Dating Big Bird: A Novel

I was looking for a book that was a bit lighter than my usual picks. I didnt know that this book was for the desperate to have a baby woman. I am 46 and have a nearly empty nest, and I just could not relate to the main character and even the writing could not keep me engaged.

For whatever reason, I find myself reading a lot of chick lit lately. Considering that my first love is horror, Im finding it interesting to read the same things that so many of my friends are reading. I got this book without ever intending to read it, but I opened it and had to finish it. Ellen Franck is yet another in a long line of successful, single, and neurotic New York City residents to grace the pages of novels in recent years. She works for a world-famous designer, and she dates Malcolm, a professor who is profound, kind, and impotent in more ways than one as a result of the death of his son. Now Ellen finds herself staring down the dark side of thirty-five and contemplating her future. She knows one thing: She wants a baby. She is crazy for her niece, Nicole (The Pickle), and she experiences heartbreak everytime she sees someone pushing a stroller on the street. What is a thirty-something gal to do when she doesnt have a viable partner to help her create a Little Pickle of her own? Well, if youre Ellen, you give yourself nine months to thoroughly research all your options, to drive everyone around you insane with baby talk, and to continue to obsess about every small detail of your life. This is a super-fast read (I finished it in just a few hours), and it doesnt require a lot of deep thought. There are no life mysteries resolved in these pages, but Zigman manages to make this an amusing, fun read that is probably perfect to read on a day at the beach or in a few hours curled up on your sofa on a rainy day. Aside from Ellens own obsessions, there arent a lot of complex issues at work here. Also, if you are one of the women in her 30s who has never felt that desire to create a Little Pickle (like me), you might find it difficult to relate to Ellens quest. Warning: This is the epitome of Chick Lit, and I dont think testosterone is allowed to open the cover. (mellion108 from Michigan)

I bought this book on a whim, only to bring my order to 25 dollars to qualify for free shipping. Ironically, this was the best of the lot! One of the best books of the type that I have read, I would recommend to anyone who liked the book or movie by the same author, Animal Husbandry. The book was entertaining and I read it in one sitting! A great read for the money!!

Ellen Frank is a 35 year-old woman who likens her reproductive system to a gumball machine, and the gumballs are running out. Having devoted most of her adult life to a career in the fast-paced yet shallow world of fashion, Ellen now finds a little voice telling her theyre just clothes more often than she is comfortable with. Moreover, she finds herself absolutely smitten with her 3 year old niece, whom she affectionately refers to as The Pickle. Ellen desperately longs for a Pickle of her own, but her Pickle-producing-profile is not promising. Malcolm, The man in her life is a compassionate and funny companion. The best one Ellens ever had. Except hes a Prozac-induced impotent. Oh yeah, and her doesnt want kids. His lifes is your basic tragedy: his only son died of leukemia, he became an alcoholic and his wife left him. Hes frozen, unable to escape the dark shadows of his past. And yet Ellen loves him.She just doesnt know if she can get a baby out of him. I had trouble putting down this funny, lively book. Zigman does a wonderful job navigating Ellens emotional roller coaster as she tries to determine how to become a mother, and who to include on her journey. It is a satisfying, feel-good read.

While this book is a quick read and can keep you somewhat entertained, its rather simplistic. I saw the movie Someone Like You, based on Zigmans first novel, Animal Husbandry and was glad I didnt read the book. I wasnt really impressed with the characters or the storyline. And Im not very impressed by the characters or the storyline in this new novel either. You may think its because of my male perspective, but I love romantic comedies. These, I dont. I can see Ashley Judd narrating this current story just like the previous one. And it doesnt make it any better. Anyway, this is a good read for you if you like simplism. And if you like that I just made up my own word (simplism) then youll love that Zigmans main character creates her own mind-numbing word, too. Just like creating a theory in Animal Husbandry. One more criticism before I go: the author spoonfeeds the readers with details that arent necessary and implied. For example, when the main characters boyfriend says something, we dont need an explanation of why he said it. We know why. Were familiar with his background. We get it. Just move on with the story. Sorry to be so negative. Its a great story if you dont care about what you read and dont have a lot of time to concentrate. Its quick and simple. Although so is microwaving meat, but you wouldnt pick that over a charbroiled steak, would you? :)

I found the language very offensive, gratuitously so in a way that did not move the plot forward. Specific to one minority, using slurs.

I cant say I was entirely shocked by some of the behavior recounted in this one. Rumors have been flying around for years of what was going down on that Childrens Television Workshop soundstage. Culled entirely from hypnosis confessions, several of Big Birds victims come forward and tell of their experiences at the hands of this madman. At this point, were all familiar with BBs quirks. Shame, lawsuits, and disease just seem to follow this guy around. Im a little tired of it, and a lot of the material is old news. The more famous stories werent interesting anymore. After all, weve heard them a million times. Who wants to hear again about Grover and that mule? Or how our protagonist got the nickname Birdy Sanchez? The really telling stories were of the lesser known episodes in BBs life. I, for one, didnt know he grew up in a jail brothel or that he lost his virginity to Marth Raye. (yes, he said he often called her The Big Mouth during) That lady was the Wynona Ryder of her day. Not many got away from her. (Hugh Downs and one other) I bet ole Martha Raye would put a hurtin on Bright Eyes. Shed tear that Kansan a new one alright! I felt a little sorry for the young ladies (and gentlemen) as they told of their hotel experiences with Bird. I have to admit though, I couldnt help but chuckle when Dottie M. said she actually fell for it when asked upstairs to see his Yella Fella!! I mean, jeezey pete, thats the oldest puppeteer trick in the book.

Ellen is whiny thirty-something single career woman who is a realtionship with the walking dead. Who works in the fashion industry with people who only think about promotion and guest list. Ellens only outlook is being with her three-year old niece and imaging what if. You really want to root for Ellen as she flips back and forth wanting to be a mother and still trying a human version of Big Bird.

Its been awhile since a fiction novel has really pulled me in like this one. I read it in ONE night, (I was late for work the next day too) and just loved every word and page of it. The language is just great and its a wonderful work of fiction. Great GREAT book.

I love Animal Husbandry. It may be my favorite recent read, and I wanted to love this book. I didnt. I kept wondering why. I thought perhaps I couldnt relate to the pain of delayed motherhood. I like to think that Im a good enough reader that a book doesnt have to speak directly to my personal life experience in order to engage me. Even if that were the case, this character actually does what I do for a living and Ive never found this in a book before. Wouldnt that engage me at least a bit? It didnt. I enjoyed the side characters more than the main character. Her work friend was wonderful. Same with the impoholic writer, he rang very true, though the situation was bizarre--and I liked how bizarre that situation was. At least it was interesting. Her descriptions of her nieces very specific behaviors rang true, but did not particularly entertain me. I guess what was missing, for me, was a sense of the real emotional core of this main character. She was flat, bleached out, kind of lost. I wondered if having a child to fill up this blankness was going to work for her, but sadly, did not particularly care.