The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

Jane Rosenal is funny, straightforward, uncertain, beautiful (but not nearly as beautiful as her great aunt, the novelist), vulnerable, and kind. She’s disinterested in her career in publishing, or maybe she’s just not that good at it. She’s equally not so good at her life, often baffled by relationships, her own and others, and missing out on that guy who gets her for who she is. Although verbally witty, she’s not acerbic, which probably marks her out as not a real New Yorker. And although she finds and loses loves, it’s rather as though she’s still waiting for her life to begin.

Through a series of standalone stories, Melissa Bank introduces us to Jane at the age of 14 and then returns to her at key points in her life. In show more all but one of these stories, Jane is the main protagonist. And it is Jane’s voice, with running piquant commentary (not always uttered aloud), that carries us along. She’s quirky adorable and you’ll want her to find what she needs even if it isn’t what she wants. But you’ll also feel her humiliations and fear that things just might not work out for her.

In most of the stories, the tone is breezy and light even though the subject matter may be difficult, such as infidelity, or concerning, such as abusive relationships or end-of-life dramas. As such, that works better in some stories than in others. That’s not exactly an inconsistency, just an acknowledgement that the book is built out of separate stories and not through-written as a novel. However, some of these stories are so distinctive and droll that they must surely get reprinted (or read) even today as standalones. show less

This book was lent to me against my will. A dear friend said it was good and I should read it; I asked whether it was just about romantic relationships, as the blurb suggested it was, and would thus not be to my taste. She said maybe, but that I should read it anyway. So I have done so, as fast as I could in order to be able to give it back. I was correct in my initial assessment. [EDITED TO ADD: My dear friend has since admitted that she lent me the book because she didn't want it! A book-based betrayal.]

‘The Girl’s Guide to Hunting and Fishing’ is written well enough, but everything about it wholly alienated me. It concerns a woman called Jane, her family, and their respective romantic relationships. They are privileged show more Americans who never worry about paying bills, or taking care of their relatives, or their friends, or about political issues, or climate change, or their future financial security, or their housing, or anything that I consider it usual to worry about. They are obsessed by and seem to wholly fetishise monogamous heterosexual marriage, as if it is the only thing worth pursuing in life. I cannot tell you how utterly and completely bored I am with this fixation. I didn’t care about Jane’s love life, or that of any of the characters, because it was all just so clichéd and predictable. Every potential relationship involved jealousy of past or future partners, as if the current boyfriend and girlfriend had to be absolutely everything to each other for all time, as if that wasn’t unrealistic in the extreme. The only parts that I could in some way relate to concerned health crises, and even those were forcibly made all about Jane’s pursuit of love-equated-with-marriage.

Please can Melissa Bank write about something else. Despite being a vegetarian, I would have preferred to read an actual guide to hunting and fishing. show less

This is a collection of short stories, but they all take place in the life of one young woman from the time of her early teens into her 30s. Jane is a snarky, witty, wickedly intelligent woman. She knows she's not a beauty, but she is learning to love herself and hoping to find someone to share her personal affections. These stories are about Jane's quest for love, self-actualization, and career happiness.

I found a lot to identify with in Jane. Her struggles to feel comfortable in her own body and personality was beautiful and true. She's also hilarious. I laughed out loud a lot. I also teared up a few times. A beautiful collection. I love this author.

Advanced Beginners - A snarky teenager makes an unlikely friend in her older show more brother's new girlfriend. At first Julia seems ridiculous and strange, but through their association Jane comes to understand that adult life is more complicated than she ever imagined.

The Floating House - Jane's adventures in adulthood continue several years later. She's on an exotic vacation to the Virgin Islands with her boyfriend. The only catch? They are staying with his ex-girlfriend, and her relentless flirting is beginning to embarrass everyone. And weirdly the ex's new husband keeps making passes at Jane. She must learn to stand up for herself and forgive if she ever hopes to grow up.

My Old Man - Jane is at the lowest rung of the publishing ladder when she meets a mysterious man her great aunt knows. He's also in publishing - one of the greats, and he's old enough to be her father. Anyway, Jane is dating someone else. But does she really love him?

The Best Possible Light - A family dinner turns strange when the only son announces that his new girlfriend and ex-wife are both currently pregnant by him. The family struggles to embrace relationship and the complications.

