The Go-Girl Guide : Surviving Your 20s with Savvy, Soul, and Style
by JuliaBourland
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Paperback (01 June, 2000)
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Reviews (53)

Sandy Vong
I really like this book.I read this book more than 3 times and each time I read it, I get something different out of it.My first time reading this book, I thought there is just a lot of common senses.Then I read it again when I moved out and discover more to this book, whenever I get lost, this book reminds me that it is all about life's ups and downs.I can't wait for her next book to come out.

true to the modern girl
as a newly single 25 yr old in a quarter-life crisis with a dead end job, i found this book is at the very least comforting.it's good to know that your 20s are meant to be hard.but then again that's something everyone 30+ already tells me.in any case, i really enjoyed this book because it covers EVERYTHING for a girl in her 20s.the only problem i had was that the author continually relied on advice and comments from other 20 somethings.how could someone in their 20s experiencing the same things i'm experiencing disburse thought-provoking, objective wisdom?after all, that 23 year old named Mary from San Francisco probably won't follow her own advice to travel to Rwanda and fight genocide, but rather buckle under the societal pressure to be a 30 yr old wife and mother.

very practical and applicable suggestions - worth reading
The Go-Girl Guide is an excellent book to turn to in times of emotional what-to-do what-to-do crisis.Why?Because the advice here is specific enough to follow and therefore help you focus on doing something.

As opposed to many self help books which offer general advice, the advice in The Go-Girl Guide is specific and can be acted on now.And you don't have to know where you want to go.The advice for that is on how to try new things and get the most from internships - a kind of career sampler.

For example what I'm most interested in right about now is career. Bourland's discussion of things to think about when you are considering careers is very nicely balanced and includes some good suggestions that wouldn't necessarily just occur to someone in my demographic.For example she advises contacting an older woman in the prospective field and interviewing her about her career.The questions she suggests are wise and include ones dealing with balancing work and family which isn't something the average career orient 20 something woman thinks hard about.

One big flaw with The Go-Girl Guide is the very heavy focus on sex (and the author's tendency to define herself in terms of her present boyfriend).There is so much focus on sex.For example the chapter I liked so much and discussed above is 16 pages long, while the chapter on having an orgasm is 18 pages long.There is also a discussion of one-night-stands and other advice that maybe isn't the best plan for every girl in her 20's.Four of fourteen chapters are dedicated to dating and sex.Advice about boys isn't a bad thing, but the advice isn't coming from the best person.I skimmed over the dating sections, because elsewhere in the book Bourland has a tendency to refer to her present boyfriend WAY TOO MUCH.Being in love is great and all but it is so important to be sovereign and I get the feeling that she isn't.Probably it is a personal weakness of the author to define herself in terms of men and only to see it later.In fact she expresses sadness over past failed relationships.

The advice put forward in Go-Girl Guide is either very practical and helpful in that it can be put into action immediately, or it is about boys and not such good advice because it comes from an insecure person.The book is definitely worth getting and taking advice from.Just ignore the advice about boys.And as for sex advice, you are on the internet aren't you? ... Read more

Isbn: 0809224763
Sales Rank: 16318
Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. Diet / Health / Fitness    3. General    4. Life skills guides    5. Personal Growth - Success    6. Self-Help    7. Single women    8. Women's Health - General    9. Young women    10. Self-Help / General   

The Bad Girl's Guide to Getting What You Want
by Cameron Tuttle, Susannah Bettag
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Deep down, every woman wants to be a Bad Girl. But after living a life of sweetness and light, it's sometimes difficult to stray from the path. Cameron Tuttle (author of the riotously funny Bad Girl's Guide to the Open Road) points the way in The Bad Girl's Guide to Getting What You Want. Tuttle offers up tips to help even the saintliest soul find her inner Bad Girl--and then use that power to get better dates (date yourself for a while first, until you're ready to dive in the dating pool); a better job (don't just settle for job satisfaction, aim for "job jubilation, job nirvana, job titillation"); and better parking (pray to Gladys, the universal parking goddess). With its sassy, iced-lavender cover--just the right size to slip into your purse--the Guide is jam-packed with practical and not-so-practical-but-funny advice, including excellent answers to one of life's most pressing questions: What do you do with old bridesmaid dresses? "Drench with ketchup and dress up as Carrie for Halloween"; "Sew into board bags for your snowboard and surfboard"; and, best of all, "Make your bridesmaids wear them in your wedding." Remember: it's great to be a girl, but it's even better to be a Bad Girl. --Sunny "Bad Girl" Delaney ... Read more

Reviews (73)

I got genital herpes after reading this book
Well, the subject of my review is a lie, but I do think that this book focuses too much on sex.What this book is really about is power.However, are you a powerful woman if you sleep with every Tom, Dick, and Harry?

Other than that, there are some great tips in here, but don't take everything seriously.My favorite parts (which YES I have actually used) are getting free drinks, getting a date by just going up to someone and kissing them.(That was after those free drinks, though.)The one that I haven't used but would like to is to act like a diva during a job interview.It sounds fun.Anyways ladies, bottom line is that this is a great GRRRRLL POWER book, but don't take everything seriously.

Loved it
I adored this book! I passed it around to all of my friends and the all enjoyed it immensely. Great writing, very funny. Worth my time,worth yours.

