Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
    Unavailable
    Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
    Unavailable
    Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
    Audiobook8 hours

    Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?

    Written by Jen Lancaster

    Narrated by Jamie Heinlein

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Unabridged 10 hours

    Jen Lancaster hates to burst your happy little bubble, but life in the big city isn't all it's cracked up to be. Contrary to what you see on TV and in the movies, most urbanites aren't party-hopping in slinky dresses and strappy stilettos. But lucky for us, Lancaster knows how to make the life of the lower crust mercilessly funny and infinitely entertaining.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 12, 2009
    ISBN9781440641060
    Unavailable
    Bright Lights, Big Ass: A Self-Indulgent, Surly, Ex-Sorority Girl's Guide to Why it Often Sucks in the City, or Who are These Idiots and Why Do They All Live Next Door to Me?
    Author

    Jen Lancaster

    JEN LANCASTER is a New York Times bestselling author who has sold well over a million books. From Bitter Is the New Black to The Tao of Martha, Jen has made a career out of documenting her attempts to shape up, grow up and have it all—sometimes with disastrous results. Her novel Here I Go Again received three starred reviews (Kirkus Reviews, Booklist and Publishers Weekly). Her memoir I Regret Nothing was named an Amazon Best Book of the Year, and she’s regularly a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards. Jen has appeared on The Today Show, as well as CBS This Morning, Fox News, NPR All Things Considered and The Joy Behar Show, among others. She lives in Chicago with her husband and her many dogs and cats. Visit her website, jenlancaster.com, and find her on Twitter, @altgeldshrugged.

    More audiobooks from Jen Lancaster

    Related to Bright Lights, Big Ass

    Related audiobooks

    Humor & Satire For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Our Top TV Picks Of 2021

      Dec 12, 2021

      STAN It starts off like your normal run-of-the-mill missing persons dramedy, but Search Party quickly turns into something else entirely. It’s been so exciting to see the narrative and its characters change in every season! STAN Feeling like one gia

      4 min read

    • Article

      Letter Bocks

      Oct 14, 2021

      THE PHOTO of Mick Wragg on page 38 of issue 309 is in fact Jack Elam, the well-known American actor who usually played villains in westerns. Don’t forget that old fuckers with long memories like me read your publication. Gypsum Jim, East Leake I WOUL

      12 min read

    • Article

      Skinny on Boney

      Nov 30, 2023

      ● BIOPICS ARE A TRICKY BEAST. Anyone who’s lived a life worth putting on a cinema screen will have done a hell of a lot more than you can squeeze into two hours. You can try to offer a bunch of tiny slices from childhood to adult triumph or defeat, o

      3 min read

    • Article

      Intimate Lighting

      May 10, 2018

      Directed by IVAN PASSER Starring ZDENEK BEZUSEK KAREL BLAZEK MIROSLAV CVRK 1965 OUT NOW Blu-ray People love making lists of their favourite movies. Sometimes we even narrow things down by specifying a genre or a goofy subcategory. Had more people see

      1 min read

    • Article

      Still Playing

      Aug 23, 2022

      Still Playing
      1 min read

    • Article

      Oubliettes Play

      Aug 11, 2020

      Oubliettes Play
      2 min read

    • Article

      ‘The Duke’ Unfurls Startling Real-life Goya Heist

      Apr 20, 2022

      “The Duke” is a genial British entertainment that, at its best, reminded me a bit of those wonderful postwar Ealing Studio films like “The Lavender Hill Mob” and “The Ladykillers.” The new movie stars Jim Broadbent as the real-life Kempton Bunton, a

      2 min read

    • Article

      Downton, Downton, Revolution

      Sep 16, 2019

      Downton, Downton, Revolution
      4 min read

    • Article

      A Lukewarm Serving

      Apr 29, 2019

      A Lukewarm Serving
      3 min read

    • Article

      Take Me Lord!

