Look Alive Out There

by Sloane Crosley

Sloane Crosley returns to the form that made her a household name in really quite a lot of households: Essays!

From the New York Times-bestselling author Sloane Crosley comes Look Alive Out There--a brand-new collection of essays filled with her trademark hilarity, wit, and charm. The characteristic heart and punch-packing observations are back, but with a newfound coat of maturity. A thin coat. More of a blazer, really.

Fans of I Was Told There'd Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number know Sloane Crosley's life as a series of relatable but madcap misadventures. In Look Alive Out There, whether it's playing herself on Gossip Girl, scaling active volcanoes, crashing shivas, befriending swingers, or staring down the barrel of the fertility gun, Crosley continues to rise to the occasion with unmatchable nerve and electric one-liners. And as her subjects become more serious, her essays deliver not just laughs but lasting emotional heft and insight. Crosley has taken up the gauntlets thrown by her predecessors--Dorothy Parker, Nora Ephron, David Sedaris--and crafted something rare, affecting, and true.

Look Alive Out There arrives on the tenth anniversary of I Was Told There'd be Cake, and Crosley's essays have managed to grow simultaneously more sophisticated and even funnier. And yet she's still very much herself, and it's great to have her back--and not a moment too soon (or late, for that matter).

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, Audiobook, Short Stories, Adult

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2018

About the author

Sloane Crosley is the author of the novels Cult Classic and The Clasp, as well as three books of essays collections, most recently Look Alive Out There and the New York Times bestsellers I Was Told There'd Be Cake and How Did You Get This Number. A two-time finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor, her work has been selected for numerous anthologies. Her next book, Grief Is for People, will be out in early 2024. A contributing editor at Vanity Fair, she lives in New York City.

Reviews

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

this collection is like the least interesting thoughts of the most interesting person you know.

that's really all i have to say.

bottom line: profoundly meh, averaged out!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful collection of Sloane Crosley essays. I snort/laughed many times while listening to her read her audiobook.
Such a treasure of a writer!
5 stars!

[Jill]

I didn't finish this one after losing steam halfway through. Crosley is an enjoyable narrator, but there were enough too-perfect details in a situation that I questioned how "real" everything was (I don't doubt the author's truthfulness, but wonder if there was a bit of creative fudging, if that makes sense). There was an urgency that felt missing in these essays — maybe Crosley's witty, sardonic voice could be better applied to more journalistic narratives rather than looking inward (not that looking inward is a bad thing!). I don't know. I'm conflicted. I wanted to like this more.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. Thoroughly enjoyed this collection of essays by Crosley, and they provided a perfect distraction from the ugliness of the real world. Loved the chapter about Gossip Girl so much it inspired me to grab the last few books in the novel series thay I never read when they originally came out when I was still in the age bracket of their intended audience. My favorite part, however, was a gem of a description in the essay about her experience mountain climbing, when she is so cold and irritated that she makes a comment about how she migjt want to stick her handa in her guide's kidneys like mittens- was definitely an image that stays with you. Funny, entertaining, and well written. Recommended for fans of creative nonfiction.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

She may be half my age, but I want to write like Sloane Crosley when I grow up. This essay collection is as satisfying as a salmon dinner with a side of chocolate cheesecake. Crosley offers a perfect combination of heart and humor in widely varying essays that range from a hike in Mexico with a sketchy tour guide to Internet fraud to fertility treatments. She tells us about her “uncle” the porn star and about the time she nearly starved staying in a friend’s cabin—until she found her friendly dope-smoking neighbors. It’s serious and fun at the same time, beautifully written.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My aversion to overpacking and its uptight cousin, overplanning, stems from the belief that neither tendency is a fake problem. These are not amusing tics. They are instead reflections on the personality of the packer. They suggest a dubiousness of other lifestyles (racist), a conviction that the world won't have what you need (princess), and a lack of faith that you'll continue being human when it doesn't (misanthrope)."

[Gretchen Rubin]

I love essays, and I heard a great interview with Sloane Crosley on the Longform podcast so wanted to read this collection. I'd read her earlier book, I Was Told There'd Be Cake. I rarely make observations like this, but I will say: Crosley is really good with a metaphor.

[Jill Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you get to read the perfect book for the exact moment. This is such a book to help me survive my always-dreaded Christmas holiday season. You know how some people just have a way with words that makes you remember the witty turn, the sarcastic description, the funny phrase that lifts up the conversation? This whole book is like that. It's like that friend you had in high school who leaned over to your desk and said something that was so funny and smart that you had to do everything you could to suppress your laughter until class was over.

