Kristin F. (KristinF) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 9 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 11
Written by the Academy Award winning Screen writer for Juno, this book is not for the weak! It's a hardcore account of the life of a stripper. Diablo Cody writes in a whitty, brutally honest and sarcastic way. Cody is very entertaining!
A note of caution --- some accounts in the book might be too graphic or profane for some. I did gag during one section. If you have ever wondered what it's like to be a stripper this book is for you.
Cody writes in detail about her days as a stripper at various venues. She discusses the clientele, co-workers and the money she makes. She also gives great detail about the establishments and how they do business.She discusses how she handles her family and her profession. Defintiely, a great peek inside a different world!
A note of caution --- some accounts in the book might be too graphic or profane for some. I did gag during one section. If you have ever wondered what it's like to be a stripper this book is for you.
Cody writes in detail about her days as a stripper at various venues. She discusses the clientele, co-workers and the money she makes. She also gives great detail about the establishments and how they do business.She discusses how she handles her family and her profession. Defintiely, a great peek inside a different world!
Helpful Score: 9
A fantastic, funny read. You get great insight to a world so many people are secretly interested in without heavy lessons or moral judgements.
Amanda B. (aebonnett) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 10 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
Needing a book to read while I was sick I picked this up thinking I could read it off and on. I was wrong...I read it all in one sitting. It was an interesting look at the world of strippers. Diablo Cody humanized ladies that strip. She showed the world as it is and how a curious interloper was treated. I really enjoyed reading this account of her year spent working as a stripper, a peep show girl and very briefly touched on her job as a phone sex operator. I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick, but good read.
Helpful Score: 6
I thought Juno was overrated. Surely it was an entertaining movie, but it was a little too tongue-in-cheek with "hipness" and self-awareness.
Cody still lays on on thick in this memoir, but the results are a lot more satisfying then Juno was. Simply put - I loved this book. She is funny, witty, scathing, and a real human being. I read this book in less then 24 hours and loved every page of it.
Cody still lays on on thick in this memoir, but the results are a lot more satisfying then Juno was. Simply put - I loved this book. She is funny, witty, scathing, and a real human being. I read this book in less then 24 hours and loved every page of it.
Helpful Score: 5
Strange, very funny, interesting and sometimes gross memoir about what it is like to be a stripper.
Shannon Y. (dolphinlover) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 209 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book. Diablo Cody didn't hold back at all. A very interesting looking behind the stripper scene. I could also see the resemblance in her writing and the Juno movie as well. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a fun walk on the wild side!
Jessica D. (MTGirlAtHeart) -
Helpful Score: 2
This was a fast and interesting read. However, I learned far more about strippers and "sex workers" than I ever wanted to know! Some parts were a little too graphic, but overall it was a good book!
Sari Lynn G. (sari-lynn) -
Helpful Score: 2
She's irreverent and witty. She can write, pole dance, and toss off the latest slang expressions. I read the book in a day, and afterwards felt like I'd indulged in a bit too much cotton candy - all fluff, no substance, and it left me feeling just a tad nauseous.
Marta J. (booksnob) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 412 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book was so much fun to read!! Her descriptions of the various venues where she worked were so vivid that you could see, hear, even smell them! I learned things about the sex industry that I certainly never knew. I hope she continues to write books, because I'm a confirmed fan.
Danielle T. (sugarkane) -
Helpful Score: 2
Very entertaining book, witty and at times funny. I read the whole thing in two days, I couldn't put it down.
Jamie G. (puffypsu) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 6 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
So far, it's ok. I'm disappointed as I loved Juno and expected more from this. Totally understand that it's a memoir but I am finding it to be too cheeky and not as sarcastic and witty as I had hoped.
Ok, it definitely gets better mid way.
Ok, it definitely gets better mid way.
Helpful Score: 1
Funky, brazen, candid and LOL. This is a fun read. If you are concerned about other tennis moms seeing what you are reading, watch where you read it. May contain adult material.
