Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl

Last updated
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl
Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl.jpeg
Book cover
Author Carrie Brownstein
Audio read byCarrie Brownstein
LanguageEnglish
Genre Memoir
PublishedOctober 27, 2015
Publisher Virago Press (UK), Riverhead Books (US)
Pages244
ISBN 1594486638
OCLC 904421445

Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl is a 2015 memoir by Carrie Brownstein, a member of the band Sleater-Kinney. [1] [2] Named for one of her lyrics, the book is about her life in and around music. The book starts with her as a hyper-performative young nerd who runs for vice president of her Washington State elementary school. The story goes on to cover Brownstein's escape from a turbulent family life into a world where music was the means toward self-invention, community, and rescue. Along the way, Brownstein chronicles the excitement and contradictions within the era's flourishing and fiercely independent music subculture, including experiences that sowed the seeds for the observational satire of the popular television series Portlandia years later.

Contents

Publication history

Brownstein published the 256-page memoir with Riverhead, an imprint of Penguin Group, on October 27, 2015. [3]

Reception

The book received largely positive reviews. In The Guardian , Michelle Dean compared Brownstein's writing to her band Sleater-Kinney's "intensity", saying "Brownstein’s book has a similarly fierce approach," and felt that even if "there are certainly places where an editor could and should have chiseled her prose down to make her points sharper and more affecting, this book is the clear product of a very intelligent person, and filled with flashes of insight and wit." [4] On the other hand, in The New York Times , John Williams contrasted the tone of Hunger with Brownstein's work in Sleater-Kinney, saying

"readers who have...thrilled to Ms. Brownstein's supremely confident antics onstage...may be disappointed by this memoir's nearly incessant tone of self-deprecation...But Ms. Brownstein is interested in telling us who she is — and how she sees herself — without a guitar in her hands. 'I was relieved that music had done exactly what I had always wanted it to do,' she writes in this both candid and evasive book, 'which was turn me into someone else.'" [5]

Television adaptation

Brownstein was set to adapt her memoir into a half-hour television pilot, entitled Search and Destroy, for streaming service Hulu. She was set to write, direct, and executive produce alongside Megan Ellison, Sue Naegle, and Ali Krug. The pilot was being produced by Annapurna Pictures. [6] [7] On March 8, 2018, it was announced that Taylor Dearden and Aubrey Peeples had been cast in the show's lead roles. [8] On May 18, 2018, it was reported that Brad Morris, Leah Harvey, Jessica Hecht, and Imogen Tear had joined the main cast. [9]

It was announced on February 11, 2019, that Hulu would not be going forward with the series. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleater-Kinney</span> American rock band

Sleater-Kinney is an American rock band that formed in Olympia, Washington, in 1994. The band's current lineup features Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, following the departure of longtime member Janet Weiss in 2019. Sleater-Kinney originated as part of the riot grrrl movement and has become a key part of the American indie rock scene. The band is also known for its feminist and liberal politics.

Heavens to Betsy was an American punk band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1991 with vocalist and guitarist Corin Tucker and drummer Tracy Sawyer. The duo were part of the DIY riot grrrl, punk rock underground, and were Tucker's first band before she co-formed Sleater-Kinney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corin Tucker</span> American musician

Corin Lisa Tucker is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist best known for her work with rock band Sleater-Kinney. Tucker is also a member of the alternative rock supergroup Filthy Friends, and previously recorded with the indie rock group Heavens to Betsy and The Corin Tucker Band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrie Brownstein</span> American musician, writer, and actress (born 1974)

Carrie Rachel Brownstein is an American musician, actress, writer, director, and comedian. She first came to prominence as a member of the band Excuse 17 before forming the rock trio Sleater-Kinney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Timony</span> American musician

Mary Bozana Timony is an American independent singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, and violist. She has been a member of the bands Helium, Autoclave and Wild Flag, and currently fronts Ex Hex.

Excuse 17 was a punk rock band from Olympia, Washington, US, that performed and recorded from 1993 to 1995. The band consisted of Becca Albee, Carrie Brownstein, and Curtis James (drums). The band recorded two full-length albums and a single, and contributed to several compilation albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Weiss</span> American rock drummer (born 1965)

Janet Lee Weiss is an American rock drummer, best known as a former member of Sleater-Kinney and a current member of Quasi. She was the drummer for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, leaving after the album Mirror Traffic, and contributed to the Shins' fourth studio album, Port of Morrow (2012). She was also the drummer for the supergroup Wild Flag.

<i>One Beat</i> 2002 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

One Beat is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Sleater-Kinney, released on August 20, 2002, by Kill Rock Stars. It was produced by John Goodmanson and recorded between March and April 2002 at Jackpot! Studio in Portland, Oregon. The album peaked at number 107 in the United States on the Billboard 200 and entered the Billboard Top Independent Albums at number five. One Beat was very well received by critics. Praise centered on its cathartic musical delivery and progressive politics.

<i>Dig Me Out</i> 1997 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

Dig Me Out is the third studio album by the American rock band Sleater-Kinney, released on April 8, 1997, by Kill Rock Stars. The album was produced by John Goodmanson and recorded from December 1996 to January 1997 at John and Stu's Place in Seattle, Washington. Dig Me Out marked the debut of Janet Weiss, who would become the band's longest-serving drummer. The music on the record was influenced by traditional rock and roll bands, while the lyrics deal with issues of heartbreak and survival. The album cover is an homage to the Kinks' 1965 album The Kink Kontroversy.

