The Washingtonienne

by Jessica Cutler

Book Overview

The Capitol Hill aide who scandalized Washington, D.C., with her blog has now written a sharp, steamy, utterly unrepentant novel set against the backdrop of the nation's capitol.

When Jacqueline Turner's fianc gives her two days to move out of his apartment, she has no choice but to leave New York City and crash with her best friend in Washington, D.C. She needs an exciting new life--not to mention real employment. Where better to get a fresh...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401308473
• ISBN13: 9781401308476
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Hachette Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 8.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Really hits the spot

This book was super juicy, one of the best trashy chick reads in a long time, really hits the spot! Couldn't put this baby down. Wonderfuly written.

Right on Target, BRAVO!

I'm a 22 year old woman from CA living in Washington and interning from the summer. Maybe the reason why people were so disgusted by this was because it was so terrible to see how people could be, how the nations capitol could be and how this woman dealt with it. But coming from the position that she is in, I worked for the US Dept of Labor and it is definetly right on target when it comes to telling the truth about how ugly washington really is. I live in a center for interns from all different types and many of them enjoy this book because the hypocrisy, stiffled sexuallity, stupid conservatism, and big brother atmosphere are every day realitites here. Jessica made me feel like there was someone out there who understood. How people in DC can be down right nasty and that I wasn't the only person who cried here and left here with a sense of disallusionment as to where our country is headed. She took her life into her own hands and in the book I feel her book would be worthless and boring if not for how awesome and brave this woman was in dealing with every situation. I loved how Jackie would always be strong whatever happened to her and we need more books like this. DC is not as superficial as LA and makes for a different type of read for those who have experienced its hard as nails culture. There are some real crazy, nasty and angry people in this city. It's definetly hollywood for the ugly. And I could not put this book down and finished it in 2 sittings. BRAVO!

Nasty fun!

I am a big fan of "gossip-lit" chick-lit, especially written by witty, smart authors like Cutler. Borrowed (probably heavily) from her own experience as a promiscuious DC staff assistant/blogger turned norotious tabloid subject, the Washingtonienne tells the story of a shallow, selfish girl who uses men to get what she wants. I loved that this book barely tried to hide how nasty the main character was. She didn't turn out to be a promiscuous woman with a heart of gold- she really didn't care much about anyone or anybody, and that was always evident. There is some reflection towards the end about her shallow life, but it never turns cloying, or makes you think the character does a total 180. Her affiars and encounters with men are not for the easily offended though- she is EXTREMELY upfront and honest. I found it all totally hiralious. This book, and its main charater are hilarious, and the observant comments she makes amout men, women and sex throughout the book and enlightening and refreshing. This book is pure guilty pleasure. I found myself laughing out loud many, many, times, and I hope Calter keeps writing.

A rather intriguing and addictive read...

I find this mostly to be a fasinating perspective on relationships and how so many are based on not taking the time to know ourselves or respect each other. In summary, the author, through a series of events that foreshadow the very sticky, complicated, and intricate play about to unfold, winds up in Washington DC, a young woman without any semelence of ambition, regret, or self awareness. She soon finds herself in a relationship with a married with children man (child car seat buckled into his volvo) who promptly takes her to his office to "check out the view of the mall". Whilst continuing along this vein, our heroine takes a ride from an older gentleman while walking home from shopping in Georgetown one day, lvereages flirting with attractive staffer in the political office where she works to the next level (who is also the object of a crush that one of her committed best friends has identified) and does drugs and more with a bike messenger felon; only when things couldn't get more complicated, her boss sets her up with another, more senior employee at her office that joins the rotation. I found this very sensational reading, only to discover in real life the author may have lead a life very close to the fiction of this novel. Meanwhile, the heroine keeps a nice blog of the ensuing antics available for her girlfriends up to date, which is where the spin of the story unfolds. I wont give away the details of this story, but I think the overall message of the text is running away from problems,or doing things that you know could be hurtful only creates more problems in a very convoluted, pay it forward sort of way. I also find deep clarity towards the end of the book, where the heroine's therapist suggests that maybe her antics are a function of depression; and before I get too seeped in the trend to pass judgement, sometime selacious behavior makes for entertainment/attention, but is just a forum for us to momentarily turn away from the larger problems at hand. A great read that I couldn't put down, and hats off to the author for her candid insight and honesty.

Morally Repugnant, Wildly Entertaining

Face it, on a moral level we have to hate Jacqueline, the not-so-fictional protagonist at the center of this sordid and utterly un-put-downable roman a clef. If you can stomach all that she represents, there's actually something to be learned beneath that unforgettable cover. At the end of the book, Jacqueline's therapist asks her, "Why is it easier for you to believe that you're crazy than it is for you to admit you've done something wrong?" (This after she has accepted money for sex, cheated on multiple partners--some married, spent nearly all her time in Washington drunk and/or high, and kept a blog mocking all her lovers which leaked to the public). Jacqueline comes to this conclusion: "The lesson I learned was: You can get whatever you want for free by lying and cheating, and there are never any consequences." So as you sit there reading, feeling both a thrill at her crazy adventures (sex across a conference room table is only the beginning) and disgust for the manner in which she's portrayed the female mind to the public, you can't help but ask YOURSELF: Is the author right? She's now rich, famous, published, and we all know she's not so far off from the character. And on an entertainment level, you've had a blast reading her book. On the flip side, it's blatantly obvious that as messed up as Jacqueline is, all she really wants, deep down, is love. She's just so completely cynical that none of those poor guys ever had a chance, because she never gives anyone a chance. So while that cynicism did lead to a form of success, I'd bet a lot of money that the deeper she goes believing her own philosophy, the more and more true love will elude her. And in the meantime, she can keep us entertained. You won't want to put The Washingtonienne down. After all, it's just a book.