My Rhetorical Life

Well, I have to say I could not stop laughing reading Chelsea Handler's My Horizontal Life. Again, it was a recommendation from a co-worker and I picked it up at the trashiest place I could think - the Las Vegas airport - back in December.

Well it did not disappoint - initially. Her stories are littered with irony, sarcasm and flat out shamelessness, almost to the point that I'm not entirely sure I believe all of Handler's escapades. For example, hooking up with a tequila midget at a party in Mexico, or getting roughed up by an acrobatic Carnival cruise employee? Really? What about the slew of black men she brought home only to freak out her father?

Some of it, I believe. I just am perplexed as to how a woman could sleep with so many men and be so open about it. Or even as to how she could have slept with so many men.... Why have none of these guys come out of the woodworks about her stories??

Let's think about it here, if you pay attention to her humor, I mean really pay attention, the woman does stand-up for a living! Her main job is to get people to laugh at all costs, even herself. So does anyone else think that she took a wealth of creative liberty to poke fun at herself to a.) sell books and b.) get people to laugh and possibly increase her fan base?

I mean, I haven't done the research on her personal life (and maybe I should) but a LOT of her dialogue is extremely sarcastic. That's how she is. I am therefore ascribing to the belief that this isn't all entirely truthful.

For those of you who read My Horizontal Life, what do you think?? Do you believe all of her male exploits are serious? Did you enjoy the book?

As I've said, I could not stop laughing. Some of the shit she says is absolutely ridiculous (as in her beliefs on black women, alcohol, pissing off her father, her Mormon sister, etc.). Nothing is off limits and I find that HYSTERICAL. But just one part of the book did disappoint me. There wasn't much cohesiveness found in the book. And it just abruptly ended. I mean, I get the subtle hint of irony at the end but wasn't ready for it to just end like that. And I want to know, did she actually change?? Or did her life continue along this path once she hit celebritydom?

I might just have to do a little bit of research now. Either way, I liked the book enough to follow Handler on Twitter and I'm really eager to pick up her next two. Also, J.D. read what I believe is the male counterpart of this book last summer. It's called I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Max Tucker. I'd like to contrast his stories as part of a He Said/She Said type of perspective :)

Phew, it's only been two books but we've already covered historical murder and sex-crazed alcoholic humor. Man, how do you follow that up?? I'm open to suggestions, but I think it's time to take a turn towards fiction!