Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Book Review: Party Girl
()
Ever since I went on vacation in March and found myself flying through four books in four days, I've realized how much I miss actually sitting down and reading real books. Not magazines, not updates on my RSS feed, but a real book. In that regard, I've been fairly indiscriminating in making every effort to cross the gamut from classic to bestseller to inspirational. But even better, I've found the first great beach read of the summer. Being released today, Party Girl by Anna David is the perfect hooked-for-three-days and pass it on kind of book. In fact, I've had a hard time getting it back to even write a review. Both my roommates read it and it is now on my second girlfriend(please subtract 5 from book sales). What can I say, I like to share the love.
Party Girl is Sex and The City meets Starting Over. Based on Anna's own experiences as an up and coming writer in the LA entertainment scene, Anna has taken her experiences and managed to channel them into a funny, witty and introspective book. Her heroine is "Amelia Stone," a self-destructive staff member for a celebrity weekly magainze called Absolutely Fabulous. Amelia is into the Hollywood sex, drugs and rock 'n roll scene and her best relationship is with "Alex," her code word for coke. Her trials and tribulations get her fired and into rehad where she discovers more about herself then she ever knew. Once out of rehab will she make it clean and sober? The twist of fate is she is approached to write a column for a magazine called "Party Girl" all about these sordid tales right when she gets out and typical LA, most people thought she was on vacation and no one really knows she was actually in rehab. How she balances her new lifestyle with the best paying gig she's ever had is how the rest of the story unfolds.
Certainly laden with celebrity references and famous landmarks this books reminds me of the shoes that say Kitson on them. Here in LA, no one would wear them, but the rest of the country is so fascinated by our fancy, sunny lifestyle that they sell like hotcakes. Party Girl is like that. You'll know her references, though with subtle names changes, and *gasp* is she secretly talking about Matt Dillon? But everywhere else, they won't know what she means. We get to be in on David's little secrets and it feels dirty but pretty damn cool.
Support for LAist comes from
Anna David is everywhere these days. She had a story published in my favorite column in the Sunday New York Times, Modern Love and also hosts a weekly chat on G4's Attack of the Show. She also has a blog and a grog. Yup, she's a writer!
Want to meet Anna yourself? She has a book signing coming up at Book Soup on June 8th at 7pm.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance. -
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
Best of LAist