a decent book
i can't stand the sense of entitlement that it would take to conceive and execute a project like this. and you sort of realize how messed up our society is when people are actually willing to buy and read this kind of trash.
As someone who has a tendency to whine about my lowly position all too often, I would like to point out that every single one of my friends from college turned their diploma into millions of dollars. And it really only just occured to me that they did this by working really hard whereas I have never worked hard in my life and have been rewarded accordingly. When will I be able to walk into a supermarket and buy what I need with my good looks?
I predict dozens of I hate Lauren links on Google by the end of May. Posted this item on my blog.
Jen, good piece!
Thanks, Susan! Lauren has unwittingly become a lightning rod for all the resentment of people who actually work hard at their jobs. She's just really stupid. And has a great agent.
Jealous much? People are talking about her, not you, and y'all can barely contain your fury over that.
If the book is a hit, she wins. Actually, she's already won.
Of course she's won. That's what makes it so infuriating. (George W. Bush is President, but that doesn't stop people talking shit about him.) Sure, I'm jealous that I can't publish a poorly written book about the "horrors" of my first job. (20 hour days? check. work torn up in front of me by boss? check. being made to go on a business trip just to carry the projector and visual aids while suffering from pneumonia? check check check.) What I'm railing against is the concept that she's the only one to have had a shite job and that work should be easy. Lauren Weisberger is the unwitting lightning rod for all the resentment that people who do work hard at their jobs feel, like it or not. I'm already pretty shallow as it is, so my idealistic views about a strong work ethic do stir up this kind of questioning.
oh shit- it sounds like lauren weisberger has a posse- and we've stirred up beef with them!
The one thing I find interesting about these axe-to-grind beach books (see also The Nanny Diaries) is what they reveal about the protagonists/authors. Usually, the heroine is just as venal, narcissistic, entitled, and non-introspective as the villain/meanie employer. Why else would the authors take such miserable "glamour" jobs and then bitch about them? Glamour industries are chockfull of bitching, entitled perk whores for a reason.
It's all very All About Eve, isn't it?
it is- i mean, it's not really clear who the title describes- her boss or the author.
It's All About Eve with a dumber Eve Harrington. And, Jake, I was thinking the same thing - who is the devil...I was contemplating putting devil ears and mustache on Weisberger's picture...
You can't change the picture. The way it is now has a perfect pedigree; just look at these past Time Magazine covers with comparable graphics:
1945
2003
those are great covers- i like how the x is done in blood. i think that would be appropriate here, as well.
The posts on this message board are interesting. I wonder how many of you have been executive admin assistants or PA's? The answer is that NONE of you have because if you had, you would totally understand and appreciate the subject matter Ms. W has written about. I've supported telecom execs at the top networking companies for the past ten years. Fortunately, most of them were fantastic bosses who appreciated and respected me. But there was one who clearly viewed assistants as indentured servants whose sole existence was to be at her beck and call. She went so far as to TELL me that I was relocating with her to Texas from Massachusetts. I almost had to quit my job to get out of it. That's one of many outrageous situations I encountered working for that witch. But you think Ms. W and I should consider ourselves "lucky" to work for such people??? You don't know what you speak of and couldn't be more wrong. You look down on Ms. W for not being grateful for the opportunity to lick Anna Wintour's boots whereas I commend her for having some dignity and self-respect. The glamour world is filled with whores -- obviously Ms. W is not cut out for that world.
"I wonder how many of you have been executive admin assistants or PA's? The answer is that NONE of you have because if you had..."
Er, no. Actually I was a fashion assistant/indentured servant at a big name magazine. And yes, my boss was quite the shallow, demanding diva. It was an invaluable educational experience, however, and had I wanted to pursue a career in fashion, it could've been a great stepping stone. The main education for me was seeing my own shallow, demanding diva tendencies ("Anna Wintour, c'est moi!") and deciding to confront them. I left fashion, went into a less glamourous business, and became much more careful when picking a boss.
please- i got my start in the business as a house boy for a big name internet executive that i'm not at liberty to name. in addition to fetching him coffee and copies of the silicon alley reporter, i also had to do terrible, unspeakable things. for instance, once I had to go out to eat with him at Lucky Strike and we had to give up our booth so the guys from Razorfish could sit there. talk about sacrifices!
STOP HATING!!!!
Weisberger has made it. She went to New York to overcome and she did just that.
