Every once in a while a novel sinks into your consciousness that bit deeper than the others. Weeks and years later, apart from recounting the plot, you're left with a feeling, a sense of its soul. It may yet be too early to tell if the The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing will be memorable, but it's soon enough to tell that it defines an epoch. Melissa Bank has written a definitive account of the journey into adulthood, a female perspective on mating and dating. Any woman born this half of the 20th century, who's enjoyed (endured?) more than one relationship with the other side will warm to this funny, frank and sensitive novel. Jane Rosenal's entrée to the world of significant relationships begins with her older brother's older woman. The bewildered teenager's naive understanding and disbelief as the relationship disintegrates before her eyes should have served as a mighty warning on the perils of the mating game. But, hey, what's a little knowledge without bitter experience? As Jane grows into, and out of, a career in publishing, so she melts into, and out of, a series of pointless affairs. Throw in a few life- shattering personal experiences along the way, a near- disastrous encounter with a self-help manual, How to Meet and Marry Mr Right, and finally, Jane learns the secret that has eluded her for so long. Elegantly written and searingly honest, Melissa Bank's debut novel is one to recommend to all your girlfriends--single or not. -- Carey Green

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

Every once in a while a novel sinks into your consciousness that bit deeper than the others. Weeks and years later, apart from recounting the plot, you're left with a feeling, a sense of its soul. It may yet be too early to tell if the The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing will be memorable, but it's soon enough to tell that it defines an epoch. Melissa Bank has written a definitive account of the journey into adulthood, a female perspective on mating and dating. Any woman born this half of the 20th century, who's enjoyed (endured?) more than one relationship with the other side will warm to this funny, frank and sensitive novel. Jane Rosenal's entrée to the world of significant relationships begins with her older brother's older woman. The bewildered teenager's naive understanding and disbelief as the relationship disintegrates before her eyes should have served as a mighty warning on the perils of the mating game. But, hey, what's a little knowledge without bitter experience? As Jane grows into, and out of, a career in publishing, so she melts into, and out of, a series of pointless affairs. Throw in a few life- shattering personal experiences along the way, a near- disastrous encounter with a self-help manual, How to Meet and Marry Mr Right, and finally, Jane learns the secret that has eluded her for so long. Elegantly written and searingly honest, Melissa Bank's debut novel is one to recommend to all your girlfriends--single or not. -- Carey Green

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Every once in a while a novel sinks into your consciousness that bit deeper than the others. Weeks and years later, apart from recounting the plot, you're left with a feeling, a sense of its soul. It may yet be too early to tell if the The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing will be memorable, but it's soon enough to tell that it defines an epoch. Melissa Bank has written a definitive account of the journey into adulthood, a female perspective on mating and dating. Any woman born this half of the 20th century, who's enjoyed (endured?) more than one relationship with the other side will warm to this funny, frank and sensitive novel. Jane Rosenal's entrée to the world of significant relationships begins with her older brother's older woman. The bewildered teenager's naive understanding and disbelief as the relationship disintegrates before her eyes should have served as a mighty warning on the perils of the mating game. But, hey, what's a little knowledge without bitter experience? As Jane grows into, and out of, a career in publishing, so she melts into, and out of, a series of pointless affairs. Throw in a few life- shattering personal experiences along the way, a near- disastrous encounter with a self-help manual, How to Meet and Marry Mr Right, and finally, Jane learns the secret that has eluded her for so long. Elegantly written and searingly honest, Melissa Bank's debut novel is one to recommend to all your girlfriends--single or not. -- Carey Green

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Every once in a while a novel sinks into your consciousness that bit deeper than the others. Weeks and years later, apart from recounting the plot, you're left with a feeling, a sense of its soul. It may yet be too early to tell if the The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing will be memorable, but it's soon enough to tell that it defines an epoch. Melissa Bank has written a definitive account of the journey into adulthood, a female perspective on mating and dating. Any woman born this half of the 20th century, who's enjoyed (endured?) more than one relationship with the other side will warm to this funny, frank and sensitive novel. Jane Rosenal's entrée to the world of significant relationships begins with her older brother's older woman. The bewildered teenager's naive understanding and disbelief as the relationship disintegrates before her eyes should have served as a mighty warning on the perils of the mating game. But, hey, what's a little knowledge without bitter experience? As Jane grows into, and out of, a career in publishing, so she melts into, and out of, a series of pointless affairs. Throw in a few life- shattering personal experiences along the way, a near- disastrous encounter with a self-help manual, How to Meet and Marry Mr Right, and finally, Jane learns the secret that has eluded her for so long. Elegantly written and searingly honest, Melissa Bank's debut novel is one to recommend to all your girlfriends--single or not. -- Carey Green

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Every once in a while a novel sinks into your consciousness that bit deeper than the others. Weeks and years later, apart from recounting the plot, you're left with a feeling, a sense of its soul. It may yet be too early to tell if the The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing will be memorable, but it's soon enough to tell that it defines an epoch. Melissa Bank has written a definitive account of the journey into adulthood, a female perspective on mating and dating. Any woman born this half of the 20th century, who's enjoyed (endured?) more than one relationship with the other side will warm to this funny, frank and sensitive novel. Jane Rosenal's entrée to the world of significant relationships begins with her older brother's older woman. The bewildered teenager's naive understanding and disbelief as the relationship disintegrates before her eyes should have served as a mighty warning on the perils of the mating game. But, hey, what's a little knowledge without bitter experience? As Jane grows into, and out of, a career in publishing, so she melts into, and out of, a series of pointless affairs. Throw in a few life- shattering personal experiences along the way, a near- disastrous encounter with a self-help manual, How to Meet and Marry Mr Right, and finally, Jane learns the secret that has eluded her for so long. Elegantly written and searingly honest, Melissa Bank's debut novel is one to recommend to all your girlfriends--single or not. -- Carey Green

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

loved it, 07 Jul 2007
Very funny, with an engaging main character that you really end up rooting for, and well written. Loved the way it jumped from one era and boyfriend to the next. Haven't read any other books by her but will definitely read 'Girls Guide To Hunting and Fishing' next.

