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My Life as a Villainess
New York Times
bestselling author Laura Lippman, a journalist for many years, collects here her recent essays exploring motherhood as an older mom, her life as a reader, her relationships with her parents, friendship, and other topics that will resonate with a large audience. Her voice is wry and relatable, her takes often surprising.
Meet the Woman Behind the Books…
In this collection of new and previously published essays, New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman offers her take on a woman's life across the decades. Her childhood and school years, her newspaper career, her experiences as a novelist—Lippman finds universal touchstones in an unusual life that has as many twists as her award-winning crime fiction.
Essays include:
· Men Explain The Wire to Me
· Game of Crones
· My Life as a Villainess
· My Father’s Bar
· The 31st Stocking
These candid essays offer long-time readers insight into the experiences that helped Lippman become one of the most successful crime novelists of her generation.
Meet the Woman Behind the Books…
In this collection of new and previously published essays, New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman offers her take on a woman's life across the decades. Her childhood and school years, her newspaper career, her experiences as a novelist—Lippman finds universal touchstones in an unusual life that has as many twists as her award-winning crime fiction.
Essays include:
· Men Explain The Wire to Me
· Game of Crones
· My Life as a Villainess
· My Father’s Bar
· The 31st Stocking
These candid essays offer long-time readers insight into the experiences that helped Lippman become one of the most successful crime novelists of her generation.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2020
214 people are currently reading
5537 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lippman
114 books6,383 followersSince Laura Lippman’s debut, she has been recognized as a distinctive voice in mystery fiction and named one of the “essential” crime writers of the last 100 years. Stephen King called her “special, even extraordinary,” and Gillian Flynn wrote, “She is simply a brilliant novelist.” Her books have won most of the major awards in her field and been translated into more than twenty-five languages. She lives in Baltimore and New Orleans with her teenager.
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September 14, 2020
Did I once meet Laura Lippman and try to mansplain one of her own characters to her?
Yeah, I did. Sort of. But I swear it was an accident!
More on that in a moment…
Here we’ve got a novelist doing a series of essays, and the topics include family, marriage, motherhood, friendships, aging, accomplishments, tragedies, regrets, sexism, and social media. While those subjects are universal, Ms. Lippman’s perspective on them is unique. After all, I don’t think there are that many former reporters turned award winning crime writers who married the guy who created The Wire.
The most impressive thing about this is by focusing in on her specific circumstances Ms. Lippman can then provide insights that apply to a lot of us. For example, her and her husband had become acquainted with chef Anthony Bourdain, and his death was a hard blow for them. People all over the world mourned Bourdain, yet it’s her personal connection to him that leads to a touching examination of not just losing a friend, but also grieving celebrities we never met.
In Game of Crones Ms. Lippman talks about becoming a mother. Obviously, motherhood is something that many women experience, but she had her child in her fifties so she’s outside the traditional model. She fully admits that doing this was maybe the ultimate example of white privilege. Yet by explaining why she chose to do it and how she balances her writing with raising her daughter even as her husband is absent for months at a time as part of his work, she once again highlights something that many people can relate to even if her specific circumstances are different than most people.
That brings up another interesting aspect which is that despite being well off and telling stories about meeting famous people and traveling the world, Ms. Lippman still comes across as down to earth and not an entitled jerk. It helps that she goes into her middle class background, and how she struggled to find work as a low paid reporter at the start of her career while eventually writing her first books in the early mornings before work. There’s a sense of having paid her dues as well as self-awareness and gratitude about how things worked out that make you happy for her instead of jealous. (OK, I was a little jealous when she talks about being friends with several crime writers I admire.)
The thing that struck me most is that even though a large part of this discusses her fears and what she thinks are her shortcomings is just how remarkably self-assured Ms. Lippman comes across. While she can mock herself and find no shortage of flaws with her own character, she’s a woman who set out to become the very person she is now, and she is pretty pleased with the results. She doesn’t think she has all the answers, and she has the same self-doubts that any sane person does. Yet, while she’ll acknowledge them, they don't paralyze her, and she doesn't let herself be stopped by other people's opinions. This gives her a distinct perspective as someone who has thought a lot about what really matters to her, and that's an oddly rare trait.
Despite this confidence the one observation I might have made before I met her is that Ms. Lippman seems overly harsh in her self-criticism. The title essay about being a villainess comes from a story she tells about how she divorced her first husband, who had supported her novel writing from the start, just as she was about to hit the big time as an author. She admits to ruthlessly exploiting what she knew about him during the divorce as well as not being fully honest about her feelings that the marriage was over when they separated. She also goes on at length about her failings as a friend as well as tendency to hold grudges.
I might have once argued these are just the same kind of things that a lot of people struggle with in their lives, and that doesn’t make her a villain. However, it’s thinking that Ms. Lippman was being needlessly hard on herself that led me to the incident in which I found myself mansplaining her own character to her….
I went to the 2019 Bouchercon in Dallas, and one of the authors I was hoping to meet was Ms. Lippman because I’d just finished her two most recent books and absolutely loved them. I saw her and some other writers on panel about unlikable characters, and the lead from Lady in the Lake came up. The book is set in the ‘60s and involves a woman named Maddie suddenly divorcing her husband and leaving her child with him. She finds work as a reporter and begins to dig into the recent murder of a woman. Over the course of the story Maddie shows a streak of ruthless ambition and willingness to screw anybody over to get what she wants.
