What do you think?
Rate this book
Bitter with Baggage Seeks Same: The Life and Times of Some Chickens
Chickens show off their human side in Sloane Tanen's irresistible dioramas.
With more personality than most people have to spare, New York artist Sloane Tanen's tiny yellow chickens negotiate the tricky modern world, filled with three-headed blind dates, menacing KFCs, playground popularity battles, and annoyingly crowded yoga classes. They perch amid doll furniture, in scenes photographed in glorious color and brilliantly captioned- and their lives will strike you as strangely familiar...
Charming, spiky with off-kilter wit (or waxing jobs gone terribly wrong), and somehow larger than life, these chickens win the hearts of all who behold them.
With more personality than most people have to spare, New York artist Sloane Tanen's tiny yellow chickens negotiate the tricky modern world, filled with three-headed blind dates, menacing KFCs, playground popularity battles, and annoyingly crowded yoga classes. They perch amid doll furniture, in scenes photographed in glorious color and brilliantly captioned- and their lives will strike you as strangely familiar...
Charming, spiky with off-kilter wit (or waxing jobs gone terribly wrong), and somehow larger than life, these chickens win the hearts of all who behold them.
74 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
1 person is currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Sloane Tanen
20Ìýbooks162ÌýfollowersAuthor of nine books including Bitter With Baggage Seeks Same--being re-released by Bloomsbury January, 2019. New novel There's A Word For That, coming from Little, Brown on April, 2019
Instagram: sloane.tanen
Instagram: sloane.tanen
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
February 11, 2020
This is in the genre I'd call "adult picture book." It's cute, but not quite memorable enough. One thing I found really interesting was comparing the photo spreads with the mini dioramas of the same image that are on the endpapers. They seem to have been changed quite a bit before being shot for the book.
December 17, 2008
I loved this book.
A few years ago I asked for a copy of the "chick book" for Christmas. It reminds me a little bit of Anne Taintor, but, you know, with chickens.
A few years ago I asked for a copy of the "chick book" for Christmas. It reminds me a little bit of Anne Taintor, but, you know, with chickens.
April 27, 2018
Some pictures made me smile. Perhaps you need to be high and/or drunk to really appreciate it.
October 9, 2007
It's hard to describe this book without just handing it to you and sitting back to watch your reaction, because I tell you, I'd love to watch every single person I know read it. It's so hysterical.
Sloane Tanen is a visual artist in New York City. She makes these little shadow boxes with plastic chickens that live out modern day situations, both normal and fantastical.
In one, a chick is sitting on a bed facing a little frog, who is wearing a crown. The caption reads "Anastasia was through making out with Ian. He was never going to change." In another, a bug eyed chick sits on a horse facing a large plastic dragon while a princess chick looks on. "Princess Gwyneth's money was on Puff."
So. Hilarious. It's my coffee table book. Or will be, when I have a coffee table. And a couch.
Sloane Tanen is a visual artist in New York City. She makes these little shadow boxes with plastic chickens that live out modern day situations, both normal and fantastical.
In one, a chick is sitting on a bed facing a little frog, who is wearing a crown. The caption reads "Anastasia was through making out with Ian. He was never going to change." In another, a bug eyed chick sits on a horse facing a large plastic dragon while a princess chick looks on. "Princess Gwyneth's money was on Puff."
So. Hilarious. It's my coffee table book. Or will be, when I have a coffee table. And a couch.
May 20, 2019
Chicks portrayed humorously.
August 15, 2012
Not everyone's sense of humor, but certainly mine. Kids didn't get it, but I laughed and laughed.
It's tough explaining this book to someone who hasn't seen it: "See, she takes these little toy fluffy chicks and surrounds them with props and sets the scenes and takes pictures of them, then writes these captions...". About this time, the person you're talking to (my husband) gives you a strange look and you say, weakly, "It's not for everyone..."
It's tough explaining this book to someone who hasn't seen it: "See, she takes these little toy fluffy chicks and surrounds them with props and sets the scenes and takes pictures of them, then writes these captions...". About this time, the person you're talking to (my husband) gives you a strange look and you say, weakly, "It's not for everyone..."
February 16, 2016
Those tiny chenille chicks you see for sale at craft and knickknack stores every Easter season get outsize personalities in this bizarre and funny book. It's hard to describe just how weird this gets at times, and I can't help but wonder at the looks the artist must have received when buying hundreds upon hundreds of tiny toy chickens.
October 25, 2014
This is such a great wacky little book! Both the photographs & texts are guaranteed to put a smile on anyone's face:) Ok, so the idea of photographing plastic chicks surrounded by doll house furniture might sound strange but the book is really, really funny! I just laugh every time I pick it up and look at the images:)
August 27, 2019
I bought this book when it first came out in 2003 because I love chenille chickens. I’m rereading through a lot of the books in my bookcase at home. This book really is bitter � and angry, and unhappy. I don't need that kind of negativity in my life. Chenille chicks or no, off to the library book sale it goes.
