Tracy McArdle Confessions of a Shiksa

Confessions of a Shiksa

Tracy McArdle

Downtown Press, Aug 2005, $13.00

ISBN: 1416503218

In Hollywood, publicity vice president Alexis "Lexy" Manning works 24/7 promoting her studio's movies and its stars. Lexy could not have a more suited job for herself as she loves the movies adulating footnotes from her favorite pictures in discussions with her friends.

Lexy is almost engaged to Jewish bartender David Rothstein who uses the name of Deke Rothrock as a wannabe actor. She takes him home to spend a Yankee Christmas with her family in Vermont that shakes him to core because he feels so out of place. Afterward, David makes religious demands on Lexy to convert to Judaism so they can raise their children to be Jewish. She refuses and they break up. It helps that she is attracted to a director she just met, but it hurts as it gives her time to worry about her ailing cat and sick sister. Lexy sees no happy ending as the reels of her life play out.

Though readers might question Lexy's choices and there is the inevitable lists (though some like the schedules fit her job), she seems like a genuine person living a stressed out lifestyle turned even more nerve-racking by David's demands after three years together. Simply put Lexy makes this chick lit tale worth reading as she spends money on herself, uses help when she needs to, and euphorically drops cinema references that this movie buff (don't ask how I squeeze time in for a flick) and her even greater movie buffed spouse enjoyed. Junk food junkie Lexy struggles at work and at home while seeking the next popular hit, which readers will hope is CONFESSIONS OF A SHIKSA.

Harriet Klausner