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Original Essays | February 8, 2012

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eBook editions

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

by Sloane Crosley

I Was Told There'd Be Cake Cover

ISBN13: 9781594483066
ISBN10: 159448306x
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

Only 3 left in stock at $7.95!

 

Staff Pick

Funny, charming, and self-effacing, Sloane Crosley's essays will resonate with you, whether or not you grew up playing Oregon Trail on the computer or have ever locked yourself out of your house — twice in the same day. Crosley's voice is uniquely irreverent, making I Was Told There'd Be Cake a perfect summer read.
Recommended by Tessa, Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

You never leave home without your iPod. You have a real relationship with your music, and your life unfolds to the soundtrack of your tunes on shuffle. But where do you turn when youre looking for newnot always recenttracks to add to your collection? Or for the female perspective on classic music debates, like Beatles vs. Stones? And who is going to tell you what you can learn from your crushs music collection? (If hes an overzealous Smiths fan, send him packing.) For years, youve been listening to men talk about music, but the womans side of the story has been missing. Until now.　

  InRecord Collecting for GirlsCourtney Smith takes the mic and explores what music can tell women about men, and more importantly, about themselves. She riffs on a range of topics from Our songs and Your songs to the evolution of girl bands. She provides playlists for occasions that necessitate a finely crafted mix – like making out or breaking up – and gives readers tips for curating a real record collection. Finally, here is a voice that speaks womenbecause girls get their hearts broken and make mix tapes about it, too.

Review:

"A refreshing, original reflection on modern life." School Library Journal

Review:

"Witty and entertaining." Kirkus Reviews

Review:

"Charming, elegant, wise, and comedic, these essays absolutely sparkle and entertain. Sloane Crosley is a 21st century Dorothy Parker, and this book is a gem and heralds a wry new voice in American letters. Gorgeous writing, outrageous humor-it's all here!" Jonathan Ames, author of Wake Up, Sir!

Review:

"Sloane Crosley is another mordant and mercurial wit from the realm of Sedaris and Vowell. What makes her so funny is that she seems to be telling the truth, helplessly." Jonathan Lethem, author of The Fortress of Solitude

Review:

"Sloane Crosley is her own woman with her own voice, and as evidenced by this solid debut." Hartford Courant

Review:

"Crosley's tone and style definitely take a page out of humor-writer David Sedaris' book. She's ironic, droll and self-pillorying and, like Sedaris, she manages to balance passages that are laugh-out-loud funny with others that are both touching and resonant." Seattle Times

Review:

"With her sparkling, fresh voice, Crosley is a talent worth watching." Christian Science Monitor

Review:

"Butterflies, crazy neighbors, abusive bosses and overworked locksmiths — none are safe from Sloane Crosley's wicked wit." Miami Herald

Synopsis:

Wry, hilarious, and profoundly genuine, this debut collection of literary essays is a celebration of fallibility and haplessness in all their glory. From despoiling an exhibit at the Natural History Museum to provoking the ire of her first boss to siccing the cops on her mysterious neighbor, Crosley can do no right despite the best of intentions-or perhaps because of them. Together, these essays create a startlingly funny and revealing portrait of a complex and utterly recognizable character that's aiming for the stars but hits the ceiling, and the inimitable city that has helped shape who she is. I Was Told There'd Be Cake introduces a strikingly original voice, chronicling the struggles and unexpected beauty of modern urban life.

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About the Author

Sloane Crosley's essays and criticism have appeared in The New York Times, New York Observer, the Village Voice, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Salon, Black Book, Radar, Maxim, and The Believer. She is also the Associate Director of Publicity at Vintage/Anchor Books in New York.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 8 comments:
luvluv reading, September 20, 2010 (view all comments by luvluv reading)
I am appalled that people liked this book. Read much? The writing is poor, but worse yet are the author's mean spirited demeanor and crass topics. Is this what we find amusing? There are so many well educated, intelligent authors out there who write beautifully, are funny, and don't step on "friends" to advance their own "humor". Very sad. Read David Sedaris and tell me one "friend" quoted or noted that would be hurt and/or embarrasssed by the prose.....none, right? Now read this book - would YOU be proud to be this woman's friend?
Get wise: Read books by real writers. Read books that would actually pass muster as a high school essay. Read books that don't dredge up crap (literally) to get laughs.
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S Settje, September 16, 2010 (view all comments by S Settje)
Ok, Seriously, how did I miss this book for so long? Thanks to Crosley I am now a permanent fan of the essay. I may not have grown up in the east and lived in NYC, but her essays are relatable to anyone who has suffered through summercamp, bad roommates, bad relationships or demon bosses. I will be back for more. What's the title of her next one?
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Hardly Audrey, January 1, 2010 (view all comments by Hardly Audrey)
Funny enough that it can be picked up and read over and over again without being boring and always make you laugh. Every family member and friend I recommended it to loved it, I haven't heard a single bad review.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781594483066
Author:
Crosley, Sloane
Publisher:
Riverhead Trade
Author:
Smith, Courtney
Author:
Smith, Courtney E.
Subject:
Form - Essays
Subject:
Essays
Subject:
General Music
Subject:
Humor-Anthologies
Copyright:
2008
Edition Description:
Trade Paper
Publication Date:
20080401
Binding:
Paperback
Grade Level:
from 12
Language:
English
Pages:
240
Dimensions:
8 x 5.31 in 1 lb
Age Level:
from 18
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Related Aisles

I Was Told There'd Be Cake Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$7.95 In Stock
Product details 240 pages Riverhead Books - English 9781594483066 Reviews:
"Staff Pick" by ,

Funny, charming, and self-effacing, Sloane Crosley's essays will resonate with you, whether or not you grew up playing Oregon Trail on the computer or have ever locked yourself out of your house — twice in the same day. Crosley's voice is uniquely irreverent, making I Was Told There'd Be Cake a perfect summer read.

by Tessa
"Review" by , "A refreshing, original reflection on modern life."
"Review" by , "Witty and entertaining."
"Review" by , "Charming, elegant, wise, and comedic, these essays absolutely sparkle and entertain. Sloane Crosley is a 21st century Dorothy Parker, and this book is a gem and heralds a wry new voice in American letters. Gorgeous writing, outrageous humor-it's all here!"
"Review" by , "Sloane Crosley is another mordant and mercurial wit from the realm of Sedaris and Vowell. What makes her so funny is that she seems to be telling the truth, helplessly."
"Review" by , "Sloane Crosley is her own woman with her own voice, and as evidenced by this solid debut."
"Review" by , "Crosley's tone and style definitely take a page out of humor-writer David Sedaris' book. She's ironic, droll and self-pillorying and, like Sedaris, she manages to balance passages that are laugh-out-loud funny with others that are both touching and resonant."
"Review" by , "With her sparkling, fresh voice, Crosley is a talent worth watching."
"Review" by , "Butterflies, crazy neighbors, abusive bosses and overworked locksmiths — none are safe from Sloane Crosley's wicked wit."
"Synopsis" by ,
Wry, hilarious, and profoundly genuine, this debut collection of literary essays is a celebration of fallibility and haplessness in all their glory. From despoiling an exhibit at the Natural History Museum to provoking the ire of her first boss to siccing the cops on her mysterious neighbor, Crosley can do no right despite the best of intentions-or perhaps because of them. Together, these essays create a startlingly funny and revealing portrait of a complex and utterly recognizable character that's aiming for the stars but hits the ceiling, and the inimitable city that has helped shape who she is. I Was Told There'd Be Cake introduces a strikingly original voice, chronicling the struggles and unexpected beauty of modern urban life.
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