Donna T. (realtrgrl3) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 77 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Thought this would be fun to read, but not really. It just didn't seem compelling, and it lost me in a short time...
Ryan M. (rmadland) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 68 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I was always fascinated with Diablo Cody after seeing her do lots of press circuits when promoting the movie Juno. I then learned she used to live in Minneapolis, which is my neck of the woods---and she stripped at some of the local establishments. I had to read this book.
Diablo went from a copyrighter, to participating at amateur night at a strip club, to a full fledged stripper. She doesn't hold back on the details and its pretty humorous at times.
Her stories about the men and women she met through her time as a stripper are really interesting and make the book what it is. I definitely recommend you read this book, but beware that sometimes things get graphic.
Diablo went from a copyrighter, to participating at amateur night at a strip club, to a full fledged stripper. She doesn't hold back on the details and its pretty humorous at times.
Her stories about the men and women she met through her time as a stripper are really interesting and make the book what it is. I definitely recommend you read this book, but beware that sometimes things get graphic.
Helpful Score: 1
I read this because I really enjoyed "Juno" and, also, because the story takes place in Minneapolis where I live. This is a "slice of live" story with no particular purpose. It describes her comings and goings in the porn world; but I was left with a "so what/who cares!?" attitude by the time I finished the book. Yes, fast reading, but there are so many great books out there that I ended up feeling like I had wasted precious time. I cannot recommend this book.
Laurie M. (WeRAllOne) -
Helpful Score: 1
This is a true story by Diablo Cody about how she started in the sex industry. It's a humorous read a bit on the weird side, but all in all funny. Short book.
Jeanette R. (thebeakeeper) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 167 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
totally digged this book! i first heard about it on oprah ormontell or something. i thought it sounded really good and then i found out that its written by, and about diablo cody, the writter of the fabulous Juno. it's a great, funny, descriptive, easy read about a girl from chicago who moves to minnesota to be with her internet boyfriend and becomes a stripper because shes bored. she ends up finding herself in a lot of ways and continues even though she vowed to do it for a short time. its a great look into the world of stripping, and though i once thought it cool and glamorous (as she did) i now realize its a lot like being a flight attendant. except you dont get to travel. lol.
Helpful Score: 1
Two words: LOVED IT!!! Diablo Cody has such a great, funny, smart writing style and this book is a breeze to get through. I read it in one day. It's a hilarious and interesting story of her life as a stripper that is quite graphic but totally awesome.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a really funny book, with a lot of information about the sex business. It is not, however, for prudes; the language is often crude and gross, It seems to jump from literary to street slang at the drop of a hat (or a thong). If you enjoyed the comic dialogue in the movie "Juno" (the screenplay for which was also written by Diablo Cody), you'll probably get a kick out of this book.
Lorrie M. (ilovedale3) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 524 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very funny and interesting true account of one young woman's foray into the world of atripping. Though the title implie that she is an "unlikely stripper", the author seems to relish the job and even eventually becomes a peep show girl at an adult store.
Jennifer P. (jenners) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 121 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
Twila M. (tsgnurse) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 29 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Very insightful look at the real (much less glamorous) side of stripping. Good book.
Lara H. (Larmabean) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 15 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This was a great book and gave a good inside view of the life of a stripper. I read this book a long time ago and was so pleasantly surprised to see she wrote a screenplay (Juno) and won an Oscar!
Jessica D. (MTGirlAtHeart) -
This was a fast and interesting read. However, I learned far more about strippers and "sex workers" than I ever wanted to know! Some parts were a little too graphic, but overall it was a good book!
Superb! Incandescent! No blinders-look at the real, the raunchy, the funny & the sad world of strippers. A brilliant book!
