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41st out of 295 books
—
616 voters
We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle
Why couldn't the Sopranos survive living down South? Simple. You can't shoot a guy full of holes after eating chicken and pastry, spoon bread, okra, and tomatoes.
What does a Southern woman consider grounds for divorce? When daddy takes the kids out in public dressed in their pajama tops and Tweety Bird swim socks. Again.
What is the Southern woman's opinion of a new "fat vi...more
What does a Southern woman consider grounds for divorce? When daddy takes the kids out in public dressed in their pajama tops and Tweety Bird swim socks. Again.
What is the Southern woman's opinion of a new "fat vi...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
February 1st 2005
by St. Martin's Griffin
(first published January 1st 2004)
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Celia Rivenbark is a one-trick pony. There is only so much of someone else's "Bitch I am fabulous" mentality that I can stomach. Ms. Rivenbark goes over it.
Waaaaay over it. And she's not as cute as that dog, either. No, sirree.
If you are debating on whether or not Celia Rivenbark is right for you, please take a moment to consider the following and see if you find them humorous:
-contextually inappropriate ethnic/cultural illusions
-lots and lots and lots of sarcasm
-gosh, how catty are those Southe...more
Waaaaay over it. And she's not as cute as that dog, either. No, sirree.
If you are debating on whether or not Celia Rivenbark is right for you, please take a moment to consider the following and see if you find them humorous:
-contextually inappropriate ethnic/cultural illusions
-lots and lots and lots of sarcasm
-gosh, how catty are those Southe...more
May 20, 2012
Kristin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Southern Appreciators
Shelves:
southern-y-all,
humor
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
Ah am from South Carolina, lived here mah whole life. Ah know some of these here people. Ah might even resemble summa this. :)
Don't take this book too seriously (or yourself for that matter). It's a joke, people, it's also a social commentary....but it's a joke!!
Ah am from South Carolina, lived here mah whole life. Ah know some of these here people. Ah might even resemble summa this. :)
Don't take this book too seriously (or yourself for that matter). It's a joke, people, it's also a social commentary....but it's a joke!!
Okay, while I agree that I would probably inflict bodily harm on a husband for throwing out my coupons, I'm totally not with her on the importance of dressing small children to impress.
She's just not that funny. The events that she tries to build up into humorous, relatable, anecdotes aren't interesting or significant enough to stand on their own. You feel like she's writing soap bubbles, trying to make her dull, sheltered, middle-American life seem colorful and herself and her under-educated, s...more
She's just not that funny. The events that she tries to build up into humorous, relatable, anecdotes aren't interesting or significant enough to stand on their own. You feel like she's writing soap bubbles, trying to make her dull, sheltered, middle-American life seem colorful and herself and her under-educated, s...more
Just started this book. I love this author already and would love to go and enjoy some good food together.
I love these from chapter 4:
"Southern women are, frankly harder working. We are obsessively devoted to horticulture and far more aware of natural beauty. We aren't ashamed to have dirt from the garden embedded in the prongs of our 3-carat diamond engagement rings."
"A Yankee friend of mine once remarked that the one thing she couldn't understand was why so many Southern women mow their own...more
I love these from chapter 4:
"Southern women are, frankly harder working. We are obsessively devoted to horticulture and far more aware of natural beauty. We aren't ashamed to have dirt from the garden embedded in the prongs of our 3-carat diamond engagement rings."
"A Yankee friend of mine once remarked that the one thing she couldn't understand was why so many Southern women mow their own...more
I can say with easy certainty that if I ever met the author of this book I would dislike her, intensely. How can I know that for sure? I know tons of women just like her and can't stand any of them. She's so smug and ass backwards elitist that it made me want to throttle her half the time. It boils down to the idea that she's not hoity toity so she's better than everyone else. Somehow not eating caviar and Grey Poupon while driving a single child around in a gas guzzling SUV makes her the greate...more
This came from the box of books a friend gave me this winter. It's probably not something I would've picked up on my own, but I'm glad I did. Celia Rivenbark is an absolute scream.
