I'm a stay-at-home mother of two. Despite the insanity of my life, I always find time to read...it is my outlet and my passion. I also love to cook and appreciate a good glass (or bottle) of wine. If you would like to contact me, my e-mail is rnawrot@cfl.rr.com.
It has been YEARS since I've read a Sara Paretsky novel, but I've always been fond of her V.I. Warshawski series. Victoria Warshawski is a "mature" (not using the term "older" since I turned 40), hard-boiled private investigator who pursues evil-doers in my favorite town of Chicago. She is a truly likable character who has a heart of gold, will champion her causes like a dog with a bone, and will kick ass if she needs to. She surrounds herself with wonderful, quirky friends, like her protective, elderly neighbor Mr. Contreras, her young, naive niece Petra, and her rambunctious dogs. She reminds me alot of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone.
So anyway, when Lydia Hirt from Penguin Group contacted me about various review possibilities, I concentrated really hard to say "no, no thank you, I'm overwhelmed, but thanks Lydia". Then she said "Hey! I've a Sara Paretsky novel coming up" and I caved. Just like that. I was very excited to catch up with "Vic" and see what she is up to.
As usual, she is knee-deep in trouble. Concerned with the welfare of her niece's recent employment with a seedy club, she sneaks in on a night when "The Body Artist" debuts her most unusual act...to show up on stage stark naked, covered in makeup, and invite members of the audience to paint on her. Vic witnesses some strange stuff: One nasty-looking man drawing some kind of code on the Artist's backside, a young distressed Latina who paints some kind of symbol on the Artist, and a soldier from Iraq that becomes enraged as a result. When the Latina is later shot and killed outside the club, and the soldier appears to have been framed for the murder, Vic just cannot resist getting involved.
You get your money's worth with this plot. You would expect an element of the criminal underworld, because that is just the nature of the beast, but what you also get is lesbianism, the pain of having one's sexual orientation ridiculed, the politics and big business of the war in Iraq, and post traumatic stress disorder. Vic digs head first into the meat of the problem, and comes up for air holding a big nest of intertwined plot threads, ulterior motives and hidden agendas. It was more than little fun to stick my nose into the mess, and watch Vic sort it all out.
And speaking of fun, you are always in store for a little comedic relief in Paretsky's novels. We're not talking Stephanie Plum wackiness, but Vic's antics are good for a chuckle. For example, I LOVED the fact that a bad guy called Vic a "dried up old cougar" (and Vic wasn't sure if that was a complement or a slam!). In another scene, I was tickled at the vision of Vic and her entourage (her cousin, her old neighbor, two Marines and her two dogs) interrogating a person of interest, with everyone talking and barking and almost running into each other. Vic also inadvertently stops a bad guy from killing her by throwing up on the frozen pavement and the bad guy slipping on it and hitting his head. It was all highly amusing.
If you are new to this series, you shouldn't have any trouble hitting the ground running with this book. Obviously, it is impactful if you are aware of back stories and character history, but Paretsky is a master at having built colorful and distinct personalities that shine through with their actions and words. You will feel like you've just run into some old friends.
There is nothing but love for Beth Kephart in my book blog circles, and I had always wanted to make her novels a project some day. That day came for me this past spring, when I was fortunate enough to review "The Heart is Not a Size". It was a beautiful introduction to her work, and gave me a craving for more. Ask and ye shall receive, says Nicole @ Linus's Blanket, and I was offered the chance to review Beth's latest, Dangerous Neighbors.
Plot summary:
The story takes place in an amazing setting... the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial fair. 17 year-old Katherine has recently lost her twin Anna to a tragic accident. Anna was her best friend, her other half of self, and losing her has knocked Katherine's world off its axis. As Katherine relives the last summer of Anna's life in her mind, and grieving over all the mistakes she may have made in their relationship, she stumbles through the magical, transformed streets of Philadelphia wondering if she can go on living. Despite her crisis of the soul, life places a number of carefully disguised blessings in Katherine's path that will challenge her to re-evaluate the downward spiral that she has allowed her life to become.
