Lipstick Jungle
8 journalers for this copy...
I have two copies of this book. I am still reading one of the copies but am almost finished. I think a lot of people might enjoy reading it if they haven't had a chance yet. I would like to use at least one copy for a bookring. I will make both available for two bookrings if there is enough interest. I'll be finished with the copy I am reading in just a few days.
Amazon.com
In a way, Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle picks up where her career-defining book Sex and the City left off, in the money-soaked, power-hungry, beauty-obsessed jungle that is New York City. This time around, the ladies are a bit older, a lot richer, but not particularly wiser nor more endearing than Bushnell's earlier heroines.
Lipstick Jungle weaves the stories of Nico O'Neilly, Wendy Healy, and Victory Ford, numbers 8, 12, and 17 on The New York Post's list of "New York's 50 Most Powerful Women." But this is 21st Century New York, and to get ahead and stay ahead, these women will do anything, including jeopardizing their personal and professional relationships. Take for example Nico, editor-in-chief of Bonfire magazine, who betrays her boss to rise to the top of the entire magazine division at media mega-giant Splatch-Verner. As president of Paradour Pictures, Wendy may be poised to win an Oscar for her 10-year labor-of-love, Ragged Pilgrims, but her marriage is in shambles and her children care more about a $50,000 pony than their mother. And for single, 43-year-old fashion designer Victory, pleasing tough critics may be more important than ever finding the real relationship she's convinced herself she doesn't need.
This racy tale of women behaving badly manages to shrewdly flip the tables to show us how gender roles are essentially interchangeable, given the right circumstances. Whether that was Bushnell's intent when crafting this wicked tale is another story. --Gisele Toueg
Amazon.com
In a way, Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle picks up where her career-defining book Sex and the City left off, in the money-soaked, power-hungry, beauty-obsessed jungle that is New York City. This time around, the ladies are a bit older, a lot richer, but not particularly wiser nor more endearing than Bushnell's earlier heroines.
Lipstick Jungle weaves the stories of Nico O'Neilly, Wendy Healy, and Victory Ford, numbers 8, 12, and 17 on The New York Post's list of "New York's 50 Most Powerful Women." But this is 21st Century New York, and to get ahead and stay ahead, these women will do anything, including jeopardizing their personal and professional relationships. Take for example Nico, editor-in-chief of Bonfire magazine, who betrays her boss to rise to the top of the entire magazine division at media mega-giant Splatch-Verner. As president of Paradour Pictures, Wendy may be poised to win an Oscar for her 10-year labor-of-love, Ragged Pilgrims, but her marriage is in shambles and her children care more about a $50,000 pony than their mother. And for single, 43-year-old fashion designer Victory, pleasing tough critics may be more important than ever finding the real relationship she's convinced herself she doesn't need.
This racy tale of women behaving badly manages to shrewdly flip the tables to show us how gender roles are essentially interchangeable, given the right circumstances. Whether that was Bushnell's intent when crafting this wicked tale is another story. --Gisele Toueg
This book is on reserve for an international bookray.
It was a nice light read. I usually try and read what people deem "chick lit" during my school semesters because I find it easier to read something light when I'm trying to balance my course work. I thought this one was pretty well written though. I watched the TV show prior to reading the book and there are a lot of differences. The women in this book are very successful and driven and while it is supposed to be entertaining and scathing "chick lit" I think there are definitely some ideas to keep in mind as a women who desires to balance a demanding career and a family.
I will try to send out to first person ASAP, but will wait just a bit longer to see if anyone else wants to join.
Here is the order of the ray (subject to change).
Stellarv (Brazil, will ship int'l)
Criswolff (Brazil, will ship int'l)
Solskinn (Austria, will ship int'l)
DK1010 (Rhode Island US, prefers to be last)<-------BOOK IS HERE
There are no specific rules for this ray, just a few guidelines that will make the ray enjoyable to everyone. Please be sure to journal the book when you receive it. Also, make a journal entry again after you have read the book to let us know what you thought. Say as much or as little as you like. It helps keep the ray going at a comfortable pace if you PM the next person when you are nearing the end of the book. Be respectful of other members of the ray! Have fun reading, I hope you enjoy the book!
It was a nice light read. I usually try and read what people deem "chick lit" during my school semesters because I find it easier to read something light when I'm trying to balance my course work. I thought this one was pretty well written though. I watched the TV show prior to reading the book and there are a lot of differences. The women in this book are very successful and driven and while it is supposed to be entertaining and scathing "chick lit" I think there are definitely some ideas to keep in mind as a women who desires to balance a demanding career and a family.
