Bachelor Girls (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 29 semi-humorous essays, Wasserstein expatiates on topics including manicures and body-hair waxing, relationships between men and women, and her love of plaid. "Possibly amusing as stage patter or magazine filler, such trite ephemera turn deadly gathered between a book's covers," said PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

A collection of 29 personal essays, most of which previously appeared in magazines. Heavy, it's not. Lots of fun, it is. From tales of an Auntie Mame-type mama (who once dressed up as Patty Hearst, complete with beret and toy gun) to a surprisingly poignant description of a romance gone awry, Wasserstein paints a vibrant picture of today's single young women who aspire to independence but still want meaningful relationships. A literary "Cathy" (the cartoon) with the same appeal. --Diana C. Hirsch, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, MD
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (July 2, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679730621
• ISBN-13: 978-0679730620
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,000,615 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Average Read, May 13, 2001

By	Pearl of Wisdom - See all my reviews

This book is a very fast read because it is a collection of twenty-nine short episodes from a "bachelor girl's" life. Wasserstein speculates on these episodes in an informal manner, as if she's writing in her journal, but her language carries a somewhat academic tone.

This book is intellectually amusing in some places because of Wasserstein's clever insights, but it certainly isn't laugh-out-loud funny. Most "bachelor girls" will probably be able to relate to a couple of her experiences, but I found a lot of the episodes and insights to be unique to Wasserstein's life and not exactly universal in their appeal.

"Bridget Jones's Diary" is a much more humorous and satisfying read, but "Bachelor Girls" does have its virtues. Brevity is one of them. Also, "Bachelor Girls" does tend to inspire a reading "bachelor girl" to think about her own experiences and bounce them off the insights provided by Wasserstein.

Overall, this is a good read to pass the time with, but it is about 2 stars short of my desirable standard. I expected it to contain more humor, more universal appeal, and more cohesive chapters.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, August 14, 2001

By	Ms Diva "cycworker" (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

There were certainly some insightful essays in this book. The problem was I expected more humor, and it just wasn't there. As a result, the book doesn't have alot of value as something I'd reread over again. With the exception of two essays - one about a bar mitzvah she attended, and one about the Balkans, most of the book just wasn't all that interesting. Well written, technically, but somewhat dull. And I got tired of some of the self-congratulatory remarks and stories about her plays.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Honest, August 8, 2000

By A Customer

I enjoyed this novel. The chapters are very humerous and honest - Ms. Wasserstein clearly enjoys laughing at herself. My best friend read my copy, as did my sister, mother, and grandmother. Everyone reported rave reviews for Wasserstein's talent. My copy of Bachelor Girks was last seen with my college professor, and I hope that it continues to circulate.