As I recall, during the panel Ms. Lippman was the only writer to declare that she thought her character was ‘unlikable’. I found that interesting because I had very mixed feelings about Maddie and went back and forth as to whether she was sympathetic or not. Yes, she does questionable things, but she’s also a woman trying to make it on her own in a time when that was even harder than it is today.
After the panel I went to a signing session, and as Ms. Lippman autographed my books, I told her I was a new fan, and how much I loved her writing. She thanked me, and I had happened to catch her a moment when no one else was in line so we started chatting for a moment. I mentioned that I had heard what she said about Maddie on the panel, and that I was a little surprised that her opinion about the character was so much tougher than my own.
She noted a couple of the specific things that Maddie did in the book that she felt weren’t forgivable, and this is where I went off the rails. I wasn’t trying to be the guy who argues with the woman who created the character. I wasn’t trying to argue at all. I was nervous and excited to have the opportunity to talk to Ms. Lippman, and what I was trying to say was that I thought she had done such a great job in making Maddie a real and complex character that despite her flaws, I still felt real empathy for her.
Almost a year later, I can articulate that pretty well as I write this review. What I did in the moment was to come across as insistent that Maddie wasn’t as bad as her creator was saying, and when I realized I was botching it, I panicked. And dear reader, that’s when it happened.
I interrupted Laura Lippman and started talking over her, and it very much sounded like I was saying that she was wrong.
The only saving grace was that I saw the look in her eyes, realized what I was doing, and I managed to shut my big stupid mouth and say, “I’m sorry, please go on.”
She was incredibly polite, and she finished the thought I’d so rudely tried to talk over. Then another fan came up to get her books signed, and so I thanked Ms. Lippman again. Then I fled in shame. I looked for an opportunity to see her again that weekend so that I could apologize, but unfortunately, I never got a chance. Now I had to read her essay Men Explain The Wire To Me with my fingers crossed hoping that there wasn’t a brief mention of the idiot in Dallas who tried to tell her about her own character. *whew*
So that’s why if Laura Lippman declares that she’s a villainess, I’m just going to nod and agree.
Yeah, I did. Sort of. But I swear it was an accident!
More on that in a moment…
Here we’ve got a novelist doing a series of essays, and the topics include family, marriage, motherhood, friendships, aging, accomplishments, tragedies, regrets, sexism, and social media. While those subjects are universal, Ms. Lippman’s perspective on them is unique. After all, I don’t think there are that many former reporters turned award winning crime writers who married the guy who created The Wire.
The most impressive thing about this is by focusing in on her specific circumstances Ms. Lippman can then provide insights that apply to a lot of us. For example, her and her husband had become acquainted with chef Anthony Bourdain, and his death was a hard blow for them. People all over the world mourned Bourdain, yet it’s her personal connection to him that leads to a touching examination of not just losing a friend, but also grieving celebrities we never met.
In Game of Crones Ms. Lippman talks about becoming a mother. Obviously, motherhood is something that many women experience, but she had her child in her fifties so she’s outside the traditional model. She fully admits that doing this was maybe the ultimate example of white privilege. Yet by explaining why she chose to do it and how she balances her writing with raising her daughter even as her husband is absent for months at a time as part of his work, she once again highlights something that many people can relate to even if her specific circumstances are different than most people.
That brings up another interesting aspect which is that despite being well off and telling stories about meeting famous people and traveling the world, Ms. Lippman still comes across as down to earth and not an entitled jerk. It helps that she goes into her middle class background, and how she struggled to find work as a low paid reporter at the start of her career while eventually writing her first books in the early mornings before work. There’s a sense of having paid her dues as well as self-awareness and gratitude about how things worked out that make you happy for her instead of jealous. (OK, I was a little jealous when she talks about being friends with several crime writers I admire.)
The thing that struck me most is that even though a large part of this discusses her fears and what she thinks are her shortcomings is just how remarkably self-assured Ms. Lippman comes across. While she can mock herself and find no shortage of flaws with her own character, she’s a woman who set out to become the very person she is now, and she is pretty pleased with the results. She doesn’t think she has all the answers, and she has the same self-doubts that any sane person does. Yet, while she’ll acknowledge them, they don't paralyze her, and she doesn't let herself be stopped by other people's opinions. This gives her a distinct perspective as someone who has thought a lot about what really matters to her, and that's an oddly rare trait.
Despite this confidence the one observation I might have made before I met her is that Ms. Lippman seems overly harsh in her self-criticism. The title essay about being a villainess comes from a story she tells about how she divorced her first husband, who had supported her novel writing from the start, just as she was about to hit the big time as an author. She admits to ruthlessly exploiting what she knew about him during the divorce as well as not being fully honest about her feelings that the marriage was over when they separated. She also goes on at length about her failings as a friend as well as tendency to hold grudges.
I might have once argued these are just the same kind of things that a lot of people struggle with in their lives, and that doesn’t make her a villain. However, it’s thinking that Ms. Lippman was being needlessly hard on herself that led me to the incident in which I found myself mansplaining her own character to her….
I went to the 2019 Bouchercon in Dallas, and one of the authors I was hoping to meet was Ms. Lippman because I’d just finished her two most recent books and absolutely loved them. I saw her and some other writers on panel about unlikable characters, and the lead from Lady in the Lake came up. The book is set in the ‘60s and involves a woman named Maddie suddenly divorcing her husband and leaving her child with him. She finds work as a reporter and begins to dig into the recent murder of a woman. Over the course of the story Maddie shows a streak of ruthless ambition and willingness to screw anybody over to get what she wants.
