When you first pick up “The Single Girl’s Survival Guide” ($17.95, Skyhorse), it’s tempting to be skeptical of Imogen Lloyd Webber’s girl next door shtick. She is, after all, the daughter of musical legend Andrew Lloyd Webber, not to mention a huge celebrity in England in her own right. But after reading a few chapters written in Imogen’s lilting, down-to-earth voice, it’s hard not to think of her as your very clever best girlfriend, albeit one who lives within the pages of a cotton candy-colored tome.
Sassy Bean had the opportunity to watch that persona come to life at Ms. Imogen’s book signing event at Bloomingdale’s in New York City. The girl in question looked stunningly chic in an all-black outfit, and was adorable and self-deprecating once engaged in conversation. She’s the type of person you either hate for being so flawlessly fabulous, or love so much that you want to clone her and send genetic copies to your friends. We were seriously considering pursuing the latter option, although the idea was scrapped after requests for DNA samples were left unanswered by Imogen’s representatives.
Well, at least we have her book. “The Single Girl’s Survival Guide,” or TSGSG as it will be known henceforth, is a fun, light read, full of quirky advice like how to stay sober at work functions where everyone is throwing back a few-- Imogen suggests switching to soda and lime after two drinks (we wish we had read the book before attending the signing party; those mojitos were trouble). The book is also filled with the requisite girly slang, although Imogen is nice enough to provide a glossary in the front of the book to help us keep our AGs (Attached Girls) and CLs (Conversation Lists) straight.
TSGSG does address the subjects of men, relationships, and sex, but not in a preachy manner-- this is, after all, a book for single women who want to learn how to embrace the fabulousness that lies within their independence. As writer Kathy Lette put it, “[This is] a survival guide for women who aren’t hanging around waiting to be rescued by some knight in shining Armani.” In this sense, Imogen isn’t exactly the new Carrie Bradshaw, as some have lovingly labeled her. No offense to the goddess Sarah Jessica Parker, but we think it’s high time for a female role model who demands that men and women alike worship the ground she walks on, and simply moves on if the people around her aren’t worth her time.
To summarize, this book = useful, Imogen Lloyd Webber = awesome, and mojitos = strong enough to make us converse with a quiet male model for fifteen minutes before realizing that we were actually talking to a mannequin.