The Worst Thing a Suburban Girl Could Imagine - Jane chronicles the death of her father by cancer and the clarity it gave her to see what she really wants in her relationship. As she mourns his failing health, she takes up with her alcoholic ex from "My Old Man". They love each other, but there is no compromise in the relationship. Her father's death makes Jane reassess what sort of life she wants to live.

You Could Be Anyone - Jane's new and exciting relationship is starting to show its age. After a trip to Paris, she finds the engagement ring he decided not to give her. He says he loves her, but isn't sure yet if he can marry her. Then Jane gets cancer. Her health issues seem to intensify her boyfriend's protectiveness and he thinks he's ready to commit. But now Jane understands how shallow their love really is.

The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing - Jane is feeling old and very single. When she meets a very promising guy at a friend's wedding she gets freaked out and reads a self-help book on dating. The two vapid authors from the book take up residence in Jane's mind, giving her constant, micro-managing advice. The truly sad part? It seems to be working, but can Jane really keep up this fake life? show less

So I have finished this book. It was entertaining and I recommend it to anyone (Children Excluded, of course). Melissa Bank takes us down a very humorous path of understanding what is important and not important in dating and relationships.

The main character is named Jane Rosenal and we see the world through her eyes mostly. There were a couple of stories in this book where she was not the center stage but did have 3rd person omniscent perspective of others involved in her life. Melissa Banks writes a very witty character in Jane and looking at life through her eyes makes you, the reader, believe that you are a New York Metropolitan girl growing up with all the expectations and pressures of finding the right man. I felt that the show more scenarios described were realistic in how she (Jane Rosenal) must have felt with all the relationships in her life. For example, she felt that the relationship between her brother and her father were really important and she wished they would have had a stronger relationship together. What made this example believable was that it turned out that Jane's brother Henry, was never the favorite in her father's eyes because of the choices he made in life....and the writing reflected this. Melissa let us see that this was just the way it was and it won't change...so don't go looking for the goodie two shoes Hollywood ending. Jane, obviously, has to deal with these scenarios and Melissa paints her as a character that uses satyrical humor when it gets too uncomfortable. Jane was a very real and believable character.

What was even more real for me is that the author alludes that we as a society have forgotten how to be real. We have to play games to get our man or woman. And as we all know, games with no substance, doesn't last. In the "Everything happens for a reason" category of life, Jane does OK and the future is not set. I am not going to spoil it for you, the reader who may want to read this book.

Again, I found this book worthwhile. I found it entertaining and if you look carefully, you will see a lot of the drama described in this book, playing out right before your eyes. The writing is excellent and it keeps you wanting to read more. show less

This is one of those books that you fall in love with immediately. From sentence one to the very last, it's a book that sticks with you.

It's made up of short stories, snapshots of main character's life. Even though the stories were quick I felt like I got this wonderful portrait of the character Jane.

We watch her grow up and coming into herself. She reminds me of a combination of my girl friends - from junior high right on up to my current gal pals - including my female friends that are my senior by a couple of decades. She has self doubt, she has confidence, she knows what she wants and she doesn't. She test the waters over and over again, but not in a whiney or annoying way. She rides the waves of life with such dignity. Jane is show more truly all of us, every woman.

The book is written so smartly, nothing is dumbed down for the readers, nor is it pretentious. It is what it is. It's plain and simple but deep and thick as well. The characters are three dimensional, flawed but lovely as well.

I might read more "chick lit" if chick lit was written this well! show less

Jane Rosenal is a working woman, with a great sense of humor living the single working woman's life, trying to succeed in the publishing world and in her love life. Love, Love, LOVED this book. Made me laugh and cry. Sometimes at the same time. Insightful, true to life and with a touch of sarcasm that was witty and delightful. I don't know why I had this on my list so long before I cracked the spine to read it. But so very glad I did. _____after reading other's comments - I also agree regarding the middle section with Aunt Rita's neighbors the Solomon's didnt' get the connection to the story - maybe during "editing" they deleted the connection? :)

This is the novel chick lit should aspire to. The humor transcends all those tired Bridget Jones-must-wed-now books. Maybe I shouldn't sully it with the "chick lit" label. It was funny and centered on relationships, but it was also true, real, sad, poignant, and didn't once feel forced to me. The characters felt like not only like someone you'd know, but like people you'd be glad to know.

What matters is this is one of a few books I've been able to consistently recommend to friends that has never disappointed.