As I recall, during the panel Ms. Lippman was the only writer to declare that she thought her character was ‘unlikable’. I found that interesting because I had very mixed feelings about Maddie and went back and forth as to whether she was sympathetic or not. Yes, she does questionable things, but she’s also a woman trying to make it on her own in a time when that was even harder than it is today.
After the panel I went to a signing session, and as Ms. Lippman autographed my books, I told her I was a new fan, and how much I loved her writing. She thanked me, and I had happened to catch her a moment when no one else was in line so we started chatting for a moment. I mentioned that I had heard what she said about Maddie on the panel, and that I was a little surprised that her opinion about the character was so much tougher than my own.
She noted a couple of the specific things that Maddie did in the book that she felt weren’t forgivable, and this is where I went off the rails. I wasn’t trying to be the guy who argues with the woman who created the character. I wasn’t trying to argue at all. I was nervous and excited to have the opportunity to talk to Ms. Lippman, and what I was trying to say was that I thought she had done such a great job in making Maddie a real and complex character that despite her flaws, I still felt real empathy for her.
Almost a year later, I can articulate that pretty well as I write this review. What I did in the moment was to come across as insistent that Maddie wasn’t as bad as her creator was saying, and when I realized I was botching it, I panicked. And dear reader, that’s when it happened.
I interrupted Laura Lippman and started talking over her, and it very much sounded like I was saying that she was wrong.
The only saving grace was that I saw the look in her eyes, realized what I was doing, and I managed to shut my big stupid mouth and say, “I’m sorry, please go on.”
She was incredibly polite, and she finished the thought I’d so rudely tried to talk over. Then another fan came up to get her books signed, and so I thanked Ms. Lippman again. Then I fled in shame. I looked for an opportunity to see her again that weekend so that I could apologize, but unfortunately, I never got a chance. Now I had to read her essay Men Explain The Wire To Me with my fingers crossed hoping that there wasn’t a brief mention of the idiot in Dallas who tried to tell her about her own character. *whew*
So that’s why if Laura Lippman declares that she’s a villainess, I’m just going to nod and agree.
September 2, 2020
WINNER WINNER GOODREADS GIVEAWAY DINNER!
review to come!
review to come!
June 7, 2020
Shortly after the release of her first book starting Tess Monahan, Baltimore Blues, I had the pleasure of meeting her at ALA. She was gracious and kind, handing out signed books. I took it home, read it and loved it. She has been on my must read list ever since, though I admit to being a few behind.
I was so curious to see what she would choose to write about in her life, a chance to see into a favorite author. Get to know her a little better. I was not disappointed. She writes about a wide range of topics, such as her first job, her dad, mean girls, issues with weight and self image. How it is to be sixty and raising her nine year old daughter. I can't even imagine that, or rather I can but it makes me tired just thinking about it. More power to her!
She writes with humor, honest about her faults and foibles and is at times self deprecating in things she wished she had or could do better, or differently. Finishing, I took a moment to wonder about what I would write about in my life if I would write such a book. I'm not, however s popular author so I doubt anyone besides my friends or family would care. Definitely not a bestseller.
ARC from Edelweiss.
I was so curious to see what she would choose to write about in her life, a chance to see into a favorite author. Get to know her a little better. I was not disappointed. She writes about a wide range of topics, such as her first job, her dad, mean girls, issues with weight and self image. How it is to be sixty and raising her nine year old daughter. I can't even imagine that, or rather I can but it makes me tired just thinking about it. More power to her!
She writes with humor, honest about her faults and foibles and is at times self deprecating in things she wished she had or could do better, or differently. Finishing, I took a moment to wonder about what I would write about in my life if I would write such a book. I'm not, however s popular author so I doubt anyone besides my friends or family would care. Definitely not a bestseller.
ARC from Edelweiss.
September 12, 2020
4.5 stars
While I often read nonfiction, it is usually memoirs or biographies. Pretty rare for me to pick up a collection of essays like this one. I enjoyed a fiction book by Laura Lippman awhile back and that's what gave me the motivation to take a chance on this one. I have to say this book exceeded my expectations and I had a great time reading it.
Laura Lippman got her start as a newspaper reporter. She then transitioned into a full time career as a crime fiction writer. In this collection of essays, some of which have been previously published, she covers many areas of her life including work, friendships, becoming a mother in her early 50s, and her two marriages. By the time I finished this book I felt like I had a good sense of who she was as a person but respect the fact she held back a bit. In the introduction she mentions this book shouldn't be considered a memoir as it doesn't cover every aspect of her life. But she covered enough to make it interesting and I loved the sense of humor present throughout the book.
I'm not going to lie, I squealed with delight when Laura mentioned she is married to David Simon, creator of The Wire and author of the book which led to the tv show Homicide. (Note to self, read that book because you bought it for your Kindle over 10 years ago and it's embarrassing it is still on your tbr list despite having loved the show) Granted I don't know either one personally but they seem like a great match given their love for the city of Baltimore, and their newspaper backgrounds to name a few things. And since they have been a couple for a few decades I think my assumption is right on the money. I loved the essays about The Wire as I am a big fan of that show as well and it was like getting the cherry on top of what was already a pretty awesome ice cream sundae.
Definitely recommend reading if you enjoy fiction books by this author and/or if you like essays that are reflective but with a good touch of humor thrown in as well.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
While I often read nonfiction, it is usually memoirs or biographies. Pretty rare for me to pick up a collection of essays like this one. I enjoyed a fiction book by Laura Lippman awhile back and that's what gave me the motivation to take a chance on this one. I have to say this book exceeded my expectations and I had a great time reading it.
