When I happened upon Jen Lancaster's first memoir, I wasn't aware of her blog. The title (and subtitle) caught my eye. Bitter Is the New Black? I'm in. So I bought it and started reading it making my way home. I was so immersed, I cancelled my plans for the night and settled in for more of the riotous laughter that this book caused me. I wasn't to be disappointed. Jen Lancaster has three memoirs now and I believe a fourth is to be released soon. In the third memoir, she mentions the novel she is undertaking and I anxiously await that. If she's anything like Laurie Notaro (The Idiot Adventure Girl's Club memoirs), her foray into fiction will not disappoint at all.

Jen's a pearls and preppy, sarcastic kind of girl. Straight out of college she and her husband Fletch went into the world of dot com. Lavish accounts, fancy homes, and pearls galore surrounded her as the vice president of successful dot com. However, as we all know the boom was not to last and sure enough, she was left to downsize her life and come back to a world which she didn't care much for. In a matter of a few short years, she's gone from a pretty hefty dual income to getting evicted from a hovel in the not so nice neighborhoods. Nosy neighbors, and landlords? No thanks. Bitter Is the New Black follows her through getting on her feet, dusting herself off, and temping for people whose brain power doesn't impress her much.

Her second: Bright Lights, Big Ass is also hilarious. In this one, she takes on the neighbors that irk her. And by takes on, I mean she reports them to the Department of Homeland Security. That should teach them. She's also letting us know that the myth of city life is but a myth. Most Chicagoans don't live the glamorous life in sultry outfits reminiscent of Carrie in SATC (though I think it's safe to say Lancaster might be more comfortable in Charlotte's closet, even if her persona is more Miranda's biting wit).

The third is Such a Pretty Fat. The antagonist in this? Her chub. And it's going down. The night before her birthday, Jen realizes it's time to win the battle of the bulge once and for all. It's not a vanity matter, because she's adorable no matter what. It's a health issue. So she joins her fancy gym (she's back on her feet and living a relatively decent life again even if it's not what it once was), and works with her Barbie like personal trainer with much grumbling and more results. Even in her gym clothes, the pearls stay.

I can't wait for her newest Pretty in Plaid which is apparently a memoir about her childhood. In the meantime, if you're so inclined, check out her blog jennsylvania.com. If you like Chelsea Handler (minus the raunch) and Laurie Notaro, you should love Jen Lancaster.