My thoughts:
This is only my second Beth Kephart book, and therefore still do not have a good sense of her literary depth and breadth. Still, I was nearly giddy with how completely unexpected I found the plot. Similar to "The Heart is Not a Size", Beth's gentleness of spirit was very much present, as well as her pitch-perfect voice of a teenage girl. But what is this?! The Philadelphia Centennial celebration, the symbol of a world that was changing and expanding and moving forward, was an inspired choice for the setting of this story. To match this historically rich event with the tale of a girl who, more than anything, wanted to prevent change, worked brilliantly.
Beth's claim to fame is her poetic prose, and there is no shortage of it here. I like to mark memorable passages as I'm reading, but I might as well have marked the entire book. Just to give you a flavor of the writing in this book, here is a taste:
The organ doesn't sing, it exhales - filling the volume of the Main Exhibition Hall with elaborate moans and peeps. The sound works like a hand in water, sending pulse waves through the minnows below, or at least that is how Katherine, from her perch, has come to see this crowd: as scales and fins, pooling and scattering.
You will find the plot to move at a restrained pace, and the events and the dialogue to be more inward and reflective. Is this typical for the author? I'm not sure, but was a completely different tempo than "The Heart is Not a Size", and was probably another reason why I found myself so surprised. Despite the slower pace, I flew through all 165 pages of it in one sitting, and then afterwards wished I had taken more time to soak in all the beautiful words and imagery.
For die-hard Beth Kephart fans, I am about to state the obvious. While her novels are officially classified as Young Adult, they transcend the genre and would appeal to just about anyone. In other words, I would comfortably loan the book to both my mother and my 12 year-old daughter.
Beth Kephart's blog can be found here. Do yourself a huge favor and check it out...it is just as entertaining as her books!
Have you read any of Beth Kephart's novels? If so, which is your favorite?
Back in early May, I forced myself to look in the mirror and admit I had painted myself into a corner with reading commitments. Review copies, challenges, I have them coming out of my ears. I hate to fail at anything, so right then and there, I pledged that I would get caught up, and would not accept any review copies until I'd accomplished my task.
Then here comes Ms. Irene Ziegler, who sends me an e-mail "pitching a platypus". A what? Her latest book, she tells me, is a mysterary. A little of this a little of that, like a platypus. She tells me she grew up in Florida (in Deland actually, which is just north of Orlando), has Polish ancestry, and her books have very little in common with Nicholas Sparks. So obviously she did her homework, and has a hilarious sense of humor. This wasn't the half of it...you should check out her blog! Not only does she have a resume that includes novels, voiceovers and acting, this lady is a piece of work! How could I say no? You're right, I couldn't. Irene did mention she was out of actual ARCs, but still I did a double-take when her package arrived, all 400 pages on copy paper! Ack! But it didn't even matter. It was all good.
The story centers on Annie Bartlett, a girl forever damaged by her mother's suicide when Annie was a little girl. So damaged, in fact, that even as an adult, she still "sees" her mother and has two-way conversations with her. Despite this little wrinkle in her mental health, she has moved away from home, met a wonderful man, and has established a successful photography career. But when she receives word that her estranged father has been murdered, she must return to her childhood home to face a few demons, maybe at the expense of her comfortable life.
The childhood home being Deleon Florida, which, for all intents and purposes, is Ziegler's Deland. It is your typical small town full of personalities, all of them in each other's business and carrying around grudges and hidden agendas. Annie soon discovers that her father's accused murderer, his girlfriend, may actually be innocent, but nobody seems to care, including the town judge and the accused's lawyer (Annie's high school sweetheart). Add to that little pot of trouble a series of suspicious fires, Annie's older drug-addicted sex-addicted sister, unresolved guilt over Annie's feud with her father, and a growing body count.