Laura Lippman got her start as a newspaper reporter. She then transitioned into a full time career as a crime fiction writer. In this collection of essays, some of which have been previously published, she covers many areas of her life including work, friendships, becoming a mother in her early 50s, and her two marriages. By the time I finished this book I felt like I had a good sense of who she was as a person but respect the fact she held back a bit. In the introduction she mentions this book shouldn't be considered a memoir as it doesn't cover every aspect of her life. But she covered enough to make it interesting and I loved the sense of humor present throughout the book.
I'm not going to lie, I squealed with delight when Laura mentioned she is married to David Simon, creator of The Wire and author of the book which led to the tv show Homicide. (Note to self, read that book because you bought it for your Kindle over 10 years ago and it's embarrassing it is still on your tbr list despite having loved the show) Granted I don't know either one personally but they seem like a great match given their love for the city of Baltimore, and their newspaper backgrounds to name a few things. And since they have been a couple for a few decades I think my assumption is right on the money. I loved the essays about The Wire as I am a big fan of that show as well and it was like getting the cherry on top of what was already a pretty awesome ice cream sundae.
Definitely recommend reading if you enjoy fiction books by this author and/or if you like essays that are reflective but with a good touch of humor thrown in as well.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.
June 14, 2022
4 stars
This is the first book I have read by Lippman that was nonfiction. I thoroughly enjoy her fiction writing and found that I also liked this book of personal essays. I am not an essay reader and usually steer clear of them, but liking Lippman and also needing to read a book of essays for a challenge, I jumped in.
This was a short book covering the life of Lippman, divided out into many short essays. Some were funny, some sad, but most were self deprecating. Lippman pulled no punches about the things in her life that might not have gone the way she wanted, or those things that put her in bad light. Her brutal honesty actually was refreshing.
This short book is a great way to give her audience a look into her life, a memoir of sorts. Now I not only like her as an author, but also as a person.
This is the first book I have read by Lippman that was nonfiction. I thoroughly enjoy her fiction writing and found that I also liked this book of personal essays. I am not an essay reader and usually steer clear of them, but liking Lippman and also needing to read a book of essays for a challenge, I jumped in.
This was a short book covering the life of Lippman, divided out into many short essays. Some were funny, some sad, but most were self deprecating. Lippman pulled no punches about the things in her life that might not have gone the way she wanted, or those things that put her in bad light. Her brutal honesty actually was refreshing.
This short book is a great way to give her audience a look into her life, a memoir of sorts. Now I not only like her as an author, but also as a person.
February 4, 2020
I've been a fan of Laura Lippman's fiction for what feels like a long time, though I didn't discover her for myself until several books into her career. (My first Lippman was Every Secret Thing, which will always be one of my favorites because it was the book that introduced me to someone who would become one of my Top Five, must-read authors.) I follow Lippman on social media and subscribe to her newsletter, so I went into this volume with some idea of her non-fiction style. I did not expect, however, to be gut-punched by the very first essay.
I have always been someone who struggled with her weight. I was put on diets as a young child. I spent years as an adult attending weekly Weight Watchers meetings and keeping meticulous track of every morsel I put in my mouth. There came a time, though, when I recognized that this constant battle to fit into some societal ideal of attractiveness was making me more unhappy than just struggling to find clothes that fit properly ever could. And in this first essay, Lippman calls out the pervasive harm of the (mostly unrealistic) standards that society thrusts on to women from a very young age. I felt this essay, deep in my heart and even had to put it down a couple of times before I could bear to finish.
And while not all of the essays affected me on such a personal level, they every one evoked an emotional reaction. Some made me laugh. Some made me cringe. Some made me cackle with spiteful glee. Some made me cry or self-examine and all of them made me wish I were brave enough to be as honest as Lippman is (or appears to be) in this collection. These essays made me wish I was a writer in ways that fiction never could. They also made me wish I could be Laura Lippman when I grow up. I raise my Martini to you, Ms. Lippman. (Gin, of course, because anything else is not a Martini, thank you very much.)
I have always been someone who struggled with her weight. I was put on diets as a young child. I spent years as an adult attending weekly Weight Watchers meetings and keeping meticulous track of every morsel I put in my mouth. There came a time, though, when I recognized that this constant battle to fit into some societal ideal of attractiveness was making me more unhappy than just struggling to find clothes that fit properly ever could. And in this first essay, Lippman calls out the pervasive harm of the (mostly unrealistic) standards that society thrusts on to women from a very young age. I felt this essay, deep in my heart and even had to put it down a couple of times before I could bear to finish.
And while not all of the essays affected me on such a personal level, they every one evoked an emotional reaction. Some made me laugh. Some made me cringe. Some made me cackle with spiteful glee. Some made me cry or self-examine and all of them made me wish I were brave enough to be as honest as Lippman is (or appears to be) in this collection. These essays made me wish I was a writer in ways that fiction never could. They also made me wish I could be Laura Lippman when I grow up. I raise my Martini to you, Ms. Lippman. (Gin, of course, because anything else is not a Martini, thank you very much.)
Read
June 22, 20212.5
Mildly diverting, but quite humble-braggy at times.
Mildly diverting, but quite humble-braggy at times.
Read
October 27, 2021Lippman mentions at the beginning that she is struggling with writing in the first person after her formative career in journalism. That’s a shame. The parts of the book where she takes center stage are the most compelling.
