'The Bombshell Manual of Style' By Laren Stover
Reviewed by Belle C - September 2004
As promising as "The Bombshell Manual of Style" sounds, the title is slightly misleading. This is not how-to manual on Becoming a Bombshell 101., rather it is an ironic and playful exploration of the "The Bombshell" phenomenon: the sexy, mysterious and liberated diva of history.
Laren Stover defines and dissects "Bombshell-ness" as one would a newfound specimen of orangutan. Chapter headings espouse such virtuous bombshell activities as "The Art of Sparkle, Shimmer and Shine", "Bombshell Diet and Beverages" and "How a Bombshell Amuses a Man". It explores famous Bombshells from Marilyn Monroe to Jayne Mansfield, filling the book with great anecdotes and worthy quotations. The cringe worthy advice to throw tantrums and act dumb for the men is intentionally ridiculous and in tune with the light hearted tone of the book.
The Bombshell Manual of Style is written as a tongue in cheek parody of how-to-be-a-lady books of previous eras. In order to capture this style, the book is written excessively third person as: "The Bombshell adores . The
Bombshell would never .The Bombshell often." which is painfully sustained for the whole 190 pages. Occasionally, the author waxes poetic: "A Bombshell is full of contradictions. She is a combustible blend of confidence and vulnerability. Sauce and naiveté." Stover is no Walt Whitman, yet the prose zings and burbles with frou frou expressions worthy of a vintage shampoo advertisement.
The luscious illustrations by Ruben Toledo are worth the book itself. As a entertaining and frivolous read, "The
Bombshell Manual of Style" is successful. However, many readers may be left with the impression that this book,
like many Bombshells, is more about style than substance.
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