Pro-Weisberger: She came to NY to overcome what? Her Boca Raton background? Her Ivy League degree? She came here to succeed, as we all did, but let's not make this a "we shall overcome" classist struggle.
I think we should let time tell what will happen to L. Weisberger. If she is really talented, she will overcome the horrible reviews on her first book and write another, hopefully better, book. However, knowing what she got paid for the book and movie rights - she would be smart to invest well and live quietly in obscurity!
Give me a break...This little Lauren bashing session is ridiculous...IT'S A BOOK FOLKS...Fine, if you don't like the book, but taking a book that may 'dish' about some bitch boss as some inner analysis of who Lauren is????? give me a break, do any of you even know Lauren???
From the Lauren Weisberger interview in Salon, LW sums up what Gothamist has been doing:
Question: But there's that scene in the book where Andrea makes fun of her brother-in-law for being from Houston. Isn't that snobby?
Lauren Weisberger: Say you're sitting in a mall and you're people-watching and when everyone walks by you make comments. It's not meant to be hostile; it's just a way to pass the time.
Actually, one of my best friends grew up with Lauren in PA. I do have alot of dirt on her from reports from my friend but since they are second hand, I will not post them. Let's just say that the main character in the book is her and some other characters are her friends. If you end up not liking the main character, Andrea, chances are you will not like Lauren. She's not a nice person in real life and her book still sucks.
OK, 'pretty one,' huh? First off, for someone who's criticizing someone else, that's a pretty stuck up name...second of all, since your reports on lauren are 'second hand,' you're not posting them...oh, so full of integrity, when THREE SENTENCES LATER, you do exactly what you say you're not going to do....
Hi Pretty One!! I did, in fact, grow up with Ms. Weisberger. Trust me-- she wasted PLENTY of hours during our childhood making fun of everyone around her and making plenty of lives miserable.
Some of us have to wait until our next life to be repaid for the things we do and the way we treat others. By reading the numerous accurate reviews of her crappy novel, Lauren is among the "lucky" who don't have to wait until their next life to get their karma's due...
Me saying she's not a nice person wasn't really what I meant by having dirt on her. Her not being a nice person comes across very clearly in her interviews, articles and of course her book. Actually, Jonny Q, I was talking about stuff like her picking her nose and wiping in on her bedspread. That stuff and more I didn't really want to post but since you called me on it.... As far Pretty One is concerned, I am pretty and you are free to disagree.
Pretty One happens to be extremely pretty. Way more so than LW, which I'm sure interests Jon since he is probably only defending LW because he had a "moment" with her...
Now, now, girls....Let's try to be happy for Lauren and not so blatantly jealous of her wonderful book. I think LW's book is awesome and I can see her going very far in this world. If you girls were really her friends, you would be supportive of her.
FashionSlave, you need to get a life and stop bringing down the curve...
Pretty One, what the HELL???
sorry, no 'moment' with her...just plenty more useful bits of information as to her character as a human being than her 'picking her nose and wiping it on her bedspread...' ...really, the more you say regarding 'dirt' on her, really just makes me laugh as to what your standards are for friends...I'm sure you've NEVER EVER picked your nose in your life...after all, you are pretty one and pretty one's don't do that, do they??
and fashion slave, i don't take issue with someone being pretty (hells, who doesn't appreciate beauty) but having your screen name 'pretty one' i think is a bit much...
jonny g has a point.... he he he
gimmeeabreak, that's what i like..showin the love..
by the way, pretty one and fashion slave???
what a duo...
both sound like a real good time....actually, not so much!!!
I KNOW Pretty One and FashionSlave. That's how I can say these things... *smooch* right back at ya jonny g...
oh well, was feelin' you right up til about now...enjoy them...
Well, you all have made my hellish work existence a tiny bit more tolerable today... This has gotten unreasonably dirty.
Gimmeeabreak, give ME a break.
And Jon, I have to be honest with you. All this talk about nosepicking just made that playground taunt ring in my ears, "You can pick your nose, and you can pick your friends..." I can't make it stop.
Honestly, back to the topic...
I have read about 250 of the roughly 300 pages of this book. It is BAD. There are certainly well-written, humorous little sections, but they are few and far between. Hopefully Peter Hedges (who is working on the screenplay) will cut out the parts about the main Character (presumably, based on LW) that go on and on, and focus on the funny interactions with the Devil boss... The more detail we learn about the main character, Andrea, the more we sincerely hope her devil of a boss will just shove her pitchfork up Andrea's you know what...
and as far as knowing the two of them, don't be so sure you're the only one...