January 4, 2019
Cute and occasionally funny. I definitely have a few favourite panels and I enjoyed studying each scene. It was fun to see reoccurring characters and props throughout the book as well. It's a nice coffee table book for visitors to flip through.
June 21, 2007
The fact that this woman makes money off of designing little sets with little chickens and photographing them and putting them in books with funny quotes makes me jealous. I want to do that.
December 31, 2020
A few favorites here, but I think I'd prefer an exhibit to a book in this case.
August 15, 2024
¿Recuerdan esos libros infantiles con fotografÃas para retratar cada pequeña frase? Si crecieron en los 80’s probablemente sÃ. Bueno, “Bitter with baggage seeks sameâ€� está pensado para los adultos que crecimos con esos cuentos y que, por las vueltas que da la vida, no solo ya no nos van con cuentos, sino que amamos la ironÃa y el cinismo cuando vienen bien empaquetados y son tratados con la inteligencia que requieren: en momentos precisos y en pequeñas cantidades.
“Bitter with baggage seeks sameâ€� reúne fotogramas montados por la artista Sloane Tanen que se nutren de la cultura pop para retratar los aspectos más oscuros de ser un adulto, porque ninguno de los cuentos que nos leyeron nuestros padres nos advirtieron que esto sucederÃa. Las imágenes están protagonizadas por pollitos en variados escenarios ilustrando temas tan variados como el control de natalidad, los desórdenes alimenticios, las drogas, los fracasos profesionales, etc.
Si lograste llegar a la vida adulta con un equipaje donde empacaste algo de cinismo y de ironÃa y si, secretamente disfrutas los libros infantiles: ESTE ES EL LIBRO INDICADO PARA TI.
(*) Sólo existe en inglés.
“Bitter with baggage seeks sameâ€� reúne fotogramas montados por la artista Sloane Tanen que se nutren de la cultura pop para retratar los aspectos más oscuros de ser un adulto, porque ninguno de los cuentos que nos leyeron nuestros padres nos advirtieron que esto sucederÃa. Las imágenes están protagonizadas por pollitos en variados escenarios ilustrando temas tan variados como el control de natalidad, los desórdenes alimenticios, las drogas, los fracasos profesionales, etc.
Si lograste llegar a la vida adulta con un equipaje donde empacaste algo de cinismo y de ironÃa y si, secretamente disfrutas los libros infantiles: ESTE ES EL LIBRO INDICADO PARA TI.
(*) Sólo existe en inglés.
October 8, 2023
This is a book showcasing pictures of chicks in various scenarios: e.g. at the beach, playground, taking a driving lesson, at a bar, having their fortune told, visiting the zoo, at the Olympics, etc. Some of them depict familiar characters (e.g. Rapunzel, Cinderella), familiar scenes/locations (e.g. Noah's ark, Easter Island) and familiar things (e.g. Faberge eggs, Gucci/LV bags. The chicks and all the scenes they are shown in look like actual real-life props that have been made, set up, then photographed. This is probably the only redeeming thing about this book - appreciation of the art & craft involved. Every picture comes with a caption that's meant to be funny, but to me was not. The English isn't even correct in two of them. I didn't crack a single smile throughout this and all the captions fell flat and made it seem like the author was trying too hard and failing miserably. I'd have preferred it if she had just cut the captions and instead titled each picture as a proper artwork - that would have made things much better.
May 26, 2018
I bought this book for my sister (the chicken lady). But after reading it, I don't think I want to give it up yet. I need to keep it on the coffee table and share the humor with everyone. Inside the book cover are numerous photos of dioramas. Each page is a cute paragraph with a scene of a fluffy wire chick in various situations. Fabulous!
April 20, 2019
A book that must be read, with photographs of incredible dioramas, that must be seen to truly be appreciated! I don't think I've laughed as hard in ages while reading a book! As an avid miniaturist, with a warped sense of humor, this book struck a chord with me. I highly suggest getting a copy and can't wait to get my hands on her other works! BRILLIANT!
April 10, 2022
What. the. actual. hell. did I just read? I am giving this a 4 because it felt like a joke I didn't understand and that maybe if I understood it I would think it was so hilariously brilliant that I would regret not rating it higher.
May 15, 2024
A hilarious romp through humorous dioramas peopled with chicks - yep: fuzzy, wee, golden (in most cases) tiny chicks - living life, learning lessons, and serving up wisdom. A lovely break from the day-to-day.
July 22, 2018
Wow! 5 stars for innovating with chickens!
April 2, 2019
Read these books several years ago. They made me laugh until I had tears in my eyes. I will loan them out to special people, but I always make sure I get them back.
May 26, 2019
I love the dioramas - they're so creative!
August 8, 2020
What did I just read?!?! Hahahahaha
July 16, 2021
Found this randomly, well worth a gander!
October 22, 2021
Chickens face human issues
March 2, 2022
Delightful. Perfect quirky coffee table book.
April 22, 2022
Cute. A little weird, but cute.