There's a hour of my life I can't get back.
I wasn't expecting "Catcher in the Rye", just a few laughs.I was very disappointed.It wasn't funny at all.Keep your money, but if you really want to buy it, buy mine. ... Read more

Isbn: 0811828964
Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. General    3. Life skills guides    4. Miscellanea    5. Personal Growth - Success    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Women   

Three Black Skirts : All You Need To Survive
by Anna Johnson
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 2000)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $10.46
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Reviews (72)

Fabulous!
I love the humorous & light hearted way in which this book was written. It's very informative & is perfect for those in their twenties who are just starting out. It gives you advice on everything from the light hearted to the very serious. What would I do without this book?

Doesn't live up to expectations
After reading the reviews that others left, I excitedly ordered this book & then impatiently waited for it to arrive.I dug in as soon as I got the package opened, but I was sorely disappointed when I read through it.To me, it was a very shallow book with very little of substance to it.I was looking for something that would truly be helpful to me in choosing clothing for my job, in getting relationship advice, in knowing how to be a success in my 20's........all I can say is that I am disappointed in myself for believing the reviews--that these things could be found in this book.I'd recommend checking it out of your local public library for free before buying it.That way, if you end up not liking it, you won't have wasted money on it like I did.

The most beloved book of a bookworm
I was given this book in my last year of college, which is exactly when I needed it most. She's wise, and funny, and gave me hope that my wildly out of control life could be calm and interesting and together.. mostly by giving me the advice that I needed to get going. It's been a couple of years, and I'm considering ordering the book in bulk for christmas presents. It might keep my sister from stealing mine. Having this is a lot like having a fascinating friend who's just lived through her twenties, and gives funny advice about it. She taught me how to unplug a drain, what should be in my toolbox (and reminded me to get hands on about decorating, instead of just shopping) got me started on a great wardrobe (which was really helpful when I started my career), showed me that even really disorganized people can get their finances together.. and work life, social life & even love life. In most ways, she's obviously not trying to write an exhaustive manual, and will tell you how to find really good books that do focus on one topic, such as Suze Orman's great books on finances. However, some of the advice she gives can't be found in any other books I've read. The advice on friendship, and learning to live happily on your own is obviously hard won, and she handles both with the care and thoughtfulness they each deserve. Give this as a gift to your favorite young woman, especially if that's yourself. ... Read more

Isbn: 0761119396
Sales Rank: 71549
Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. General    3. Life skills guides    4. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    5. Psychology    6. Self-Help    7. Self-esteem in women    8. Women    9. Self-Help / Self-Esteem   

Chic & Slim Encore: More About How French Women Dress Chic Stay Slim -- and How You Can Too!
by Anne Barone
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Paperback (September, 2000)
list price: $15.95
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Reviews (21)

The best of the Chic and Slim books!
My dears skip the first 2...this is really the only one you need!Okay in fairness I skipped the second one but if it had any of this info before (which a lot of people say it does) then its not worth it.Anne has some good advice, but her books do tend to repeat and overlap.However for those who JUST want Dieting tips I suggest the Original (first) Chic & Slim.Chic and Slim Encore is well just that: Dieting PLUS!In Chic and Slim Encore you'll find tips on food/exercise, style/fashion, love, life, career, etc...

As said in my review of the first Chic & Slim I think Anne goes a bit overboard but I dont think that means these books are worthless.She does tend to be a bit harsh towards American culture but I think it really gives us Americans an idea of our culture...even if some of it was meant insulting I found some of it inspiring.Like when speaking about how Americans always speak their minds and such...I found some pride in that :p but I am a bossy Gemini so eh!

She also does kinda take credit for bringing this system to us by coining it 'Le system Barone' which well I dont find fair.She may have brought it here but its the old French Culture's system...not hers.As a recent slate.com article pointed out most French dont even follow half this stuff (I havent read the 'French women dont get fat' book yet but they do have a lot of the same ideas from what Ive read and heard) anymore and both Anne and Mirelle havent been to France in quite awhile...

*Anyways* just because this is the *old* system doesnt make it bad...its good stuff!Well most of it...and whether a lot of French women ever followed all this or not is beyond me but some stuff does seem a bit far fetched.To simplify it I'll go by sections:

La Culture: Makes sense...She probably is a bit exagerrating on both American and French part but the whole purtanisim thing makes sense...

La'art De Femme: This one was iffy.I dont think women should always have to act like Women stereotypes to get ahead in life.Sure if a woman is walking around in golf clothes with a butch haircut screaming her hate of men she probably isnt going to get far in a male society...but thats quite a difference from most American women, and thats why I dont think the whole 'girly girl' thing is well right.I'd take this chapter with a grain of salt.Whether French women are like that or not or get ahead for it or not I dont know, but I dont think its fair to either sex!I also find the whole Child advice a bit far fetched...However there is good advice about clothing and loving yourself...so its worth a read!

Le Chic: Again some of it may be a bit far fetched or UnAmerican Adaptable but an okay chapter...

La Cuisine: Has a LOT of good points on 'franken foods'.If your gonna complain about the book at least give this chapter some credit!Made me read my bread...and I found Anne was right about the hidden sugar!

Le Shopping and La Deco: Has some good points but seems a bit unadaptable...Her thoughts on Chuck E Cheese were funny though not meant to be!Sorry I had to throw that in, any mother or teen raised on CEC will find it funny too :p!

L'Amour, La Vie, Weight: This goes back to my earlier complaint about acting 'girly girly'.I have a lot of problems with this chapter.Okay the sports mentality is a good note...thats something Americans reaallly do and can do with out.But the affairs advice, the giving in to your partner, the basically being a 1950's StepFord woman...I dont agree with a LOT of that!Yes you can be a Feminist and still a Female but you dont have to manipulate men to do it!