Jonny, I am glad you got my joke about the nose picking. Clearly you aren't as dumb as I thought. And your comments about being attractive may mean you yourself are attractive. Gimmeeabreak sounds into you, maybe I am broker a date. By the way, I still think LW is a whiny baby who really needs some writing lessons and a new industry to work in. The fashion industry will never allow her to work again, I am sure Anna will be preventing it!
Jon: what does THAT mean? Do you mean KNOWING in some particular way?
oh 'pretty one', I'm sure she cares that YOU think she's whiny and needs writing lessons (after all, you ARE pretty!!!) Funny, her writing teacher didn't seem to think so...
and as far as being 'attractive,' I wouldn't worry too much about me...I just happen to think physical beauty doesn't have much of a place on a message board about a book...
Jon - you need to chill out. We are just doing this to kill the time until we are broken free from the chains that keep us at our desks. By the way, this is a free country and I can call myself whatever I want. You have given us some mild amusement so your good deed has been done for the day. And how do you know what her writing teacher thinks.......
I think Jonny Q is LW's writing coach and therefore unfit for this posting board. You have ruined your credibility.
These other people need to get back work...tsk..tsk!
Good call, Pretty One. If Jon was Lauren's writing teacher, no wonder he is defending her. She is the biggest kiss ass I've ever met.
By the way, I must point out that I do think Lauren has talent and potential. Unfortunately, very little of that is reflected in this pathetic book.
you ladies should look around a bit more...you might know whom you think you don't...
Oh, maybe Jon is LW disguised so she can defend herself. Anyway, I tire of such. Wine & Champagne are on tap for tonight and seem so much more interesting...Have a nice life, Jon or LW or the writing coach. Nice KNOWING you.
THAT'S IT...I'M LAUREN'S WRITING TEACHER...YOU'RE ALL SO SMART...or wait, no, right I'm Lauren...I mean what else better would Lauren have to do then be on this chat room...
sorry ladies, none of the above...
I hope you all enjoy the rest of your bashing session...really, there's not many things more fun than bashing someone who's not even around to answer...
I just discovered this brew-ha-ha from being marketed to. The publisher was touting this book's amazing success and best seller cred. A little research shows just how big the marketing push is(I mean all ready on the Today show and Salon interviews, etc.). This is every writer's dream, except that the critical reviews tell me it's a poorly written gossip novel that doesn't even sustain its initial interest; and the reader comments on Amazon, et. al., are even worse. The readers have just trashed it. For most writers, bad early reviews would kill the book, career over. Yet this flourishes. And not because it's undeniable beautiful and moving and the reviews were just spiteful. For me it's like watching the strangeness of life unfold. As an "emerging" writer, I'm very jealous of her. I know how hard I and so many other writers I know work at making characters full and complex, making the story interesting and satisfying, so that the characters, even the minor ones, and the reader all come away moved and hopefully changed. There are so many books that do this. There are beautiful, important books, that just get ignored. And this is the buzz book of the moment? You mean I could have left out all that work and just wrote a shallow gossipy book about a glamour topic and become rich and famous like this author, selling so many copies and getting so many validating interviews, even on TV? Yeah, I'm just a jealous writer. How could any aspiring writer not be?
To be truthful, I haven't read the book. I only read an excerpt. The writing didn't seem bad, though I can't judge a whole novel by an excerpt, it can only make me want to buy the book or not. I guess the general public reads for different reasons than I, likes different things. And as a writer, that's a very scary thing. It doesn't give much hope. And this is why other writers hate her. The reading audience we're told is dwindling, and this is what those who do still read, are reading. It's depressing. It means I and my future are completely out of touch with reality. Reality is that the best writers are the most telegenic ones. Ick.
jealous writer:
don't spend another second worrying about lauren weisberger- if you are good, you'll be able to make a living writing and maybe even get famous- but that's not what writing is about. if you are satisfied with your work, and feel like you've put in your best effort, that should stand on its own. of course, if you are reduced to eating half-thawed frankfurters out of a dumpster, that could be a problem. anyway- buck up- she's already yesterday's news.
As someone who knows some of these critics, and who also grew up with Lauren Weisberger, I feel compelled to step in here and defend Lauren.