There is something very atmospheric about small towns in Florida. If you have spent any amount of time in them, you know what I mean. They are maddening, they are charming, you hate them when you are in them, but miss them when you are not. I find myself generally smitten with authors that effectively integrate this atmosphere into their stories (which Ziegler does). Does this mean it wouldn't have the same impact if you live in Wisconsin? I don't know...I always loved stories set in New Orleans, and I don't live there. But with novels that utilize this atmosphere properly, you feel like you've been there. Ticket to anywhere. It's cool.
Ziegler has constructed a platypus, for sure. The writing is respectable, with a touch of humor that you would expect from the author, knowing what you know. There are relationship issues going in ten different directions, the protagonist is likable, there is a mystery or two, and some skulduggery. The ultimate evil-doer was impossible to guess, although the big reveal felt a little hokey. The pages turn quickly, even if they are unbound (ha!). I might have liked it if an important character had been thrown under the bus (I like that kind of moxie), but the plots weren't completely buttoned up either, which is a bonus. Do I smell a series here?
I did discover that Ziegler wrote a prequel to Ashes to Water, called Rules of the Lake. (I hate it when this happens!) However, I never felt like I was missing out on anything by not having read it. There is ample background provided on Annie and her family, enough to allow us to appreciate the nuances of the interrelationships. But I guess I know what MY next purchase is going to be...
Imagine this...your parents run a historic hotel in a historic Floridian town, and you call the hotel home. You have total run of the place! You have just started summer vacation. There are natural springs nearby where you can swim. The hotel is filled with secret tunnels and servants' stairs, an attic that is open to the elements where kudzu grows, and several really cool kids your age have come to stay at the hotel for a few weeks. There is a beautiful, mysterious girl wandering around who seems to be a runaway, who has secrets, and is just a little other-worldly. Oh, and did I mention that the hotel just happens to specialize in dollar-sized blueberry pancakes???
Sounds like the summer you've always wanted as a kid? Yeah, me too. My Floridian author friend Danette Haworth has done it again. Just like her debut novel, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck By Lightning, she has blended the perfect tale of childhood adventure, friendship and coming-of-age infatuation, along with the struggle of loneliness, relationships with your parents, and standing up for yourself. And all of it occurring in a creaky old hotel, rich with stories and rumors of ghosts! But what came as a total surprise in this novel was the element of fantasy that takes this childhood romp to the next level. I'm not going to discuss the fantasy portion of the book. I will leave that up to you to discover.
Danette and I share a love for historic old southern houses and old Florida (and American Idol!). And what I love about her books is that this passion shines through her words and stories. Live oaks, kudzu, humidity, thunderstorms, bugs, manatees, Spanish moss, night blooming jasmine...everything you need for atmosphere. She also "gets" kids too - their hopes, dreams, worries and confusion with today's pressures and distractions, but doesn't allow it to get too dark. Her books are the perfect read for the 8 to 12 year old who doesn't want to grow up too fast just yet.
I would love to thank Danette for an engaging lunch and offering me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this charming novel!
My sister got the full family allotment of the artistic gene. I can't even draw a straight line. Still, I appreciate art, and when in the midst of an inspiring personality or novel, I dream that one day I will discover my inner Picasso. (I have this same fantasy about writing as well). This is why I accepted A Painter's Life from the author months ago. I'm expanding my horizons!
I started reading this unique novel at 4am during the 24-hour read-a-thon. This probably was not the best strategy, because although the book is relatively short (143 pages), it was a bit too clever and quippy for my fogged mind. It is best read with a clear mind. So I picked it up again a couple of days later.
The structure is curious. The painter in question is Christopher Freeze, a fairly accomplished artist. At the beginning of each chapter, we are spoon fed a small piece of Freeze's biography. How he met his wife, his various mental breakdowns, his successes and failures.
