Dirty Dancing holds such a nostalgic place in my heart. It was my cousins favourite film, and I use to watch it constantly at my aunts house growing up. So it was nuce to revisit the film through a more critical eye, as Andrea Warner examines what has made it such a cult classic. From feminism, women's rights, political opinion and classis Warner shows how Dirty Dancing isn't just a summer romance, but a film that resonates with so many still to this day.

I do think at times this got a little self indulgent at times, and I wasn't the biggest fan of the music section on a personal level. However I thought overall this was a well thought out piece, and a quick read that opened my eyes to a lot of social commentary, especially regarding white privilege and the lack of diversity in the film (especially when you consider how much of the music and dancing is inspired by Black and Latinex culture).

The Time of My Life is a love letter to the film Dirty Dancing, exploring its production, plot, and lasting effect, particularly upon the author. Part of the 'Pop Classics' series that explores different pop culture phenomena often through a personal lens, the book focuses on the feminist ideals of the film and the importance of the abortion plot line, as well as the complexities of cultural appropriation through the use of music and dance in the film.

This kind of book that blends personal memoir with a focus on some kind of pop culture has become quite prevalent recently and it can be a great way to explore a piece of media through someone else's eyes. In this case, I do really like the film Dirty Dancing and I liked how this book takes it seriously as a film, appreciating the soundtrack and acting but also social commentary elements of it. Warner delves deep into the film and the result is a book that makes it clear why so many people love the film and why it hasn't aged as badly as a lot of other 80s films.

Dirty Dancing is one of my favourite films, and I really enjoyed reading all about its themes and issues, and the indelible mark it left on pop culture. It will always be an iconic part of cinema history, and this book does a good job of explaining how and why it became such a hit.

Andrea Warner writes well, and with a lot of enthusiasm. It’s great to see her love for Dirty Dancing come through in her writing, and it makes me happy to know films can affect other people’s lives like they do mine.

Although I liked diving deeper into what the film represents and the social issues it features, I would have liked the author to focus more on other areas of the production too. That’s just something I would personally want — a complete history of Dirty Dancing from script to screen — and this wasn’t the book for that. It’s still a very interesting read, but not quite what I was expecting.

The Time of My Life is well worth reading if you’re a fan of Dirty Dancing; whether you’ve seen it once or a hundred times, there’s something for everyone to enjoy here. It’s a quick read, and one that will immediately need to be followed by a viewing of the film. Kellerman’s, here I come!

I loved this book! I should probably offer a full disclaimer that I am a huge Dirty Dancing fan, and I think that definitely added to my enjoyment of the book. However, I still think any movie fan would find this an interesting read as the author does an excellent job of highlighting the film's place amongst feminist readings, as well as how it impacted upon her own life. I especially liked how Warner linked it to the overturn of the Roe v Wade - that made it very topical. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

How the film impacted on the author's life. The musical inspiring lyrics that had a second chance to hit the charts. The number of inspirational themes. The female roles that are at the heart of the movie and how they interact and impact on each other.
All things I had not taken into account when watching a favourite and beloved movie.
Enjoy the book

Thank you to Andrea Warner for your words and to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

While I enjoyed this book, and the movie (I distinctly remember my parents telling me…watch this ….you'll like this) this book comes across a bit like an extended critical analysis essay that you might submit to a college or English class. The author I feel has written this for herself, as if to remind herself of what the movie meant to her as opposed to anything else.

When I saw DD I did not view it as an abortion movie. I still do not. It’s a coming of age movie as Baby grows due to circumstance, the abortion backstory being one of those circumstances. Others may and do view it differently. The coming of age is the bigger story. A woman learning truth, lies, love, family dynamics and more. Most of all learning how to become the woman she wants to be.

Enjoyable but not what I expected.

I was obsessed with Dirty Dancing growing up so could not wait to read this book. Fans of the movie will love this deep dive that examines how this movie that almost didn't get made became a cult classic. The book has sections on Baby's character development, the relationships between female characters and its feminist message cantering the abortion sub-plot but also addresses the movies downfalls such as its cultural appropriation. A huge section of the book is devoted to the movies sound track which was intregal to the movie.
The book is written almost as an autobiography of the author experiencing the movie and the ways it affected them. some readers may not appreciate this choice by the author

If you are a fan of this movie, you will likely enjoy the detailed analysis offered in this book. The soundtrack is an important aspect of the movie’s success and the author includes this as a major consideration. Some time is spent on the cultural appropriation rife in the film, which is an important observation often overlooked by the privileged viewer. Similarly, the importance of the abortion sub-plot of the movie is highlighted. As a reader, I could not help but think the author has written this book with one reader in mind - herself. It comes across as self indulgent to the point of being almost exclusive to any other reader.

I could relate so much to this book! I was a huge Dirty Dancing fan and watching it on repeat growing up. Finding this title was a dream. Warner's writing did not disappoint. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Five stars. Loved it.

Dirty Dancing is iconic and something people never seem to lose interest in! Very excited to share my thoughts and own personal memories from this movie and how it coarse with Andrea Warners take on this iconic movie in history.

This book was a lot of fun to read. Anyone who saw the movie will be genuinely anxious to read this book and recall all of their best memories of it...and their own lives.