Bossypants
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Tina Fey |
| Products | Autobiographical comedy book |
| Parent | Little, Brown & Co. |
Bossypants is an autobiographical comedy work authored by American comedian Tina Fey. Upon its release, the book remained at the top of The New York Times Best Seller list for a duration of five weeks. By November 2014, sales had surpassed 2.5 million copies, according to data from Nielsen BookScan. The audiobook version, narrated by Fey herself and nominated for a Grammy, has achieved over 150,000 sales on Audible.com. A paperback edition was issued in January 2012 through Reagan Arthur Books, an imprint under Little, Brown.
Background
In 2008, Tina Fey's book sparked a competitive bidding process among publishers, culminating in a $6 million advance payment. Her agreement with Little, Brown & Co. included a philanthropic contribution to the New York-based Books for Kids Foundation.
Reception
Janet Maslin of The New York Times characterizes Bossypants as "a sharp mixture of wit, self-reflection, analytical insight and Nora Ephron-style observations tailored for a contemporary audience." Katie Roiphe writing for Slate highlights Fey's comedic approach as a tool for personal empowerment. The book received further praise from Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times, who emphasized that Bossypants showcases Fey’s achievements through meticulousness, professionalism, and sharp humor. Ellen Wernecke from The A.V. Club acknowledged the book for elevating the quality expectations of comedic memoirs.
On the other hand, Carole Cadwalladr of The Observer provided a more nuanced critique, remarking that the book resembles sketch comedy more than conventional narrative non-fiction, featuring inconsistent jokes and a slow beginning, though still enjoyable for fans of Tina Fey.