Then we transition into excerpts from Freeze's diary, which is a riot. He talks about the minutiae of his life, his friends' lives, his marriage, and his struggle with his craft. Here are some examples:
I get all my best ideas in the shower, which is one of the reasons, I take so many every day (four or five at least). It means heavy hot-water bills and dry, itchy skin, but you do what you have to for a picture. It always comes first.
I am thankful for many things, but right up there near the top of the list is not knowing anyone who would think of dropping by without calling first.
I'm content to be an easel painter. Safadi once told me that if my pictures were bigger my reputation would be too. How much of one's work should be done in service to a reputation? I know it's naive to think as little as possible, but there you go.
At the end of every chapter, there are snippets of various reviews of Freeze's work, as well as some interviews with him.
I was perplexed that between these three components of each chapter, there was complete disconnect in who Freeze really was. The biography made Freeze sound like he was mental, with some serious issues in his personal life. The pieces of his diary made him seem very real and down-to-earth, with a killer sense of humor. The reviews at the end of each chapter portrayed Freeze as a brilliant, artistic genius. Perhaps this is the point of the author...we are, as humans, very multi-dimensional. What we see depends on which angle we are observing.
There is really no plot here. It begins and ends mid-stream, mid-life, mid-story. This is a snapshot of a life, delivered at a gentle, slow pace. It is the life of someone who is trying to create beauty. He was so like the guy who lives two doors down, he fueled the fantasy of mine that I too, could create something thought-provoking on a canvas. Now, I know this isn't going to happen (at least not until the kids move out and I get my little white dog), but it's pretty cool when you are allowed and inspired to dream.
So whether you have artistic talent in the real world or in your own mind, and you are tolerant of meandering, yet clever, musings, perhaps this might be something you would enjoy.
I would like to thank Kenneth Dixon for sending me his book for review, and a heart-felt apology for it taking so darned long for me to read! Kenneth also just informed me that this book was just selected as a finalist for the 2010 Eric Hoffer Fiction Award, which honors short prose and independent books. Way to go Kenneth!
I'd like to take a poll, to ask if anyone besides myself suffers from the pathological drive to over-extend myself. I seem to need to put myself through this, regardless of where I am in my life. I don't work outside the home anymore, so you'd think I was free of the disease. No, it has slithered its way into my volunteerism and my blogging, specifically with accepting review copies from publishers and authors. Weeks ago, I promised myself that I should read what I have, and accept no more additional commitments. Then I received an e-mail about "On Folly Beach". Some things must not be ignored. Who am I to fight it?
The story centers on Emmy, whose husband has recently been killed in Afghanistan. Although she can't seem to get past her grief, and at the urging of her mother, moves from Indiana to a barrier island in South Carolina called Folly Beach. She has taken her savings and purchased a family-owned bookstore in the attempt to occupy her thoughts and start over. She is immediately embraced by the family selling her the bookstore, including the happy-go-lucky and, oh by the way, handsome Heath (named after Heathcliff...this is a literary family after all!). She does not immediately bond with old Aunt Lulu, who by contract, must be allowed to continue to design and sell "bottle trees" from the back courtyard of the store.
While perusing some old family book collections looking for first editions and rare collectibles, she begins to notice mysterious notes in the margins of some of them. Seemingly, they appear to be secret messages back and forth between a man and a woman in the early 1940's. An illicit affair? Emmy begins to ask questions of Aunt Lulu, who was a little girl during that time in history, and gets more than she bargains for. The questions reopen a wound from Lulu's youth that have devastating potential.
The story goes back and forth in time, between Emmy's life in 2009, and 1942, in the middle of WWII on Folly Beach. We meet Lulu as a 9 year-old, her older sister Maggie, who is her guardian since the death of their parents and the owner of the bookstore, and their recently widowed cousin Cat. Food is rationed, blackouts enforced at night, and servicemen are enjoying the shag dancing and entertainment Folly has to offer. Maggie meets the dashing Peter, an immigrant from Poland, and falls in love. But as foreshadowed by Lulu's reticence in 2009, things don't go as planned, and end in a tragic climax at the Morris Island lighthouse.