      Nov 3, 2020

      Take Me Lord!
      2 min read

    • Article

      WEEKLY Entertainment

      Apr 23, 2023

      Nothing says New Zealand humour quite like Millie does. Former Shortland Street and The Breaker Upperers star Ana Scotney takes the lead in this drama-comedy, set in the heart of our capital city. Follow Millie as she misses her flight from Wellingto

      1 min read

    • Article

      Staff Picks: What We’re Watching This Week

      May 12, 2022

      I have to admit, I’ve never hopped on the Selling Sunset bandwagon before, but the marketing for S6 was so good that I just had to dip my toe in. I slid into the new season no problems, and it took no time at all to get up to speed. In fact, it hooke

      1 min read

    • Article

      Goose Game

      Nov 4, 2019

      Goose Game
      1 min read

    • Article

      Slotherhouse: Is A Horror Film About A Killer Sloth Secretly A Masterpiece?

      Aug 30, 2023

      The magic of cinema is in its ability to take our world, in all its messy complexity, and reflect its core truth back to us. Cinema opens our eyes. It can teach us empathy, open our eyes to wider issues. It can change us. Or it can give us a film abo

      3 min read

    • Article

      Last Stop

      Sep 2, 2021

      Last Stop
      1 min read

    • Article

      Romeo Coates

      May 25, 2023

      Romeo Coates
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Roush Review

      Jan 14, 2021

      The Roush Review
      3 min read

    • Article

      Weekly Entertainment

      Mar 29, 2020

      Weekly Entertainment
      2 min read

    • Article

      Lost In Random

      Oct 19, 2021

      Lost In Random
      2 min read

    Reviews for Bright Lights, Big Ass

    4/5

    393 ratings36 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Laughed my butt off through this book! As long as you don't mind sarcasm and the f-word, you should pick this up!
    • 2/5
      I love Jen Lancaster, but this book seemed a little more scattered than her other books. There wasn't much of a unifying theme; it more felt like a collection of really random anecdotes, some of which happened to be about looking for a place to live in Chicago, others of which were about her dogs' particular neuroses, and others of which were about her either having or being a "big ass". Funnyish, but not hilarious, and as a whole, fairly uncompelling.
    • 3/5
      Jen Lancaster is still making me laugh with her grossly inappropriate humor, sarcasm, and observations of people's worst foibles, including her own. She's my idea of the perfect beach read.
    • 5/5
      I liked this one better than Bitter is the New Black, although they are both so very funny! This is written in a very accessible essay format - you don't need to read the first book to understand what's going on in this one. If you like Laurie Notaro's books, you'll like this author too. Very snarky and wonderfully hilarious! I'm looking forward to her next book!!
    • 1/5
      Blech, I tried, I really did but the title says it all - "self-indulgent, surly..." and halfway through I'd had enough and knew I had better books waiting to be read. Maybe if she and I didn't read the same snarky Reality TV boards (televisionwithoutpity.com) I would have been o.k. In the chapter where Fletch (her husband) goes running down the street in the middle of the night because he saw something, I was so much more interested in what the heck he saw that I skipped over all her little asides and "all about MEMEME" comments until I came to the fact he saw a coyote outside their condo in Chicago. THAT'S when I knew it was time to give up for good - not something I normally do. If I knew she was fictional, maybe I would have kept on because I would have though NOBODY is this bad, but unfortunately, she is...
    • 2/5
      This is the second volume of memoirs from Jen Lancaster. She is a genuinely funny writer, and Bitter is the New Black was hilarious. My main problem with this follow up was that there is no point to it. It reads like blog entries fleshed out. There isn't really a theme or an overarching conflict that gets resolved. Other than that, it's fun.
    • 5/5
      I adore Jen Lancaster. She is a complete narcissist, but she is so damn funny. I would love to be her friend and hear her stories and laugh at her nonfiltered moments. Stylish, in love with her grocery store, people watching with her husband, and watching the neighbor's friend relapse,well, it's her life. She is bitchy and I love her.
    • 4/5
