Book Description
Unlock the Male Mystery
Guys will be guys. And now girls can know what that means! For Young Women Only dives into the mysterious inner-workings of the teenage male mind so that you can begin to understand why guys say and do what they do. Exploring critical topics including respect, insecurity, appearance, physical affection, and the “tough and tender”-ness of guys, this book is also packed with “ask the expert” sections, quotes, and fun personal stories from guys in all walks of life. Why is he so visually stimulated? You may wish it weren’t so, but that won’t make it so. I don’t want to put on a front for him to like me. Actually, he wants your genuineness, too! This book will help you grasp how God wired the opposite sex so you can enjoy your relationships with them.
Why Are Guys So Weird?
Unravel the mystery. A national scientific survey and in-depth personal interviews give you an unprecedented look inside the teenage male mind. Discover how: He’d be perfectly fine if he was loved by few and hated by many…as long as he was respected by all His ego is the size of Africa (but so are his insecurities) He hides his real feelings under a tough exterior He’s magnetized by pretty girls–but also wants to find a diamond in the rough He actually does want to marry a virgin He just wants you to be yourself
It’s the inside scoop you’ve been waiting for! You’ll come to not only understand him, but also know what he might really be thinking about you.
Endorsements:
“This is a phenomenal book that I wish I’d had as a teenager!”
Shannon Ethridge
Bestselling author, Every Young Woman’s Battle
“Girls, this book is a MUST-read!”
Candace Cameron Bure
Actress, speaker
Story Behind the Book
“My teenage daughter really needs to hear this!” Such was the typical reaction from countless men and women who read Shaunti Feldhahn ’s bestselling For Women Only. “If forty-year-old women are surprised by the truth about how men think, we realized the value in helping teenagers discover these realities as well,” says Shaunti. Teaming with her best friend Lisa Rice , a mother of teen girls and the coauthor of For Women Only Discussion Guide, they launched a major national survey of guys fifteen to twenty. Their surprising findings are revealed here to help girls improve their relationships with the opposite sex, now and into the future.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book!.......2007-09-06
I love it. Another bestseller that I recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You
A TERRIFIC book!!! I loved it!.......2007-07-28
This book was wonderful. I love how it gave so many personal quotes from real guys and what they had to say was amazing. I already knew most of the things that they talked about before I read the book but the book really added a depth of understanding that I hadn't had before. I realized alot of things that I could do and say to even my younger brothers. It made me feel almost sorry for the guy and what he goes through and how we as girls so many of us just ignore or disregard the guys feelings cause we think they are weak when sometimes we are the actual cause of it. I felt alot more self-concious about the way I dress and acted around guys. I was at soccer camp just yesterday when I a girl there had her belly and most of her chest showing in a tight tank top and this guy came up to her and asked her if she had a shirt she could put on, she told him yes and he said good and walked away. Just that made me realized how much temptation we are to guys. That guy was trying to keep his mind out of the gutter. This book also had a great Christian perspective into it which I loved being a christian myself.
I highly recommend this to ALL teenage girls.
An Eye-Opening Look into a Hidden World.......2007-06-14
To most teenage girls, guys are a mystery, and confusion haunts most inter-gender relationships. Shaunti Feldhahn and Lisa A. Rice do their best to eliminate this confusion with For Young Women Only: What You Need to Know About How Guys Think. The essence of the male mind becomes much clearer to the reader, enabling her to be the kind of friend and sister in Christ that the young men around her need, and preparing her to be a loving, supportive wife. The age-old topic of modesty is covered with new insight, revealing to girls WHY modesty is so important if we care about the men around us. The chapter "Seeing the Inner and Outer Beauty" was perhaps the most important chapter to me, as a teenage reader, because it covers a matter of great sensitivity to young women in a manner that provides comfort and encouragement. I would recommend For Young Women Only to all girls ages 13 and older, as the book does contain some sensitive content. For more on sexual purity and modesty, check out Wait For Me: Rediscovering the Joy of Purity in Romance, a book targeted toward a similar audience with a message equally as important and necessary as that of For Young Women Only.