I know that was a rather long synopsis, but I had a point to make. Look at all the highlighted words. When I was reading about the book in the e-mail from the publicist, these were really the only words I saw. The rest was just noise. How often are you offered an opportunity to review a book that literally touches on nearly every passion you have in life? Additionally, Karen White has a reputation amongst the bloggers...great writing, atmosphere, intrigue, romance. Plus she is just an all-around nice person.
My opinion? Wondering when I am going to get around to that? I loved it. It would be hard to find a book with more atmosphere. It is enough to place a book in the loving arms of a beach community in the Carolinas. (Just read Pat Conroy's Beach Music or Prince of Tides.) But adding to that an indie bookstore? The mystique of the bottle trees, an old African tradition, warding off evil spirits? Lovers' notations in the margins of Romeo & Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Around the World in 80 Days? It really doesn't get any better. It all made my heart very warm and fuzzy.
There were a a few niggling issues that I had, and to be fair, I feel I need to mention them. When I close my eyes, I cannot conjure up an image of Emmy. Her age, her hair color, her stature. Perhaps these details were all there but passed me by, I don't know. Because of this, I always felt like I was missing a puzzle piece. There were some predictable moments in the story as well. This is not necessarily a fatal flaw, but appreciate an author who will pull the rug out from under me!
The underlying message from the story, however, is one that really resonated with me, and is reflected over and over again within its pages. When you are grieving, over a lost love, a loved one who has passed, or an opportunity missed, how do you know when it has been long enough? This question is answered in this quote, spoken to Emmy by her mother:
"When you realize that love doesn't have a time span. Only pain does. I think sometimes it's hard to distinguish between the two, so we just hold on to both of them like they're inseparable."
Stay tuned for a guest post from Karen White this Thursday!
I have a penchant for true stories...memoirs, biographies, and above all else, true crime. Knowing the documented events actually occurred inspires a need to know more; to understand human frailties. Why did this happen? What sickness or deadly sin drove the crime to occur? What was the outcome? How are the families coping years later? When approached to review McCain's account of an American soldier murdered by four of his own men, I knew there was no way I could walk away from this one. This is a story that needs to be told.
When Richard Davis was reported as AWOL after he returned from Iraq on leave, his father Lanny knew something was wrong. Richard was an upstanding kid...fiercely loyal to his country and his parents. He would never shirk his responsibilities as a son and a soldier. So Lanny began to search for him, and assumed as a retired military officer himself, he would find help from his brotherhood. He was wrong. He was faced with a total lack of cooperation from the highest ranking officers on down. Calls were not returned, stalling and intimidation tactics were used, so it took months before Richard's body was actually found, brutally stabbed and burned in a wooded area outside Fort Benning, GA. A crime of intense hate.
What unfolds from thereon is a twisted, shocking story of a young man, Richard Davis, bullied by a gang of his fellow soldiers with a history of violence, depression and attempted suicide. A story of previously unstable soldiers under additional pressure, with shortages of food and water, exposed to superiors committing unforgivable war crimes. Yet none of these issues were addressed. Even when the murder was being investigated, the members of Baker Company were so terrified to tell the truth, they instead wrote an anonymous letter simply signed "Men of Baker Company". Throughout the story, one starts to get the sick feeling that there is alot of dirty little secrets that the military would like to keep to themselves, and would go to lengths to keep it that way.
The final nail in the hearts of Richard Davis' parents is threefold. First, the ringleader of the four murderers plea-bargained and received a much lesser sentence. Second, after all of the political maneuvering and legal protection of the plea-bargainer, they never really got any answers to WHY their son was brutally murdered. And third, they had to fight to get their son's remains released for burial long after the trial concluded. The injustice never ended for them.
It is interesting to note that this story caught the attention of writer/director Paul Haggis, who used elements of the Davis case to film the Oscar-nominated movie In the Valley of Elah.