Jennifer P. (jenners) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 121 more book reviews
3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
Jennifer R. (cucina1520) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 38 more book reviews
She's written and sold screenplays to Hollywood. She dated a musician from Minneapolis whose five year old (nickname "Peanut" to protect the innocent) loved her. She worked a straight job while stripping part-time. How bad could the book be?
Bad. It's just bad. Granted, Diablo Cody (birth name Brook Busey) grew up in a suburb of Chicago with a relatively normal family, suffered no incident of child molestation, and graduated from college. However, the story comes off (no pun intended) as if she just couldn't leave her youth behind. Too many faux-clever zingers and descriptions of strippers and patrons, too many nights taking off her vinyl panties or popping a silicone device between her legs for the paying purview of the customers, too many descriptions of lame-o men and "bitchface" hardtimers who wore wigs, press-on nail extensions and wads of cash strapped into their garters.
Why did she choose to be a stripper? I'm getting to that section in the book. I'm guessing the payoff won't be any too sweet, and, like most candy ill-consumed with gluttonous intent, leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Bad. It's just bad. Granted, Diablo Cody (birth name Brook Busey) grew up in a suburb of Chicago with a relatively normal family, suffered no incident of child molestation, and graduated from college. However, the story comes off (no pun intended) as if she just couldn't leave her youth behind. Too many faux-clever zingers and descriptions of strippers and patrons, too many nights taking off her vinyl panties or popping a silicone device between her legs for the paying purview of the customers, too many descriptions of lame-o men and "bitchface" hardtimers who wore wigs, press-on nail extensions and wads of cash strapped into their garters.
Why did she choose to be a stripper? I'm getting to that section in the book. I'm guessing the payoff won't be any too sweet, and, like most candy ill-consumed with gluttonous intent, leave a bad taste in my mouth.
Meh. Is this racier than "If You Give a Pig a Pancake?" Yes. Is it hardcore enough so that someone that worked in the industry would say "Damn girl, I heard that!"? No.
It's a decent middle of the road story about a girl that seemed to never really connect to what she was living by an author that seemed to be content writing a book that nobody would mind if they dropped it off their raft and into the pool.
I give it 2 1/2 stars.
It's a decent middle of the road story about a girl that seemed to never really connect to what she was living by an author that seemed to be content writing a book that nobody would mind if they dropped it off their raft and into the pool.
I give it 2 1/2 stars.
Natalie G. (nataliegarman) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 6 more book reviews
This book didn't just have me laughing out loud, it had me snorting. If you thought the movie Juno was funny, you will enjoy reading this memoir.
Sarah B. (Pixie328) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 391 more book reviews
Every "good girl" can relate- no holds barred- very well written
flowergirls reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 47 more book reviews
I liked Juno & I LOVE United States of Tara so I thought this book would be at least good but unfortunatly it just wasn't for me.. It has nothing to do with the story itself & EVERTHING to do with her irritating style of writing!
They say if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all, so I'll end it here =)
They say if you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all, so I'll end it here =)
Rachel W. (starkissed2012) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 16 more book reviews
Easy Read...read it in two days...the writer is funny throughout and has a unique way of describing herself and her surroundings. A real eye opener for how things really are in strip clubs and the sex industry. This book will either intrigue or disgust you!
This book will never win any awards, but it's a great way to satisfy any curiosity you may have about this particular "endeavor".
More than you ever wanted to know about being a stripper. A fun read, and well-written. Author wrote the screenplay to Juno.
Christina T. (TinaT) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 10 more book reviews
This is a really fun, quick read. Diablo Cody is a serious spitfire!
The author tries, unfortunately not in the way I like to read.
Overdone.
Way too much hype.
I am not an avid movie fan but I did watch Juno & it was entertaining but (this isn't a compliment) it was more enjoyable than this book.
Overdone.
Way too much hype.
I am not an avid movie fan but I did watch Juno & it was entertaining but (this isn't a compliment) it was more enjoyable than this book.
