Why Girls Are Weird

This book is the story of Anna Koval, a librarian who plays around with HTML (the primary attraction for me!) who creates a web journal that initially was just for practice, then for her friend Dale, then as an outlet for all of her issues, demons and dreams. Her entries are almost always humorous, and almost every time either an improved version of her reality or an out right LIE.

Anna's broken up with her boyfriend, Ian, but writes as though they're still together. She starts to get fan mail, w

This book is the story of Anna Koval, a librarian who plays around with HTML (the primary attraction for me!) who creates a web journal that initially was just for practice, then for her friend Dale, then as an outlet for all of her issues, demons and dreams. Her entries are almost always humorous, and almost every time either an improved version of her reality or an out right LIE.

Anna's broken up with her boyfriend, Ian, but writes as though they're still together. She starts to get fan mail, which fuels her writing/lying, and actually meets a couple of them -- a stalkerish girl, very S.W.F. meets Britney Spears, and a John Cusack character come to life, with whom she could fall in love (if it weren't for her supposedly current boyfriend, Ian).

Why Girls Are Weird is sorta autobiographical according to the acknowledgements and an interview with the author at the end. I went to the website it was based on (which had been taken down three years after it was made, then brough back a year later). It had it's moments, but didn't hold my interest as much as the book. The book had several lines and quotes that I loved and bookmarked the ears, something I never do. Normally I just underline the bits, but couldn't find a pencil when I came across the first.

Some of my favorites:

And when Anna's father died...

He was testing us. He wanted to make sure we'd be okay without him."

I won't give away the ending, but this is a review so I must tell you what I thought about the whole book. It was funny in places, sad in others, never long-winded, but I imagine five years from now I will remember a few of these lines that really connected with me, but I won't be able to tell you who wrote it. It was good but not memorable.

Would I read other works by this author? Sure. Maybe. Depends on the subject.

<ol><li>Don't walk in front of the television while the ball is in play, while they are doing an instant replay, or while the ball is at something called "the line of scrimmage".

<li>Offer beers to everyone when you stand up.  You'll be the coolest girl there, and it's still a feminist move if you're already on your way to get your own beer.

<li>It is called a "touchdown."  That's worth six points.

<li>NEVER TOUCH THE REMOTE CONTROL.

<li>You are supposed to be happy about overtime.  It means more football.

<li>Make sure you know which two teams are playing because they're going to switch channels during commercials.  They'll watch other games at the same time, so be on your toes.  If you're only rooting for "the guys in blue", you could end up cheering for the enemy of a different game.  At any moment, there might be three different games on the television within an hour.  I know.  I'm sorry.

<li>I don't care how persuasive they are, it is not tradition to take off your shirt when there's a turnover.  You don't have to do it.

I felt tears pressing urgently against my face.  "I'm sorry," I said, miserably.

"Now that's the reaction I'd been waiting for.  Fights aren't over until someone cries."