The rest of the book is some words of encouragement, recipes, and resources.Not to bad.Honestly if your smart enough to find the good advice in some of these outlandish claims/stories/rants well then you can still get the book without much trouble.Even though I had the above mentioned problems I still did get a lot out of it: Learning to take care of myself a little better, not be so competitive in relationships, and eat a little more carefully.Its helped me in my weight loss goals so mission accomplished I guess!

As for hating Anne for her Bush comments well I missed all that.Ive only had contact with her once, my books got lost in shipping and she very polietly sent me another pair and autographed them.She was sweet to me and thats all I can say!I dont agree with her apparent Bush rants...Im not a Bush lover (in fact quite the oppiosite) but I dont see that as chic or kind or well any good at all!However if you just want to learn a few good tips then overlook that, buy the book, and make your own opinions on it.

too disappointing
This book reveals nothing new for those who have read her first book. There is no research; it all comes from Barone's own experience. There is no indication of the last time she was in France though it all has a dated feel. Give it a miss and check out Entre Nous: A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl by Debra Ollivier instead. Much better!

Merci Anne!
A few years ago, while vacationing in the Bahama's I observed a table of two French women eating lunch. They were both very slim, tres chic, and obviously not counting calories. Each woman had a full glass of red wine, some rich looking cheeses, a few crackers and a small assortment of other goodies. I couldn't help but wonder HOW they managed to remain so slim eating THAT. I was righteously nibbling on 1/2 bagel with a tad of fat (cream cheese) and some turkey protein thrown in. Yet I had at least ten pounds (ok 20)to lose. As a child I had lived in France and can still remember the delicious croissants, mouth watering chocolates, hearty breads, and rich cheeses the French ate so frequently. How did the women stay so slim? I had also noticed that the majority of them managed to look like a million dollars though I knew many of them were on tiny budgets. How did they do it? Then I came across Anne Barone's book at Amazon! Mais Oui! What a pleasure! I savored every morsel of Anne's delicious book, "Chic & Slim Encore". In the book Anne truly reveals how so many French women come across as attractive, chic, slim, in control, and poised regardless of the physical features nature gave them. She explains how you can eat rich, fatty, (forbidden) foods and remain tiny and terrific! What to look for in clothing so you always dress rich regardless of your pocketbook. How our feminity can be enhanced and appreciated if we so desire. The book embraces many aspects of the French culture and teaches aspects of the French lifestyle that we can use to enhance our lives. You learn how to simplify your life by aiming for quality not quantity. Moderation not accumulation. Buying the best you can afford in small amounts and forgetting the rest. Simple steps you can integrate into an active lifestyle to increase delight in the everyday! The book is a wonderful resource for enjoying and living the good life! Merci Anne! ... Read more

Isbn: 0965894355
Sales Rank: 89170
Subjects:  1. Beauty, Personal    2. Diets - Weight Loss    3. Fitness    4. France    5. Health    6. Health & Fitness    7. Health & Fitness / Beauty & Grooming    8. Health & Fitness / Diets    9. Miscellanea    10. Reducing    11. Self-help    12. Social life and customs    13. Weight loss   

The Art of Growing Up : Simple Ways to Be Yourself at Last
by VERONIQUE VIENNE, JEANNE LIPSEY
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (10 October, 2000)
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Editorial Review

As the old hair-coloring commercials used to say, you're not gettingolder, you're getting better. In this sophisticated little picture book,Véronique Vienne, bestselling author of (The Art of Doing Nothing andThe Art of Imperfection)and a feature writer for magazines such as Martha Stewart Living andRedbook, contends that growing up doesn't simply mean you're not gettingyounger anymore; it means you're finally at the point in life where the real funbegins. After all, Julia Child didn't write her first bestselling cookbook untilshe was 49, Harry Truman wasn't elected to national office until he was 50, andPaul Cezanne didn't have a major exhibit of his paintings until he was 65. The"second part of your life is second to none," she writes, and the best is yet tocome.

In 10 essays complemented by 25 duotone photographs, Vienne advises us to beginanew by throwing away old things ("outgrowing is part of growing up"), lettinggo of what's become obsolete, and reinventing adulthood ("become the kind ofgrown-up who makes young people wish they were pushing 40, 50 or even 60"). Inshort, get comfortable in your skin, with your intelligence, with your soul. Themessage is: growing up has little do with age--and everything to do with makingyour life easier, happier, and more fun. No doubt, this savvy little gift bookwill get lucky recipients on the right track. --Nancy Monson ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Gentle, Playful, and Poetic
When I first picked-up *The Art of Growing Up*, I randomly opened it and the first line my eyes fell on said "Decide once and for all never to apologize for your age". I knew then that I was going to like this book.

A small and elegant little tome filled with gentle and playful reminders that there is poetry in ageing if only we use the wisdom of our years to accept it, as well as dance with it. The more we fret over the years we rack up, the harder we make things on ourselves. Just because you are a woman of a...ahem....certain age...doesn't mean you can no longer embrace whimsy, swathe yourself in color, seek out adventure, or dream big dreams. It is a time to write your own myths, savor your gifts, revel in your mysteries, and stop dwelling on clich?s.

This book is sprinkled generously with lovely black and white photographs that include women of all ages and contains ten chapters all beginning with "The Art of....". Each chapter ends with a list, which thrills a consummate, and sometimes rather obsessive, list-maker like myself. A couple of my favorite lines are: "Use long words around short people. Teach a five-year-old to say 'facetious'" and "Be the designated observer of both grief and wonder".

