The Naked Roommate, by Harlan Cohen

Going away to college can mean one's first time living away from home for any extended period of time, and, for many, it can be a real eye-opener. But it doesn't have to be a horrifying experience...IF you're properly prepared, that is. 

Harlan Cohen's The Naked Roommate offers a humorous and completely uncensored look into what you can expect from the college experience: Adjusting to life on campus, roommate drama, friend drama, dining, dating, parties, Greek life, sex, drugs, alcohol, laundry, jobs, extracurriculars, how not to fail your classes, and basically everything they don't tell you in those shiny college brochures. Cohen takes real questions from real teens and offers advice on how to handle pretty much everything related to college. 

So forget every single college-themed movie you've ever seen (cause those won't help you here), forget those posed pictures and stiff writing in your university handbook (that won't help you either), and check out The Naked Roommate. You'll be glad you did when you're faced with having to share a bathroom with 40 other people or a roommate who insists on watching Glee in nothing but their undies (while sitting on your couch).

The Naked Roommate is currently living on our College display (on top of the curved fiction shelf). The display is a tie-in for our annual Dollars For College program, which is happening Thursday December 4 @ 6:30 p.m. (register here)

10 Minute Makeup

In today's busy world, what girl has hours to spend getting ready? Boris Entrup, makeup artist from America's Top Model, understands the busy schedules of today's girls and has gives us 10-Minute Makeup: 50 Step-by-Step Looks From Fresh & Natural to Catwalk Chic. 

The Review:

The first section of the book is devoted to proper skincare, explaining the right tools (brushes & sponges & such) for the right job, and which products you'll need to achieve the desired looks. One thing I noticed and liked about this section is the author does not try to promote any particular brands--so it doesn't matter if you buy expensive department store brands or the cheapest stuff you can find. Apparently it all works.

The second section is devoted to "how to's" for various looks, from barely-there natural to freaky-weird stuff you wouldn't likely see outside of a Halloween party (page 121 is particularly zombified!), and how to make them happen. Special attention is given to techniques for applying concealer, blush, mascara, and lipstick.  There are also tips and tricks for maintaining eyebrow shapes and how to successfully pull off the "smoky eye" look without appearing as if you lost a fight with this year's heavyweight champ. 

The book then discusses how to carry your makeup looks into your 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond.

Lastly, a special S.O.S. section gives attention to common beauty problems (dark circles, blemishes, etc) and beauty blunders (smudged mascara).

The Verdict:

I can see how parts of this book will be helpful for women of all ages. The health and beauty tips, for example. And some of the styles listed early in the book. I'm just not sure how practical some of the other looks are--unless, of course, you're Lady Gaga. There are the clownish (pgs. 127, 128, 133), the scary (pgs. 119, 121, 122, 125), the soon-to-be outdated, and the styles that make the poor models look like department store mannequins (and not in a good way).  

Of particular note, most of the models in this book were skinny white girls. There were a couple people of color, but they were, sadly, few and far between.

My advice, as a reader, is: Check out the book, experiment, have fun, but ultimately do what you think looks best for you. --AJB

Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide

On Monday this blog featured Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, a memoir penned by Maya Van Wagenen about her year following the beauty and lifestyle advice written about in Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide.  This book changed Maya's life, helping her to become healthier, more confident, and, yes, popular.

The Miss Cornell's Guide, originally published in the early 1950s, has been re-issued in 2014 with a special forward by Maya. Betty Cornell's Teen-Age Popularity Guide has chapters on everything from beauty (hair, skin, figure, makeup), wardrobe, health (diet and exercise), attitude and personality, dating, and getting a first job (and how to keep it). Some of the advice is pretty dated. Like, would you really wear a girdle? Do you even know what a girdle is? And, lets face it: The only girl who really brushes her hair 100 strokes every night is Marcia Brady. But other tips, like taking care of your health and mastering the art of writing thank you notes (not texts), is timeless. It's easy to see how this book could've helped a girl like Maya. Or any girl, for that matter--whether she was a teen in 1951 or a teen today.

Did you enjoy Maya's book and now want to see what all the fuss over Betty Cornell's guide is about? Now's your chance to see for yourself...and see if any of Betty's advice works for you too! --AJB

Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek

Can a "How To Be Popular" guide written in the 1950s help an awkward teen from 2012 to build confidence and fit in?

Surprisingly, the answer is "yes"!

When it came to popularity, Maya Van Wagenen often described herself as being "pretty much the lowest level of people at school who aren't paid to be here". Then she discovered Betty Cornell's Teenage Popularity Guide, published in 1951. Her dad had bought it as a joke, but when it came into Maya's hands, she saw it as something as more than just a novelty prop. Before beginning 8th grade, Maya decided to try something: She'd follow the advice in the book and see where it took her, applying Betty Cornell's advice to her life in the 21st century. The results were amazing. Not only did Maya build her own confidence, but she actually gained a certain level of popularity.

Maya's own memoir, Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek, is funny, heartwarming, and, at times, positively cringe-worthy. And it proves that, while trends come and go, some advice is timeless! A definite must-read!

p.s. Want to check out Betty Cornell's book for yourself? We own that too! --AJB