Reflecting on my experiences with the author (from about ten years ago), she was always a genuinely hard worker, and was always herself. But that aside…
The book is not a piece of literature that will win a Pulitzer, but even Ms. Weisberger admits this in her forward/dedication.
The book is funny, creative, and entertaining. It has been well-publicized (kudos to Lauren and her agent) and there are some laugh-out-loud vignettes in it.
I believe that much of the negative press it has received has been produced by the fact that it was (over)publicized to be an "expose" of the fashion industry.
While I don't doubt that it started out as such, I am pretty convinced that it ended up being primarily a creative endeavor of a young, aspiring writer with much talent and a good story to tell.
The critics who find Miss W to be ungrateful for her experiences have obviously overlooked the fact that she took full advantage of them, and I’m pretty certain right now she is thanking her lucky stars to have fallen into her job at Vogue.
Whether or not this book reflects her actual experiences working under the EIC of Vogue, I am sure at this point in her career she is thankful she had those experiences to draw from for this book.
And it is funny.
I honestly believe that the problems with the book (some, I hate to admit, are obvious) were a product of quick, eager editing, NOT of the author.
So, people, (PRETTY ONE too…) be happy for her. She is a talented young woman who has managed to accomplish more in her twenty-six years than most people do in a lifetime. And from my experiences with her, it is well-deserved.
Even negative press, mind you, is press… So enjoy. Bash, if you must, but please read it. It’s worth your time.
And, jealous writer: if this is not the kind of writing you have been working on, then Lauren Weisberger’s success is irrelevant. Writing is a difficult, thankless profession. But we do it because we love it. Keep at it—you will get out of it whatever you put in.
bm
"To close, Lauren Weisberger can swing on Gothamist's nut sack."
Well written. Clearly, YOU should be the one with the book deal, and SHE should be the one whining about it.
actually, the book deal should go to josh, our friend, who popularized the expression back in 1999.
Right, "..can swing on Gothamist's nutsack (tm jOsh)"
I just found out about this book today by accident. I was reading a review in a magazine, and thought, hey, this might be a funny book. Then I caught the author's name. No, I thought. It *couldn't* be. So I got online and looked it up, and sure enough...I went to school with this girl for 6 years. I think we were friends for about a minute and a half in seventh grade, but that quickly went down the drain. I've never met a more self-centered snob in my life. She constantly built up herself and her friends, and trashed and cut down all the rest of us. She wasn't the bane of my existance or anything, in fact, we pretty much stayed out of each other's ways. We did different things, we ran with different crowds, and quite frankly, I didn't care enough about her opinion for her to actually be the bane of my existence. But we ended up in lots of classes together, both being honors students.
When I found out it was her, I couldn't decide what my reaction should be. Should I be thrilled that a fellow PHS grad did well for herself, in a field that I myself am interested in, and working toward (writing, not fashion.)? Or am I profoundly bitter that someone as nasty as she was has gotten the success that many nicer and more talented people have not gotten? Well, I still haven't quite decided. But, I also haven't read the book yet. I'll be making a trip to the local library post haste. (won't actually pay for it because a) I'm broke, and b) I'm spiteful) I will say this, however. Those of you who have posted that you knew her and she was mean are quite correct. She WAS mean. But, at the same time, I can't quite hate her for her success because I know she worked ass hard to get where she is. She was a killer student in high school, and if she was in Cornell, I imagine she worked ass hard in college too. And who among us has NOT had a dickhead boss at some point? I guess what I'm saying is, yeah, she's a bitchy wench, but good for her. She did something worthwhile. Although, after I've actually READ the book, the "worthwhile" part may be taken back. I'm trying to be fair here, but man, I'd be lying if I said I was happy she's famous, and generating so much buzz. So, yeah. That's my story.
I don't know why everyone seems to think Cornell is a good school. Both of my roommates went to Cornell and they are severely retarded. Like "tape 'Joe Millionaire'" retarded.
Damn. Joe Millionaire? Really? I stand corrected. Eek.
