Bridget Jones’s Diary

Sunday 1 January: 129 lbs. (but post-Christmas), alcohol units 14 (but effectively covers 2 days as 4 hours of party was on New Year’s Day), cigarettes 22, calories 5424.

From its beginning as a weekly column in a British newspaper, Bridget Jones’s Diary quickly became a best-seller in England. After gaining international popularity, it also shot to the top of the New York Times best-seller list. A 30-something single professional, Bridget Jones prefers a diary to a day planner for tracking her life. Each entry is an honest and hilarious step in her endless quest for self-improvement. (New Year’s Resolution: Go to gym three times a week not merely to buy sandwich.) Caught between match-making relatives, other singles, and smug marrieds, Bridget records the triumphs and faux-pas of her life in this diary. Funny, witty, and, at times, charmingly innocent, Bridget Jones’s Diary has a voice that is absolutely authentic. You’ve seen the Bridgets of the world trot by on their way to the office or gym. Now, through Barbara Rosenblat’s narration, you’ll spend some wonderful hours in the company of one. But be warned: from the very first line, you’ll be laughing out loud and looking for friends to introduce to this wonderful young woman.