June 10, 2022
I got this for my birthday and I love the scenes put together with the chickens.
February 12, 2012
I first fell in love with Sloane Tanen’s work when I read the caption above a photo with a little chicken sitting on a swing set and peering around the playground: “Samantha looked around the playground in amazement. Her mother had been right. She really WAS the smartest and the prettiest.� Now I ask you--has there ever been a more apt mascot for me and some of my equally ambitious writer friends?
If you thought you had to give up picture books when you graduated from second grade, have I got a treat for you! Writer Sloane Tanen and photographer Stefan Hagen take those tiny little stuffed yellow chicks you can find at Easter and put them in wickedly funny scenarios in gorgeously detailed dioramas. The first book in the series BITTER WITH BAGGAGE SEEKS SAME: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SOME CHICKENS beautifully captures two qualities--they’re both bitter and sunny-natured. And who can't relate to adorable little spoiled tyrant Coco who is rarely seen without her tiara and dreams “that one day she would grow up to be a benevolent queen...or a supermodel.�
The second book in the series--GOING FOR THE BRONZE: STILL BITTER, MORE BAGGAGE is equally hilarious. One of my favorite pages shows two chickens peering over the side of the Titanic while a chicken floats beneath them and one of them comments, “I don’t know, the last thing he said was something about being king of the world and then I may have accidentally pushed him.� No one is safe from the satire including Charles and Camilla, American Idol, and Hooters. And the photographs are so detailed that you can spend hours just noticing things in the background.
I should warn you that, due to a wee bit of naughty language, these picture books are for adults only, but Sloane Tanen has also written a children’s book called COCO ALL YEAR ROUND. If you want your child to develop a deliciously dark and dysfunctional sense of humor right along with you, you can read them rhymes featuring the adorable Coco like “I walk down the street with my whole Girl Scout troop. It would have been fun had I not slipped in poop.� (I’ll spare you a description of the illustration on this one.)
If you thought you had to give up picture books when you graduated from second grade, have I got a treat for you! Writer Sloane Tanen and photographer Stefan Hagen take those tiny little stuffed yellow chicks you can find at Easter and put them in wickedly funny scenarios in gorgeously detailed dioramas. The first book in the series BITTER WITH BAGGAGE SEEKS SAME: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SOME CHICKENS beautifully captures two qualities--they’re both bitter and sunny-natured. And who can't relate to adorable little spoiled tyrant Coco who is rarely seen without her tiara and dreams “that one day she would grow up to be a benevolent queen...or a supermodel.�
The second book in the series--GOING FOR THE BRONZE: STILL BITTER, MORE BAGGAGE is equally hilarious. One of my favorite pages shows two chickens peering over the side of the Titanic while a chicken floats beneath them and one of them comments, “I don’t know, the last thing he said was something about being king of the world and then I may have accidentally pushed him.� No one is safe from the satire including Charles and Camilla, American Idol, and Hooters. And the photographs are so detailed that you can spend hours just noticing things in the background.
I should warn you that, due to a wee bit of naughty language, these picture books are for adults only, but Sloane Tanen has also written a children’s book called COCO ALL YEAR ROUND. If you want your child to develop a deliciously dark and dysfunctional sense of humor right along with you, you can read them rhymes featuring the adorable Coco like “I walk down the street with my whole Girl Scout troop. It would have been fun had I not slipped in poop.� (I’ll spare you a description of the illustration on this one.)
September 7, 2011
The Scoop:
What's there to say? Sloane Tanen creates super cute dioramas featuring super cute chicks in entertaining situations.
My Thoughts:
I first came across this book by way of her children's books. And, really, who doesn't think chicks aren't cute? Not me. I love chickens. I'll prove it--just look at my own personal flock:
Anyway, this is a cute, clever, quick read that packs a punch and not a few laughs. It usually takes a bit for me to work up the energy (or the appreciation) to let loose with a good chuckle but several could be heard while I was reading this creatively humorous collection of chick life adventures.
What's there to say? Sloane Tanen creates super cute dioramas featuring super cute chicks in entertaining situations.
My Thoughts:
I first came across this book by way of her children's books. And, really, who doesn't think chicks aren't cute? Not me. I love chickens. I'll prove it--just look at my own personal flock:
Anyway, this is a cute, clever, quick read that packs a punch and not a few laughs. It usually takes a bit for me to work up the energy (or the appreciation) to let loose with a good chuckle but several could be heard while I was reading this creatively humorous collection of chick life adventures.
December 4, 2008
Picture Book. Does what it says on the box -- dioramas of some chickens, with funny captions. The pictures are great, fun for looking at, or, if you're like me, for squinting at and thinking, "I bet she used hair gel for the water..." The captions are funny or sad, or both. My favorite: "Anastasia was through making out with Ian. He was never going to change." Ian, here, is a frog. The tone -- dry, flippant, and reminiscent of Anne Taintor -- makes this book a keeper.
Five stars for awesomeness.
Five stars for awesomeness.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.