The title essay explores the truism that no one is a villain in her own story, with the additional perspective of what it is like to be the villain in someone else’s story, and how this has informed her crime writing. Her account of her early days in Waco is elegiac, humorous, and chilling, deepened with the strange understanding you achieve only from time: sometimes the experiences you most want to be over are the ones that enrich you, that build your foundation. Her Twitter escapades are a hilarious entry into a thoughtful essay on bullying, which highlights one of the best books written on bullying, “The Hundred Dresses,” and explores why that children’s story still holds such resonance after more than 75 years.
It feels like Laura Lippman has more to say, especially about her career as a mystery writer. I am looking forward to her next memoir.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the Goodreads Giveaway ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The title essay explores the truism that no one is a villain in her own story, with the additional perspective of what it is like to be the villain in someone else’s story, and how this has informed her crime writing. Her account of her early days in Waco is elegiac, humorous, and chilling, deepened with the strange understanding you achieve only from time: sometimes the experiences you most want to be over are the ones that enrich you, that build your foundation. Her Twitter escapades are a hilarious entry into a thoughtful essay on bullying, which highlights one of the best books written on bullying, “The Hundred Dresses,” and explores why that children’s story still holds such resonance after more than 75 years.
It feels like Laura Lippman has more to say, especially about her career as a mystery writer. I am looking forward to her next memoir.
Many thanks to William Morrow for the Goodreads Giveaway ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 24, 2020
There's something intimate about getting to hear an author read their work. In the case of Laura Lippman's collection of essays My Life as a Villainess, it feels just a bit more intimate -- almost as if you've been invited to coffee with Lippman and are getting the chance to hear bits and pieces of her story.
Fifteen essays covering a wide range of topics from our obsession with celebrities to her early days as a newspaper reporter in Waco to her thoughts on her unconventional approach to motherhood. (One particular sentence that haunted me is about seeing your child go through the same types of things you once faced and being powerless to stop them from hurting someone you love so much). As with her fictional writing, Lippman hits home time and again with observations and a self-deprecating sense of humor. Lippman turns the searchlight on herself time and again, detailing not only successes but also shortcomings in her life. At times as I listened to this audiobook, I felt myself thinking, "You know I could be friends with Laura Lippman." That is, of course, assuming we lived anywhere near each other and I didn't try to man-splain The Wire to her (I must apologize because as of this stage in my life I haven't found the time to watch all of The Wire yet. It's not for lack of desire, it's just that I'm a slacker when it comes to catching up on my quality tv shows).
Of course, as with all sets of non-fiction essays, there are times I found myself nodding in agreement with what Lippman was saying and times when I felt myself disagreeing and wanting to discuss our differences with her (again, without mansplaining. At least I hope I wouldn't.). Reading these essays, you get to see inside the world and mind of one of the best writers working today. If you're a Lippman fans, this is a must-read.
Fifteen essays covering a wide range of topics from our obsession with celebrities to her early days as a newspaper reporter in Waco to her thoughts on her unconventional approach to motherhood. (One particular sentence that haunted me is about seeing your child go through the same types of things you once faced and being powerless to stop them from hurting someone you love so much). As with her fictional writing, Lippman hits home time and again with observations and a self-deprecating sense of humor. Lippman turns the searchlight on herself time and again, detailing not only successes but also shortcomings in her life. At times as I listened to this audiobook, I felt myself thinking, "You know I could be friends with Laura Lippman." That is, of course, assuming we lived anywhere near each other and I didn't try to man-splain The Wire to her (I must apologize because as of this stage in my life I haven't found the time to watch all of The Wire yet. It's not for lack of desire, it's just that I'm a slacker when it comes to catching up on my quality tv shows).
Of course, as with all sets of non-fiction essays, there are times I found myself nodding in agreement with what Lippman was saying and times when I felt myself disagreeing and wanting to discuss our differences with her (again, without mansplaining. At least I hope I wouldn't.). Reading these essays, you get to see inside the world and mind of one of the best writers working today. If you're a Lippman fans, this is a must-read.
June 1, 2021
Laura Lippman is a very good storyteller, but not here. Under the title, it says “Essays”, but these are not essays. They are not structured so as to help us understand a concept, idea, or experience. They are rambling tidbits about her experiences — tweets. In this volume, Lippman admits she loves to tweet, so here she has just strung together a series of tweets about things that have happened in her life.
It would have been great if she had written a memoir. There are lots of tidbits in the book that could have been developed into a memoir — several memoirs in fact — like her fight with her body image, her tendency to choose inappropriate lovers until she finally got the brass ring and how that occurred, her many years of trying to succeed as a journalist in Texas when her heart was in Baltimore. Many more — all tidbits without really revealing anything.
The short descriptions of happenings in her life are well written. I finished the book in two days. It’s simply that it lacks any structure or overarching theme.
Addendum, all about me, Shannon M. The first review I ever posted on GoodReads was a review of Lippman’s most recent book — Lady in the Lake. I was proud of it. But I don’t think anyone read it, or at least no one liked it. I almost gave up trying to write reviews, was prepared to use GoodReads simply as an information source. But I tend to be stubborn and in the end persevered writing reviews, and finally some of them received “likes”.
It would have been great if she had written a memoir. There are lots of tidbits in the book that could have been developed into a memoir — several memoirs in fact — like her fight with her body image, her tendency to choose inappropriate lovers until she finally got the brass ring and how that occurred, her many years of trying to succeed as a journalist in Texas when her heart was in Baltimore. Many more — all tidbits without really revealing anything.
The short descriptions of happenings in her life are well written. I finished the book in two days. It’s simply that it lacks any structure or overarching theme.