My husband likes to hear about stories like this and play devil's advocate. He always asks if we have gotten the entire story. Is it politically slanted? In this instance, I'd say McCain has her facts pretty buttoned up. There were many military officials that refused to be interviewed, but despite this, McCain attempts to question all angles and back up statements with documents and corroborative evidence.
The writing is also very smooth and easy to read. The only thing that would stop you from finishing this book in a few days would just be the topic, which can inspire some pretty terrifying emotions in a reader. In the chapter covering the actual trial, when you hear about the acts committed against Davis, you may need to put the book down for a bit. It is more than even a hardened, true crime junkie like me can take. As the mother of a son, I can barely stomach the idea of someone's child suffering like this.
I would like to thank Jaime from Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the opportunity to review this phenomenal book!
As some of you know, I have a good friend who owns a wine store. It's a most excellent wine store, that also carries exotic beer and imported cheeses. He even has a small library of wine-related movies that he loans out to his customers. Somewhere along the line, I had this bright idea that I would get my hands on some wine-related books that he could loan out as well, and started it off with a Christmas gift of Peter Mayle's new book "A Vintage Caper". So when I was offered an opportunity to read "Home is Where the Wine Is" for the TLC Blog Tour, I jumped! Maybe it would be a good candidate for my friend's current one-book wine library.
Turns out, this book really doesn't have much to do with wine, except that the author/main character of the books likes to drink it, especially during stressful moments. Instead, I think this would be the perfect book for my single, friend from high school Kim (through whom I live vicariously). I think she could relate well to the author's trials and tribulations.
This is the diary/memoir of a thirty-something writer, divorced with cats, lover of wine and beer, avid knitter, who is searching for her place in life. She has decided that enough time has passed since her divorce, and it is time to get her act together. She makes a list of New Year's resolutions, eight to be exact, then, with a chapter dedicated to each one, tells us how she fared. She takes a trip to Rome by herself, and grows some monster-sized zucchinis in her backyard. Success! She also crashed and burned at meditation, therapy, riding an elliptical machine, bikini waxing and online dating.
When you first meet Laurie, you automatically know her. She is your hapless but earnest best friend, who tells a great story, makes you laugh, and has a heart of gold. She is cards-on-the-table honest about her foibles, and truly wants to fix them. The journey to fix the foibles is what will make you laugh out loud. You will also appreciate her pearls of wisdom, whether it be about merits of people-watching at the gym or about not always having to please everyone else at the expense of yourself.
Laurie's first book "Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair" was released in 2007, not long after her divorce. Based on an interview of Laurie on YouTube, she wrote this tell-all memoir to comfort other divorced women, and let them know that if they found themselves drunk-dialing friends, wearing the same clothes two days in a row, or running out of a grocery store to avoid talking to someone they knew, they weren't alone.
Laurie also has a blog (where she calls herself Crazy Aunt Purl) which is full of her bubbly, self-deprecating wit.
You don't have to be single or a wine-lover to enjoy this book, but it will hit closer to home if you are. You also don't have to be a knitter to enjoy this book, but Laurie includes a little bonus at the end of the book with some projects. For a fun, quick diversion from the serious stuff, pour yourself a glass of red and give this book a try.
Now here is the exciting part...Laurie's publisher has generously offered five copies of her book for giveaways (US/Canada only). Simply let me know you are interested, with your e-mail address, by Monday 2/15 at midnight, and I will choose five winners.
Stay tuned for a little chit-chat with Laurie this coming Thursday!
A couple of months ago, I was contacted by Amy at Phenix & Phenix about the opportunity to review "When Teachers Talk". I was intrigued by its premise...that the book uncovers the real reason for the dismal state of the public school systems in America. Our schools are so bad in Orlando, my husband and I have opted to enroll our children in a private school. There are hundreds of theories on the underlying issues, and I was interested to hear another.
