Thursday, November 20, 2008

I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence - Review



Title: I Like You: hospitality under the influence

Author: Amy Sedaris

Rating: 4/5 (rated on merit for what the book aims to be)

Recipe Rating: 4/5

My Rating: 2/5 (how well I actually liked the book)

Grade: D - 18 and up (profanity, drug description, drawing of naked woman examining her "parts")


This book had gotten a bunch of great reviews, and I can see why, it is very funny if you are into this kind of humor. That would be a Comedy Central, Saturday Night Live, absurd, vulgar, humor. A farce of entertaining and cook books I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence is written in a very tongue in cheek style. The pictures, recipes, crafts, and clothing in the book come from the 60's and 70's. The recipes are actually decent home-cooking style recipes. There in all of the bizarreness, are actual tips for being a good host. But I found myself with wrinkled brow as I read, between chuckles, wondering what on earth this book was supposed to be. It is supposed to be funny. Do not take this book as a serious guide to entertaining - only someone very dense, or very inexperienced could take this advice seriously. But, if you would like to poke fun at Martha Stewart, and her like; if you find pictures of Amy Sedaris in granny panties, covered with sprinkles funny; if you can laugh at tongue-in-cheek stereotypes of old people, alcoholics, gay men, or gypsies; this just may be the book for you. I have a very dry sense of humor, I don't like stand up comedy, so this was not my thing. But a realize that many people do not share my sense of humor.


An example of actual advice mixed in with bizarre humor:

Bizarre Humor: pg. 99

"I once gave a toddler a string of colored light bulbs and his reaction was no different from when he opened the blocks or the stuffed turtle. Of course, I say that gifts don't matter to children under five, but this is coming from a person who has given a hand-tailored cape to her rabbit. But that's different, rabbits know."

Good Advice: pg. 99

"Organizing a child's party is also a great time for your own child to begin learning how to be a good host or hostess. Make sure they greet and say good-bye to everyone and send thank-you notes, even if they just say 'Thanks'."


Since this was a recipe book, I had to try out a recipe before reviewing. I chose: Peanut Butter Cookies. This was a really good recipe. Peanut Butter Cookies are my husbands favorite cookie. We have been married for ten years, and I have probably tried out 20 peanut butter cookie recipes in that time. These ones passed his strict taste test. Definitely a keeper! They were soft and crisp and buttery-- just like they should be.

2 comments:

Lenore Appelhans November 22, 2008 at 10:53 AM  

Yum - I love peanut butter cookies!

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