It doesn't matter where she is or what she's doing, whether it's annoying backyard neighbors, egg harvesting (the female type), or climbing up Mount Cotapaxi, she's such a compelling voice that I forgot whatever it was I didn't like about my own life at the moment and went along for the ride in her head. Every story is an adventure, inward and outward, and I feel like I learned so much, not just factually about, say, harvesting your eggs or solutions to annoying backyard teenagers, but a new way to respond to life situations. I would rather learn by her mistakes than by mine. And hers, especially the mundane-sounding ones - my favorite - are so delightful.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe I am biased, as I Was Told There'd Be Cake was one of the formative books of my young adult life, positing Sloane as my literary drunk aunt or someone like that. To be fair, holding her previous works to such regard made me nervous to read Look Alive Out There because what if she failed me?!? Nonetheless, Sloane did it again: 240 pages of essays that made me cry from both laughter and sentiment– often, both at the same time. This book is a tribute to the ways in which the ordinary happenings of life are the most brilliant, more often than not if only we take the time to look around and notice.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely unfamiliar with Ms. Crosley or her previous collections of essays, but I kept seeing Look Alive Out There on the library's new release non-fic shelf so I decided to take a chance on it.

Opinions will vary (just from what I've seen on Goodreads), but I really liked her relaxed style and choice / range of topics. Some of the dozen-plus pieces were short - just a page or two - but others ran 20 or 30 pages. Some were pretty funny ('Outside Voices' and 'If You Take the Canoe Out') while others were more serious or dramatic in content ('Wolf' and 'The Doctor is a Woman'). I think Crosley is an effective storyteller, so I'm eagerly looking forward to checking our her earlier books.

[Jamie Feazell-Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve loved Sloane Crosley for a long time. She has a snarky wit about her that is unrivaled. I’m just not sure what to make of this collection of essays. Some were amazing. I especially enjoyed reading about her interactions with neighbors and a story about a relative that worked in the sex industry. Others fell flat. Her earlier works were funny because they were so relatable. I’m wondering if she has lost touch with her audience a bit? The travel essays in particular felt more like privileged complaining rather than sarcasm or snark. Overall this was definitely worth the read. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself skimming some sections. This review was for a digital ARC.

[Jerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure that these are essays - more like anecdotes from someone who makes stupid mistakes and then uses self-deprecating humor to get everyone to laugh about it. There are some insights here and her tone is relaxed and engaging, but over time the gag starts to wear thin.

[Sharon Layburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite not being an author who is famous enough to be invited to do a walk on for a popular tv show, or having a distant relative who is a retired porn star, or having any desire to go mountain climbing under less than stellar (or really any) circumstances, it's amazing how often Crosley manages to connect with the average reader.
Alternating moments of "I can't believe that happened to her" with "I could completely see that happening to me", I laughed out loud and enjoyed every moment of this crazy and entertaining collection of essays. Presented in bite sized narratives, this is the perfect book to indulge in during your ordinary (or extraordinary?) day.

This ARC was provided by MCD/Macmillan in exchange for an honest review.

[Oriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sloane Crosley so, so, so much. This book is as great as any of the others; the volcano-climbing essay was a masterpiece all on its own, as was the long voyeuristic meditation on her obnoxious teenage neighbor, as was the one in the country with the swingers. What else even is there to say? If you like acerbically funny, presciently observant, zeitgeist-y women, hie thee to a Crosley. I adore her and already can't wait to read her next thing.

[Sarah at Sarah's Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to FSG and Edelweiss for an advanced copy of this book.

I generally have trouble with essay collections billed as humorous. Humor is hard. I often feel like the author is trying too hard with the jokes. But, Crosley’s humor is more subtle…the kind that has me chuckling rather than LOLing (a promise of so many of these types of essay collections), which is much more up my alley. Look Alive Out There is a perfect example of what I like in my Brain Candy…light and fun, but also smart and sharp. Crosley captures the ridiculousness and weirdness and occasional hilariousness of living in New York City and doesn’t hold back with the social commentary.