Must read!.......2007-05-21
This book is so valuable for young women, and even some that aren't so young. The principles taught in this book can really help a woman throughout her dating life. It even has some great tips for women who may be married or already in a committed relationship. I highly suggest picking this one up for yourself, or maybe for the young woman in your life.
something every teen girl nees to read.......2007-05-16
my wife tells me this is a great book. we bought one for all the girls in our youth ministry recently.
Customer Reviews:
I didn't know before...but I know now!.......2007-07-14
I didn't know this book would be so good. It was so fast-paced that I finished it off in a one night. I shook my head as David and Jocelyn relentlessly went against everything I personally believe in when it comes to relationships and fidelity. Eric and Janelle truly didn't deserve the deceit and treacherous heartbreak that was thrown their ways. I cried tears over Isaiah. Marc, Kim, and Marisol were great supporting characters. The ending actually surprised me. I think Eric did the right thing in the end. Jocelyn was indeed tainted and no longer good enough for him. As for David and Janelle...I think they really did belong together because in spite of David's unfaithfulness, he truly loved Janelle and she loved him back. Good job by this author.
This book doesn't need a follow-up, but I would be happy to read one anyway.
Two thumbs up..........2007-07-02
I'm not really good at doing book reviews, but this book was an excellent read. If you like drama...you will definately love this book! Good thing Mr. Joseph put the disclaimer at the beginning because I would have really thought he wrote this after a personal experience. This just goes to show how real the story seemed....
Good job Dwayne!!!
Slow start but great finish.......2007-06-12
This is the first book I've read by Dwayne Joseph and I must say that I wasn't disappointed. The book had a slow start but finished up great. This is a good read. I don't think Janelle should've given David a second chance but hey love conquers all....I guess.
don't waste your time.......2007-05-04
Imma keep it short and sweet. I don't know what yall were reading, maybe I had a different version or something. But this book was so watered down it was annoying. The plot and idea was good, but that's about it. The characters were stupid and unbelieveable... a husband takes hsi wife back after she left him for her high school sweetheart... i don't want to ruin it for those who choose to read it... but why waste your time?
Let's Just Say It's On FIRE.......2007-03-08
What first caught my attention about this book was the title because in my head I was singing the Aaliyah song and after I realized that the book was by a friend of mine I knew I had to get it because I knew it was going to be a hot joint. Well needless to say I finished the book in a cool five hours and was highly impressed. I have read much work in the literary world as well as read quite a few by Mr. Joseph himself and I got to say every time I read something new Dwayne turns the heat up.
Amazon.com
Tailored for 13- to 19-year-old girls (sorry, guys) The Diet for Teenagers Only dishes up a sensible balance of recipes, weight loss strategies, and straight talk about food. Writing partners Carrie Wiatt (Eating by Design) and Barbara Schroeder convey all the messages nutrition-wise moms want their daughters to hear--in an informed, best-friend voice their teens will actually listen to.
Trust builds as readers discover "Things They Never Told You;" like how puberty naturally increases a girl's body fat, diet soda promotes weight gain, and carbohydrates aren't all bad. No mention of ideal weight spoils the fun, here; rather, Wiatt and Schroeder utilize an age-appropriate BMI (Body Mass Index) to help judge who's truly overweight and who simply needs "a better body image reality check." Doodled stars and hearts further enliven the book's chummy tone, but never upstage the important stuff: food portion guides; nutrients for healthy bodies; calorie requirements based on BMI ranges; low-fat cooking techniques and recipes; weekly menus and shopping strategies for weight loss; and discussions about how a teen's emotions often drive her eating cycle. Q & A sections slip between meatier chapters, allowing tough issues like fasting, cravings, and eating disorders to be addressed with empathy and pragmatism. Surprisingly helpful are the restaurant and vending machine guidelines, featuring side-by-side substitution lists, titled "Eat This" and "Not That". Brimming with loving encouragement and the wisdom of gals who have been there, The Diet for Teenagers Only sends a clear message to girls: form good habits now.--Liane Thomas
Book Description
Here's the deal. You are in the biggest, most important growth spurt of your life. This is the most critical time for you to learn to eat right and treat your body with the respect –– and the nutrition –– it deserves.
