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Top positive review
4.0 out of 5 starsI would recommend this to anyone over 18
ByAlleaon February 15, 2018
I'm not an avid reader, but I find this book to be quite the page turner. Ms.Dunhams style of writing is a very smooth yet incredibly descriptive form. Very relatable for young women of this generation. I would recommend this to anyone over 18, as it is quite graphic in the sexual aspect. But overall a great book to read with a glass of wine in a hot bath
Top critical review
1,217 people found this helpful
3.0 out of 5 starsToo much Lena
ByNamzon October 4, 2014
Before reading this book, I thought Lena Dunham could do no wrong. I love all three seasons of Girls, I've bought magazines I'd never previously read simply because she graced their covers, and I've read all of her online essays. This book is, however, too much Lena. While there are flashes of brilliance in the book, like the essays on the hard-to-define rape she suffered, the teacher who tried to sexually abuse her, and the struggles she's had with being taken seriously by male execs in Hollywood, the majority of the book is filled with musings about her life that are simply boring. I get that Lena believes that standing up and telling your story is the bravest thing anyone can do, but your story has to be interesting in order to be worthy of being published. That's where this book has gone wrong--the publisher clearly thought that anything written by Lena would be lapped up by readers. With each individual essay, her editors clearly didn't step back and ask, 'Is this really worth publishing?'. If they had, the book would be about two-thirds shorter.
The title is also misleading, as Lena does not appear to have learned very much, or rather, she doesn't take much interest in imparting her knowledge to her readers. This book has primarily taught me that Lena Dunham is excruciatingly self-obsessed and lacking virtually any self-awareness. She appears to believe that her musings on virtually anything are nothing short of brilliant, no matter how dull and irrelevant the subject matter. The reprinting of several pages of her food diary is perhaps the best illustration of this --a verbatim regurgitation of what she ate for about a week while she was allegedly on a 'diet' (it's really just a pretty standard day's eating for most people) is supposed to communicate what exactly? Her attempts to make even the most mundane interactions with her family appear so powerfully meaningful are odd. The part where she retells a story about how she and her father got stuck in a traffic jam and experienced frustration because, well, they were in a traffic jam is a perfect example of this.
In this book, Lena seems consumed by a pressing need to convince you that she feels so many more emotions, so much more intensely than anyone else. She sees quirks and eccentricities in people that others simply cannot comprehend, and you, the reader, need to know that. She is just so brilliant, you guys, don't you see that from all of her deep introspections on how we're all going to die eventually so what's the point?! Lena is so overwhelmed by herself in this book that you can't help but feel like you're suffocating while reading it.
This book has killed my love affair with all things Lena Dunham. I admire the work she has done in film and television, no question, and she's an extremely talented writer in both of those genres. I don't think, however, that she can write at the level required to sustain an entire book.
I will view Lena Dunham from afar from now on. I've thrown out all of those once-hoarded magazines, and although I still love Girls and will await every new season with much anticipation, I'll watch it from now on with a degree of detachment.
The title is also misleading, as Lena does not appear to have learned very much, or rather, she doesn't take much interest in imparting her knowledge to her readers. This book has primarily taught me that Lena Dunham is excruciatingly self-obsessed and lacking virtually any self-awareness. She appears to believe that her musings on virtually anything are nothing short of brilliant, no matter how dull and irrelevant the subject matter. The reprinting of several pages of her food diary is perhaps the best illustration of this --a verbatim regurgitation of what she ate for about a week while she was allegedly on a 'diet' (it's really just a pretty standard day's eating for most people) is supposed to communicate what exactly? Her attempts to make even the most mundane interactions with her family appear so powerfully meaningful are odd. The part where she retells a story about how she and her father got stuck in a traffic jam and experienced frustration because, well, they were in a traffic jam is a perfect example of this.
In this book, Lena seems consumed by a pressing need to convince you that she feels so many more emotions, so much more intensely than anyone else. She sees quirks and eccentricities in people that others simply cannot comprehend, and you, the reader, need to know that. She is just so brilliant, you guys, don't you see that from all of her deep introspections on how we're all going to die eventually so what's the point?! Lena is so overwhelmed by herself in this book that you can't help but feel like you're suffocating while reading it.
This book has killed my love affair with all things Lena Dunham. I admire the work she has done in film and television, no question, and she's an extremely talented writer in both of those genres. I don't think, however, that she can write at the level required to sustain an entire book.
I will view Lena Dunham from afar from now on. I've thrown out all of those once-hoarded magazines, and although I still love Girls and will await every new season with much anticipation, I'll watch it from now on with a degree of detachment.
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ByNamzon October 4, 2014
Before reading this book, I thought Lena Dunham could do no wrong. I love all three seasons of Girls, I've bought magazines I'd never previously read simply because she graced their covers, and I've read all of her online essays. This book is, however, too much Lena. While there are flashes of brilliance in the book, like the essays on the hard-to-define rape she suffered, the teacher who tried to sexually abuse her, and the struggles she's had with being taken seriously by male execs in Hollywood, the majority of the book is filled with musings about her life that are simply boring. I get that Lena believes that standing up and telling your story is the bravest thing anyone can do, but your story has to be interesting in order to be worthy of being published. That's where this book has gone wrong--the publisher clearly thought that anything written by Lena would be lapped up by readers. With each individual essay, her editors clearly didn't step back and ask, 'Is this really worth publishing?'. If they had, the book would be about two-thirds shorter.