Addendum, all about me, Shannon M. The first review I ever posted on GoodReads was a review of Lippman’s most recent book — Lady in the Lake. I was proud of it. But I don’t think anyone read it, or at least no one liked it. I almost gave up trying to write reviews, was prepared to use GoodReads simply as an information source. But I tend to be stubborn and in the end persevered writing reviews, and finally some of them received “likes”.
August 26, 2020
My Life as a Villainess is a collection of essays written by crime novelist, Laura Lippman.
Over the past number of years, I’ve grown to enjoy essay collections. I admire people who can let others into their personal lives. It takes a great deal of courage to be so open about yourself, especially when you’ve done things that you may not be proud of. It isn’t a gossip thing – I don’t need to know the sordid details of the lives of every public figure (although, I have been known to watch TMZ, so sue me), but I do appreciate it when someone I admire shares the frustration behind their craft, or the moments in their lives where they were wrong.
With My Life as a Villainess, Laura Lippman isn’t producing a full narrative of her life. Instead, she muses on topics like family, her early years as a newspaper reporter and becoming a mother at age fifty. She also writes about friends she has lost over the years due to her own failings. She writes about the tragic loss of her friend Rob Hiaasen, one of the many victims of the Capital Gazette shooting in June of 2018. These aren’t fluff pieces, they’re deeply personal moments in her life where she struggles with being an “old mother” and the challenges that go hand-in-hand with aging.
For fans of Laura’s husband, David Simon, there is a great essay that closes the collection all about The Wire. Laura goes season-by-season discussing the show’s immense popularity and critical acclaim.
My Life as a Villainess is an intimate look at Laura’s life, warts and all. If you’re a fan of her fictional work, I can see you enjoying this as well.
Over the past number of years, I’ve grown to enjoy essay collections. I admire people who can let others into their personal lives. It takes a great deal of courage to be so open about yourself, especially when you’ve done things that you may not be proud of. It isn’t a gossip thing – I don’t need to know the sordid details of the lives of every public figure (although, I have been known to watch TMZ, so sue me), but I do appreciate it when someone I admire shares the frustration behind their craft, or the moments in their lives where they were wrong.
With My Life as a Villainess, Laura Lippman isn’t producing a full narrative of her life. Instead, she muses on topics like family, her early years as a newspaper reporter and becoming a mother at age fifty. She also writes about friends she has lost over the years due to her own failings. She writes about the tragic loss of her friend Rob Hiaasen, one of the many victims of the Capital Gazette shooting in June of 2018. These aren’t fluff pieces, they’re deeply personal moments in her life where she struggles with being an “old mother” and the challenges that go hand-in-hand with aging.
For fans of Laura’s husband, David Simon, there is a great essay that closes the collection all about The Wire. Laura goes season-by-season discussing the show’s immense popularity and critical acclaim.
My Life as a Villainess is an intimate look at Laura’s life, warts and all. If you’re a fan of her fictional work, I can see you enjoying this as well.
August 28, 2020
Ugh! I very much anticipated this as I like her books. Fiction books.
Instead I felt like these essays were parts of episodes for Big Little Lies. Mainly those surrounding the pretentious preschool.
Good for her on her success. Bless her heart!
Instead I felt like these essays were parts of episodes for Big Little Lies. Mainly those surrounding the pretentious preschool.
Good for her on her success. Bless her heart!
August 7, 2020
Laura Lippman is a grudge holder. This may not be a good quality—I'm trying to be less of a grudge holder myself—but it's entertaining in an essayist. (She's still mad about the secondhand Fiestaware her first husband got in the divorce.) These essays are about being a reporter, a novelist, a first-time mother at age 50, and the wife of a rich, famous "genius grant" winner, David Simon. Lippman likes her face the way it is, even though the photographers for her book covers despair over her upturned nose. She likes her body the way it is, after trying most of the fad diets out there. And she likes writing a book a year even though she (at least for now) no longer needs the money. No wonder, since she had few connections starting out and had to push and push and push and push for her commercial and creative success. Now that she has finally gotten recognition, she gets to do stuff like publishing a children's book (writing it took 20 minutes) and this collection of essays, and I for one love to see it.
October 19, 2020
I didn’t think I’d have anything in common with this book or it’s writer and I was right, I didn’t. However, the writing was interesting and Laura Lippman’s wry observations were just the contrast I needed to offset the types of books that I’ve been reading recently.
The title is what drew me, I knew nothing of Laura Lippman before this book. The questions that she posited in this work intrigued me. Especially surrounding her friendship by proxy with Anthony Bourdain, RIP. The proxy being her famous husband, The Wire/Treme TV writer, David Simon.
I found her rich white life and the charm that it brought, an any age later-in-life safe pregnancy, expensive clothes, a nanny for her one child, gourmet feasts, travel, etc., I found that kinda whatever. It’s hard to read certain books these days because of the fact that I know that they’re really talking about nothing, in contrast to what’s actually going on in the world, but sometimes you need funny little books about nothing serious to break up the seriousness of life and I like the way her mind works.
The title is what drew me, I knew nothing of Laura Lippman before this book. The questions that she posited in this work intrigued me. Especially surrounding her friendship by proxy with Anthony Bourdain, RIP. The proxy being her famous husband, The Wire/Treme TV writer, David Simon.
I found her rich white life and the charm that it brought, an any age later-in-life safe pregnancy, expensive clothes, a nanny for her one child, gourmet feasts, travel, etc., I found that kinda whatever. It’s hard to read certain books these days because of the fact that I know that they’re really talking about nothing, in contrast to what’s actually going on in the world, but sometimes you need funny little books about nothing serious to break up the seriousness of life and I like the way her mind works.
