Very rarely am I surprised by books I read. I often already know at least something about the subject matter or the author, and I look forward to gaining further insight from the text. But almost never am I genuinely wowed by a new book. Modern Romance, by comedian Aziz Ansari, wowed me. It’s not a perfect book. There are a few areas that lull, as well as some passages that don’t offer much new. But overall, it legitimately exceeded my expectations.
As a moderate fan of Ansari’s stand-up routines and his appearances on sit-coms, I assumed he would be offering a funny take on dating, sexuality, and gender dynamics in the new millennium with jokes from his stage act. Such as this. While he does provide the necessary humor, he offers so much more. Modern Romance is full of social science, with interviews, focus groups, historical and international research, and data-supported conclusions. While this may sound dense, it deftly maintains a sense of whimsy and a genuine interest in seeking truth, no matter how ridiculous it sometimes turns out to be. The things he discovers about how men speak to women these days, and how women have heightened their game-playing ways, are not only insightful but laugh-out-loud funny. And see what happens when he takes over people’s cell phones and reads their messages in public. Great stuff.
Ansari writes about how technology has influenced dating—from text messaging to various dating websites—and how relationships are starting in vastly different ways than in generations past. He describes the evolving mores regarding marriage, divorce, and infidelity. And he even explores relationships outside of America and the traditions that define those societies. Perhaps the best aspect of the book is Ansari’s fairness to the past and the present. He is willing to admit that each generation could learn from other generations. Young people today could learn a few things from previous eras, while older folks should recognize some of the benefits of our evolving culture.
If you are interested in the complicated interactions between men and women, and how terrifying and liberating it must be to be between the ages of 16 and 30 in today’s world, this book will make your day. It’s smart, it’s funny, and you’ll definitely learn something. It even may help you ask that special someone out for apps and zerts. Enjoy.
As a moderate fan of Ansari’s stand-up routines and his appearances on sit-coms, I assumed he would be offering a funny take on dating, sexuality, and gender dynamics in the new millennium with jokes from his stage act. Such as this. While he does provide the necessary humor, he offers so much more. Modern Romance is full of social science, with interviews, focus groups, historical and international research, and data-supported conclusions. While this may sound dense, it deftly maintains a sense of whimsy and a genuine interest in seeking truth, no matter how ridiculous it sometimes turns out to be. The things he discovers about how men speak to women these days, and how women have heightened their game-playing ways, are not only insightful but laugh-out-loud funny. And see what happens when he takes over people’s cell phones and reads their messages in public. Great stuff.
Ansari writes about how technology has influenced dating—from text messaging to various dating websites—and how relationships are starting in vastly different ways than in generations past. He describes the evolving mores regarding marriage, divorce, and infidelity. And he even explores relationships outside of America and the traditions that define those societies. Perhaps the best aspect of the book is Ansari’s fairness to the past and the present. He is willing to admit that each generation could learn from other generations. Young people today could learn a few things from previous eras, while older folks should recognize some of the benefits of our evolving culture.
If you are interested in the complicated interactions between men and women, and how terrifying and liberating it must be to be between the ages of 16 and 30 in today’s world, this book will make your day. It’s smart, it’s funny, and you’ll definitely learn something. It even may help you ask that special someone out for apps and zerts. Enjoy.