Journal Entry 1 by JonnaL from Utrecht, Utrecht Netherlands on Friday, September 03, 2004

At first absurd, later quite funny. 

Journal Entry 2 by Wilmar from Leiden, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, September 11, 2004

Caught at the Boekgrrlsboekenruil at Else's. Seems a funny book to me, although I not very often worry about the size of my own bum.
Nice looking little pink book, written by an author with a very unusual name (ever before heard of somebody called Arabella? - not me!). 

Journal Entry 3 by Wilmar from Leiden, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, October 14, 2004

The back says:

This is the diary of an ordinary, insecure woman in her thirties, Jaqueline M. Pane. Like all women, Jackie knows that life would be perfect if only she had a small bum, sticky-up bosoms, and didn’t grow a moustache once a month … Chart her progress as she perfects the art of feeling shitty about every little, and not so little, bit of herself. The potential for self-doubt lies in everything – and it’s all her fault.

And my own comment:

Finished!
It took me a while, but when I finally passed the first hundred pages, I couldn’t stop reading.
This book’s format resembles Bridget Jones’ Diary. It’s a woman’s (Jackie Pane’s) diary in which she writes about her weight, her work, her relationship with her parents, her social and her love life.
I think it’s meant to be very funny, but I was annoyed by her insecurity. Jackie thinks her bum is to big, and therefore she is constantly looking for ways to hide it. With clothing, with large bags, by walking backwards out of rooms etc. She’s obsessed. And I was getting very tired of that.
In the end she is sort of accepting herself, but not enough in my opinion.
There were a few times when I was really laughing out loud while reading, so the book does contain funny parts I guess.

A few (funny?) citations:

If he asks about previous relationships – do not mention Perfect Peter or that he took a job in New York, I will look like someone who is so clingy that people have to cross large oceans to shake me off. Only say that there has been ‘no one special for a while’, and then I don’t look either like a nun or a prostitute – just something in between and that’s about right – that’s the sort of thing men want, isn’t it?
***
NB: I think sperm classifies as an ‘empty calorie’, like the ones in booze and fruit juices, where nothing of substance is digested but you still get fat from drinking it.
 

Journal Entry 4 by Wilmar from Leiden, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, October 18, 2004

This book is going to be a BookRay!

Here's the shipping order:

1. mumtotwins, Gouda, Nederland
2. MaaikeB, Zeist, Nederland
3. weareatthebeach, Lake Forest, Florida, USA
4. sweetpea0678, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA (asked to be skipped)
5. tmtdino30, Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, USA
6. Kyrissaean, Littleton, New Hampshire, USA
7. violetsforfurs, Brisbane, Australië --> the book is underway
8. Brujula, Belfort, France
9. E-mile, Weesp, Nederland

If there will come new participants later on, I'll try to find a place for them, but only if it's possible in account to all the current participants shipping preferences.

I think reading has to be relaxing. So I'm not going to set a rule as: do finish this book within 3 weeks, or else! But keeping this small book longer than 2 months is not preferable too, I think.

I hope you all will enjoy this book, and may you never be or become as insecure about your bum as Jackie is!

 

Journal Entry 5 by mumtotwins from Gouda, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, October 28, 2004

I was expecting it to be a very funny book. I LOVE Arabella Weir's work on TV as a comic actress (especially "Posh Nosh"). However, I was sorely disappointed. They main character is so obsessed with being fat (although she clearly is not and people don't perceive her as such) that it got very annoying very quickly. A woman who is that obsessed with her looks and so utterly wrong in her assessment of whether other people like her or not, can't be a successful PR manager (which the book expect us to believe she is).

After the first 50 pages or so I just skimmed through the rest of the book. Shame, could have been much better if it had been more balanced and less focussed on the one theme of having a big bum.

All I can say is: Arabella, don't give up your day job! 

Journal Entry 6 by MaaikeB from Zeist, Utrecht Netherlands on Sunday, October 31, 2004

Mmmmm, I will give the book a try. I have to read a couple of other ringbooks first. Will try to read it as soon as possible. 

Journal Entry 7 by MaaikeB from Zeist, Utrecht Netherlands on Thursday, November 11, 2004

On second thought I didn't feel like reading it. It seemed such a waste of time to read something like this. I guess it came at the wrong time. Who wants to read about someone's bum, when people are being murdered and schools are burning? I'd love to escape from all of that, but not with this book. Sorry! 

Journal Entry 8 by weareatthebeach from Lake Forest, Florida USA on Saturday, January 08, 2005

This book just arrived in the mail! It looks like a fun, quick read. I have a couple of bookrings to get to before this one - but will try to get to it soon. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 9 by weareatthebeach from Lake Forest, Florida USA on Friday, January 21, 2005

what a fun book! i'm almost finished so i will PM the next participant for shipping info. 

Journal Entry 10 by weareatthebeach from Lake Forest, Florida USA on Sunday, January 30, 2005

Sending this off to tmtdino30! 

Journal Entry 11 by tmtdino30 from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, February 10, 2005

received in the mail.Reading it now.Thanks Sending off to next person 

Journal Entry 12 by tmtdino30 from Nanticoke, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Sent it out today to next person. Thanks 

Journal Entry 13 by Kyrissaean from Littleton, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, February 17, 2005

It's here! All the different journal entries are making me so curious! We've got everything from 10 stars to a not worth finishing, and everywhere in between! I wonder what I'm going to think.... 

Journal Entry 14 by Kyrissaean from Littleton, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, March 03, 2005

Well, I spent half the time completely exasperated with Jackie, and the other half laughing! Jackie takes lack of self-confidence to new heights (lows?)!

And the author is an actress/comedienne? I can really see that -- I often found myself wondering if the story might have been a little funnier performed instead of read.

Now that I've read this, I promise to spend a lot less time worrying about my bum! 

Journal Entry 15 by Kyrissaean from Littleton, New Hampshire USA on Monday, March 07, 2005

Mailed out this morning. It's on its way across the globe to violetsforfurs in Australia! Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 16 by Wilmar from Leiden, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Monday, August 15, 2005

Hi everybody,

I'm afraid this BookRay is now officially stalled. Violetsforfurs has not been answering any PM's, nor has she been on the forum the last few months. Let's hope everything is okay with her.

If I ever bump into another copy of this book I will give it a new go.
I'm sorry for now.

Best of everything,
Wilmar