––from The Diet for Teenagers Only
Teenage girls face a relentless assault on their self–esteem: television, the Internet, and magazines all barrage young women with images of perfection –– and that perfection is closely linked with being thin. Sadly, research shows that only 14 percent of teenage girls are happy with their body shape and size. More than half of them think they should lose weight. And most shocking of all, obesity among teenagers has tripled in the last decade alone. Young people are victims not only of poor self–esteem and eating disorders, but also of larger health issues.
In The Diet for Teenagers Only , Carrie Wiatt and Barbara Schroeder give teenagers the dietary weapons they need to fight back and make smart, independent decisions about nutrition. Written in a conversational, lighthearted voice, but filled with practical tips and must–have information, The Diet for Teenagers Only is a breakthrough diet plan specifically tailored to fit teenage needs and lifestyles. Among the essential ingredients of this diet you'll find:
- color cutouts of favorite foods that clarify what portion sizes should look like;
- recommended 7–day meal plans for different calorie needs –– and create–your–own–menu options;
- easy–to–follow recipes and grocery shopping tips that inspire teenagers to take nutrition into their own hands;
- a complete illustrated exercise program to complement weight–loss efforts, boost energy, and strengthen young bodies; and
- a personal food diary for charting daily progress.
For teenagers who struggle with food and their weight, or for those who simply want a head start on designing a smart and satisfying food lifestyle, no other diet book will do. The Diet for Teenagers Only serves up fun, safe, and inspirational ways for teenagers to lose weight and be healthy, while never losing sight of the larger picture: While striving to improve your body can be a very healthy goal, learning to love your body is a far more important achievement –– and one that will last a lifetime!
Customer Reviews:
Too bad I don't live in LA.......2007-08-28
While reading this book I'll admit I got a bit excited. But when you get down to it, they really didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I felt the diet plan was very "LA-esque," the requirements of which I couldn't always meet in my NYC suburb. On top of that, a lot of their meal suggestions go against the new and updated food pyramid, and many of their recipes have A LOT of fat in them. Bottom line, there are better choices out there to learn how to eat healthily.
great.......2007-04-10
this book is really nice, good way to help teens see what kind of foods they should be eating.
Very Good- Combine with Toning For Teens.......2007-02-26
I bought both "The Diet for Teenagers Only" and "Toning for Teens" by Joyce Vedral about 10 days ago, and I have already noticed a difference. Combining the healthy eating plan with the exercise program is already affecting me. I feel stronger (but a little sore) and I have more energy. Also, I have lost about 5 pounds! So I would call that a good start, if you do the math 10 days/5 pounds = 1/2 pound per day. The Pom tea recipe in this book tastes pretty good to me... and makes great popsicles! If it's not sweet enough for you, add orange juice or apple juice (both unfiltered with no sugar added). Also, the diet is pretty easy to stick to, make sure to keep a food diary because it does help! Even on days where I overate, I was still only eating about 1700 calories. These are two very smartly written books and they can help you on you goal to a healthy lifestyle!
P.S. A great way to make raw or cooked vegetables taste better without adding fat or even many calories is to dip them in vinegar-balsamic, white wine, distilled white, or many of the flavored vinegars on the market. Also, drink those 6 glasses a water per day. You will need to go to the bathroom more, but you feel... lubricated? I don't know. It just feels nice.
Pretty Sweet.......2007-02-19
I'm 13, almost 14, and my mom bought me this book because I was concerned about my health and body image. I'm not overweight, but I know how important it is to eat healthy and maintain an ideal weight for my age. Unlike most dieting books I've read, this book is low pressure and actually makes me feel good about myself. Just knowing that I am a girl and I deserve to look and feel beautiful. It's easy to understand and to follow, and also easy to stick to. I love how exercise is encouraged along with making healthy decisions. Along with health information, this book also features easy recipes and dieting plans from experienced nutritionists. Pretty sweet. I'd definitely recommend it.
great for teens!.......2007-02-13
I'm 14 and I got this book after finding out that diets like Weight Watchers and South Beach are not for teens. I read the whole thing on a sick day from school and it taught me how to find good portions are and how to read a nutritian lable on foods. It also taught me how to loose weight safe and with helpful tips for exercise and diet. This book is the best thing for teenagers looking to loose weight or just learn how to eat healthier! I have only been on it for 2 weeks and have already lost 7 lbs!
