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| I Was Told There'd Be Cake | 
 enlarge | Author: Sloane Crosley
Publisher: Riverhead Trade
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy New: $7.88
You Save: $6.12 (44%)
New (38) Used (15) from $7.88
Avg. Customer Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 178
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.1 x 0.5
ISBN: 159448306X
Dewey Decimal Number: 814.6
EAN: 9781594483066
ASIN: 159448306X
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: 100% Brand New! - Ships Today! Identical to Amazon's book in every way. Flawless! Not a cheap Remainder or Book Club Copy! *We recommend Expedited Shipping option for much faster mail delivery
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Product Description
Wry, hilarious, and profoundly genuine, this debut collection of literary essays is a celebration of fallibility and haplessness in all their glory. From despoiling an exhibit at the Natural History Museum to provoking the ire of her first boss to siccing the cops on her mysterious neighbor, Crosley can do no right despite the best of intentions-or perhaps because of them. Together, these essays create a startlingly funny and revealing portrait of a complex and utterly recognizable character that's aiming for the stars but hits the ceiling, and the inimitable city that has helped shape who she is. I Was Told There'd Be Cake introduces a strikingly original voice, chronicling the struggles and unexpected beauty of modern urban life.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 41 more reviews...
 Mildly entertaining collection April 11, 2008
72 out of 91 found this review helpful
While the writing is pretty good, and this collection of essays has its moments of cleverness, overall it's not as funny (by no means would I call it "hilarious") or interesting as hyped. The essays suffer somewhat from a steeping in twentysomething self-absorption/middle-class angst, and don't qualify for inclusion in the same league as David Sedaris and Dorothy Parker, because they lack a certain edginess. The stardard white-girl fare (first job, mean boss; being in a wedding), is, at times, mildly entertaining, but not particularly memorable. Bottom line: it's okay.
 Um...not really that funny. May 2, 2008
30 out of 33 found this review helpful
I feel mean sayin' it, but it's true. I was all excited about curling up with this read after reading great reviews. I jumped ship after about 30 pages. It's not David Sedaris. It's not anything remotely as funny or interesting or insightful. It reminds me of a girl who goes out with you and your work friends and tells embarrassing stories about herself, and you laugh/wince, cause you're a bit drunk, and then, the next day, you feel kinda bad for her, like she exposed too much, and that she kinda needed the attention, and you're kinda embarrassed for her, even though she isn't. I lived in NY for a long time and these people are all over the place. This is her book.
 Satisfied Reader April 4, 2008
27 out of 43 found this review helpful
I thought this book was absolutely hilarious - not at all the typical breezy chick-lit that's usually out there. I actually laughed out loud at several points, and you can just tell how intelligent the author is. She didn't talk down to her reader at all; rather, she makes you feel like she understands you, and that these types of situations happen to everyone.
A great, funny read!
My new favorite author April 19, 2008
17 out of 29 found this review helpful
I Was Told There'd Be Cake is a series of essays by sometimes-contributor to the Village Voice Sloane Crosley. There are fifteen essays total, and they cover typical twenty-something subjects, such as moving into a new walkup apartment in New York City (not as easy as it would appear), attending the wedding of every girl you knew in high school that you'd forgotten about (been there, done that), a semidysfunctional family (her family IS my family), and a satanic first boss.
Sloane Crosley tells these stories with humor and insight and she has a truly unique voice. But there were also times where I found myself thinking, "I think the same way!" Or, "I wish I'd thought of that!" It's a completely honest, open kind of storytelling, one that you don't see in many writers of today. Being a twenty-something myself, I could completely empathize with this book--made even better if you understand the cultural references (Oregon Trail, anyone?) This book is a complete gem. I'm going to recommend it to every twenty-something I know.
A writer worth watching May 7, 2008
15 out of 17 found this review helpful
I was drawn to this book because the pull quote on the cover said it was in the tradition of Sederis and Vowell. While I am glad I read it, it is not a must read. Crosley is talented but can be predictable and cliche. She lacks self-awareness. At the same time, she's terribly funny (she even pulls off mean funny), gutsy and admirably self-confident. She's best when she is honest and generous. I look forward to reading more of her work and watching her grow as a writer. As for this book, it would have benefitted from a tougher editor.
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