Melissa Bank’s The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing resonated deeply with me in my early twenties, becoming a cherished companion by university graduation. It’s a near-perfect book, a source of lightly scented wit and wisdom, guiding readers on how to be, how to see, and how to cope with life’s challenges. This book proved to be the most influential book of my third decade.
The concept of women writing fiction as life manuals for other women is not new. While “women’s writing” is sometimes relegated to a literary ghetto, there’s value in acknowledging its core characteristic. Authors like Buchi Emecheta and Virginia Woolf have explored this territory. The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing, penned by a woman and centered on a woman’s internal life, has found a devoted audience among women, highlighting its significance.
Before and after Jane, the protagonist of The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing, other female characters have captured readers’ hearts. I connected with Emmy in Laura Dave’s London is the Best City in America during that transitional period between university and entering the workforce. I also enjoyed Lauren Weisberger’s The Devil Wears Prada and Emily Giffin’s Something… series. The heroines of these books, while predominantly white which speaks volumes about the publishing industry and the perceived “universality” of the white experience, influenced my journey towards self-confidence. However, Jane held a unique appeal.
Jane embodied both my present self and the person I aspired to be. I longed for the sophistication to attract an older, literary gentleman with a past, complete with a drinking problem and ex-wives. I dreamt of glamorous vacations with my boyfriend, facing fidelity tests orchestrated by our hostess. I yearned for a chic, childless aunt who spoke in mysterious vignettes reminiscent of Flannery O’Connor or Dorothy Parker. While I didn’t desire a terrible illness, the prospect of a transformative Big Life Event™ held a certain allure. The Girls’ Guide fulfilled these desires effortlessly. This pursuit is also part of a larger girl’s guide to self discovery.
This girl’s guide isn’t just about escapism; it’s about reality. A girl’s guide to life wouldn’t be complete without facing hardships. In a life often blessed with good fortune, Bank infuses challenges, from minor disappointments like discovering a sibling’s fallibility (“It scared me to think that my brother had failed at loving someone”) to major losses, such as debilitating family bereavement. There’s also the everyday grief of realizing that a desired outcome is unattainable, requiring a woman to embrace her “big girl pants” in this quintessential girl’s guide to adulthood.
The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing provides a roadmap for navigating life’s complexities, acknowledging both the joys and the sorrows. The girl’s guide to navigating relationships is a crucial aspect of this journey. It’s a reminder that even in the face of adversity, growth and self-discovery are possible.