"Part of what’s interesting about living in New York is how much business you can choose to have with people who are absolutely none of your business. There’s something incongruous about how careful we are to set up boundaries, how ardent we are about maintaining them, and how quick we are to take a wrecking ball to them when it suits us. We train one another to disengage at the daily level, to greet with silent nods, to ignore music coming through the walls or tearful phone calls on the street. Yet when we want to feel we’re doing the right thing, we come swooping in with eye contact and directions."

As with all essay collections, I had my favorites. The opening story, Wheels Up is quintessential New York and Relative Stranger, about her porn star cousin, is ridiculous in the greatest way. Up the Down Volcano, about her experience trying to climb a mountain in Ecuador totally unprepared, was too long and the weakest essay for me. And, yes, she does write about that cameo on Gossip Girl…wittily using her insider status in book publishing (she started as a Simon & Schuster publicist) to take apart the authenticity of her guest star scene (which was a book party).

Visit https://www.sarahsbookshelves.com for more reviews.

[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style I most admire is the humorous essay. I enjoy reading essayist of the past, Jerome K. Jerome, Mark Twain, Stephen Leacock, James Thurber, Dorothy Parker. I could go on forever.
In this day when blogging hours the line between ranting and raving and serious talent it can be hard to find a real enjoyable talent in this genre. I look for someone who can bring you in to their world even when you would ordinarily have little frame of reference for it. David Sedaris does it. So does Sloane Crosley. She doesn't get all the attention that Sedaris does. She deserves more notice.
Her work doesn't make me laugh out loud. My reaction is more of a nod and a chuckle. Good reaction, and the one I believe she wants.
Well done, Sloane.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate Crosley’s humor in the context of stories that connect to some larger human emotion or experience. I laughed out loud at a number of these stories and appreciated how vulnerable she was in her last story “The Doctor Is A Woman”

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crosley’s essays have been compared to David Sedaris. I don’t see it! True, they are both a little bit neurotic and keen observers of the foibles of others, but Crosley just seems to be a little too privileged—a little too ‘Manhattan’—for me to relate to her humor. Several of her essays recount how she blunders through life without thinking—not even googling how to prepare for a climbing trip in the Ecuadorian mountains, not reading the instructions on how she should store her hormone injection medicine, and not maintaining her web domain license so she is forced to buy it back from a ‘domain thief’. Is that humorous or sad?

[ns510reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like my essays more incisive than these, which felt more like hanging out with a hilarious friend as she shares her stories with you. There were some moments of insight, and others where her privilege seemed to colour the anecdote being shared. My favourite in this collection is probably The Grape Man.

[Danielle Dillon · Rating 5 out of 5]

that kind of writing that cracks you up but also strikes a cord >>>

[Novel Visits · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts: I’m a little embarrassed to admit this, but Look Alive Out There is one of only a couple essay collections I’ve ever read. Prior to the last couple of years, I’d avoided both nonfiction and short stories. Essays are something of a cross between the two, so I’ve not given them much of a chance. That changed earlier this year with Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan and now I’m thrilled to add Look Alive Out There and Sloane Crosley to my growing list of essayists to follow.

I found so many of Crosley’s stories just plain laugh-out-loud funny. One of my favorites involved dealing with her noisy teenage neighbor, Jared. Haven’t we all had a Jared in our lives? Crosley’s trip to Ecuador and her ill-conceived attempt to climb Mt. Cotopaxi was another story I could relate to. I’ve Been to Ecuador, so both laughed at and admired Crosley’s fool-hearted mountain climbing adventure. As a blogger, I had to appreciate and cringe listening to Crosley’s essay on “The Wolf of the Dot.com” about a opportunist who snatched up her domain name when she accidentally let it lapse. The hoops she had to jump through and the lengths she had to go for to get it back were just plain terrifying!

Other essays had a more serious bend providing a great balance to Crosley’s collection. I especially enjoyed her essay on fertility, aging, still being single, and the desire to be a mother. So many women today will see themselves in Crosley and appreciate her honesty in sharing such a personal journey. With a perfect mix of humor and seriousness, Look Alive Out There is an essay collection well worth reading!

Original Source: https://novelvisits.com/mini-reviews-...

[Booktart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always feel somewhat disappointed when I finish a Sloane Crosley collection - I always want more! I didn’t love all of the essays in here but many are excellent, particularly the last one, “The Doctor is a Woman.” I think what I like so much about Crosley’s writing is her ability to put into words the feelings and nuances of daily life that everyone can relate to.