I will try to send out to first person ASAP, but will wait just a bit longer to see if anyone else wants to join.
Here is the order of the ray (subject to change).
Stellarv (Brazil, will ship int'l)
Criswolff (Brazil, will ship int'l)
Solskinn (Austria, will ship int'l)
DK1010 (Rhode Island US, prefers to be last)<-------BOOK IS HERE
There are no specific rules for this ray, just a few guidelines that will make the ray enjoyable to everyone. Please be sure to journal the book when you receive it. Also, make a journal entry again after you have read the book to let us know what you thought. Say as much or as little as you like. It helps keep the ray going at a comfortable pace if you PM the next person when you are nearing the end of the book. Be respectful of other members of the ray! Have fun reading, I hope you enjoy the book!
Just arrived, safe and sound. I still have two rings ahead of it, but I'll keep you all posted if it takes too long.
Just got the book from Stella, during our meet-up at our OBCZ! Thanks for sharing.
Update (July 16): I haven't finished the book yet because I was organizing and reading other little books to take to an international literary festival that happened at the beginning of this month. But right now I am on page 115 of Lipstick Jungle (out of 480). I promise I'll read faster now. And it's a good thing that the mail system today ended a strike they were on!
Update (July 16): I haven't finished the book yet because I was organizing and reading other little books to take to an international literary festival that happened at the beginning of this month. But right now I am on page 115 of Lipstick Jungle (out of 480). I promise I'll read faster now. And it's a good thing that the mail system today ended a strike they were on!
Journal Entry 5 by criswolff at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (7/29/2008 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to solskinn, hope it doesn't take to long to get there.
Thanks for sharing the book!
Sent to solskinn, hope it doesn't take to long to get there.
Thanks for sharing the book!
The book arrived today. Thanks to JenKazoo for the bookray and to criswolff for passing it on!
A little summary concerning my view of the book content I've read so far: I am halfway through and I really, really like this book. It is a nice alternation to the chick lit books I usually read. It is well written, contains strong women and their ways of (and in) life, and seems inspiring to me. I actually can't wait to finish the book in order to know where and how they will all end up.
I have to do another journal entry before finishing this book... Just so many thoughts crossing my mind and I'm afraid to forget them.
I currently have about fifty pages left, so will definitely be able to finish this book today.
First of all: Thanks a lot to JenKazoo for making a bookray out of this! I am really glad to have gotten the chance to read this.
I see this book on "chick lit reading lists" all the time. It's not really clear what chick lit is anyway (and does there even exist such a thing?), but from my understanding and from what I can tell from the as "chick lit" labeled books I have read so far, "Lipstick Jungle" does not fit into this category AT ALL.
I'd call it a well written, feminist story. I do like such books a lot because I don't feel there are enough of these on the market and I am always glad to get the chance to read something like this.
What is clearly outstanding in this book though is the slowly coming through understanding that women, when given the chance to be on top, act the same way men do. There is no "women rule better" thing. They are as ice cold, as calculating, and as intent on their own advantage as men.
Writing this, I am not denying that women certainly do not have the same chances of getting to the top as men do! It is good to read about some who did make it in this story, and they could very well be regarded as role models. But, again, concerning them treating their families as badly as many male "providers" do, I don't think there's much of a difference; they might as well be men and this story might as well be about three men.
Attention: SPOILER!
Especially Wendy made me angry. I understand her wish to do well in her profession; I understand the need to get the greatest reward for what she does (in this case the Oscars), and I can certainly feel into her hurt when confronted whith Shane divorcing her after she provided the living for their entire family of five for several years. But what makes me sick about her is the total stubbornness in demanding full custody for her three children. In the story it clearly comes through that they regard "home" as the place where they live with their father, calling Wendy "Mother", and that Shane does know them best. Justifying her demand for full custody with "Children should be with their mother; They are MY children; etc." just doesn't do it for me, because these are senctences that fit to the (most common) situation where the male part is the provider and the female part cares for the children.
The bottom line for me, in this Wendy/Shane case AND in the entire book in general, is that:
a) Women can never have it all. They either have their career, or they have their family to take care of (with the consequence of full custody in case of a divorce), and that
b) Men neither can have it all!