This would make an excellent gift for women friends, even those still in their twenties - give them a taste of what they have to look forward to rather than dread.

To age gracefully
I found this to be a wonderful book.It's refreshing to hear someone express how age is beautiful and how we should embrace it rather than hide from it. I was dreading age before I read this book. Now, I look forward to the knowledge life has to offer me.I want the wisdom that comes from experience.I want to be able to have wrinkles from laughing as an emblem from when I enjoyed so many moments. What I like most about this book is just Veronique's unique perspective.It's looking more at the good in life, rather than focusing on the bad. She foundexquisiteness in age.

Encouraging!!!
As so many other young women, I dread growing old and losing IT (if I have it, otherwise losing the possibility of ever getting IT). However, after reading this book I felt much calmer on the subject. The author speaks to the reader like a friend, and teaches that there are many ages in a woman's life, where different styles and attitudes are appropriate. Old can be chic! Young does not necessarily equal chic! ... Read more

Isbn: 0609607391
Subjects:  1. Adulthood    2. Aging    3. General    4. Personal Growth - Happiness    5. Psychological aspects    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Self-Help / Happiness   

The New Girls
by Beth Gutcheon
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (19 June, 1996)
list price: $13.00 -- our price: $9.75
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Reviews (18)

Muffin is Marvelous!
Every spare minute I've had in the past month, I've spent with my nose glued to this coming of age tale.I identified with all five characters and found enjoyment in reading about their challenges in transition from adolescence to adulthood. Especially Muffin, who seemed to be the most developed character out of the five girls, whom I most identified with. I was shocked to find out who she married!I did find the writers style to be somewhat confusing as I had minor issues recalling the details of all five characters lives. If the author would have developed each character more and the book would have been a little longer, it would have been a much easier read.

Early effort
After being intensely moved by this author's novel More Than You Know, I was gleeful.Aha, a new writer to enjoy!I decided to work my way through her earlier books and started with this one. I think it is her first novel.It feels like one, semi-autobiographical and ridden with remembered angst.Incidents are brought up and then dropped, leaving the reader with a sense of frustration.If I had read this book first, I don't think I would have guessed what a truly fine writer she later turned out to be.

Enjoyable book
Entertaining read if flawed.It's chief problem is that it throws it's net too wide - by attempting to cover the formative years of 5 girls in only 347 pages, I finished the novel feeling as though I really didn't know any of them too well.One example:One of the girls, Lisa, suffers from anorexia during her first year at the school.The author goes into adequate detail explaining how Lisa suffered from the disease, but little else.By the Lisa's second year, she has recovered and is no longer anorexic.But the author never tells us how Lisa is able to recover.

Some storylines are quite lovely; I am particularly fond of one involving one of the girls, Jenny, who has a brief affair with her teacher.In describing Jenny's feelings, and the teacher's subsequent restraint, the passages are wistful, painful, and wildly romantic.I also enjoyed the descriptions of beach vacations, social dances, and stealing into the woods for cigarettes that are woven through the book.On those occasions, it's a lovely portrayal into the upper-class life of boarding school girls during the sixties.However, if you're looking for a book describing the interplay of the lives of these girls with the outside world at the time (such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War) you won't get much of it here. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060977027
Sales Rank: 167390
Subjects:  1. Bildungsromane    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. General    5. New England    6. Popular American Fiction    7. Preparatory schools    8. Teenage girls    9. Fiction / General   

Simple Abundance:A Daybook of Comfort and Joy
by Sarah Ban Breathnach
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (15 November, 1995)
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Editorial Review

This book features 366 essays penned from a woman's perspective. Sample topics include gratitude, harmony, self-nurturing, positive body image, the importance of scented linen closets, and many others. Each essay sports a pithy quote from (surprise!) the likes of Kahlil Gibran. Viewed uncritically, it's hard to argue with Simple Abundance's earnest admonitions to appreciate life, in all its messy imperfect excellence. And the fact that serenity and happiness are each in dreadfully short supply can excuse some of the treacly writing. But Breathnach sometimes lapses into what can only be described as her "Martha Stewart on Prozac" voice, and the results are aggravating to the extreme: "If you've been hesitant to strike up a reciprocal relationship with your guardian angel, don't be." Fans of guardian angels will greet these feel-good essays every morning with the rising sun, a cup of mint tea, and a bluebird chirping on the windowsill, and be happy. Skeptics will prefer their coffee very black. ... Read more

Reviews (153)

A good book, but overall, a mixed bag
I came across this book in a senior citizen lending library, and with some reservation, decided to take it home.As someone interested in psychology, personal growth, and like topics, I'd come across too many books that offered an abundance of information and wisdom, but whose authors could not seem to contain the urge to presume things about their audiences.

Generally, the book provides a kind of public service to those who are seeking respite from the rat race and to honor themselves.The cover design is very attractive--both feminine and evocative of the mood the author is attempting to create.The volume is also well-organized, and well-written.These are my compliments, which don't leave much room for criticism, but in the interest of--well, growth, I thought I'd offer the following remarks:

1.The text print is too small, and there are many redundancies in it (forgive me for not providing examples);

2.As indicated above, there is a tendency among these types of authors, perhaps a built-in hazard, but unacceptable nonetheless, to patronize and demean the reader with assumptions about their character and behavior.An example of this would be the sentence that starts off with, "We hate to..."While I realize and appreciate the universality of some things, it is simply not fair to lump everyone together. Certainly there's no value in helping to create peace in another person's life, only to talk to them and about them in ways that drove them to seek comfort in the first place.

