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The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing
The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Author: Melissa Bank
The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing explores the life lessons of Jane, the contemporary American Everywoman who combines the charm of Bridget Jones, the vulnerability of Ally McBeal, and the wit of Lorrie Moore.
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ISBN-13: 9780140293241
ISBN-10: 0140293248
Publication Date: 5/1/2000
Pages: 288
Rating:
  • Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
 622

3.4 stars, based on 622 ratings
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 10
I really enjoyed this book even though I didn't think I would. It's been sitting on a shelf for months, but since I'm not allowing myself any trips to the library till I finish all the unread gems on my shelves, I decided to slog through this and check it off my list. I actually finished it in one day and really enjoyed the narrator Jane and the other characters in the book. I liked the chance to see Jane as a teenager, which is how the book started out, and then in her 20's as she struggles to love herself and be loved by others. The chapter in the middle about a neighbor was unexpected, but not bad. This book has gotten a bad rap as "chick lit" but I wouldn't call it that. I think it aspires to something a bit bigger. Whether you think it succeeds or not is up to you
Ladyslott avatar reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 113 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
This was an enjoyable if light book. The book is a series of short stories, most featuring Jane Rosenal, a young woman in search of love and the meaning of love.

There are 7 stories and the two that fall flat are the one that doesnt feature Jane; and the other is one you arent sure if it is about Jane or another woman.
The stories begin with Jane at 14 and her studying her brother and his girlfriend, trying to understand the mating dance. Other stories follow her love affair with a much older man. The story focusing on her fathers illness was poignant, and the last story which gave the book its title is the funniest of all. This tale follows Jane as she decides to follow a book of rules on how to catch a man. It is a little bittersweet too, as we watch Jane change herself in an effort to win the heart of a man she loves.

Frequently funny, and a very wry look at dating and working in NYC, it was a nice read, but it is not a novel, and one should not expect the kind of continuity a novel brings. It is however well written, clever and frequently witty; an enjoyable and easy read.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 2 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Another entertaining, perfect for a vacation read. A good "chick lit" choice.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 63 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
You'd think I'd know better, and not be swayed by such things as a title and cover art, and you'd be thinking way too optimistically. The book started out better than it ended. I was thinking the main character might be a little more tomboyish, maybe even into hunting and fishing, but it wasn't like that. It was all the standard "Waaaah, my boyfriends don't treat me right!" stuff that you always see. The interesting twist was when the main character is affected by another book, and tries to act out the advice of a self-help book, and that was a really comical and well written part of the book. You would really be able to imagine the whole scene, without giving too much away, you have known people exactly like she is describing. I still liked the book, I still read the whole thing, and found it enjoyable about 25% of the time. There would be enough interesting things to keep me hanging on through the dull parts. Just not my style of book I guess, I don't really go for the victim-of-nonviolent-but-unsatisfying-and-unselfaware-love/lust/dating/marriages. The main characters were just a little too passive for me.
paigu avatar reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 120 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Much better than I'd anticipated! Surprisingly mellow, melancholy and reflective story on the different types of loving relationships.
Read All 131 Book Reviews of "The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing"

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reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 628 more book reviews
Entertaining and humorous and got better as it went along, but definitely light reading.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 14 more book reviews
Fun read!
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 7 more book reviews
Loved it!
bigrachwoowoo avatar reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 23 more book reviews
Even though I would agree this is chick lit, I don't think it's as simplistic as most other books in that category. The people in Jane's life are just like people you know, or people you will someday meet. Some of the lines in this book will stick with you. It has its sad parts, which make the ending sweeter. I would highly suggest this book, especially for women in the 18-30 age range.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 5 more book reviews
This is the creme de la creme of chick-lit. This is the novel that everyone else wishes she'd written.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 3 more book reviews
quick, fun read!
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 44 more book reviews
This is a really good book. It starts in her early teens where the early thoughts of love begin and works its way to when she finds the man she can not live without. It's funny and entertaining.
crytal avatar reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 155 more book reviews
I'm not sure of my reaction to this book. It was good for some chapters and others left me confused and some even semi-repulsed. And then there was the part towards the end where I almost wished that I had a copy of the book that the main character was reading. Though after seeing how that turned out, I think I'll pass.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 407 more book reviews
This was a somewhat quirky and interesting book about relationships. I liked how Jane learned how relying too much on other people's opinions isn't the right thing to do.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 72 more book reviews
I loved this book!! It was cleverly written and I had a hard time putting it down. I highly recommend it.
Sheerbliss07 avatar reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 11 more book reviews
I have to admit I hadn't heard of this book until I saw the movie Suburban Girl which is based off of one of the chapters. Then I was turned off by it being short stories mixed in but I ended up really enjoying this book alot. It is narrated by a girl Jane trying to find herself and how to behave with men. The only thing I didn't like about the book is in the middle there is a chapter on her neighbors and their problems and I kept waiting for when they would meet and it never happened. Other than that I really liked this book and would recommend it to a friend.
dixiegirl avatar reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on + 31 more book reviews
Was slow going at first but by the end I enjoyed it.
reviewed The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing on
A bestselling novel; see reviews in Glamour, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

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