[Shanti Boyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look Alive Out There is to Crosley as Persuasion is to Austen--this is her autumnal book of essays. I appreciated her clever and silly metaphors in the frame of gravitas like egg-freezing. She's still young and refreshing, just making adult decisions. I hope she doesn't die immediately afterwards like Jane Austen did.

[Liza Fireman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fine, but not that funny. The essays were uneven, and many were quite flat. I am not a huge fan of humor books, and it needs to have a special flavor for me to love them. A few that I loved are The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer and The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell: Tales of a 6' 4", African American, Heterosexual, Cisgender, Left-Leaning, Asthmatic, Black and Proud Blerd, Mama's Boy, Dad, and Stand-Up Comedian by W. Kamau Bell. maybe because they have the courage to send more messages than just being funny.
And I was not that impressed by Bossypants by Tina Fey, The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish, and We Are Never Meeting In Real Life by Samantha Irby or books by David Sedaris. Most I found not too funny and too graphic, trying to use low humor and shocking too personal stories to draw attention.

This one was somewhere in the middle. A book that you can read, and immediately after forget. So I mainly already forgot what it was about.
Here is a tiny example: Jared spits grapes into the air and tries to catch them in his mouth.
Jared feels like he’s seen some pictures of your dick from the 8th grade.
Jared has decided tequila gives you diarrhea.

Maybe I should stick with Bill Bryson and others that are more of my type. And stay away from the vulgar or the ones that I find after several chapters that are not my type. Maybe almost 3 stars, even if I don't really remember what was inside, at least it wasn't awful. Maybe actually 2, I just can't remember. But I did look alive out there (just quite of sleepy and alive?).

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

These essays were just so-so. Largely because, with almost every one, I found myself thinking, "Really? You really [fill in the blank, ie, kept a journal of your next-door-neighbor's comings and goings] all in the service of a story?" Too many details felt ...too perfect, and so my head kept coming out of the world Crosley was trying to paint for me.

I wondered if I was alone in my judgment and then I found this review. Bingo. Spot on.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t see a reason for this collection of 16 essays to have been published. Nothing’s going on here and there is no point. The author is basically writing about what a ditzy privileged person she is. It’s annoying to me.

[Marie Charron · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite collection so far. There are some essays that don’t seem to mean anything at all, but that’s okay, because the whole collection rises into a crescendo that is so warm, funny, relatable, and true.

[Evgenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you read a book that is dripping wit and charm, and then you read a bunch of reviews of that book that are dripping wit and charm, it takes some nerve to add to the conversation. A nerve I wholeheartedly lack. As a defense, my brain has kicked into reverse gear, producing only the most elementary of sentences: Sloane Crosley is smart. She is witty. She is laugh-out-loud funny. If you read any one of her essays, you will be more than a little impressed by the insights she folds into the humor of her anecdotes. And you may be compelled, as I was, to read three of her books in a row.

David Sedaris next—because he is said to be the master essayist who epitomizes caustic wit—but I predict that he’ll come in second for me. Perhaps only because Sloane is my age and my gender and wrote her books with me in mind (obviously). But I can't apologize for that.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

After so many misses on the book front lately I was beginning to think maybe I just didn't enjoy reading the way I used to. And then I stumbled upon this gem and my faith was restored. Crosley's voice is so unique and clever she could be writing directions to the grocery store and I'd be reading fully engrossed and entertained. A pleasure to savor the work of such a delightful, talented author!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Sloane Crosley's third collection of personal essays, and she's as smart, charming, observant, and funny, as ever. Almost! The second essay here (after a quick failed joke about a wheelchair and a taxi), about her annoying teenage neighbor is just ok, maybe even whiny--yeah Jarret (?) and his family are entitled assholes, but if you're living in the West Village I dunno how much you get to complain--and I was thinking uh-oh, Crosley doesn't read as well today, now that everything's gone completely to hell. But then came the other 14 essays and they're all great and all was right with the world again. I loved the one where she doesn't climb the mountain in Ecuador; and the one about her not-really-uncle who was a porn star in the 1970s; and her terrifying bout with Moleire's (?) disease, which is like vertigo but much worse; and the one about freezing her eggs; and the one where she has to buy back her domain name from an extortionist. And the other ones too. As always when she's on her game (which is pretty much always), Crosley is generous with her feelings and combines personal insight with universal concerns. She's also a master at the humorous (usually self-deprecatingly so) subverted-expectation sentence. And if you ever have the chance to see her at a reading, you should do so.