Review: One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell

Alrighty! Last book from vacation!

I found this one at the airport bookstore. Even though I’ve enjoyed two of Candace Bushnell’s novels, I never bought one, nor have I followed her career.

I read Lipstick Jungle and Trading Up while visiting my grandparents because those books were available for free in their retirement home community.

But I had a Borders gift certificate, and I do love wandering around airport bookstores. They try to stock whatever is popular for different groups of travelers in a small space. One Fifth Avenue, this time, appealed to me.

Like Lipstick Jungle, it wasn’t terribly serious and perfect for beachside reading. It’s about the residents of one building in New York City, the politics of that building, and a snapshot what real estate means to some people in New York. It is a world beyond me, but it was interesting to read about it (geez, hedge fund managers), especially as it takes place right before the housing bust.

My favorite part of the book was Bushnell’s skewering of people who want to be famous for nothing. The character is Lola Fabrikant, who skates through life on her parents money (which paid for, among other things, breast implants and a nose job by 18) and expects her parents to fund her New York City dream. She feels so entitled to what she wants whenever she wants it, and uses her vagina to get it when her parents money can’t quite make it happen. She reminds me of every reality bimbo on TV right now, especially the one I call the troll (no, I won’t explain here. She makes me too angry).

Best part? When she realizes that her parents having money in Atlanta means squat in New York. Oh, little fish. That big pond’ll eat you up.

The book isn’t going to tax your brain, but isn’t that the point of fun reading?