August 26, 2020
One of my favorite authors, but this one left me cold. First of all, I blame the publisher. Terrible job. I can accept one or two typos, but this book literally had 50, or more (I didn't count), dropped letters, often v or g, but not every v or g! It turned me off totally. I hate to blame the author, but I have a bad taste in my mouth about this book because of it. In addition, it was a series of short biographical stories, and I did not get a pleasant picture of Ms. Lippman. She did not come off as a very likeable person. Very disappointed.
December 13, 2020
I have loved every Lippman book that I have read (especially Sunburn) but this biography did nothing for me at all. Although I gave every essay a good try, I often lost interest and skimmed to the ending.
There was too much important-person name-dropping for my likes and way too much focus on her husbands' lives. I also was put off by how much value she puts on her twitter and other social media presence, as if those are real interactions. For a writer with a gift of exploring vastly differing viewpoints of the same incident, she doesn't seem to be able to apply that concept to her own tweets.
I guess I had her up on a bit of a pedestal and she fell. But, on the upside, I started reading books of her favourite author, Ann Hood, and I'm astounded at how similar their styles are.
If anyone can enlighten me to the reason she omits the V in five, the G in figure and other purposeful omissions, I'd love to know.
There was too much important-person name-dropping for my likes and way too much focus on her husbands' lives. I also was put off by how much value she puts on her twitter and other social media presence, as if those are real interactions. For a writer with a gift of exploring vastly differing viewpoints of the same incident, she doesn't seem to be able to apply that concept to her own tweets.
I guess I had her up on a bit of a pedestal and she fell. But, on the upside, I started reading books of her favourite author, Ann Hood, and I'm astounded at how similar their styles are.
If anyone can enlighten me to the reason she omits the V in five, the G in figure and other purposeful omissions, I'd love to know.
April 24, 2020
This was such a treat, especially in turbulent times. Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and to Lippman for writing smart, funny, engaging essays that actually kept me from compulsively checking the news.
April 25, 2023
In a world where most stress the importance of dieting, being f*ckable, successful, all whilst being a stay at home mom, this was a breath of fresh air. Witty and honest; I couldn’t help but cackle in my seat. The title sucked me in but I stayed for Lippman’s voice. I’ve not read any of her fiction but I most definitely will be going forward.
December 29, 2023
This was on sale at Chapters for like 4 dollars, and now I know why.
This book is like if you asked Uncle Colm from Derry Girls to write a feminine rage essay collection.
I had to DNF because it was just so boring, it offered nothing unique, and it just went on and on and on. Save yourself some time: don't read this because there are so many other essayists that write what this book was trying to be, and they actually do it well.
At least I learned to stop giving authors second chances.
This book is like if you asked Uncle Colm from Derry Girls to write a feminine rage essay collection.
I had to DNF because it was just so boring, it offered nothing unique, and it just went on and on and on. Save yourself some time: don't read this because there are so many other essayists that write what this book was trying to be, and they actually do it well.
At least I learned to stop giving authors second chances.
August 12, 2020
When I first saw this book, My Life as A Villainess, by Laura Lippman, I was ecstatic! I had to read it. It reads well. The writing was easy enough to get through, however, some things I read were shocking. Such as the process of dealing with aging (60 years-author’s age) and as a mother of a 9-year-old. That has to be tough! I know what my grandparents went through at that age cycle. Because, my grandparents were 60 when they took on caring for us three grandkids. It’s not an easy thing.
Second, the way the writer wrote her memoir/essays was done in a bragging sort of way. Multiple times, she states not to brag, but it does come off as bragging. I get it. She’s successful and talented. The wording could have been done better. Laura Lippman’s fiction is much better quality than her nonfiction writing of her life. I am a fan of her fiction novels and was surprised with this book.
Third, I was greatly disappointed because I thought this book would dive more into her life as a writer and as a reader more than telling me what she did in her entire career and personal life. I would still read Laura Lippman’s work of fiction. But this book just did not speak to me as a reader.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
Second, the way the writer wrote her memoir/essays was done in a bragging sort of way. Multiple times, she states not to brag, but it does come off as bragging. I get it. She’s successful and talented. The wording could have been done better. Laura Lippman’s fiction is much better quality than her nonfiction writing of her life. I am a fan of her fiction novels and was surprised with this book.
Third, I was greatly disappointed because I thought this book would dive more into her life as a writer and as a reader more than telling me what she did in her entire career and personal life. I would still read Laura Lippman’s work of fiction. But this book just did not speak to me as a reader.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
April 1, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for my honest review.
Holy shit, I could barely force myself to finish this. I love Laura Lippman’s novels, I really do. And I expected to love this. But it was just so incredibly boring. She’s a great writer with a fantastic sense of humor, so I don’t know why these essays fell so flat for me. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to how these were organized, and I didn’t understand why she had even shared a few of the stories - they just weren’t interesting. It felt also a little pretentious, a little try-hard. I’m really disappointed, and I will not be recommending this nor purchasing it for my library. I give the collection 2 stars because the writing was great, the content was not.
Holy shit, I could barely force myself to finish this. I love Laura Lippman’s novels, I really do. And I expected to love this. But it was just so incredibly boring. She’s a great writer with a fantastic sense of humor, so I don’t know why these essays fell so flat for me. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to how these were organized, and I didn’t understand why she had even shared a few of the stories - they just weren’t interesting. It felt also a little pretentious, a little try-hard. I’m really disappointed, and I will not be recommending this nor purchasing it for my library. I give the collection 2 stars because the writing was great, the content was not.
