Rating: 
Summary: Mr. Darcy lives!
Review: Bridget Jones Diary was written during that phase when Jane Austen was being revived and emulated with regularity. Modern day Bridget is desperate to be a member of the smug marrieds, but she still retains her singleton status. Embarking on a self- improvement plan, she charts her progress with weightloss, reduction in alcohol and cigarette consumption, and success with the opposite sex. At the end of a year, she notes the results that have come to pass. Meanwhile, she meets Mr. Darcy,Gets involved with her boss, witnesses the upheavel of her parents' relationship, and whines about the condition of life for a young thirty-something who has been eluded by romance. At times I enjoyed this little diary approach to life for singles, but it grow tiresome at times. I kept thinking how sad for these young women to be putting their lives on hold when they could be having such a lovely time with life. They were employed, had a safe environment, and friends. Too bad they didn't learn that the best way to meet someone is to do the things that make you happy. Then you'll meet someone with whom you can relate to.
Rating: 
Summary: A Book to Share a Laugh With A Friend Over
Review: Bridget was so hysterical because she touched a place in all of us who have ever been single (when those around us are not)and who were able to laugh at our own feet of clay - our own mistakes in judgement, our own vulnerabilities. Her obsession over her weight, her need to quit smoking, her excessive need for alcohol, and her failures in relationships with members of the opposite sex were so humorously represented that we not only felt her pain, we laughed her laughs. The thing I most enjoyed about this book was re-reading parts of it long distance with my 30-something single daughter late into the night, giggling hysterically over paragraph after paragraph together. What a bonding tool!
Rating:
Summary: A must read for singlestons of all kinds
Review: Cannot say enough of these two books. BRIDGET is a must read for all singletons, regardless of age, gender or sexual persuasion. Take a work day off (explained to boss, understood completly, bless him) buy a bottle of white wine (pinot grigio is wine of choice, chardonnay much too strong) and a couple packs of Marlboro's (purely for medicinal purposes, you understand) and laugh yourself into a druken stupor while yelling "That's me" at every turn of the page and hope your neighbors don't call the police. Must run, BRIGET movie starts in 15 minutes!!! (pity, movie theaters don't offer white wine to their clientele.)
Rating:
Summary: Easy, humorous reading
Review: Okay, so everybody's reading BRIDGET. I'm not sure why this has become SUCH a popular book, but I think that popularity is the sole reason for some of the middling reviews. BRIDGET is hysterically funny in a neurotic-everywoman sort of way. It's light reading, and isn't meant to be a deep, dark commentary on the human condition in the way of Great Literature (or even Jane Austen.) If you pick it up with that caveat in mind, you're going to have a rollicking good time in a lightning-fast read. The characterization is top-notch, the situations are true-to-life, and Fielding deserves to have a winner with BRIDGET. Brava!! Definitely worth five stars. Shopping note: if you like this book, you've probably picked up a number of the similar chick-lit books that are now flooding the market. If you're sick to death of whining Singletons (much as I really like Bridget, I couldn't read this in *all* its knockoff versions), but are looking for a good read to tide you over until Fielding's next book hits the stands, you might try picking up a Jennifer Crusie novel for a change of pace. CRAZY FOR YOU and WELCOME TO TEMPTATION offer the same kicky, hip tone, but from an original point of view.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring for all Singletons in USA
Review: This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Bridget Jones' adventures with her friends and her romantic troubles are very well-written. She is a very perceptively written character who does what all young singles do -- obsess over our weight, boyfriends, bad jobs, etc. If you like this book -- be sure to read the sequel - the Edge of Reason.
Rating:
Summary: book wins over film
Review: I was interested to read the reviews on this book. I had read the book and then seen the film. I was extremely dissapointed by the film as it lacked the depth and details of the book which made the book so good and fun. Whilst the book is a very quick read, it tells you so much more about the characters and their relationships than could be portrayed in the film, especially her relationship with her family. So I strongly recomend this book; it is so much funnier than the film so if you enjoyed the film you will love the book.
Rating: 
Summary: Modern Down-To-Earth Fairytale
Review: Having seen the movie before buying the book, I was already much impressed by Bridget Jones: reasonably intelligent, completely un-together, and frightfully human. She is most definitely a woman to whom one can relate, especially those of us who are still searching for our "inner poise". She is easily someone with whom one could have wonderful talks and be completely confident that their small human failings would be accepted and be loved all the more because of them. The only weakness in this book -- indeed, as it was in the movie -- was the pace of the story. For such a relationship to bloom between Mark Darcy and Bridget after so little interaction seems slightly odd and unrealistic -- hence the "fairy-tale" description. Had more interaction occured, especially before the end of the story, it would be a little more possible to enjoy the possible fairy prince coming to take Bridget away from the dreariness and humdrumness of everyday life. All in all, though, Helen Fielding did an absolutely marvelous job portraying that uncertain child who lingers inside each woman. Definitely four stars.
Rating:
Summary: Miss Elizabeth Bennet would never...
Review: Embarass herself the way Bridget Jones does. If you read it as a good story that has various homages to Pride & Prejudice contained in it, then it's fine, great, a plesant thing to read on the beach or on a plane (which is where I read it the first time). But if you read it for a full-fathom retelling of Austen's P&P, you won't get it. Clueless is closer to Emma, Cruel Intentions closer to Les Liasons Dangerous, but while BJD may be inspired by P&P, it's not close to it.
Rating:
Summary: The Single Girl Saga
Review: A hilarious book that through her crazy year will make you realize your health habits aren't that bad, you're not as depressed as you might think you are, your family is actually more normal than you realized and life is just something to laugh at. A refreshing book I would suggest to anyone who needs a good laugh at life!
Rating:
Summary: Great Entertainment
Review: I would say if your looking for a funny , witty, sassy book then buy it. If you want something serious don't. I enjoyed it but you have to remember not to take every thing so seriously. People who didn't like it seem disappointed that it wasn't a great work of literature. It's just a fun book. A fantastic vacation or beach read. I am not a singleton but a married {though not smug) and I laughed out loud at the things that run through her head. She is funny and believable and very very human. I am heading to the book store tomorrow to get The edge of reason. I have to know what comes next.
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