Sunday, December 31, 2000

The Devil Wears Prada

In an earlier post I mentioned that I don't recommend the book The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger and that you should just watch the movie. I was wrong. You can just skip the middle section. The beginning and the end are really good. If you haven't seen the the movie and don't know what it's a about here is Amazon's review:


"Andrea Sachs, a small-town girl fresh out of college, lands the job “a million girls would die for.” Hired as the assistant to Miranda Priestly, the high-profile, fabulously successful editor of Runway magazine, Andrea finds herself in an office that shouts Prada! Armani! Versace! at every turn, a world populated by impossibly thin, heart-wrenchingly stylish women and beautiful men clad in fine-ribbed turtlenecks and tight leather pants that show off their lifelong dedication to the gym. With breathtaking ease, Miranda can turn each and every one of these hip sophisticates into a scared, whimpering child.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA gives a rich and hilarious new meaning to complaints about “The Boss from Hell.” Narrated in Andrea’s smart, refreshingly disarming voice, it traces a deep, dark, devilish view of life at the top only hinted at in gossip columns and over Cosmopolitans at the trendiest cocktail parties. From sending the latest, not-yet-in-stores Harry Potter to Miranda’s children in Paris by private jet, to locating an unnamed antique store where Miranda had at some point admired a vintage dresser, to serving lattes to Miranda at precisely the piping hot temperature she prefers, Andrea is sorely tested each and every day—and often late into the night with orders barked over the phone. She puts up with it all by keeping her eyes on the prize: a recommendation from Miranda that will get Andrea a top job at any magazine of her choosing. As things escalate from the merely unacceptable to the downright outrageous, however, Andrea begins to realize that the job a million girls would die for may just kill her. And even if she survives, she has to decide whether or not the job is worth the price of her soul."

The ending of the book is great. I won't give it away but it makes you think about the decisions you would make if you were in Andrea's shoes. I'm a big fan of books that turn into movies. It's always interesting to see how well they did the characters and the story line. Most of the time, I like the book more, but in this instance I liked the movie more. But if you need a good relaxing to read, then I suggest this one.


A good question to ponder while reading this book is, how much are you willing to put up with from your boss before you quit?

Enjoy,
Mo Bridge