April 4, 2020
Excellent collection of personal and cultural essays by the mystery writer, topped by the magnificent "Game of Crones," about being an older mother old enough to be mistaken for the grandmother.
September 11, 2020
Three and three quarter stars. In this essay collection, Laura Lippman writes about her life and long career as a journalist and then novelist. Her tone is self-deprecating and funny, and if you're familiar with her Twitter feed, you'll recognize her sense of humor and genuine confidence. I've been wanting to read the first of her Tess Monaghan detective novels for a while now and I think I'll be in good hands when I do.
As for this book, I enjoyed her take on celebrity deaths and how affected she and her husband were by the death of Anthony Bourdain. There's another strong piece about coming to terms with aging, being a parent later in life, and realizing that she will never go on another diet. And she captures the wonder of moving to Waco for her first reporting job. Lippman has a joy for life and is secure enough to admit that she isn't always an easy person to be around; she was ghosted by a good friend and her loss and confusion is palpable in her prose.
As for this book, I enjoyed her take on celebrity deaths and how affected she and her husband were by the death of Anthony Bourdain. There's another strong piece about coming to terms with aging, being a parent later in life, and realizing that she will never go on another diet. And she captures the wonder of moving to Waco for her first reporting job. Lippman has a joy for life and is secure enough to admit that she isn't always an easy person to be around; she was ghosted by a good friend and her loss and confusion is palpable in her prose.
August 20, 2024
2.5 Stars!
“What would happen to the global economy if all the women on the planet suddenly decided: I don’t care if you think I’m fuckable.”
Now there's an interesting thought. Bold, frank and certainly not afraid to reveal her own flaws and shortcomings, Lippman’s personality comes through really strongly in these essays and this is both a good and bad thing. I didn’t love these, and I think I found her tone and voice just too much, but there are some interesting moments too.
Overall for me at least, too often this came across as shallow, empty, materialistic, bitter, cold and dark and there didn’t seem enough elsewhere to balance that out, there was little humour or insight and I felt a real frosty distance about this collection which forever kept me from loving anything about it - it was OK but I wouldn’t recommend it to most.
Interestingly enough the author separated from her second husband (who gets a fair amount of air time in here) the same year this came out.
Read
February 15, 2021DNF - I tried this one, but too much of a feminist agenda for me. If I’m going to read a nonfiction book, I want to be relatable rather than a tirade again the suppression of women. I’m good, thanks.
September 3, 2020
New York Times bestselling crime novelist, Laura Lippman, dazzles in this sparkling essay collection. Readers will finally get to meet the woman behind the novels in this unabashedly poignant collection of personal essays. From motherhood to her early career in journalism to love and loss and Twitter - many facets of Lippman's life are candidly broached, often with humorous and astute observations. Essays can go from laugh out loud funny to achingly sad in a heartbeat - but the tone always remains insightful and optimistic. Brilliantly narrated by the essayist herself, Lippman is great at controlling the levity and seriousness that each essay demands. A wonderful balance of essays- readers will feel like they get far more than a glimpse into the life of crime writing legend. Not just for fans of the author, these essays broach far more than her work and should have a wide appeal
September 10, 2020
Can’t remember the last time I devoured a book so quickly! Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for this awesome win! I’ve always loved Laura Lippman the writer and now I love the person! Thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable book of essays and what a great way to spend a relaxing vacation day by the lake! Laura shares stories of her life with unflinching honesty and humor and what an interesting life indeed! So happy to be one of the lucky giveaway winners of this fabulous book!
August 7, 2020
I have a long time habit of reading Laura Lippman books so the five star rating doesn't surprise me, I'm biased. It also helps that this is a really good collection of essays, mostly not about writing but living as a writer while being a lot of other things which is pretty relatable even when she's pointing out how her tax bracket makes things a lot easier for her to accomplish. I appreciate that awareness too, and that if she had the chance to tell her 20 year old self about the lessons she's learned in life she wouldn't because her former self wouldn't deserve to know. This was just great to read and I really hope I can find more of her essays because I didn't realize I'd enjoy them this much.
August 31, 2020
This is an essay collection/ memoir style book from a mystery writer that I am liking more and more. I've read and liked 3 or 4 of her mysteries but I will definitely have a great appreciation for her books after reading this one. She is so witty and funny and honest. This is kind of journalistic (her background) and the essays are just the right length. This would be easy to read in chunks as well.
If you like Ruth Reichl's food memoirs or Irma Bombeck's comedy, this is for you. But also if you just find mystery writers interesting, this is also for you.
If you like Ruth Reichl's food memoirs or Irma Bombeck's comedy, this is for you. But also if you just find mystery writers interesting, this is also for you.
October 19, 2020
Overall, a disappointment--I would take her at her word that she is a poor friend. I've enjoyed her mysteries, but don't feel they transcend the genre. These essays read quickly, but are intentionally coy at times and "braggy" overall. There is little insight. And even less empathy for the reader. Her marriage to David Simon overshadows much of her story and yet it’s barely explained, in the final chapter. She’s a mother at 51, and her description of “ he writes checks, I get things done.”, is a constant narrative. I wanted to like her, but the more I read the less I did. She’s my contemporary but clearly I’m not her equal— only celebrities qualify. Compared to Michelle Obama’s “Becomimg” a book by a woman of similar age, and no stranger to celebrity, it doesn’t have the honesty or sense of place. Lippmann is a writer of genre mysteries and her memoir is on that level--honestly, it should have been direct to paperback. She presents a hard shell: "I'm a tough old bird." and it's off putting, as are her constant reminders of her celebrity filled life as the wife of a famous person.
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