Tony Soprano v. Ralphie

I really enjoyed Beyond Black .

I don't mean to endlessly rag on this book, but I had such a visceral reaction to it that I find it interesting to discuss.

It's going to be a drag at several levels beyond the level you're picturing.

I stumbled on to it through some article describing the Kate Middleton brouhaha, and man, it's HILARIOUS how people misunderstood what she was trying to say, or cast it as some kind of TMZ-style nasty takedown.  It takes some serious effort to pull "Hilary Mantel hates Kate!" from that. 

Reading Bring Up the Bodies, you could almost hear Mantel thinking to herself "Everyone hated all that 'he' stuff- use pronouns a lot less."  I kinda missed it.

Finally finished Amanda Foreman's A World on Fire .  I've read some Civil War history before, but never at a battles and tactics level.  It blew my mind how incompetent most of the Union generals were.  I'm looking at you, McClellan- General Could Have Captured Richmond in the First Few Months of the War.

Love love love Wolf Hall.  At a certain point the "he" just clicks, and it stops requiring effort to decipher.

Austen's also so much fun, which she doesn't get enough credit for.  I think people (even some fans) mistake her for Regency Danielle Steele, but her books are much more interesting than just happily-ever-after.  No one writes hilariously accurate obnoxious characters like Jane Austen.

I hated it.  I thought it was really weird, tonally- too many whiplash shifts between whimsy and tragedy.  I also got about halfway through St. Lucy's School For Girls before admitting that Karen Russell's brand of twee just wasn't for me.

@SteelTown83:disqus Her looks have been different (and the pink splatter dress was fierce), but the character is the same.  Little wiggle walk.

Ooooh- was it Roxxxy who said Jinkx was gimmicky?  I thought it was Coco.  Either way, total bullshit.  Personality is not a gimmick. 

I hadn't realized it until they said it, but it's true- Alaska has only shown one character on the runway this season.

Yes, I agree- undone by the runway.  But still: #MONSOONSEASON.

Everything about Coco had me yelling at my TV.  Like her comment about how some people (Jinkx) are drifting through on gimmicks.  Yes, Coco- wit, talent, and effort are just gimmicks.

There's a free preview of this tonight at the Brattle, Bostonians. And they're showing the vengeance trilogy next week!

The only upside to Jimmy is the childlike glee I feel thinking of different I WANT TO DO IT ON MY OWN! scenarios.

A written test- I like it.

Another hashtag for the coming weeks.  Michelle tells Jinkx they've never seen her in a blond wig #GLAMNESIA.

Total high school cheerleader clique vibe.  "Who wants to be funny or smart when you could just be pretty?"  It drove me crazy how disdainfully they were using the word comedian.  Send 'em all home, Jinkx.  #MONSOONSEASON