The title is also misleading, as Lena does not appear to have learned very much, or rather, she doesn't take much interest in imparting her knowledge to her readers. This book has primarily taught me that Lena Dunham is excruciatingly self-obsessed and lacking virtually any self-awareness. She appears to believe that her musings on virtually anything are nothing short of brilliant, no matter how dull and irrelevant the subject matter. The reprinting of several pages of her food diary is perhaps the best illustration of this --a verbatim regurgitation of what she ate for about a week while she was allegedly on a 'diet' (it's really just a pretty standard day's eating for most people) is supposed to communicate what exactly? Her attempts to make even the most mundane interactions with her family appear so powerfully meaningful are odd. The part where she retells a story about how she and her father got stuck in a traffic jam and experienced frustration because, well, they were in a traffic jam is a perfect example of this.
In this book, Lena seems consumed by a pressing need to convince you that she feels so many more emotions, so much more intensely than anyone else. She sees quirks and eccentricities in people that others simply cannot comprehend, and you, the reader, need to know that. She is just so brilliant, you guys, don't you see that from all of her deep introspections on how we're all going to die eventually so what's the point?! Lena is so overwhelmed by herself in this book that you can't help but feel like you're suffocating while reading it.
This book has killed my love affair with all things Lena Dunham. I admire the work she has done in film and television, no question, and she's an extremely talented writer in both of those genres. I don't think, however, that she can write at the level required to sustain an entire book.
I will view Lena Dunham from afar from now on. I've thrown out all of those once-hoarded magazines, and although I still love Girls and will await every new season with much anticipation, I'll watch it from now on with a degree of detachment.
The title is also misleading, as Lena does not appear to have learned very much, or rather, she doesn't take much interest in imparting her knowledge to her readers. This book has primarily taught me that Lena Dunham is excruciatingly self-obsessed and lacking virtually any self-awareness. She appears to believe that her musings on virtually anything are nothing short of brilliant, no matter how dull and irrelevant the subject matter. The reprinting of several pages of her food diary is perhaps the best illustration of this --a verbatim regurgitation of what she ate for about a week while she was allegedly on a 'diet' (it's really just a pretty standard day's eating for most people) is supposed to communicate what exactly? Her attempts to make even the most mundane interactions with her family appear so powerfully meaningful are odd. The part where she retells a story about how she and her father got stuck in a traffic jam and experienced frustration because, well, they were in a traffic jam is a perfect example of this.
In this book, Lena seems consumed by a pressing need to convince you that she feels so many more emotions, so much more intensely than anyone else. She sees quirks and eccentricities in people that others simply cannot comprehend, and you, the reader, need to know that. She is just so brilliant, you guys, don't you see that from all of her deep introspections on how we're all going to die eventually so what's the point?! Lena is so overwhelmed by herself in this book that you can't help but feel like you're suffocating while reading it.
This book has killed my love affair with all things Lena Dunham. I admire the work she has done in film and television, no question, and she's an extremely talented writer in both of those genres. I don't think, however, that she can write at the level required to sustain an entire book.
I will view Lena Dunham from afar from now on. I've thrown out all of those once-hoarded magazines, and although I still love Girls and will await every new season with much anticipation, I'll watch it from now on with a degree of detachment.
1,217 people found this helpful
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ByLindseyon September 11, 2015
I was on the fence about Lena Dunham. I didn't know how I really felt about her. So I bought this book because I wanted it to make me like her.
I hated it. She seems so selfish, self-involved, self-consumed, etc. I felt so uncomfortable reading this book, because it felt like I was learning more about an acquaintance in a negative sense.
I hated it. She seems so selfish, self-involved, self-consumed, etc. I felt so uncomfortable reading this book, because it felt like I was learning more about an acquaintance in a negative sense.
ByM. A. D.on May 26, 2017
I love "Girls" and Lena. I wanted to like this book. There are amazing sentences, but it is not good overall. I stopped reading it.
BySunnieon April 25, 2016
Eh, I love Lena Dunham but I expected something deeper and more intriguing. I can listen to any random girl on the street tell me about how her middle school boyfriend was weird and she gets annoyed with her family sometimes... but I would have liked to have found more in this book that is truly eye opening and impactful. I know she has it in her to provide that sort of insight but it just didn't come through here.
ByC Mclon October 9, 2016
Waste of money. Throughout, it is just her saying uncomfortable things nobody wants to hear about her. You would expect it to be funny, but it is not at all.
ByYolandaon December 11, 2016
She's so annoying. I get it you where brought up privileged but you come off as if everything you say is important and the truth. I was a fan but you come off as entitled and whiny.