Sherry G. (Shervivor) -
This was a quick and interesting read. Quick because it only took three hours of my time (and I am a very slow reader). Interesting because it gives the reader an unabashed inside view into the world of strippers. It is very detailed regarding the strippers, the customers (men are truly gross), and the reasoning why a very untypical person would enter the sex industry. I enjoyed her writing style. Cody is very witty. This is a great book for when you need some light reading, especially if you always wondered what stripping is all about.
Laura R. (isitfriday) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 170 more book reviews
It was a quick read, interesting to glimpse into the world of strippers, yet i did not truly care about the book, there was no story or reason to go back to reading it so i felt it dragged on a bit. just okay i think.
I could totally relate to why she wanted to bust out and give it a shot. What a hilarious, insightful book. I hope she puts more stuff out there.
Kristen R. (krissyj8) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 22 more book reviews
I live in Minneapolis so this book was especially interesting because it is set in the seedy strip club scene of downtown Minneapolis. Recently, Diablo Cody has been know for movies (Juno) and tv shows (The United States of Tara), but this book was a really in depth and honest reflection of what it is like to be an exotic dancer. As a female working in the business world, I understood why Cody decided to make the jump from an ad agency into the darker world of stripping. She portrayed her emotions, relationships with other dancers and her boyfriend, living in Minneapolis, and her overall reactions to her year away from the conventional world in an intriguing way. By the end of the book I was ready to switch to another subject, but overall I loved this book!
Stephanie T. (dastephan6) -
a story about a good girl gone stripper. starts out kinda boring. but the middle picks up quick. describes how she gets into stripping, how she feels, and so on. the end kinda drags.
it is a well written memoir.
it is a well written memoir.
Jennifer P. (jenners) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 121 more book reviews
3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
Nancy J. (nancy2008) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 19 more book reviews
A fast but compelling read. I couldn't put it down. She describes in detail the different types of places she worked and her interactions with the other women and the management. A real look into the business - both the gross and the funny.
An interesting view of a life as a stripper.
Sharon C. (sierrastar) -
This is one young girls year long walk on the wild side of life. Lets you know the insides of a stripper club and what the g1rls really make
Tiffany L. (tlees5) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 119 more book reviews
interesting....
Jennifer P. (jenners) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 121 more book reviews
3 Reasons You've Might Have Heard of Diablo Cody
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
1. She wrote the screenplay for Juno and won a screenwriting Oscar for it.
2. This summer, she wrote the screenplay for Jennifer's Body. It is doubtful she will win an Oscar for it.
3. She writes a column for Entertainment Weekly.
With that kind of resume, you may wonder why she was able to write a memoir about a year spent working as a stripper. Well, before she "hit it big," Ms. Cody was living in Minneapolis and working a "straight" job at an advertising agency. On a lark, she decided to strip at local strip club's amateur night to satisfy her curiosity about what it was like. The adrenaline rush (and the money) hooked her, and she ended up spending a year stripping at various clubs and working in a sex shop and as a phone sex worker.
5 Things I Learned About Being A Successful Stripper From This Book
1. Blondes get bigger tips so it is worthwhile investing in a wig.
2. Wear white for your stripping outfit.
3. Learn how to work the pole.
4. Pick your spotlight songs carefully. (Ms. Cody thoughtfully provides a list of good songs and bad songs to strip to in the book.)
5. Be prepared to sell more than lap dances. Many clubs expect you to sell a certain amount of drinks as well.
Ms. Cody is very candid about what it takes to be a stripper. She breaks down how the various clubs worked, explains the stripper hierarchy, describes what kind of strippers tend to earn the most, and offers (often hilarious) advice about the ins and outs of being a stripper. The book is very humorous and often very crude, and Ms. Cody doesn't take herself too seriously most of the time. It was a kick to get an inside glimpse at a world that most of us will never explore. The fact that Ms. Cody chose to pursue this lifestyle and wasn't forced into it makes a big difference as her story is one of a woman in control of what she is doingânot a woman who was forced by circumstances to pursue this line of work. Plus it helps that Ms. Cody is a darn good writer with a direct, conversational writing style. However, she didn't walk away from the experience completely unscathed.