3.The author seems to have swung too far on the pendulum from angry, resentful, and the like, to where she is now.Her presentation and self-effacing remarks seem a bit Goody-Two-Shoes-esque at times, leaving me with the concern that people of her ilk are expecting their readers to exhibit this excessive humility, as if personal growth can only be defined in this respect.Ditto for her references to her husband and daughter--let's not lay it on thick.

4.Perhaps I'm not connected to other outlets, but it appears as if the New Age and Jewish communities in America have the market cornered on this genre, leaving people who are conservative, mainstream, and the like feeling a little lonely in this narrowly-defined galaxy and wishing for references, examples, quotes, etc. from sources other than the fringe, people with funny-sounding names, or other aspects associated with these groups.The author herself is Jewish so perhaps this is why.Still, there must be non-Jewish success stories out there, and non-Jewish wisdom.

A good book, but overall, a mixed bag.

Seeing all possible streams of abundance
A nifty, wise, and eloquent daybook of life's precious and priceless forms of prosperity. Simple Abundance is a collection of how life can be seen from a state of gratitude that tunes us into an abundant flow for opportunities. Told in a stroytelling prose that reflects daily life and how to open one's eyes to the wealth we have already.

when writers push too hard
I first read this book when it came out in 1995.I remember enjoying it thoroughly then, and decided to flip through it the other night.

There are certainly pages that make for cheery light reading, which is what I was looking for.A little perk me up, I suppose.Unfortunately, I came across the phrase 'the sacred soulcraft of homecaring'.Gag.How long and hard did she think to come up with that one?I now feel like putting this one in my library donation pile. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446519138
Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. General    3. Meditation    4. Meditations    5. Motivational & Inspirational    6. Personal Growth - Happiness    7. Psychology    8. Religious life    9. Self-Help    10. Self-realization    11. Women    12. Self-Help / Motivational    13. Reading Group Guide   

Women of Courage: Inspiring Stories from the Women Who Lived Them
by Katherine Martin
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (September, 1999)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
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Reviews (23)

Collection filled with feminine fire
Katherine Martin has compiled a detailed collection of feminine courage and real-life stories of going beyond one's comfort zone.

An inspirational feminist guide for young girls and women. Wonderful resources to finding a personal or impersonal mentor.

Women role models
Katherine Martin's collection of stories reminds me that every woman, young and old, has natural talents and abilities to bring about supernatural results. A wonderful book that is sure to inspire readers to help make the world a better place.

Women of Courage will inspire you!
41 women are featured in this thought-provoking book: some have names we recognize immediately from politics, medicine, spirituality & literature. Some for their derring-do & some for their expressions of inspiration. Some have made no headlines as they work with our homeless citizens or live with HIV, poverty or teach welfare mothers. One filmed documentaries in dangerous poltiical places. Another survived imprisonment at the hands of rebel bandits in a little known nation only to go to work, upon release, with refugees in ethnic-cleansing zones. Another stepped out of the shadow of a best-selling husband & learnt to speak her own piece while another is a pilgrim upon her walk toward spiritual knowledge.

Listening to their words, remarking upon Katherine Martin's commentary, I have found myself in good company & would willingly offer any one of these brave women my seat by the fire & a cup of hot tea! A wonderful read & a keeper! Do check out my full review! ... Read more

Isbn: 1577310934
Sales Rank: 272720
Subjects:  1. Biography    2. General    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. United States    6. Women social reformers    7. Women's Studies - General    8. Women's Studies - History   

From Girls to Grrlz : A History of Women's Comics from Teens to Zines
by Trina Robbins
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 1999)
list price: $17.95 -- our price: $12.21
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Editorial Review

This collection is in many ways an indispensable history of women in comics since the 1940s. Author Trina Robbins used to hang out in comics shops with her boyfriend, waiting impatiently, assuming that comics was essentially a boy's medium. Looking closer, Robbins realized there was a hidden history within the comics world, one that reflected cultural shifts in ideas about women--if you look at how women are drawn, you learn a lot about how women are imagined. Robbins edited the first all-women comic book, It Ain't Me, Babe, and her insider knowledge is clearly encyclopedic. Before the grrrl comics like Ellen Forney's Tomato or Jessica Abel's ArtBabe, there was 1943's Girl's Life, narrated by a cartoon teenager named Patsy Walker who wants nothing more than to become a beautiful movie star. Then there are Betty and Veronica with their impossible breasts, and Wimmin's comics of the early '70s, in which the drawings pulse with angry life, druggy and hopeful.

From Girls to Grrrlz occasionally suffers from tunnel vision--analysis is not Robbins's strength. She's so immersed in the world she's documenting, she's never objective about it; she never rises out of the cartoon world for a feminist discussion of what it means for women to start drawing themselves, to start telling their own stories via this boy-dominated medium. Nevertheless, it is a well-organized, beautifully presented tribute to women as creators and characters. The full-page reproduction of "The Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp" is by itself worth the price of admission. --Emily White ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great Work of Research
Robbins gives us a great deal of information about the world of girl/grrlz comics in USA.She showed me that there was more than super heroes stories to read at American comics, and she was able to make clear the politics of Women exclusion in comic market in USA.Great book, I deeply recommend.

More of an overview than a history
Subtitled "A History of [Female] Comics from Teens to Zines", this colorful and attractive book attempts to chronologically plot the development of "girl" comics from 1941 into the '90s. Stuffed with page and cover reproductions, this is a history in which girl's consumed more comics than boys until the 1960s, ranging from preteen fare like Archie to more advanced romance and morality tale comics. In the '60s superheroes began to dominate the market, and the mainstream female comic largely faded into the background. Thus, the late '60s gave rise to "underground" women's comics scene that blossomed in conjunction with the feminist movement. Which eventually begat the full on "grrrlz" comics of the '90s.