Cornell has the highest suicide rate of any college. If you've been there, it will make perfect sense! Some people slip through the cracks, obviously.
who are these cats that are talkin cornell...went to cornell over here...and by the way, my boy knows this girl that wrote this book...said she's mad cool...why you all-besides a couple-hate her so much...never seen so many jealous cats in my life!!
a pleasure to wade through all of your spleen and envy. a pleasure. clap.
keep up the pace - keeps the heart warm, pushes blood to the extremities, builds character, bores.
with enemies like you, lauren has nothing to worry about. you should all be very proud.
take bows.
go on.
preety one - hello.
a pleasure to meet you.
i have been searching for someone like you for years.
a girl...a beautiful girl, conceited, self centered, superficial, pithy and degenerate.
lucky for you, character doesnt interest me.
now fight back.
but forgive me in advance, i probably wont respond.
dude, you're creepy. Pretty one, I think you have a stalker.
Pretty One also has a hand gun and enjoys being able to use it! For someone who is attacking my character perhaps you should be looking in the mirror - Pretty TOO.
I can't believe that anyone would criticize the content or intentions of this book. Have you read it? If any of these anecdotes are correct, Anna Wintour deserves every bit of bad press she gets. Bravo Lauren! I am so tired of people forgiving reprehensible behavior in the name of professional "brilliance". The two are not mutually exclusive. She is a mean, hateful human being. And lets remember that she is in fashion. She isn't creating a vaccine for AIDS or anything. Putting in your time is one thing, but to be demeaned and treated like a non-person is quite another. Kate Betts' review was so transparent; she is unemployed now, and knows the repurcussions if she angers Ms. Wintour.
i was just checking out reviews of this book because lauren's an old firend and I haven't seen her in years...I stumbled onto this site...
2 things:
1)nice work lauren, it is what it is and you did it
2)the folks on this site spend a lot of time criticizing...do something with yourselves and shut the fuck up
Well, we ARE doing something with ourselves. We're venting. I believe Pretty too mentioned something (albeit sarcastically) about pumping blood to the extremeties or some such bullshit. Whether we're bitching for spite, boredom, valid dislike for the book, excess venom from highschool, not enough nicotine this morning, it doesn't matter. We're just venting. You're going to tell me LAUREN has never been unnecessarily catty? Dude, I KNEW Lauren. The girl was nothing BUT catty. Whatever, if you don't like what we're saying, don't read it. Simple. It's not like you've never griped about anything. We're just doing it online instead of at the water cooler. If you're bothered by us, ignore us. Get over yourself.
Hey PHS girl-whats your name? A bunch of us went to school with Lauren.. wonder if we know you?
another HORRIBLE book by a self-centered egotistical new yorker: confessions of a toxic bachelor by rick marin. jealous is not the right word to describe the feelings that marin and lauren w inspire in me - i think its dismay and disgust. i can't believe they are rewarded for being so uninteresting and self-obsessed. they are clearly good at self-promotion. in lauren's case, she is fortunate so many people are dying for dirt on anna wintour. the best thing about that book (although admittedly i have not read it) has to be the title. i don't give a shit that anna wintour is a bitch - she has done more with her career than most people dream about and is a living legend. she's almost entitled. as for rick marin, whose toxic bachelorhood ends this weekend, he looks like an asshole for thinking any thoughtful interesting people will actually care about your experiences. lauren will learn soon enough that her stint at vogue is the most interesting thing about her. i hope someone god-awful plays her in the movie.
Fashion Slave-
Yeah, we probably DO know each other. email me-goddessem@yahoo.com.
i believe anna wintour is a raging crazy bitch and could make any "mundane" job hell. SHE'S the one who needs to swing on LAUREN'S nut sack with her mouth.
it's so pathetic to see so many losers kissing up to a lunatic. but it's understandable. they're doing it out of fear. they don't care about pride.
i will give anna one thing, though...she looks faaaabulous in the new PETA campaign.
Say what you will about Lauren Weisberger and Anna Wintour. They obviously have a lot more in common than either one would probably like to admit. Both used their circumstances to get what they want. I, personally, believe every word in the book, having lived through an experience very similar. The first thought I had when finished: "I wish I'd thought of that." More power to Ms. W, I say. She skipped to the front of the same line that the rest of us suckers will probably be in for the rest of our lives. Yes, I'm talking about you.
this is such old news- but this point must be made: i don't think anyone thinks anna wintour is a great person- the point is that they are both horrible. and that wintour has been given so much celebrity that weisberger can siphon some off is a comment on just how lame our new york based celebrity obsessed culture has become. so fuck the line- what the hell are you waiting in line for anyway? wherever that line is going is some place i do not want to be.
