Bridget Jones is today's everywoman,
role model or not, and we like her like that

By Lisa Habib, CNN Interactive

If Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones's Diary" had a glossary, the terms might include: 

Singleton - 1. A single woman in her early 30s who at times is either an empowered, confident, content, feminist professional; or, 2. an insecure, self-image-loathing, job-hating, fool-acting (where men are concerned) whiner who will "end up all alone, half-eaten by an Alsatian." 

Smug Marrieds - Former Singletons whose first question to current Singletons is "Why aren't you married yet?"; also referred to as "smug, prematurely aging, narrow-minded morons" by ranting feminist friend of Bridget's. 

Competitive Childrearing - Smug Marrieds vs. other Smug Marrieds who compete in "rounds of boast and counterboast," comparing AGPAR tests and the sizes of their sons' genitals. 

F**kwit - A single man in his early 30s who acts in such a way as to provoke second-definition behavior in a Singleton. 

Emotional f**kwittage - The behavior of a f**kwit. 

If any of these terms and definitions sound familiar, you should join the legions of fans who have made Fielding's "Bridget Jones's Diary" a runaway smash in its native Britain and a bestseller in the United States. It's easy to identify with the protagonist in the fictional journal, especially if you're a Singleton like Bridget. 

The "diary" began as a newspaper column in Britain. As a book, it sold nearly a million copies there; currently it is No. 8 on the New York Times bestseller list. 

The tome recounts a year in the life of our heroine, which begins with a flirtation-turned-affair with her boss, the breakup of her parents, and commiseration with her faithful Singleton friends (a recurring event usually involving a drunken summit at their favorite restaurant). 

Throughout the year, Bridget contends with the emotional f**kwittage of the pseudo-boyfriend ("Daniel insisted on spending all afternoon with the curtains drawn, watching the cricket"); the personality change of her flighty, prissy mother ("Don't say 'what' darling, say 'pardon'"); family friends' perennial attempts to fix her up ("they kept making me walk around with trays of gerkhins ... in a desperate bid to throw me into Mark Darcy's path"); and a career change ("I don't know anything about television, but, sod it, I'm stuck in a dead end here"). 

None of which is too unusual (except for the neat ending - it is fiction, after all), which is why many women see themselves in Bridget. While she might espouse feminist ideals, she somehow is on a "permanent, doomed quest for self-improvement," as Fielding put it in a CNN interview, and can't shake the age-old need to please and attract the attentions of a man. 

Some idealists might see such a woman as a troubling role model, but who are they kidding? I mean, we really do act like that. Bridget Jones is a fair compromise between the '70s-style feminist and the '50s-era debutante - the '90s woman. 

Symbolism aside, it's Bridget's quest, obsessions and idiosyncrasies that hook you. 

She begins each day's entry by listing her weight ("130 lbs., terrifying slide into obesity"), how many cigarettes she smoked ("28, but will soon give up for Lent so might as well smoke self into disgusting smoking frenzy"), and how many calories she consumed ("998, excellent, v.g., perfect saint-style person"). 

While Bridget's weight has been translated to pounds from the British stone, there are several very British references in the novel, such as store names, celebrities and television shows. But any American ignorance of their significance doesn't detract from the enjoyable read. And context helps decipher British vocabulary: fag = cigarette, flat = apartment, mini-break = long weekend, bugger off = well, you know. 

Fielding's prose-cum-diary is full of witty phrasing and clever dialogue which at once seems realistic yet leaves the reader thinking, "Nobody I know is that witty and clever." 

Although it does have a denouement of sorts, "Bridget Jones's Diary" is such a quick and engaging read that I was left wanting more. 

Fortunately, Fielding promises more - a sequel and a screenplay are on the way. They'll be welcome; perhaps we'll find out if Bridget makes a successful transition from Singleton to Smug Married.