This makes for fairly quick and simple reading under Robbins' pen, although one that could use a great deal more perspective and analysis. She is more interested in documenting the names or artists, and the plotlines of various comics than she is in a broader discussion of what it all means. She does touch on it from time to time, but these are more interjections (often a little whiny in tone) than a coherent theme. As with most Chronicle books, the production (design, layout, color, quality of reproductions) is outstanding. It's a breezy overview of the subject, but hardly a comprehensive history. I also found myself wishing for information on women's comics from other countries, for comparison.

A Tough One to Peg
In Trina Robbins' Afterword, she concedes, "This is not a book about women cartoonists -- I've already written that book..."Then what the heck IS this? Robbins' book "From Girls to Grrrlz" does -- in a fantastically broad sense -- chronicle the changes in women's moods from the 1940s to the present day by examining the comics produced during each era, with a feminism that is, at times, downright suffocating.But good luck if you expect to find a real focus in this book; maybe Robbins thought she didn't need a real subject, since she'd "already written that book."Nonetheless, this book is well-researched, sometimes delightfully slanted, deliciously illustrated, and in the end, hopeful for the future of alternative fiction.While Robbins never seems to step in the poo of a real live topic, this book is nonetheless a glorious, helpful sampling of the comics of yesterday.Just don't wait around for the Point of it All to be handed to you on a platter. ... Read more

Isbn: 0811821994
Subjects:  1. Art    2. Comic books, strips, etc    3. Comic books, strips, etc.    4. General    5. Graphic Satire And Humor    6. History and criticism    7. Humor    8. Sociology    9. Sociology Of Women    10. Techniques - Cartooning    11. United States    12. Women    13. Women's Studies - General   

Deborah Harry
by Cathay Che
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 2000)
list price: $25.00
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Reviews (11)

Golden "Blonde"
Before Gwen Stefani, Madonna and Courtney Love, the original and premier rock blonde of the world was Deborah Harry. So it's a given that she would be adored as an icon of rock, punk and pop music -- but does Cathay Che have to adore her quite so much?

"Platinum Blonde" is a useful, interesting look at the life and work of Debbie Harry -- adopted at three months into the New Jersey Harry family, Debbie later went on to the legendary Max's Kansas City, and then to become the frontwoman of the hit punk band called Blondie. (Contrary to legend, SHE is not Blondie herself) Later, when the band broke up, Debbie embarked on a solid solo career as a singer and actress.

Biographies are always a lot better when the subject goes along with it, or even helps. Debbie Harry did both, and that means that the details are plentiful and the background is as well-researched as it possibly can be. In addition, Che has some very exclusive interviews with Harry and her bandmate Chris Stein. These interviews are intelligent, insightful, and give a great deal of insight into Harry, her career, and her band, and are without a doubt the best part of the book.

What is more, the book has a great deal of other input on Harry and Co., most of which add to the overall "feel" of the book. (Except for one mildly icky story about a photographer getting a naughty glimpse in one of his photos). And Che has a great deal of enthusiasm for her subject, and the impact Blondie and Harry had on the world.

The main problem is Che's rosy lenses -- it's understandable that a fan would get a bit adoring of Harry, especially after interviewing her in person for this. However,it gets a bit tiresome to be told repeatedly what a great band Blondie was, and what a flawlessly amazing human being Debbie Harry is, and so on and so forth. I adore Harry too, yet not quite that much.

However, Che's excellent research and solid writing make up somewhat for the gushy tone; most die-hard fans can't write anywhere near this well. "Platinum Blonde" has one major flaw, but is otherwise an excellent biography of one of rock's first ladies.

Complimentary portrait of Deborah Harry
Cathy Che's book traces Harry's life from her birth in New Jersey to her becoming drummer and vocalist in the psychedelic group Wind In The Willows, singing with the Stilettoes, to Blondie, and beyond.However, she divides the book thematically, such as Harry as a movie actress, Harry's influence on music after Blondie's departure from the music scene, as an icon for gays, and on fashion.All this leads up to the Blondie reunion, which yielded the No Exit album and the accompanying tour.

The coverage of the CBGB's scene and the onset of Blondiemania is done well, and certain movie roles, i.e. Videodrome, Heavy, and Hairspray, have added detail, as they were starring roles for her.

The key content of the book are the series of interviews with Deborah Harry and the one with Chris Stein.Che does reveal at the outset that Harry despises idiotic questions like "how does it feel to be a sex symbol?"And that good manners and intelligent questions are a prerequisite to have a successful and interesting interview with her.Her answers are honest, open, with a twist of humour every now and then.However, what struck me was her belief that her accomplishments wasn't worth a full book.Even Chris Stein thinks Harry doesn't realize the influence she has had on pop culture, which is bringing the "movie starlet sensibility into rock."

What's important to emphasize, as Che does is that Blondie is all five members of the group, i.e. Harry, Stein, Clem Burke, Jimmie Destri, Gary Valentine, and as may have been apparent, Blondie became solely equated with Deborah Harry, an inaccuracy on one hand, but that's something that Chris Leeds, Blondie's manager from 77-79, fervently argues, that the men were "backing up this particularly beautiful woman."Leeds is portrayed as a controlling force and someone who had what it took to push Blondie in the spotlight, and he isn't portrayed too flatteringly here, perhaps justifiably so, as a clause in the exit contract gave him 20% royalties.