Rivenbark is a columnist, and she's got a crazy, wild, self-deprecating sense of humor with a uniquely Southern flair. Waxing poetic on such topics as Southern food, preschool, hair and nails, clothing, family get-togethers, aging, and what other mothers must think of her, she'll have you rolling on the floor and choki...more
Rivenbark is a columnist, and she's got a crazy, wild, self-deprecating sense of humor with a uniquely Southern flair. Waxing poetic on such topics as Southern food, preschool, hair and nails, clothing, family get-togethers, aging, and what other mothers must think of her, she'll have you rolling on the floor and choki...more
I'll bet that anyone who is knee high to a grasshopper could write a better book--if the person really wanted to waste time pushin pencils and paper. Looks like the author had a handful of good quips and without shame, stretched it into a watered down stream of consciousness exercise. It was marketing genius in creating the book title and equally catchy chapter titles that probably drew folks to buy it.
Her hipster self betrays her nonSoutherness when she discusses arugula ("natch"). Ha! Got fan...more
Her hipster self betrays her nonSoutherness when she discusses arugula ("natch"). Ha! Got fan...more
Rivenbark is full of hilarious southern “charm” aka biting and incredibly entertaining sarcasm. Unfortunately her books aren’t timeless – some chapters are relevant but others are outdated – such as criticisms of Anna Nicole Smith’s tv show. I recommend that you find one of her newer books – I’m going to, because she seriously cracks me up even if some of her material was (as a polite southern belle might put it) “vintage.”
The title made me laugh out loud at the library so I picked it up. I was further heartened by the endorsement on the front from Haven Kimmel (author of A Girl Named Zippy, which is hilarious). It was funny overall, and parts did make me giggle. She uses a lot of southern speak, which is hard for me to understand at times. Her titles of the chapters were almost funnier than what was in it, like "Stop watching your plasma TV and start selling your plasma!" and "And what did you have for breakfast...more
I was really hoping to be laughing out loud a lot, and I sort of chuckled a couple times, but this wasn't as funny as I was hoping it would be. On the plus side, I forgot that this book was from a southern perspective in many of the chapters, showing how women everywhere have the same complaints about children, gossip, men and life in general. But there were a lot of phrases and references I didn't get. I had my handy-dandy smartphone next to me to look up random southern preachers or bathing su...more
This was one of the funniest books I have read in a long time. I guess it amused me because I can relate to so many of the stories. Living in Alabama, I can see these people in my own town and at my local grocery store. The moms are the same moms at my kid's school. It was just too great! Some of the stories made me laugh so hard I though sweet tea would spew out my nose because I was sure she was discussing my family members.
Great quick read and highly entertaining. Anyone who wants a peek into...more
Great quick read and highly entertaining. Anyone who wants a peek into...more
I'm enjoyed reading Celia Rivenbark's columns in the News & Observer as well as the Star-News. In this book I enjoyed the Southern-isms and poking fun at both Southerners and Yankees [i.e., anyone who is not a Southerner]. I absolutely hated the chapter(s) on childbirth and child rearing, including sending her daughter off to kindergarten. Parents like her are one of the reasons a) I'm not longer a teacher and b) I'm childless on purpose.
But, past the child rearing stuff, the rest of the bo...more
But, past the child rearing stuff, the rest of the bo...more
This title by Celia Rivenbark was a slightly more enjoyable than the last I read, "Bless Your Heart, Tramp" (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...), but I still wouldn't call any of these essays especially Southern in nature.
