The Bling Ring: How a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World

This book was quick and very easy to read, written in a digestible journalistic style. This is hardly a surprise, as it was written by a Vanity Fair journalist. I enjoyed it on some level, but was left feeling dispirited. The burglary spree perpetrated by a group of young party animals is recounted in detail, yet the teenagers themselves remain a mystery. Perhaps this is the point, though, as the interviews and contact Sales had with them suggested an incredible level of superficiality and artifice. That nothing much could be seen beneath might suggest that there wasn’t anything there. When the surface glamour and media sensationalisation of their lives is stripped away, as this book seeks to do, nothing much is left. There is a bleak show more nihilism to the whole picture of Hollywood painted in ‘The Bling Ring’. The constant talk of reinvention and self-improvement is coupled with a nauseating insincerity, vapid narcissism, and refusal to take responsibility for anything. Moreover, the teenagers themselves are merely a vignette in a monolithic system of fame, conspicuous consumption, and commodification of women’s bodies.

Whilst this book provides an intelligible and pacey account of the teenagers’ crimes without becoming overly sensational, I would also like to read an application of critical theory to the whole thing. Slavoj Žižek should get on that, if he hasn’t already. I feel like a grumpy old woman for saying, ‘This exemplifies so much that is wrong with society’, but it really does! What especially astounded me was the lack of security the robbed celebrities had for their houses and possessions. This seemed to display a strange detachment from reality - as if fame itself insulated them from crime. Moreover, most did not notice items were missing until they had been repeatedly robbed. They had so many designer garments, items of jewellery, and wads of loose cash, that the loss of thousands of dollars worth did not merit attention. It is clear from the book how desirable the lifestyle (this word was a constant refrain) of the rich and famous was to these teenagers and so many others around the world. Having so much that you can be so utterly careless seems repulsive to me, but the whole neoliberal capitalist system is built upon such rapacious wanting and massive inequality. Sales takes an ambivalent view of structural social responsibility for the teenage criminals. Ultimately, though, celebrity journalism is part and parcel of this fame-obsessed system, even relatively staid books like this.

Oh, and I found the indictment of 'reality' TV very effective. show less

17

An excellent blend of true crime story intermixed with a search for motive. What drives a bunch of privileged, celebrity sword hopping fashionistas to burglarize the homes of Lindsey Logan, Orlando Bloom, Paris Hilton and others, often returning up to four times. The Bling Ring was led by a little psychopath who stayed around for hours, trying on designer clothes, as she packed bags. All got religion after getting caught, of course, but the story of these celebri-thieves as they actually operated are compelling and thoughts provoking.

This book was essentially a really long article, but unlike other books I've read that are like that, this one definitely kept my interest. Sales has an interesting point of view on the scandal, and I feel that I got a full story of why the Bling Ring did what they did.

Nancy Jo Sales wrote an article about "The Bling Ring" for Vanity Fair and then turned it into this book that was made into a movie by Sofia Coppola, so she managed to cash in on this story three times. Good for her, but there isn't enough material on these self-absorbed and celebrity obsessed teenage burglars to fill a book, so Sayles filled it out with every pop psychologist theory on teenage behavior she could find.

I was surprised at how quickly I was drawn into this book. In fact, I read the whole thing in a day. Fascinating.

Ugh.
Why is there so much unnecessary content?
The author goes off of so many tangents.
You can't shame a whole generation based on the actions of five dumb teenagers.
Why are there so many chapters!?!?! Chapters are meant for a break in theme or scenery or action o9r thoughts. She literally just picks up where she left off. Just keep going!! Write a chapter longer then two pages.
Ugh.
Anyway, I didn't like it. The film was far more entertaining.