Bybook beach bunnyon December 17, 2014
I admit I went into this with a bias. Not necessarily against Lena Dunham but I consider myself an overwhelmingly private person. I really don't understand some people's need these days not just to share some things with some people but to share absolutely every thought that comes into their head and (in this case) things that come into their body with everyone in the world and think pretty highly of themselves while doing it.
In a sense the book changed my opinion of Lena Dunham personally. She's a talented writer and this is an easy read- I even laughed out loud in a couple of places and found some common ground with her. (I too have OCD and as a child used to be afraid to fall asleep.) But that's about it.
Some of the stuff she shared was cringe-worthy for someone like me. The rape chapter is one I kept going back to as well. No one knows what happened that night and obviously it was something bad but the way she begins the chapter by stating she's an unreliable narrator bugged me. She talks to in another part about how she steals other people's stories and memories. Considering the rest of the book I almost wish she had addressed the rape in a different format. And in all honesty there was so much in the book that I found almost nothing to be meaningful or deep. In fact it felt like she was trying so hard to make seem meaningful that it made it harder to like.
So long story short I like Lena Dunham a lot more after reading her book I just think the book itself was kind of pointless and a little too self aware. And strangely for everything in the book (and you will come away knowing more about her lady parts than anything else) I feel like I know Lena Dunham better after reading one single and completely tasteful interview with her mother.
In a sense the book changed my opinion of Lena Dunham personally. She's a talented writer and this is an easy read- I even laughed out loud in a couple of places and found some common ground with her. (I too have OCD and as a child used to be afraid to fall asleep.) But that's about it.
Some of the stuff she shared was cringe-worthy for someone like me. The rape chapter is one I kept going back to as well. No one knows what happened that night and obviously it was something bad but the way she begins the chapter by stating she's an unreliable narrator bugged me. She talks to in another part about how she steals other people's stories and memories. Considering the rest of the book I almost wish she had addressed the rape in a different format. And in all honesty there was so much in the book that I found almost nothing to be meaningful or deep. In fact it felt like she was trying so hard to make seem meaningful that it made it harder to like.
So long story short I like Lena Dunham a lot more after reading her book I just think the book itself was kind of pointless and a little too self aware. And strangely for everything in the book (and you will come away knowing more about her lady parts than anything else) I feel like I know Lena Dunham better after reading one single and completely tasteful interview with her mother.
ByStella Lon December 27, 2016
You know, the former friend from college or high school that you no longer have anything in common with, but who reaches out on Facebook once a year to suggest you “get coffee and catch up.” This usually coincides with some dramatic break up or epiphany she’s had from two weeks spent in a New Mexico sweat lodge. And you think, “How bad could coffee be?” You soon find out as the former friend blabs about her current UTI, chats about her upcoming gyno appointment, details the intricacies of her latest juice cleanse, including how many strawberries go into the juicer, and self-analyzes all the Tinder dates she shouldn’t have slept with but did anyways. This same friend believes her problems would be solved if people just got her intelligence, understood her uniqueness, surrendered to her self-awareness. And after 3 hours of rambling about herself, her cats, her therapist, the rotting milk she left out on the counter, the hole in her sock, the poetry she’s writing about the hole in her sock and the crystal healer she just started going to, she puts down her double macchiato and says, “So, how are YOU doing?”
ByChela Rockson December 17, 2016
I admit to being somewhat neurotic in my need to "finish" things, including books, however this book will be the one exception. I am not sure what will haunt me more... the fact that I did not finish it or the fact that I wasted a few hours of my life reading it. What strikes me most about her rendition of her life is that it has got to be one of the most incredibly dull lives that I have ever read about. I guess you can count a few biographies of famous people before electronics were invented in the list of boring lives, but really... her musing about the mundane were not at all insightful, the events in her life were normal, and her discussion about relationships and their effect on her were the normal emotional thoughts that cross the mind of your average high school girl. Pass on this one, and pick up a book on a person who actually accomplished something other than catching the eyes of some people who needed at token millennial type who was a bit off centered enough to appear "edgy".
2.0 out of 5 starsThis approach fits in with Third Wave T-shirts saying “Bitch” and “Stupid Girl” as if rebellion against being a good girl or an
ByGayle Kimballon April 27, 2015
Lena Dunham is very frank and open in Not that Kind of Girl about her personal difficulties, many of which her TV character Hannah shares. This approach fits in with Third Wave T-shirts saying “Bitch” and “Stupid Girl” as if rebellion against being a good girl or an achiever is liberation. Her book mentions taking medication for obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety that “has followed me through my life like a bad friend,” phobias, difficult PMS and endometriosis, difficulty with authority figures, being too passive in romantic relationships with men and being attracted to “jerks,” being critical of her overweigh body but an exhibitionist, self-loathing, using drugs like cocaine, and being repulsed by her university (Oberlin). Her book starts out, “I am twenty years old and I hate myself” but struggled to “have it all.” She shares very personal stories about her sexuality, such as starting to masturbate after third grade, loosing her virginity and just pretending to like sex. Her concluding advice is, “Don’t put yourself in situations you’d like to run away from,” which seems obvious. What's the point besides self-disclosure?
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