Too hip to be existential but filled with age old truths, SWERVE by Aisha Tyler
is a commentary on maintaining a sense of self while trying to weather the
often cold dating climate. It is packed with clever anecdotes, personal
accounts, and common sense rules for preserving dignity in the face of trying
to hook the hot guy at the end of the bar without appearing to be a harlot.
Tyler begins with a basic definition of postmodernism and then she flips it
and tells what it means to her. She goes on to discuss how she doesn't know
if SWERVE is postmodern or not. She began writing it with the idea of sending
a helpful message to women. What she ended up with was a witty observation of
life, dating, and self-esteem. Her humorous slant on the subject matter keeps
it from being a self-help book, but her many descriptions and stories will
undoubtedly lead readers to identify with some characterizations in the book.
With chapters titled "The Ballad of The Yogurt Girl" and "The War of Art, or
Aiken v. Studdard in the World Series of Love", Tyler is entertaining and
truthful in her depictions of people at work and at play. Many times the
chapters read like a conversation that Tyler was having with a friend - one
that started off on one subject, but ended up somewhere else entirely - and it
still managed to hold my attention. Where else can you find, in one chapter,
a discussion of people mimicking the personalities of Ruben Studdard and Clay
Aiken at a karoke bar and end up with a discussion of The Art War as it relates
to dating?
Using language that is spoken by those in their twenties, Tyler addresses issues
that have long been debated in sociology classes and in bars throughout the
country. How does a girl land a hot guy, beat out the competition and maintain
her dignity? What does a woman do when she has made a fool of herself during
her quest for a man? These as well as a multitude of other topics are
among those touched on by Tyler. Her underlying message is to be yourself in
the face of any dating or social disaster and all will be fine in the
end. Regardless of the subject that Tyler flows to, she is entertaining and
has put together a book that is simply fun and amusing.
Reviewed by Diane Marbury
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