Loved It, 28 Feb 2007
Don't be fooled by the pastel cover, this book deserves better. I really liked the sense of family in this book, the serious brother and the bitchy grandmother and the grounded father.
I think that Sophie feels she has failed to find the perfect man, home and career, and continously compares herself with others. Only finally does she realise that the thing that she really wants is the here and now, ordering everything off the menu and going to bed.

Thanks, Ms Bank, 05 Sep 2006
Melissa Bank writes touchingly, beautifully and - most of all - wittily. How could anyone not love the author of words such as: "These meetings always made me feel that the clocks had stopped and all beauty had gone from the world"? Her book would be worth reading for such sparkling nuggets alone. But there is much more to it than that: her style is impeccable, her characters three-dimensional and delicately observed, and Sophie Applebaum's wanderings through the world of potential husbands gently grip the reader's attention. My only criticism is that the book seems less like a novel than a series of short stories, hastily strung together, and even more hastily brought to a shuddering and very unsatisfactory halt with the last chapter (oh yes, that and the weird title ...). Nevertheless, this is great writing and does not deserve to be linked in any way with the chick lit genre. Thanks, Ms Bank.

So many women will feel they could have written this book!, 23 Aug 2006
Ok this is not an unusual story in real life; girl dates a succession of totally incompatible men! But Melissa Bank is such a good writer. She manages to very cleverly convey a lot in very few words. She makes Sophie, and all the people she met 20 years ago come to life. They must be based on real experiences.

Each chapter tells us about another relationship. I didn't understand what made the last guy special (The Wonder Spot) and I really couldn't understand what went wrong with the 2nd last guy! But that's what makes it feel so realistic probably, like a non-fiction diary.



give me the next 20 years, 19 Aug 2006
this wonderful novel gave me a warm feeling all over! I just finished it on holiday and so had the benfit of reading it all almost in one go which always is a bonus. Sophie is such a well drawn character, her constant asides to the reader really struck a chord with me each time she made them, and they made me laugh outloud. I don't often feel moved to contact an author after I have finished reading a novel but in this case I wanted to send a mail immediately to Melissa Bank and tell her how much ejoyment she had afforded me. The story is excellent but for me its all about characterisation and this cast all felt completely real to me. Take a chance, buy it and you'll not be sorry.

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" and The Catcher in the Rye". It is indeed both these things, plus a whole lot more. This is a real gem of a book; it's funny, beautiful, sad, and true (to quote from one of the passages). The only disappointing factor is that this appears to be the only book Melissa Bank has written - I hope she writes more, and soon!

Subtly humourous, 02 Jun 2008
This book screams for a follow-up. The main character, Jane, has a sense of humour which is terrific and very New York, but subtle and not one which, I would imagine, all readers would appreciate. Although Jane does not really come into her own as an introspective person until adulthood, her humour and integrity are already in place by the age of 14 and the reader gets to follow her development. However, it is only as a adult that Jane fully grabbed my attention and I would have liked the book to continue from that point on. It is an easy read--a summer read. I still query the chapter "The Best Possible Light". I wonder what I might be missing here in terms of how it integrates with the rest of the story.

You could be anyone, 02 May 2008
I absolutely loved this book - have owned it now for around 5 years and probably read the "You could be anyone" chapter once a year. Every part of it fills me up in every possible way - the sentence "he hugged me but all I could feel was flesh and bones" stays with me - it was a barometer of how I judged boyfriends over the years - did I just think of them as flesh and bones or as soul. I devoured this book - anyone who can read the "you could be anyone " chapter and not cry does not have a heart or soul. Strangely the two last chapters are my favourites which seems to contradict the majority of reviews on here.

What's all this about Bridget Jones?, 19 May 2007
The only similarity I can see between this and Bridget Jones is that both girls are wearing boots on the cover. (Always a good reason to choose a book in a hurry.)
This was a really fast read. I think the short-story-ness of the structure helps move it along. Like many reviewers, I was a bit puzzled and then annoyed by the 'Best Possible Light' episode.
Lots of little snippets of life, relationships, etc., a bit like a Woody Allen movie made into a novel.
After a short while, you stop expecting a conventional plot and just begin to enjoy the ride. Quite enjoyable. Not asking for my money back this time.

Got Me - Hook, Line & Sinker!, 16 May 2003
This is a wonderful book. I devoured it and ever since I've been recommending it to all my friends. It's full of larger-than-life characters and witty one-liners. It just read like 'the truth' to me and I did wonder how much of it was autobiographical. Melissa Bank's writing is very economical and deceptively simple but it draws you in and you just want to keep reading!
I agree with another reviewer that I wasn't too sure about the chapter on the neighbours. It's even written in the first person - but not by Jane, our heroine - which was confusing. I kept thinking some of those characters would turn up later in the book, but they never did. That was a bit odd and in some ways spoiled what was, for me, an almost perfect read.

Funny, beautiful, sad and true, 23 Jan 2003
On the cover of this book, reviewers liken it to watching an episode of "Sex and the City", and describe it as a cross between "Bridget Jones's Diary" a