Jake, honey, hate to tell you this, but the fact that you wrote a comment in this particular chat room means that you are already in the line.
After just finishing LW's novel, I was curious to see what others thought of it. All I can say is that the droning and griping going on here is even more entertaining than the book itself (which, incidentally, I found extremely funny). I mean, some of you are really grasping for anything you can possibly criticize about this woman and her book - she picks her nose? Oh really? WHO CARES? She's "catty"? She's a "self-centered snob"? NOBODY CARES. And to those who attacked LW's statement that she found being at work for 7:30am unbearable: doesn't 80%+ of the population feel the same way? That makes her a lazy snob? As far as I'm concerned, Weisberger (at 26) has accomplished a whole lot more than most people do in 40 years. And if the book IS based on her own experience working in the fashion industry, even better -- she took a rough stint at Vogue and turned it into big $$$. It's simply a lighthearted, satirical book that was never meant to be the next "War & Peace" (read the dedications). Congrats, Lauren: you've worked hard and it paid off. And you've made a whole lot of people - especially early-risers who despise their jobs - extremely jealous of you.
so, what we are to learn from those who hate this book is that it feels great to treat people like crap if we are in the position to do so?
I agree with JH's comments on getting up early. I've been out of college for almost a year and I still struggle to get to work by 7:30am(sleep til noon on weekends). I would much rather arrive around 10, if that was allowed. And at some point we all have to take a job that we can get and that's why we stick with it. So, to those of you who took offense to this novel, go f- yoursleves. It was funny and makes me feel better about the dead end job I have.
you people need to lighten up! it's a novel and a damn entertaining one at that. when i bought the book here at our local bookstore in podunk, i didn't even know what a "prada" was. i know now, but am pretty dang sure i'll never own one!
the running commentary here is almost as much fun as the book. i don't have much time to read, bein' is i run a little bidness myself, but it was a very amusing way to spend a weekend.
and thanks, yall, for the continued amusement here!
If you own Prada you own IT - not ONE. (see comment above from hick) Glad to see my stalker has gone away.(pretty too) I still find this site amusing, maybe just b/c I know some of the characters who haunt here. This site is for entertainment, just like the book. Take it all in perspective people and lighten UP!!!!!
ha... i find all of this so amusing. first of all, i expected the book to be better written -- after all, if fashion writing is so "beneath" her (and vogue actually does have some pretty impressive writing; i read fashion publications as part of my job, and most of the industry is more "fashion" than "publication" from what i can tell), shouldn't she be just dripping with linguistic skill? and yes, she's whiney and condescending. but, being a 22 year old recent grad myself (from an excellent college which in no way prepared me for the real world), with a job in a fashion-related industry in the geographical area described, i must say i got a giggle out of it. like someone else said, i can relate to the "paying one's dues" situation... even more so, since opportunities for recent grads now are considerably more limited than they were in 1999. luckily, i love my job... this book makes my bosses look so damned saintly it's not even funny. but, i can relate to the desperation... hell, reading it, i half want to send a resume to conde nast and nab the anna-wintour-slave gig! i could deal with a pair of jimmy choos... anyway, having read so much hype for the book, naive little me expected a) that it would be good (it's trashy-good, but not terribly well-written, as i said before), and b) that people loved it. well, imagine my surprise when my search on anna wintour (WAS she born a low-class Jew in an English slum?) turned up all this JW hate!!! it so fits with the book, truly it does. it's a trashy book, it's a BEACH book, we read it for the same reason we click on those links on our hotmail and AIM for E! Online and People.com gossip. because we're a voyeuristic culture. and, no matter how much they may claim to hate it, the targets of our voyeurism agree with the fact that bad press is better than no press, or they wouldn't be where they are.
out of curiousity, and returning to an earlier question, DOES anyone know anna wintour's personal history? all i can find is that the skipping-high-school part is true...
I believe AW was actually brought up in an upper-middle class home in London, her father, I know, was either chief editor or chief publisher of some publication...
Just finished the book and thought it was hilarious. She captured the terror and absurdity of being a maniac's assitant perfectly. And the nuts like Nigel and Jeffy make me long to be back in NYC.
But what's even more hilarious is the whining and carping on this site.
Keep bitching you jerks, it only makes her richer!
As all things must come to an end, we're shutting down the comments function for this post.
Thanks for posting.
- Editorial