It is somehow appropriate that as I’m writing this, Real Housewives of Orange County is playing in the background.  Appropriate because Rachel Thompson is about as real as it gets, and couldn’t be farther from the ladies of Bravo.

The contrast between the two is striking.  For everything fake on the ladies on TV (and I’m not being critical here- if it works for them, go for it) there’s an authenticity to Rachel’s writing.  You feel like you know her. You wonder why it is, exactly, that you aren’t sitting on the patio with her sipping a martini, because aside from the fact that you don’t actually know her and live on opposite sides of the country, reading A Walk In the Snark feels like you’re talking with a very good friend.

Rachel’s trademark snark is what draws you in. If you head her blog, Rachel in the OC, then you’re familiar with Rachel’s take on the Mancode (Male speak for nearly anything), all things Prada, the coolness of Pat Benatar, and the power of a perfectly prepared martini.  She talks about all these things in the book.  I found myself smirking more than once, nodding at the familiarity of it all.

And I love the snark.  I can be quite snarky myself. But where I feel Rachel really shines is in the few places where she’s quite poignant.  Without divulging spoilers, I want to talk a little bit about Rachel’s recounting the sudden entrance and tragic exit of an ex back into her life. I really appreciated the vulnerability and genuine emotion Rachel shares in these passages about D.

I know that’s not a trademark of snark, but the introspection actually made me appreciate the snark more. Much like life, it takes going through the sad, awful, terrible stuff to appreciate the mundane, the ordinary, the simple things that are really quite spectacular in the way they make you love and laugh.

A Walk in the Snark is a series of essays so it is a perfect on-the-go read.  When you have a few minutes, take in a quick story.  Nod to yourself when she talks about the crinkled paper towels on the counter, or the importance of Prada shoes at a football party. You won’t be disappointed.

You can get your copy of A Walk in the Snark here.