      Lancaster is back with another hilarious collection of autobiographical essays, this time revolving around her life in the big city. She and I live very different lives, but I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      4.25 starsI guess the unifying theme in this memoir by Lancaster is the city. Really, it's another collection of funny situations that Jen managed to get herself into. I liked this a little better than Bitter is the New Black, I suspect because I like her better than I liked her at the beginning of BNB. My favourite parts were her visit to her gynecologist, the chapter on public transit, and her appointment with the personal trainer. The gynecologist chapter had me laughing so hard, I couldn't breathe! The public transit chapter was especially funny for me because I take transit myself. Another very funny book by Lancaster!
    • 2/5
      I think this follow-up to Bitter Is The New Black suffers from sophomore syndrome, or maybe I just got bored reading about the life of someone with whom I simply can't identify.
    • 4/5
      I love Jen Lancaster. I believe I have mentioned my profound love of the memoir. I especially love memoirs by people who think the same silly thoughts and react in the same neurotic way I do to situations. Plus, Lancaster is just damned funny. There’s only one other memoir author that makes me cackle with delight the way that Lancaster does, and that is Laurie Notaro. Every time I read one of Lancaster’s books, I absolutely laugh myself silly.Lancaster’s writing style is easy and inviting. Her memoirs read very quickly and are highly entertaining. If you have never checked her out, I highly recommend you do so.
    • 4/5
      An enjoyable, but not life-altering, read...
    • 3/5
      This book had several laugh out loud moments. I felt Jen's chapters on her pets, on her neighbors, and job interviews were quite funny. However, she referenced the fact she was a republican pretty much every other page. While there is nothing wrong with being a republican, I wish she wouldn't ram it down my throat. Also, she kept talking about how she used to be rich and a VP of some company with a six figure income during the dotcom era, spare me.If you want a fast read and a few laughs, read this book.
    • 5/5
      This is the second book I've read by Jen Lancaster and is just hilarious! I didn't think I could like a book better than Bitter is the new Black, but this is just an amazing book. A lot of peoplel characterize her as "bitchy", and maybe i'm just "bitchy-er", but I don't see it at all! Lancaster speaks the truth and is usually right on the money when she does! She's a fantastic writer and I would reccomend her books to everyone and anyone!
    • 4/5
      Made me laugh out loud!
    • 4/5
      This is my second Jen Lancaster book, and I enjoyed it even more than the first one (Bitter Is the New Black). A rollicking memoir by a very funny but bitchy lady, Bright Lights, Big Ass is a bit more free-wheeling than her first memoir, and I think it suits her material and style better. And what style is that? Smart-assessedness mixed with lots of footnotes combined with superiority and leavened with a smidge of humility. It amazes me that someone who was born in the same year as me (1967) has been able to churn out at least four memoirs, all of which have more than 300 pages. Jen Lancaster can seemingly write about anything—the thrills and horrors of riding public transportation, the travails of dog ownership, neighbors, house-hunting—and make it fun to read about. It is also fun to read a memoir that is light and funny and is not about sad and disturbing stories of alcoholism or child abuse. Consider it memoir lite.Excerpt about the appeal of Ikea: I don't care how rich or poor you are, the draw of purchasing twelve hundred tea lights for thirty-seven cents is too great for anyone to resist.Rating: 4 stars
    • 4/5
      OK, this was the perfect thing to take on a beach vacation. Jenn Lancaster's essays/blog writings/whatever are nicely snarky, and I totally think we could be friends, even though she's a Republican. (who knew they could be funny?)
    • 2/5
      This looked at first glance just like the kind of book I like. I'm a huge fan of both Susan Jane Gilman and Laurie Notaro, both of whom write about their lives in an ironic, Sedaris-like way. Lancaster sort of does, but she tries a little too hard to be funny and there's an absence of heart underneath the sarcasm. Also? She has an annoying habit? Of sticking question marks in the middle? Of sentences, that worked a few times, but repetition? Made annoying. There is a lot of filler in the form of faux emails, as well. I began the book with great excitement, but my final reaction is a giant "meh".
    • 4/5
