How To Lose Friends And Alienate People Is A Movie

Regardless of how the movie adaptation turns out, Toby Young’s 2003 memoir How To Lose Friends And Alienate People is one of the most hilarious accounts of the publishing world ever written. The story follows freewheeling British journalist Young, who moves to New York and spends five years at Vanity Fair magazine, where he tries to make it in high-pressure Conde Nast culture. As you probably gathered from the title, it doesn’t go so well.
The movie’s first trailer just leaked, and it seems to be lacking the subtle, snarky sense of humor that made the book such a success (although Jeff Bridges’ Graydon Carter impression looks solid). Still, it was directed by Curb Your Enthusiasm vet Robert Weide, so we’re willing to reserve judgement until we see more. The movie comes out on October 3, so watch the preview below.

Generica (later renamed Happiness for American Release) by Will Ferguson- also about the publishing industry- is a must read.
Comment by Mick — June 1, 2008 #