I've still got one other of her titles that I picked up so I'll give it one last try, since this was better than the last, in hopes that it will be better than this. Good, light fun just to pick up and read a chapter or so before bed or something, but don't rush out and b...more
I've still got one other of her titles that I picked up so I'll give it one last try, since this was better than the last, in hopes that it will be better than this. Good, light fun just to pick up and read a chapter or so before bed or something, but don't rush out and b...more
And this, my friends, is exactly why I liked it:
"I thought this was going to be a book about the south and how cute and funny we are. It's not. It's about the new south that has had the south beaten out of it and homogenized beyond recognition by someone who has been not raised by parents but by a big screen TV, magazines and what she has bought into that passes as women's lib. This unnecessarily potty mouthed woman has every tired joke, reference and scenario that you have heard before. The boo...more
"I thought this was going to be a book about the south and how cute and funny we are. It's not. It's about the new south that has had the south beaten out of it and homogenized beyond recognition by someone who has been not raised by parents but by a big screen TV, magazines and what she has bought into that passes as women's lib. This unnecessarily potty mouthed woman has every tired joke, reference and scenario that you have heard before. The boo...more
When Stacey tweeted that she had just read a book called "We're Just Like You, Only Prettier," I replied back, I need to read that. She said the book was hilarious and that I could borrow it. After doing a little research, I found out that Celia Rivenbark is a NC Native, and grew up in Duplin County. If you haven't figured it out yet, I love local authors, so I was excited to find another one to add to the list.
The book, subtitled "Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle," is a collection of h...more
The book, subtitled "Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle," is a collection of h...more
Meh.
I'll be honest: I picked this book because of the title. I know nothing about Celia Rivenbark, I have no interest in humor columns, generally, and I certainly am not a fan of chick lit. But I've been reading a lot of fiction lately, and writing a lot of fiction, so I wanted something a little different to help change things up a bit. I figured this book would fit the bill, and after all, it has been sitting on my shelf for over year, taunting me with that title. I'm a sucker for catchy, uniq...more
I'll be honest: I picked this book because of the title. I know nothing about Celia Rivenbark, I have no interest in humor columns, generally, and I certainly am not a fan of chick lit. But I've been reading a lot of fiction lately, and writing a lot of fiction, so I wanted something a little different to help change things up a bit. I figured this book would fit the bill, and after all, it has been sitting on my shelf for over year, taunting me with that title. I'm a sucker for catchy, uniq...more
I'm one of those "Cover Judgers" who absolutely does not agree that you can't judge a book by one. I happened upon this one completely by accident and am so glad that I did. I think that this is one of those books that if you're from the South or you have Southern relatives, you will laugh hysterically because you can totally relate to this stuff. If you're not, or you don't, there's a good chance that you'll probably be thinking, "What the hell?"
The majority of the columns contained in this book try too hard and, as a result, fall flat. In Ms. Rivenbark’s attempt to be some fictional Southern everywoman, she rehashes old and tired jokes again and again and again. That said, there are a handful of columns that are brilliant – when Ms. Rivenbark stops trying to be her idea of funny and is simply herself, she’s a fantastic comedic writer. Unfortunately, those few great columns cannot quite make up for the rest of the collection. Not recomm...more
Feb 17, 2009
Eva Leger
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone with a decent sense of humor, non-stuck up mothers especially
Recommended to Eva by:
I like the author
Shelves:
humor,
b-non-fiction
I liked Stop Dressing You Six Year Old better than this but this was funny also. I liked it enough to read Bless Your Heart as soon as I get it. I like Rivenbark's sense of humor and I also like that the book was broken up into short essays which makes it easy to put down and pick back up again later. I read some reviews that mentioned her "making fun of motherhood" and I have to completely disagree with any and all of those. She's taking a serious situation and making fun WITH it, not OF it. Sh...more
Laugh out loud when you hear the southern voice in this humor writer's series of essays. My family hates it when I read funny books, because I'm always trying to contain the laughter, snorting uncontrollably, which I think is probably worse. Definitely a good read for any mom, Southern or no. I particularly enjoyed the contest between the pumpkin and the minivan. . .
Celia Rivenbark has a sarcastic and humorous writing style that I found appealing. However, it also tends to be a just a little ADHD.
This was a quick read that I found enjoyable while I read it, but not engaging enough to stick with me for long. Some of the southern humor was a bit of a rehash, but then she had some great moments that made me laugh out loud.
