Bridget Jones's Diary is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud account of a year in the life of a thirty-something Singleton on a permanent doomed quest for self-improvement. Caught between the joys of Singleton fun, and the fear of dying alone and being found three weeks later half eaten by an Alsatian; tortured by Smug Married friends asking, "How's your love life" with lascivious, yet patronizing leers, Bridget resolves to reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit ... (show more)
Bridget Jones's Diary is the devastatingly self-aware, laugh-out-loud account of a year in the life of a thirty-something Singleton on a permanent doomed quest for self-improvement. Caught between the joys of Singleton fun, and the fear of dying alone and being found three weeks later half eaten by an Alsatian; tortured by Smug Married friends asking, "How's your love life" with lascivious, yet patronizing leers, Bridget resolves to reduce the circumference of each thigh by 1.5 inches, visit the gym three times a week not just to buy a sandwich, form a functional relationship with a responsible adult and learn to program the VCR. With a blend of flighty charm, existential gloom, and endearing self-deprecation, the diary has touched a raw nerve with millions of readers the world round. Read it, laugh and crash your head onto the table before you cry, "Bridget Jones is me!"
"Screamingly funny." --USA Today
"Bridget Jones is channeling something so universal and (horrifyingly) familiar that readers will giggle and sigh with collective delight." --Elle
"Hilarious but poignant." --The Washington Post
"This juicy diary tells the truth with a verve as appealing to men on Mars as it is to Venusian women. A." --Entertainment Weekly
"An unforgettably droll character." --Newsweek
"Bridget's voice is dead-on . . . will cause readers to drop the book, grope frantically for the phone and read it out loud to their best girlfriends." --The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Fielding. . .has rummaged all too knowingly through the bedrooms, closets, hearts and minds of women everywhere." --Glamour
"Good-bye Rules Girls, hello Singletons...Endearingly engaging." --The New York Times Book Review (show less)
Photo Gallery
Bridget Jones's Diary is a quirky and fun read. It seems to be based a little more than loosely on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice...even naming... (show more)
Bridget Jones's Diary is a quirky and fun read. It seems to be based a little more than loosely on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice...even naming the leading man after his parallel, Austen's Mr. Darcy. However, this version is completely updated to reflect the emotions and insecurities of the modern woman. Bridget is a socially awkward woman who feels stuck in an unsatisfying job. She is a single thirty-something woman who constantly feels judged by friends and family because she is not yet married...which obviously means there's SOMETHING wrong with her, right? In an effort to improve her lot in life, Bridget starts a diary in which she plans to record everything she does to lose weight, quit smoking/drinking, and form a relationship with a man who is not a complete jerk. Although her plan doesn't exactly go how she wanted it to, she learns a lot about her self that she didn't know....and it all works out in the end. (show less)
Watching the film adaptation of a book first is never a good idea, and in this case I think I may have enjoyed the book more had I not been privy t... (show more)
Watching the film adaptation of a book first is never a good idea, and in this case I think I may have enjoyed the book more had I not been privy to the movie first. There were times when the book made me laugh out loud, but overall I don't feel like a different person for having read the book. It was an easy book to read, but the journal entry form did irritate me at times. The whole getting old / fat / wrinkly / have to find a man and have a baby vibe is also pretty annoying after a point...Bridget's obsession with her weight and finding a man comes off as kind of desperate in the book, whereas the film had more of a girl power kind of feel to it, at least at times. Women will definitely be able to empathise with Bridget at times and be able to laugh at her drama filled life. But overall I think for a novel/film that many people think is about female empowerment, it really isn't - otherwise the ending would have been different. The ending is just too hollywood. A better book would be more realistic; instead Bridget has the choice between a handsome and successful human rights lawyer and the cheeky head honcho of a publishing company. And everything Bridget does is really geared towards finding a man, not becoming a better person. I suppose the novel is really just a romantic comedy when it comes down to it. I can't see that it is an accurate or gritty representation of the pressures that women face upon getting older. There are valid elements of those pressures, but the ending is just too sickly sweet to be taken seriously.
Oh well, read it if you're a fan of the movie and want a few laughs, but don't expect it to change your life or inspire any real girl power. (show less)
I feel bad giving a bad review on the book of a movie that I love so much! But, alas, I have to do it. This is loosely based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and it seems the movie-version on Bridget Jones's Diary is loosely based on this book! There was very little that was taken from the book and transferred onto screen. So, if you are wanting to read the book version of what happens on-screen, then DO NOT read the book! Having said that, let me review the book for what it is and ... (show more)
I feel bad giving a bad review on the book of a movie that I love so much! But, alas, I have to do it. This is loosely based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and it seems the movie-version on Bridget Jones's Diary is loosely based on this book! There was very little that was taken from the book and transferred onto screen. So, if you are wanting to read the book version of what happens on-screen, then DO NOT read the book! Having said that, let me review the book for what it is and not make any more mention of the movie. Bridget is a diary-keeping, chain-smoking, alcohol-drinking "singleton" whose goals involve self-improvement, weight-loss, and to have an existent love life. The book chronicles her life in a span of a year, starting with the dreaded New Year's resolutions and ends with a year summary. There were times when Bridget actually got on my nerves. She's very self-conscious, at one point claiming weighing 131 pounds is a "disaster", and she is very indecisive. Helen Fielding writes her into a likeable, yet annoying character, if that makes any sense. However, the book lost me when it got into the drama involving Bridget's mother, which I found not at all believable. The book had some funny moments, but that's about it. (show less)
Already read
In my English Lit class we were reading all this older classics and Bridget Jones was the only modern novel. I couldn't believe it and almost didn't read it because I thought it was going to be a joke. I actually ended up loving it and wrote two essays on it. The writing and the satire is just fantastic. The situations that Bridget gets herself into are hilarous and I'm always wondering what she is going to do next.
The characters were great, even if they are borrowed from Pride and Preju... (show more)
In my English Lit class we were reading all this older classics and Bridget Jones was the only modern novel. I couldn't believe it and almost didn't read it because I thought it was going to be a joke. I actually ended up loving it and wrote two essays on it. The writing and the satire is just fantastic. The situations that Bridget gets herself into are hilarous and I'm always wondering what she is going to do next.
The characters were great, even if they are borrowed from Pride and Prejudice. The only complaint I had about this book is that Bridget is a bit annoying at times. It's too bad because her counterpart in Pride and Prejuidice is such a strong character. But maybe that's part of the satire about modern time. That is what is so great about this book, the satire can be dissected and broken down so much.
I'm not sure if my intial bias set the bar low but I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. (show less)
Already read
Please log in to join the conversation
I enjoyed the book; like the movie more. I wanted more development of her relationship with Darcy. It was a fun read.
Elizabeth MacKenzie Davis 2 days agoAnnoyed by Bridget?
I read this book in my AP Lit class (we were comparing it to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man). I thought it was an okay read but Jones really got on my nerves. Did anyone else find her a pathetic, insipid character?
Brynn Olive about 1 year agoThis book has been added to these lists:
LivingSocial.com is a social discovery and cataloging network that allows people to review and share their favorite movies, books, games, music, restaurants and beer
Add Bookmark