Another way to put it was 'Blondie' as Harry's onstage persona, a 70's Jean Harlow or Marilyn Monroe.As Harry said, "The initial idea was to be desirable, feminine, and vulnerable, but a resilient, tenacious wit at the same time.""For this reason, technically Deborah Harry both is and isn't Blondie."I can go for that.

The brief commentary by those influenced by her include Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo, Fred Schneider of the B-52's, whose new track "Debbie" on their Future Generation greatest hits is a nod to Ms. harry, Michael Stipe of REM, and Theo Kogan of the Lunachicks is quite rewarding to read.And Che also mentions Madonna, whose fiery independent, self-assured image was surely taken from Deborah Harry.

There is a series of photographs, including Andy Warhol's wonderful silk-screen portrait, a very interesting surreal painting by Robert Williams, and the usual bunch of photos.

Warm, accessible, and generous is how Che portrays Harry in this book, but Evelyn McDonnell's final words in the foreword sums things up pretty well:"When Blondie died Harry was able to go on living."

Not good enough
This is a poorly written book (chock full of typos and inaccuracies) that doesn't do justice to the very interesting subject of Harry's life. It's nice that someone aimed to write her biography, but if you're looking for something definitive, you'll have to keep waiting.

Despite the fact that Che had access to Harry and Chris Stein, she came up with no new revelations, and doesn't even tell the story of Harry's life; she simply focuses on Harry's sex appeal and stardom, and doesn't even delve into that too critically. Pass on this one. ... Read more

Isbn: 0880642181
Sales Rank: 541796
Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Composers & Musicians - General    6. Composers & Musicians - Rock    7. Entertainment & Performing Arts - Actors & Actresses    8. Harry, Debbie    9. Rock musicians    10. United States    11. Women   

The Confident Woman : Learn the Rules of the Game
by MARJORIE HANSEN SHAEVITZ
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (28 December, 1999)
list price: $23.00
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Editorial Review

If you have low self-confidence, it's difficult to imagine being self-assured. Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz knows this firsthand. She was 5'9" at age 11--taller than the other children and the teachers. She was date-raped in college, stalked, abused in relationships, and sexually harassed at work as a young adult.She was too embarrassed to tell anyone about any of this and assumed it was her fault. She kept trying to be "nicer"--which exacerbated the problems and her lack of confidence. As a married woman and mother, she put everyone else first--always.

Now a powerful, confident, and self-actualized woman, Shaevitz presents the steps you can take to empower yourself and create self-confidence. There's a ton of helpful material here: quotes, concepts, strategies, and questionnaires, all aimed at helping you figure out what you really want from life (work, home, relationships) and how to create the confidence to get yourself there. A nice touch at the end of each chapter is "the Break": a tip for some nice things you can do for yourself, like new flavors of tea, uplifting music, refreshing activities, relaxation alternatives, and book recommendations. This book will help you become a person

who has a strong sense of herself, who takes good care of herself, who solves her own problems, who competently handles life's challenges, who chooses to spend time with loving, supportive people, who reads and is well educated, who loves her work and yet takes time for herself.

--Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (8)

This book has been very helpful!I'd stronly recommend it!
After going throug a particulary rough patch, I found myself rather depressed and my confidence was at an all time low.I bought this book on the recommendation of a friend, and am really glad I did!

The author lists several reasons that women, as a group, may lack confidence, even when their lives have been fairly productive, and I found that interesting, but in my opinion, the best part of the book was the self rating quiz.This confirmed my feeling that I was in a real slump.

The next part of the book had really excellent exercises that helped me clarify my values, wants and desires.The aim was to help me get back in touch with who I really am, and who I want to become. what I like and dislike, what I want to "be, do and have" and generally just get back in touch with what was and wasn't important in my life.

The next section of the book dealt with practical ways to act on what I'd learned in the values clarification exercises, and how to "get it in gear" and take an active role in mazimizing things that made me happy, and minimizing those that left me feeling like a used dishrag.

I have to tell you that it perked me right back up in the first week!I'm now putting those positive things back into my life, slowly but consistantly, and feel far more hopeful and focused than I did before the book arrived.

This book did a lot to boost my morale, and level of confidence, and that was just exactly what I seemed to need right now.

I hope other readers will find it as benifical as I have.

You shouldn't buy this book !!
I don't know why other reviewers gave this author five stars. This book is not for working women or married women with no kids,but just for moms. But I don't think this book has a positive influence on readers. This book is indeed prejudiced and disgusting. The author strived for finding out all bad things men did toward women from history of many countries. She says something like "Don't feel victimized." But she described her experiences and women's history as victimized ! She also speaks down on readers and I felt as if she repeated to me,"You are not intelligent.","I'm intelligent and I'm very confident of myself". Also,she seems to have a racial prejudice..I, as an Asian woman,felt so insulted and angry. By this book,my depression became worse ! I'll never buy this author's book !

If you really want to be confident of yourself,read Marilyn Sorensen Ph.D's "Breaking the Chain of Low Self-Esteem". This book changed my life and saved my life.