All in all, it's not a bad book. I suspect the humor is best suited for southerners or those who have lived in the south long enough to deve...more
This was a quick read that I found enjoyable while I read it, but not engaging enough to stick with me for long. Some of the southern humor was a bit of a rehash, but then she had some great moments that made me laugh out loud.
All in all, it's not a bad book. I suspect the humor is best suited for southerners or those who have lived in the south long enough to deve...more
Rivenbark has done better, that is, she has written funnier books. Her humor, drippingly Southern, like oversweetened iced tea seems more forced this time and only glancingly faithful to a discernable theme. Still, if you want to look at life through the eyes of a redneck Southern gal, this isn't a bad beach book. And, no, there is nothing wrong with good sweet iced tea.
A collection of short streams of consciousness about Southern culture. Have laughed out loud 3 times. Sometimes it goes on and on a bit, but in general the author is hilarious and her wit makes you smile. If you are going to read it, read it soon because the references are from 2004 and the older the references get, the less funny these stories will be. It's a short book. I'm trying to finish it in a weekend.
I enjoyed her sarcastic southern sense of humor! She calls it how it is. This book is more like a collection of essays rather than a sequential story which threw me off at first. After reading her book I feel like she would be someone who would fit right in with my friends. I think I would like to hang out with this author!
Nov 29, 2008
Ellen C
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Any woman who needs a laugh
Recommended to Ellen by:
Sarah
This book takes about 10 seconds to read. I loved it. I had been trying to read a really good book that required a little more concentration and deep thought and I've been stressed with moving and life so I picked this one up for a nice change of pace. It's a funny book that is easy to read. I loved it!
I just couldn't bring myself to finish this book. While it has some laugh-out-loud funny and snarky lines, there aren't enough of them to hold my interest and it is just not that good a book. Best thing about the book? The chapter titles. If I want funny I'll stick with David Sedaris and Jen Lancaster.
Love love love this book. It's absolutely hilarious, and coming from a small Southern town, I am totally able to relate to the majority of the stories she tells in this book. It kept me laughing the whole time. Celia Rivenbark is truly talented and keeps a conversational tone throughout the whole book.
I live in PA, so some of the tendencies of southerners are beyond me, but this book enlightened me in a laugh out loud funny kind of way. As I read this, I felt like Celia Rivenbark was sitting there and explaining things to me! Her writing is so approachable and like talking to an old friend that has an affinity for story telling and you just want to let them keep talking and talking. The chapter titles are a unique treat that make you laugh on their own! "What's for dinner Sugar Booger?" is ju...more
Frickin' hilarious, right from the opening chapter. "Obviously they've never put off their kid's immunization shots just so that they could afford an extra string of icicle lights from Walmart." It does drag a bit toward the end, but it still has enough laughs to give it five stars.
It started off slightly slow and I felt a little offended for both Northerners and Southerners. However, it gets bettter once you get into the first few chapters. There isn't a storyline. It is actually more of a set of comedy routines than a novel. Each chapter is a little skit. Once I got into the book, it was enjoyable and I caught myself chuckling out loud more than once.
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Celia Rivenbark was born and raised in Duplin County, NC, which had the distinction of being the nation's number 1 producer of hogs and turkeys during a brief, magical moment in the early 1980s.
Celia grew up in a small house in the country with a red barn out back that was populated by a couple of dozen lanky and unvaccinated cats. Her grandparents' house, just across the ditch, had the first ind...more
More about Celia Rivenbark...
Celia grew up in a small house in the country with a red barn out back that was populated by a couple of dozen lanky and unvaccinated cats. Her grandparents' house, just across the ditch, had the first ind...more
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“If you buy an SUV, you're buying your safety at the expense of someone else's." ... If you're driving a Hyundai, which basically runs on air and tofu, and you get in an accident with an SUV, are you going to say, "Well, at least I have the courage of my convictions?" Hell, no. You're going to say: "Soon's I get outta this hospital bed and find my legs, I'm gonna get me a Suburban. Loaded.”
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