Bibliofreakblog

Serious and Unserious Questions with Hannah Friedman

Like I said in my review of Everything Sucks by Hannah Friedman, I sort of want to be Hannah’s best friend and sort of hate her*.  Both of these things made me curious about her, so I e-mailed her and asked her to answer some things for me.  Of course, I left out two really important questions.  1. How does she feel about her first name being an anagram and 2. who wrote her wikipedia entry?

Maybe she’ll stop by and answer, but until then, I’ll answer for her: 1. She doesn’t like it.  She can never make up a user name based on her name spelled backwards.  2. She did.

And now for the interview:

J.T.: When did you start writing your memoir?  Did you ever feel strange writing a memoir so young?

Hannah: I signed the contract for the book very shortly before graduating from college. I got out of school and I was like “Sweet! No more homework! Screw you, 17 years of academia!” Then I realized I had basically just signed up for the biggest homework assignment of my life… Not good planning. 

J.T.: ::grumblesunderbreath::

Hannah:   I was a little worried by fallout, but mostly I was excited to share my experiences, to share the things I had never been able to read about, with readers. I wrote the book I wish I had when I was growing up. 
     People do find it strange that I’m only 23 and have written a memoir, but I figure that younger people deserve to read something honest and funny and relevant to their circumstances just as much as adults do. Possibly even more so. You’ve got all these crazy hormones and responsibilities and choices and you don’t even know how to get rid of all your nose acne letalone how to navigate your entire destiny. Plus, if I had waited ’til I was 60 to write this down, none of the stories would be fresh. Who wants to read a 60 year old woman writing about how when she was 16 she googled the word “blowjob?” I mean, by then google might not even be around anymore. We might have to AT&Toogle the word “blowjob.” 

J.T.: ::reluctantlyadmitstoherselfthatthatwasfunny::  How is your quest to invent a puppy-sized elephant going?

Hannah: Testing phases are still being carried out. So far we’ve only gotten them down to the size of a small sedan. 

J.T.: After the article you wrote about college admission processes at your school was published in Newsweek your Senior year of high school, there was quite a bit of fallout.  Did that experience make you hesitant about revealing so much in your book?  Did you talk to any of your old classmates before writing about them and revealing details (I’m specifically thinking about your awkward sexual encounters with Adam)?

Hannah: Ha! I did attempt to reach out to some of the players, though not everyone wanted a reunion. Being cock-blocked by the monkey was not a collaborative memory, let’s just leave it at that. 

J.T.: What do you think the best and worst things about being part of Gen Y are?

Hannah: The internets! And the weird back pain you get after too much time spent in your fake life on the internets…

J.T.: How was Yale?

Hannah: Yale was amazing at some things and really crappy at other things. Just like any other university. I had some wonderful professors and some real dolts. I will say that Yale has one of the finest freestyle dueling associations this side of the Mississippi… http://www.yale.edu/freeduel/ (No, I was not a member… But an avid spectator.)

J.T.: How is your monkey-sister, Amelia, doing?

Hannah: Amelia is getting a little blinder and more senile every day. Sometimes she tries to eat lint. But my mother took her to the beach for a week this summer and she found it quite restorative. 

J.T.: ::isstartingtolikemorethanhatethischick:: After the nap you took after college graduation, your book came out.  Now what?

Hannah: Now I’m working on a few scripts, I’m always trying to post new Youtube content (youtube.com/writinghannah) and I’m trying to find one of those great jobby things my friends keep talking about that provide free coffee and health insurance- a novel concept that I am eager to take part in. 

J.T.: ::imagineshaveingpublishedinNewsweekandanovelonyourresumeishelpfulandhatesheragain:: Anything else you’d like us to know?

Hannah: Keep your eyes peeled for a sequel! Where did that phrase even come from? Eiw. On second thought, keep your grapes peeled and leave your eyes out of it. Also check out the website @ HannahFriedman.com 

J.T.: ::wondershowyoupeelgrapesitmustbedifficultbutHannahcouldprobablydoit::

Hannah skipped my question, “You originally were deferred when you applied to Yale, but then you got in.  Do you think it was because of the Newsweek article? Do you think that you would have gotten in if you had attended public school?”  I will not attempt to answer this one for her.  I will advise her, however, to learn to be evasive because once she becomes super famous she’ll probably be asked it (or variations thereof) a lot.  

Check out the book trailer for Hannah’s memoir, Everything Sucks!

::hatesheragain::

*NOTE: hatred is due mostly to intense jealousy and self-doubt (le sigh) and does not necessarily reflect Hannah’s own person or character, which is probably awesome.  The bitch.