Another small note on my understanding that women do not rule any better than men do:
Somewhere in the book there's a paragraph about Victory, Nico, and Wendy being a new generation of feminist women. They are not the single ruling woman between a lot of ruling men, and they can be friends with other (successful) women. Well, well, well. I somehow came to think this might only be because they don't fish in each others' ponds. Each has their own career, one in fashin, one in magazine publishing, one in movie making. I think it would be very, very interesting to see two (or even all three) of them running for the very same position! I wonder how they might react and act if confronted with one of their best friends as their main competitor. I don't think they'd turn out anything like "newly feminist". They'd just try to knock each other out with one of them standing out as the winner. The winner with the bad, sick feeling inside of not having acted humanly.
And, frankly, I don't think men don't feel shitty after having conquered a competitor's place. They just have learned, as a matter of their socialization, to not show these feelings to the outside world. And, quite frankly again, I think this is the much worse situation.
I currently have about fifty pages left, so will definitely be able to finish this book today.
First of all: Thanks a lot to JenKazoo for making a bookray out of this! I am really glad to have gotten the chance to read this.
I see this book on "chick lit reading lists" all the time. It's not really clear what chick lit is anyway (and does there even exist such a thing?), but from my understanding and from what I can tell from the as "chick lit" labeled books I have read so far, "Lipstick Jungle" does not fit into this category AT ALL.
I'd call it a well written, feminist story. I do like such books a lot because I don't feel there are enough of these on the market and I am always glad to get the chance to read something like this.
What is clearly outstanding in this book though is the slowly coming through understanding that women, when given the chance to be on top, act the same way men do. There is no "women rule better" thing. They are as ice cold, as calculating, and as intent on their own advantage as men.
Writing this, I am not denying that women certainly do not have the same chances of getting to the top as men do! It is good to read about some who did make it in this story, and they could very well be regarded as role models. But, again, concerning them treating their families as badly as many male "providers" do, I don't think there's much of a difference; they might as well be men and this story might as well be about three men.
Attention: SPOILER!
Especially Wendy made me angry. I understand her wish to do well in her profession; I understand the need to get the greatest reward for what she does (in this case the Oscars), and I can certainly feel into her hurt when confronted whith Shane divorcing her after she provided the living for their entire family of five for several years. But what makes me sick about her is the total stubbornness in demanding full custody for her three children. In the story it clearly comes through that they regard "home" as the place where they live with their father, calling Wendy "Mother", and that Shane does know them best. Justifying her demand for full custody with "Children should be with their mother; They are MY children; etc." just doesn't do it for me, because these are senctences that fit to the (most common) situation where the male part is the provider and the female part cares for the children.
The bottom line for me, in this Wendy/Shane case AND in the entire book in general, is that:
a) Women can never have it all. They either have their career, or they have their family to take care of (with the consequence of full custody in case of a divorce), and that
b) Men neither can have it all!
Another small note on my understanding that women do not rule any better than men do:
Somewhere in the book there's a paragraph about Victory, Nico, and Wendy being a new generation of feminist women. They are not the single ruling woman between a lot of ruling men, and they can be friends with other (successful) women. Well, well, well. I somehow came to think this might only be because they don't fish in each others' ponds. Each has their own career, one in fashin, one in magazine publishing, one in movie making. I think it would be very, very interesting to see two (or even all three) of them running for the very same position! I wonder how they might react and act if confronted with one of their best friends as their main competitor. I don't think they'd turn out anything like "newly feminist". They'd just try to knock each other out with one of them standing out as the winner. The winner with the bad, sick feeling inside of not having acted humanly.
And, frankly, I don't think men don't feel shitty after having conquered a competitor's place. They just have learned, as a matter of their socialization, to not show these feelings to the outside world. And, quite frankly again, I think this is the much worse situation.
Sorry, I double clicked the last post of mine.
After having finished this book I'll therefore make another journal entry in this very space. Let's see what will happen on the last fifty pages...
edit:
So I have finished it. Not much happening in the last two chapters, apart from the three women being portraied as a little more human, reasonable, and likeable. Each of them finds their way. (No more spoilers here though.)
A few more things I want to add to what I've said about the book in my last journal entry:
I think "Lipstick Jungle" is a GREAT title. The lipsticks stand for the New York City skyscrapers, and jungle is simply referring to the city that never sleeps, but also to the NYC business life: Everybody is a hunter, and everybody is a possible victim. I also think the entire picture of a Lipstick Jungle stands for the portraied business world of women. It doesn't necessarily have to be the "Man's world" with phallic buildings, it can certainly be a woman's world where the buildings resemble lipsticks.