3 Most Disturbing Things I Learned In the Book
1. There are really really disgusting freaky people in the world. (I guess I knew that but hearing about some of the people who would come into the sex shop where she worked toward the end of her stripping career was really disturbing. Really disturbing.)
2. If you strip for years, you'll probably end up with "hammertoes, coke-worn sinuses and intimacy disorders."
3. You cannot work in the sex industry without starting to lose some element of your humanity.
Her stripping career ends abruptly one day when she finds herself unable to stop crying. Allow her to explain:
"It wasn't the nudity or the grinding or any sex-phobic moral issue that was pinning me to my chair in a moment of blinding epiphany. It was actually the opposite. The one-on-one aspects of the industry made sense; it was the whole girls-in-bulk thing that repulsed me. Hundreds of girls on the floor at some clubs, all reduced to begging dogs for an army of smug little emperors. The rules of attraction were reversed at a strip club. Girls that could halt traffic at Nicollet Mall were rejected by fat guys wearing Zubaz. Joe Punchcard with $20 could toy with several dancers over the course of an afternoon, finally selecting the one who'd receive the dubious privilege of entertaining him for three and a half minutes. The rejected girls, regardless of how loved they were by husbands or paramours or infants at home, would feel worthless for an instant, and all because of ol' Joe. Those instances multiplied, and soon everyone felt like creeping crud, regardless of how much ego they projected."
3 Reasons To Read the Book
1. Diablo Cody has a conversational, honest writing style that is entertaining, funny and easy to read.
2. The book offers an inside glimpse into a world that not many people have experienced and written about.
3. You'll laugh out loud quite a few times.
3 Reasons Not To Read the Book
1. If explicit writing about sex and working in the sex industry isn't your thing.
2. If you are offended by the concept of strippers and strip clubs in general.
3. If you find bawdy, crude and explicit sex talk disturbing.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm giving it 4 stars. However, due to the subject matter, it isn't a book for everyone so I can't recommend it wholeheartedly. I suspect you already know if you want to read this book anyway.
I enjoyed this book alot. The story moves quickly and is very entertaining. A really fun read. Tells you about the "secret" lives of strippers.
Lynn S. (lsuth) -
The book told the story of a girl who became a stripper for a short period of time. Parts were interesting and others dragged especially near the end.
Joan S. (Yoni) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 327 more book reviews
This book is so much fun!!! I love Diablo Cody. She writes as though she were hanging out with you at a bar sharing girlie night stories. She portrays an honest and informative image of the business of stripping, and she does it with great humor and honesty. A quick read with a good honest look at the industry.
Amazingly quick read!!! Finished it in 2 nights.
Very entertaining.
Very entertaining.
Christina B. (christinaholly) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 27 more book reviews
This was a mildly interesting story, but as a native Minnesotan, I was mostly interested in the references to clubs around the Twin Cities. Without that, I doubt I'd be that interested in the actual story.
Sandra L. (GrannyBookworm) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 125 more book reviews
Wow, this book is fascinating and quite raunchy. Always wondered what REALLY went on in these places and now I know!
Kelly H. (changes4kelly) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 11 more book reviews
This book was a cute, sometimes gross, quick read. The author has a great sense of humor and a refreshing open mind.
Carrie E. (cae3575) - , reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 9 more book reviews
I LOVED this book!! It's amazing to read about the kind of things she went through and some of the people she encountered!! WOW!!!
Victoria M. (victoriamorton) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 10 more book reviews
cute book. cute writer. interesting look into the lives of strippers. quick read
Kiersten S. (teamshort) reviewed Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper on + 5 more book reviews
very engaging and fun...a quick read! (obviously this is ADULT content)