Schnall's claim is that the primary reason for the decline in public schools is abusive principals. She has interviewed 500 teachers, primarily from the Chicago area, and has transcribed these interviews, word for word, without edits, placing the topics in various categories...teacher's health affected, teacher attrition, unbelievable abuses, etc. This is dense information - over 500 pages worth. Pages and pages of teachers, varying in tenure, having their day in court, so to speak. Tales of power-hungry principals, asking teachers to falsify answers on standardized tests, covering up crimes that occur within the school walls, destroying teachers' classroom projects, and demeaning the teachers in front of other staff and students. As a result, children are not receiving quality schooling because of these distractions.
I experienced several different emotions while reading this book. First, I would like to validate the book's message. Yes there are issues here - ones we've all heard about in the news. The danger of standardized testing and linking principal compensation and school grants with the results of these tests. The absence of checks and balances. Poorly compensated teachers. The list goes on.
I believe, however, it is an over-simplification to blame it all on the bad boss. Because let's face it. There are bad bosses out there. In corporate America, where I worked until a handful of years ago, there were 10 bad bosses to 1 good one. Bosses that asked you to do things that were not only uncomfortable, but sometimes downright illegal. Bosses that were high on a power trip. Bosses that demeaned you in front of others, spread rumors, harassed, maligned and bullied. If you ever ask me why I quit my job, I'll give you an earful. It is not unique to the school systems, it is everywhere. This, folks, is the human condition. The unfortunate consequences of this condition, as it applies to schools, however, is that it does affect our children.
The book is chock-full of horror stories, but stories that are fraught with spelling and grammatical errors. Ones that often are not clearly-defined, but rantings and ravings of people on the edge. It is pretty intense, and must be read in small doses.
Missing from the interviews are the students and the principals' perspectives. There are always two sides to a story. How can one really get to crux of the complaints without it? How do we know if the teachers were meeting performance expectations, had attitude problems, or if they were exaggerating? I had plenty of experience with problem employees, ones that did not perform, made repeated errors, and led what I liked to call the "bad attitude club". If you would have interviewed them at any given point, you would have thought I was the Wicked Witch of the West, if I were not allowed to offer my side of the story.
I'm not saying that I don't believe the teachers' stories. But I think to provide validity to the argument, we need to hear from everyone.
Schnall has collected a tremendous amount of data that would serve well on a larger study. There is obviously a pervasive issue here, and we've only seen the tip of the iceberg. After reading this book, I discussed it with my husband and had hours of compelling discussion on the topic. There are no easy answers, but I applaud the author for this monumental undertaking.
When Lisa @ Books on the Brain contacted me and offered me the opportunity to review this book for a TLC Book Tour, I didn't hesitate. While this is not the type of book I normally read, I do have a daughter who is about to turn 12. I'm entering scary territory here people! She and I had the period talk a couple of years ago, and that, by itself was wrought with angst. My daughter is a worrier, so I had to convince her, at least fifty times, that she wasn't going to die from the pain, and arrange a secret code word that she could whisper to me over the school phone if she ever had a period emergency.
But then the school chose, this past summer, to send out Catholic-sanctioned booklets about sex to the parents of all the upcoming sixth graders. The intent was that the parents read the info, then discuss it with their kids. Now you know, and I know, that there are parents who, rather than have the difficult discussion, simply handed the booklets to their kids and told them to have at it. So essentially the cat was out of the bag, and therefore forced my hand. And this is a slippery slope. You talk about sex, then you have to talk about reproduction, disease, peer pressure, the whole bit.
The Body Scoop for Girls was a breath of fresh air. Written by an OB-Gyn that specializes in adolescents, this lady is hip and current. She wears leopard-print skirts and strappy heels. She gives her patients lattes and fuzzy robes! I want to go there! She also, in concise, no-nonsense language, tells is like it is to a generation of girls who are growing up under a different set of circumstances than we did.
