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Shit, Actually
- Author
- Lindy West
- Narrator
- Lindy West
- Publisher
- Hachette Audio
- Publish Date
- 20 October 2020
- Run Time
- 7 hours 15 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
Lindy West was once the in-house movie critic for Seattle's alternative newsweekly The Stranger, where she covered film with brutal honesty and giddy irreverence. In Shit, Actually, Lindy returns to those roots, re-examining beloved and iconic movies from the past 40 years with an eye toward the big questions of our time: Is Twilight the horniest movie in history? Why do the zebras in The Lion King trust Mufasa—WHO IS A LION—to look out for their best interests? Why did anyone bother making any more movies after The Fugitive achieved perfection? And, my god, why don't any of the women in Love, Actually ever fucking talk?!?!
From Forrest Gump, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Bad Boys II, to Face/Off, Top Gun, and The Notebook, Lindy combines her razor-sharp wit and trademark humor with a genuine adoration for nostalgic trash to shed new critical light on some of our defining cultural touchstones—the stories we've long been telling ourselves about who we are.
At once outrageously funny and piercingly incisive, Shit, Actually reminds us to pause and ask, "How does this movie hold up?", all while teaching us how to laugh at the things we love without ever letting them or ourselves off the hook.
Shit, Actually is a love letter and a break-up note all in one: to the films that shaped us and the ones that ruined us. More often than not, Lindy finds, they're one and the same.
One of the "Best Books of 2020" by NPR's Book Concierge**Your Favorite Movies, Re-Watched**
Critics Review
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BookRiot, "Book Recommendations for October 2020"
Fortune, "Five New Books to Read in October"
SeattleMet, "11 Localish Books to Read This Autumn"
Up News Info, "5 new books to read in October" -
"TWO THUMBS UP."—SAMANTHAIRBY
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"Oh God, I hope something I make is skewered by Lindy West--what an honor!"—ELIZABETHBANKS
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"It's annoying how many good, funny, and laser-precise books Lindy has written. Here's another damn great book! It's the opposite of shit, actually."—AIDYBRYANT
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"[A] laugh out loud romp... [these essays are] warmhearted, acutely self-aware, and surprisingly timely, providing insight into modern society through movies first sold on VHS... Like catching up with a dear and funny friend, this insightful and irreverent book is a soothing balm for turbulent times."—Kirkus Reviews
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"Queen of keenly observed, hilariously rendered cultural criticism, West offers this delicious distraction from reality....a cathartic, joyful exploration of entertainment....in true West form she reads like your smartest, funniest, and warmest friend. A perfect blend of substance, escapism, and laughter - a gift from West to the rest of us."—Booklist Review (starred)
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"It's a no-holds-barred romp through modern movie-making."—LitHub
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"[A] hilarious, sharp collection..."—BookRiot
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"In our opinion, Lindy West is the ultimate authority, and we agree with her on all matters--including her assessments of beloved iconic movies... Shit, Actually is the ultimate read for the pop culture-obsessed."—Hello Giggles
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Details
- Author
- Lindy West
- Narrator
- Lindy West
- Duration
- 7 hours 15 minutes
- Release Date
- 20 October 2020
- ISBN
- 9781549141584
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Hachette Audio
- Genre
- Humour collections and anthologies, Film history, theory or criticism, Feminism and feminist theory
Synopsis
Firebrand NY Times columnist and bestselling author Lindy West unpacks the beloved rom-coms and cult classics we love in order to dissect the culture we've created.   Lindy West was once the in-house movie critic for Seattle's alternative newsweekly The Stranger, where she covered film with brutal honesty and giddy irreverence. In Shit, Actually, Lindy returns to those roots, re-examining beloved and iconic movies from the past 40 years with an eye toward the big questions of our time: Is Twilight the horniest movie in history? Why do the zebras in The Lion King trust Mufasa—WHO IS A LION—to look out for their best interests? Why did anyone bother making any more movies after The Fugitive achieved perfection? And, my god, why don't any of the women in Love, Actually ever fucking talk?!?! From Forrest Gump, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, and Bad Boys II, to Face/Off, Top Gun, and The Notebook, Lindy combines her razor-sharp wit and trademark humor with a genuine adoration for nostalgic trash to shed new critical light on some of our defining cultural touchstones—the stories we've long been telling ourselves about who we are. At once outrageously funny and piercingly incisive, Shit, Actually reminds us to pause and ask, "How does this movie hold up?", all while teaching us how to laugh at the things we love without ever letting them or ourselves off the hook.Shit, Actually is a love letter and a break-up note all in one: to the films that shaped us and the ones that ruined us. More often than not, Lindy finds, they're one and the same.One of the "Best Books of 2020" by NPR's Book Concierge**Your Favorite Movies, Re-Watched**
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