On March 25, it was official: Citing
irreconcilable differences, Jennifer Aniston filed for divorce from Brad Pitt and requested that her maiden name be restored. This comes as a shock to many fans, who had strong hopes for reconciliation two of Hollywood’s most beautiful and well-loved people. But alas, another marriage made in Hollywood Heaven draws to a close.
It was hard to miss. Aniston’s and Pitt’s faces were plastered across tabloid magazines around the world following the announcement of their separation Jan. 7. Everyone from news stations to newspapers to “Saturday Night Live” covered the split. And yes, there was even a book written about it.
Weeks before Aniston had even filed for divorce, “Brad & Jen: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood’s Golden Couple” was on bookstands. Authors Mara Reinstein and Joey Bartolomeo had about a week to complete it. Luckily, Reinstein and Bartolomeo are senior writers at the popular gossip magazine,Us Weekly, and between the two of them have written most of the magazine’s stories about Aniston and Pitt. They felt they could write a book on the Hollywood stars “in their sleep,” and that’s basically what they did.
The best thing about this tabloid book is the price — $7. But in all honesty, that $7 should be used to buy a Starbucks coffee — at least a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Blended Crème is somewhat satisfying.
The only people who would read this book written with such large type it should be directed to second graders still reading “Goosebumps” — are those who either 1) care or 2) already read Us Weekly. The latter reason is why I chose to read “Brad & Jen,” figuring I could learn something I didn’t already know. But I was wrong. It was just a longer, repetitive summary of all the Aniston and Pitt articles published by Us Weekly in the past three months. Instead of shedding new light on the sad situation of why these two couldn’t work things out, the book just rehashed speculations already covered in the pages of tabloid magazines: Aniston’s desire for a big-screen career and Pitt’s desires for a family and Angelina Jolie. So if you’re already an Us Weekly reader, pass on this one. And if you want to read it because you actually care, still pass because once you’ve read the first 10 pages of this 200-plus page book, you’ll stop caring.
Twenty chapters cover everything from their exes, first date, wedding, friends, families, homes and final days together. The more I read, the more I felt sorry for these two people who have to share their private lives and pasts with the rest of America.
As gossip magazines reach greater popularity, books are bound to follow in their footsteps. Yet time should be spent reading books of more importance and gossip should be left to the eye-candy-filled pages of Us Weekly.

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