All the bases are covered. She covers the basics, such as breast development, periods, body hair and changes in the appearance of the body. But she also addresses waxing and grooming, piercing, excessive cramping, infections, breast exams, drugs, alcohol and smoking, the importance of eating healthy and about body image. But the heavy stuff? A good third of the book is dedicated to sex. A list of reasons to wait until you are 18. Safe sex, the dangers of oral sex, how to talk to your boyfriend about your decisions, birth control A to Z, and STIs. No stone is left unturned. Yes, it is all bound to curl our hair as parents, but I don't think we can hide our heads in the sand. There is too much at risk.
The book is written as if Dr. Ashton is speaking directly to the teen. Will a teen really read it? Perhaps not the entire thing, because there is alot of information here to digest at once. But the language is not preachy and not overly technical, so it would be easy enough for a 14 or 15 year old to comprehend. Practically, I think the book is perfect for a parent to read, and armed with the facts, speak with their daughter about the topics that are applicable. Maybe even have them read a chapter and then talk about it afterwards.
One particular aspect of the book that demonstrates Dr. Ashton's progressive attitude is that she answers questions as they pertain to those girls who are lesbians. Nobody is left out in the cold with Dr. Ashton.
I'd like to thank Lisa and Beth at Avery for the opportunity to review this book, and keep as a very important reference and guide to get me through the minefield of the teenage years.
Have you ever spent time with a parent, grandparent or elderly friend, and were amazed by their stories of the past, the lessons they've learned throughout their long life, and the pearls of wisdom they are happy to share with you? When I think back of all the times I hung out with my grandmothers as a child, while they talked on and on and on about any topic (gardening, baking, life as a young wife, tricks to scraping by with little money, the antics of my grandfather), I just wish I could bottle it and give it as a gift to my kids. This is exactly what inspired Roger Emerson Fishman to write this book.
Roger was extremely close with his grandfather. In fact, Roger even wears the same style of glasses that his grandfather wore. Sadly, Roger's grandfather passed when he was 11 years old, and his father passed two years later, with all those precious tidbits of knowledge gone with them. So when Roger had a son of his own with wife Courtney Thorne-Smith, he decided he needed to leave a legacy for him when he grew older. What better way than to capture a spectrum of truths from 100 year olds and from 10 year olds from all over the country. Obviously, anyone who has lived a century has seen it all, and has things to teach us. But those 10 year olds have got alot on their mind as well (I have one that is always trying to impart his opinions on me). The end result was this precious collection that will make you smile, and make you ponder life, no matter what your age.
Roger organizes his book into 10 categories: Believing in Yourself, Integrity, Friendship, Parenting, The Joy of Giving, Preparing for Life, Personal Choice, Perseverance, Change and Longevity. He highlights a special 100 year old for each chapter...the assistant to Harry Houdini, a Major League Baseball player, an Activist, an entrepreneur.
"Work harder than everybody else. When your mother sends you to the store, don't walk - run! I ran everywhere...most of the time with older boys chasing me. I ran so much I developed speed and became a base-stealer in the big leagues. If you're always practicing more than anyone else, you'll always be a step ahead."
Then we get a few words of wisdom from 10-year-olds in each category. Their logic is innocent and simple, but often are words to live by.
"The best way to make a great friend is to pick out your best lunch snack and share it with him."
Roger's voice is extremely pleasant. He's down-to-earth, sincere, and passionate about his mission. His love for his family, his wife and son Jack, are palpable and radiate off the page. This is the perfect book to keep around the house for an attitude adjustment, or as a gift.
The great news is that the author has agreed to offer a signed copy to one of my readers. Just leave a comment with your e-mail address...if you are a follower, you will be entered twice...by next Wednesday, January 20th. I will announce the winner on January 21st. My thanks go out to the author, Roger, and his colleague Joe, for the opportunity to review this treasure of a book. I will leave you with the book trailer, which will give you a better sense of its Zen spirit:
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