The Bling Ring: How a Gang of Fame-Obsessed Teens Ripped Off Hollywood and Shocked the World
by Nancy Jo Sales. It Books. 2013. Library copy. Inspired film by the same name.
The Bling Ring
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It's About: The true story of how, in 2008 - 2009, a bunch of teens broke into the homes of their favorite celebrities and stole clothes and jewelry.
The Bling Ring explores who those teens were, how they planned the crimes, and how they were caught.
The Good: Both the film and the movie view this series of home robberies as an opportunity to examine entitlement celebrity fan culture. The teens targeted those people they liked, not those they didn't. They wanted to be in those homes, go through their closets, wear their clothes. It was part celebrity worship, but it was also part entitlement. Why shouldn't they do this?
The reader is as much a voyeur as those teens, reading about the robberies and the celebrities, laughing at those rich people with poor security. The movie ups that aspect by filming in the actual locations, including some of the homes.
I found it helpful to read the book before the film: the film changes some things to the make the story more linear, less messy, so consolidates and shifts some events. In simplifying the story, some of the nuance and depth is lost. That the "ring" was messy is part of the point of the underlining story.
A book like this is dependent on who talks to the writer, and not all of the teens spoke with Sales. While understandable, it also means that the reader is left with not enough understanding of just exactly what happened, who was involved, how involved they were, etc. Still, it's a pretty valuable examination of a certain type of teenager as well as a look at what happens when they get caught.
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A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea CozyThi
Here’s some GREAT news straight from the Associated Press. Amy Poehler has signed a deal with It Books for an ”illustrated, non-linear diary.” It Books, a pop culture imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced Monday that the book is currently untitled and scheduled for 2014. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Her original twist on the conventional memoir will have universal appeal,” according to It Books. “An illustrated, non-linear diary full of humor and honesty and brimming with true stories, fictional anecdotes and life lessons, the book will be a unique and engaging experience from one of today’s most talented and beloved stars.”
It’s the first book for Poehler, who recently co-hosted the Golden Globes ceremony with Fey, her longtime friend and professional collaborator. Poehler will be edited by It Books’ Carrie Thornton, who said in a statement that after first talking to Poehler she was “blown away by her creativity and her passion.”
With huge books from Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler is sure to hit one out of the park. Can’t wait to read it!
Cal Morgan has been named senior vice president and publisher of HarperCollins’ It Books imprint.
Morgan will also oversee the Harper Design imprint team and continue to serve as editorial director of the Harper Perennial original paperback program. He will report to Michael Morrison.
You can follow Morgan on Twitter. He began his career at Macmillan’s St. Martin’s Press. After joining HarperCollins in 1999, he worked at several imprints including ReganBooks, Harper and William Morrow. He has worked with Neil Strauss, Lauren Redniss, Jerry Lee Lewis, Kelly Oxford, Stanley Crouch, Arianna Huffington, Michael Moore and Ralph Nader.
New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.
Today we bring you another installment of Youth Media Movers and Shakers. We’ve culled through industry publications looking for the recent executive placements we think you should know about. If you have executive news that you want us to... Read the rest of this post
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