      Apart from? her annoying habit of random question marks (while at the same time railing on those who use LOL), this book was pretty good. Some interesting bits:-very surprised she calls herself a republican. Politics don't play a huge part in the book but they are mentioned and one of my favourite spots was the PS in a letter to America that read, "If I could endure the fraternity party otherwise known as the Clinton administration, you can deal with President Churchy McJesus." That made me laugh - unforunately I was on the train at the time which is only slightly less odd than Chicago's mass transport.She's got a thing for "Mc" - Slutty McGabsalot makes an appearance later. She gets props for fun names :)Her book is also full of some very good lines:"Here's a quick rule of thumb: no meeting requests to anyone you've seen naked, okay?""I ask for the Marquis deSade and instead I get an Olsen twin"I liked it in that it's different from some books wherein you've read the blog, you've read the book. The two dove tail from one another but they're not exact replicas which is nice.Live Serena Mackesy's The Temp I could identify with her temping stints. At the moment, I'm glad I'm done with that. Some were great but some you definitely held on for the end of the assignment.My comment about Becky/Shopaholic holds true from the first book - there are times I want to slap her. Shallow gets old, but its funny to read. I think I'd go nuts if she were someone I had to deal with on a daily basis.All this said, if there is a third book - I'll probably buy it.
    • 3/5
      This book was a series of humorous essays detailing the author's life in Chicago. I thought they were pretty funny until I read the one where she talks about how much she loves Ann Coulter and wants to have a slumber party with her. Eww.I was eventually able to overlook that unfortunate Republican aspect of her life. As I was reading the rest of the book, I alternated between laughing out loud and thinking, "Jeez, she's a moron" (and not because of the Republican thing). What I think would REALLY be funny is a book written by her husband about how he puts up with her. Some of the best lines in the book are his, usually in response to something stupid she's done.
    • 5/5
      This book caused me to literally laugh-out-loud a number of times, which does not happen very often! Jen Lancaster manages to turn the most mundane events into interesting and above all, hilarious stories that kept me reading into the late hours of the night.
    • 3/5
      I had a complete catharsis while reading this memoir. Jen Lancaster is my kind of gal. She's funny, quick witted, foul-mouthed, and driven to become a self-sufficient writer. Her struggles to stay financially afloat and absolutely fabulous is real and she writes about it honestly. Her emails to her girl-friends had me laughing out loud. This was a thoroughly enjoyable memoir and I look forward to Jen Lancaster's next book.
    • 5/5
      Jen Lancaster: one of the best authors I have ever read. Definitely in my top 5. A must read for anyone with a pulse.
    • 1/5
      I find this author annoying! Shut up and quit complaining... jeez! I am on page 48 and I want to slap her. She's not funny just someone who doesn't have anything better to do.
    • 4/5
      Another hilarious book by Jen Lancaster! This time I knew what to expect and was not disapointed! I keep having to remind myself that these things really happen to Jen and Fletch, because most of the time I am laughing to hard to remember it is real! I am looking forward to starting Such a Pretty Fat tonight!
    • 5/5
      I found myself laughing out loud a lot while reading this book! I'm not a city dweller, nor have I watched Sex and the City so I could not appreciate the author's comparisons of real life in the city to the show. It did make me glad to live in my own home well-insulated from crazy neighbors and rules telling me where my dog can make doodie.
    • 5/5
      I liked this one better than Bitter is the New Black, although they are both so very funny! This is written in a very accessible essay format - you don't need to read the first book to understand what's going on in this one. If you like Laurie Notaro's books, you'll like this author too. Very snarky and wonderfully hilarious! I'm looking forward to her next book!!
    • 5/5
      Absolutely LOVED this book. My fiance kept looking at me like I was nuts, this book had me in tears I was laughing so hard!
    • 5/5
      Sooooooooo funny. I laughed out loud throughout the whole book
    • 5/5
      So silly! Every once in a while i had to stop and remember this is a memoir not just a fictional story. It's super enjoyable and a great summer read.