<i>The Hot Rock</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

The Hot Rock is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Sleater-Kinney, released on February 23, 1999, by Kill Rock Stars. It was produced by Roger Moutenot and recorded at the Avast! recording studio in Seattle, Washington in July 1998. The Hot Rock marks a considerable change in the band's sound, veering into a more relaxed and gloomy direction than the raucous punk rock style of its predecessors. The lyrical themes of the album explore issues of failed relationships and personal uncertainty.

<i>Call the Doctor</i> 1996 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

Call the Doctor is the second studio album by the American rock band Sleater-Kinney. It was released on March 25, 1996, by Chainsaw Records to critical acclaim.

Portlandia is an American sketch comedy television series starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, set in and around Portland, Oregon, and spoofing the city's reputation as a haven for eccentric hipsters. The show was produced by Broadway Video Television and IFC Original Productions. It was created by Armisen and Brownstein, along with Jonathan Krisel, who directs it. It debuted on IFC on January 21, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Flag</span> American indie rock/post-punk supergroup

Wild Flag was an American four-piece indie rock supergroup based in Portland, Oregon and Washington, D.C. The group consisted of Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony, Rebecca Cole and Janet Weiss, who were ex-members of the groups Sleater-Kinney, Helium and the Minders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aubrey Peeples</span> American actress and singer (born 1993)

Aubrey Shea Peeples is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role as Layla Grant in the ABC drama series Nashville. She can be seen in the upcoming series Unconventional by show-runner Kit Williamson as Margot, a bipolar woman coming to terms with her mental health. She also led Carrie Brownstein's pilot Search & Destroy for Hulu based on her band Sleater-Kinney. Peeples played the lead role in the musical fantasy film Jem and the Holograms (2015). Her writing and directorial debut Decadeless premiered at the Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival in 2019.

Tina Gordon Chism is an American screenwriter, producer, and director. She began her writing career writing the films ATL, and Drumline. She made her directorial debut in the 2013 film Peeples, which she also wrote. In 2019, she co-wrote the scripts to the comedies What Men Want and Little, while directing the latter. She wrote and directed the 2023 film, Praise This. She has also acted as a consulting producer on Good Girls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Rittenhouse</span> American actress (born 1988)

Rebecca Rittenhouse is an American actress. She has played Cody LeFever in the ABC prime time soap opera Blood & Oil, Dr. Anna Ziev in the Hulu romantic comedy series The Mindy Project, and Maggie in the Into the Dark television film episode "The Body". Rittenhouse recently starred as the titular character in the Hulu comedy series Maggie.

<i>Shrill</i> (TV series) 21st-century American comedy TV series

Shrill is an American comedy television series developed by Aidy Bryant, Alexandra Rushfield, and Lindy West, based on West's book Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman. The series premiered on March 15, 2019, on Hulu, and stars Bryant in the lead role.

<i>The Center Wont Hold</i> 2019 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

The Center Won't Hold is the ninth studio album by American rock band Sleater-Kinney, released on August 16, 2019 by Mom + Pop Music. The album was produced by St. Vincent and is the last album with drummer Janet Weiss, who announced her departure from the band on July 1, 2019, a month before the album was released. Upon release, the album received generally favorable reviews from critics.

<i>Path of Wellness</i> 2021 studio album by Sleater-Kinney

Path of Wellness is the tenth studio album by the American rock band Sleater-Kinney. The album was released on June 11, 2021 by Mom + Pop Music.

References

  1. ↑ Compton, Laura (2015-10-29), "'Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir,' by Carrie Brownstein", San Francisco Examiner , retrieved 2015-11-05
  2. ↑ Rowe, Amy (2015-11-04), "Carrie Brownstein's 'Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl': review", New York Daily News , retrieved 2015-11-05
  3. ↑ "Nonfiction Book Review: Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: A Memoir by Carrie Brownstein. Riverhead, $27.95 (256p) ISBN 978-1-59448-663-0". Publishers Weekly. November 16, 2015. Retrieved 2017-12-26.
  4. ↑ Dean, Michelle (2015-11-07). "Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl: Carrie Brownstein's darkly compelling read". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2018-01-11.
  5. ↑ Williams, John (2015-10-28), "Review: Carrie Brownstein's 'Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl'", The New York Times , retrieved 2015-11-05
  6. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (January 11, 2018). "Carrie Brownstein Adapting Her Memoir as Hulu Comedy Pilot". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (January 11, 2018). "Hulu Orders 'Search & Destroy' Comedy Pilot From Carrie Brownstein & Annapurna". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  8. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (March 8, 2018). "Hulu's Carrie Brownstein Comedy Finds Leads in Taylor Dearden, Aubrey Peeples". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  9. ↑ Petski, Denise (May 18, 2018). "'Search and Destroy': Hulu's Carrie Brownstein Comedy Pilot Adds Four To Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  10. ↑ Nellie Andreeva. "Pilots 'Less Than Zero' & 'Search And Destroy' Not Going Forward At Hulu". Deadline Hollywood.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.