The Confident Woman
I purchased "The Confident Woman" principally because I have long held the author, Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz, in high personal and professional regard. Now retired from an editing career, I frankly had nointention of reading it, or at least of reading it cover to cover. Indeed,I expected to put it on a shelf, there to collect dust, after flippingthrough a few pages to check the author's approach. By the end of twochapters, though, I was hooked. I read it all, and I'm glad. MarjorieHansen Shaevitz provides significant data, yes. But, more importantly, shecouples this with pertinent examples of life experience, practicalsolutions and ideas for continuing growth. An enjoyable read. An importantbook for women of all ages and stages in life. ... Read more

Isbn: 0609603523
Subjects:  1. Affirmations    2. Assertiveness (Psychology)    3. Assertiveness in women    4. Feminism & Feminist Theory    5. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Self-confidence    9. Women    10. Self-Help / Affirmations   

Read My Lips: A Cultural History of Lipstick
by Meg Cohen Ragas, Karen Kozlowski, Veronique Vienne
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1998)
list price: $14.95
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Reviews (15)

Not too deep, but a fun, interesting read
While this book isn't a thesis on lipstick or the cultural significance of lipstick, it is a light, informative read on where lipstick came from and how it's evolved over the years. I found the facts about what ingredients used to go into lipstick fascinating, and the book is filled with interesting factoids such as how to say 'lipstick' in several different languages. The photos are great---the old cosmetics ads are a hoot!---and the book is written in a light, breezy style that makes it easy to read.

Finally Somebody Gets It!
Tired of all those serious minded types who think fashion is a religion.This book demystifies the glamour of makeup and shows it for what it really is - nothing more than FUN!That's the way it's supposed to be.

Nothing for the serious minded fashion expert here.
This is long love letter to lipstick, written with the aren't I cool? bravado of a magazine journalist. A tiresome read, with lots of giggly plays on words. For now, I'll stick to Allure, and In-Style. ... Read more

Isbn: 0811820114
Sales Rank: 501649
Subjects:  1. Cosmetology    2. History    3. Lipstick    4. Popular Culture    5. Popular Culture - General    6. Social Science    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology   

Little Women - Collector's Edition
Director: Gillian Armstrong
Average Customer Review:
DVD (03 June, 2003)
list price: $14.94 -- our price: $11.95
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

The flaws are easily forgiven in this beautiful version ofLouisa May Alcott's novel. A stirring look at life in New England duringthe Civil War, Little Women is a triumph for all involved. We follow one family asthey split into the world, ending up with the most independent, theoutspoken Jo (Winona Ryder). This time around, the dramatics andconclusions fall into place a little too well, instead of finding life'slittle accidents along the way. Everyone now looks a bit too cute and oh,so nice. As the matron, Marmee, Susan Sarandon kicks the film into amodern tone, creating a movie alive with a great feminine sprit. KirstenDunst (Interview with the Vampire) has another showy role. The youngensemble cast cannot be faulted, with Ryder beginning the movie in a roleakin to light comedy and crescendoing to a triumphant end worthy of anOscar. --Doug Thomas ... Read more

Features

• Color
• Closed-captioned
• Widescreen
• Dolby

Reviews (126)

I Wish I Had Rented the DVD Instead of Bought!
This was a decent film adaptation of one of my favorite books Little Women and I don't always require a movie to be 100% like the book but I'm a little disappointed with how much was changed and how some of the characters were using modern slang words that they just woudn't have used in the olden days and I can't believe that they didn't have Wynona Ryder utter the phrase Christopher Columbus! like Katherine Hepburn and June Allison did in their film portrayals as Jo. While I think the main cast acted well some of the supporting actors were miscast. I actually like Eric Stoltz, he was great in Memphis Belle but I think he was miscast as Laurie's teacher friend who married Meg. He just played the character as if he was a mamby pamby weakling! The movie was worth viewing once but I'm not sure I would want to view this movie again and I wish I had rented the DVD instead of bought!

TRUE TO THE SPIRIT OF THE BOOK!
Yeah, so this movie is not really true to the books with all of the modern feminist PC stuff but it's true to the spirit of the book and I liked this movie. Okay so the Marmee and Meg of the book were too prim and proper to bring things up like women being forced to wear corsets and stuff like that but I don't think that it ruined the movie but just added a different twist to it! The cast was great, but I especially liked Winona Ryder as Jo, Claire Daines as Beth, Kirstin Dunst as younger Amy, and Samantha Mathis as older Amy! If you have read the book and loved the other movie versions of Little Women you may like this too. It has a modernized style but it's good and I recommend it!

Bad interpretation of the classic book
I didn't like this movie too much, I think the director and script writer took too much of the book and added too much of their own, in a way that spoils the movie.
The movie flaws over the most important parts of the book, and on the other hand gives great attention to events invented by the script writer. Throughout the movie there is a feeling that the most important parts of the book pop out of nowhere, for two minutes, and then talentlessly cut-off for some invented event.
In addition the movie is filled with 20th century values, which are completely anachronistic to the time when the plot happenes. For example, there is a protest against Child Labor in China, which makes you wanna shout that even in the U.S and China there was child labor these days, so what's the point of putting it in. It feels as if the writer insults the viewer's intelligence by making his messages as clear as can be, and the credibility of the plot pays for it.
The design of the characters is another problem. Jo is very feminine in this movie and hardly remind the book. Her famous exclamation "Christopher Colombus!" is replaced here by a weak "By Jehosafat"(?). The mother is presented like a hard person. The movie gets lost between the sisters and there is a feeling that none of the sisters get, eventually, enough attention.
In conclusion, I think it's a badly written and talentlessly directed movie. I think it's a misinterpretation of the book, caused by a desparate try to be original and a lousy attempt to make the book "understood" for the modern person, as if anything that was written before 1990 is beyond our grasp. Thus, it ignores the fact that great litrature is timeless and eternal. ... Read more

Asin: 0767851013
Subjects:  1. Feature Film-drama