If I had purchased this book I probably would have kept it, because I really liked it overally and would like to read it again. If this was my own copy I'd probably highlight certain paragraphs to keep in mind. There are some good ideas in this book...
I would also like to discuss this further with other readers. It would make a great bookclub book!
Thanks again for sharing!
After having finished this book I'll therefore make another journal entry in this very space. Let's see what will happen on the last fifty pages...
edit:
So I have finished it. Not much happening in the last two chapters, apart from the three women being portraied as a little more human, reasonable, and likeable. Each of them finds their way. (No more spoilers here though.)
A few more things I want to add to what I've said about the book in my last journal entry:
I think "Lipstick Jungle" is a GREAT title. The lipsticks stand for the New York City skyscrapers, and jungle is simply referring to the city that never sleeps, but also to the NYC business life: Everybody is a hunter, and everybody is a possible victim. I also think the entire picture of a Lipstick Jungle stands for the portraied business world of women. It doesn't necessarily have to be the "Man's world" with phallic buildings, it can certainly be a woman's world where the buildings resemble lipsticks.
If I had purchased this book I probably would have kept it, because I really liked it overally and would like to read it again. If this was my own copy I'd probably highlight certain paragraphs to keep in mind. There are some good ideas in this book...
I would also like to discuss this further with other readers. It would make a great bookclub book!
Thanks again for sharing!
Journal Entry 10 by wolkenklang at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (9/24/2008 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
The book continues its journey!
The book continues its journey!
I have this book. I'll read it soon. Thank you for sharing.
I liked a lot of things about this book. I liked that powerful women can have high position, and be lifetime friends. I didn't like that they are still rather controlled by the men in their lives. I thought some of the role reversal issues were interesting. I was surprised by the ending, not by the situation, but by the intonation of "happily ever after." My imagined ending would be a continuation of the turmoil. I would read another Bushnell story.
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I've taken names to continue the ray. I plan to mail tomorrow.
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I've taken names to continue the ray. I plan to mail tomorrow.
I was the last reader on a ray originally started by JenKazoo.I'm done reading and will sent the book out on a new ray.
Participants:
krl112 (USA/US&CA) *
IceAgent (Canada/Intl) *
spaceystacey (USA/USA) <=== HERE August 17, 2009
** Your name here **
NMReader (USA/last)
Thank you, DK1010, for including me in this ray. The book has arrived safely, and I plan to start reading it this week, when I finish the other book I'm reading. I'm pm'ing the next person in line now for their address, so I can move the book on very quickly.
Just an update: I'm in the middle of the book. I'm sorry it is taking me so long to read the book--but I promise to have it finished soon. I already have the next person's address, so I will send it out the day I finish it. And by the way, I really love this book so far! Everyone who is line to read it--is in for a real treat.
I'll update more when I'm done with the book.
I'll update more when I'm done with the book.
I finished the book on Saturday night, and I have to say this is one of the best books I've read. It far surpassed my expectations. Candace Bushnell is such a great writer with great insight for what women really want to read! This book was not the usual chick-lit fluff. The characters had real life problems and had to deal with being very powerful women, and the men in their lives that felt inadequate because of their power. I really loved each character--but Wendy was my favorite since she ended up going through the most difficulties. I'm so happy that I had the chance to read this book--thank you so much for including me!! I have a few more Candace Bushnell books here at home, and now I'm really looking forward to reading them.
Released 15 yrs ago (4/6/2009 UTC) at
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Thank you again for allowing me to participate. I really enjoyed the book!
It will be mailed this morning to IceAgent in Canada. Enjoy!
Thank you again for allowing me to participate. I really enjoyed the book!
It will be mailed this morning to IceAgent in Canada. Enjoy!
Thank you for including me in this ray.
I couldn't help comparing the novel to the tv show.
I liked the show better.
Sent on in the mail today.
I couldn't help comparing the novel to the tv show.
I liked the show better.
Sent on in the mail today.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Mailed to stacey
Mailed to stacey
After a long journey this book finally arrived in today's post. I will be reading this one at the pool this coming week.
08/31/2009 In the process of finishing reading this one. I found it harder to "get into" than her other reads. Will be posting off to the next reader within 2 weeks.
09/11/2009 Read while on vacation in Louisiana.
08/31/2009 In the process of finishing reading this one. I found it harder to "get into" than her other reads. Will be posting off to the next reader within 2 weeks.
09/11/2009 Read while on vacation in Louisiana.