Book Description
Welcome to New York Citys Upper East Side, where the girls are dazzling, the guys are gorgeous, and the summer heat is the perfect excuse to throw a fabulous roof-deck pool party. Its their last summer together before heading off to college, and things are sizzlingno, its not just the weather. Despite that steamy kiss on graduation night, Blair, Serena and Nate have gone their separate waysthough not for long. Blair is off to London with her English Lord-boyfriend, Serenas about to become a movie staras if she wasnt a star already!and Nates rolling up his well-worn khakis and heading to the Hamptons. Back in New York, Dan and Vanessa are rekindling their love. Fiery! Watch out, this summer is going to be hotter than ever.
Customer Reviews:
Very entertaining.......2007-06-21
Reviewed by Erin Keith (age 17) for Reader Views (6/07)
It's the beginning of summer and it's off to a hot start. Our main characters consist of Serena, Blair, Nate, Dan, and Vanessa.
Serena is starring in a re-make of the famous movie "Breakfast at Tiffany's," except it's now called Breakfast at Fred's. She thinks that she has the easy life, what with a really hot co-star, that is until she's finding it hard to concentrate on her lines.
Blair is off to England with her new boyfriend, Lord Marcus, but gets a rude awakening when his cousin comes to visit. She finds herself back in the states and is mortified when her mother informs her that she needs a summer job.
Nate is up to his usual getting-in-trouble self and realizes that there's more to life than money and nice cars. When a townie chick opens his eyes to the real world, he begins to question a lot of other things, like what he really wants out of life.
Dan is between a rock and hard place when he asks Vanessa to move back in with him, but meets a new girl with a new perspective on life and the environment. He tries to re-kindle a flame with Vanessa, but sometimes big gestures are not enough. After getting fired from her summer job on the set of Breakfast at Fred's, Vanessa must learn the true wonders of babysitting. But she doesn't realize what she's gotten herself into until it's too late.
All in all, the ninth novel in the "Gossip Girl" series is one to keep you fully entertained this summer. "Only in Your Dreams" was intriguing and displayed a consistency in the series. I would recommend this book to those who like the series, and to those that are looking for a good summer read. The great thing about the "Gossip Girl" books is that you don't have to read them in order!
Don't waste your money. .......2007-01-11
Okay, I really did try to read one of these books once, but that didn't last very long. I honestly don't understand why people even like them. There's nothing good about these books. They're just about materialistic people and their boring, superficial lives. Seems to be that all they do is drink, have sex, and backstab their "friends". How wonderful. Don't waste your money.
great books.......2006-11-19
i have read all the books and they are all great i cant wait for the next book in 2007 and hopefully the movie
Sleazy and Petty.......2006-10-11
This installation of the Gossip Girl series is just as shallow and superficial as all its predecessors are. The entire plot revolves around getting high, having sex, smoking, and guzzling down alcohol. The whole series is pure trash from beginning to end.
Not as good as the others.......2006-09-27
I agree with what some of the other people are saying this book is no where near as good as the other books, it seems as if ever since the kids graduated the author has run out of ideas. And those reviewers who are complaining about how this book isn't apporiate for younger readers, shoud know this book is for ages 16 and up and every 16 year old has heard or used the "f" word at least once in their lives. Yes there is a lot of sex, drugs, and bad language but that's a part of the real world.
Average customer rating:
- Back In The Big Apple!!
- Read this book!
- Better Than the Last, But still Flawed
- Try To Put It Down, I Dare You!
- "Classic" Burke
|
Only Child: A Burke Novel (Burke Novels)
Andrew Vachss
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 United States
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| Vachss, Andrew
| ( V )
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ASIN: 0375414878
Release Date: 2002-10-08 |
Amazon.com
Andrew Vachss's series hero, an outlaw vigilante named Burke, is on the trail of the man who murdered the teenage daughter of a Mafioso whose secret affairs with a black woman and a gay crime boss make Tony Soprano's sub rosa relationship with his psychiatrist seem inconsequential. More accustomed to committing crimes than investigating them, Burke comes out of retirement and reunites with his New York family, a group of criminals who join him in a clever ruse to unmask the killer. The circuitous trail eventually leads to an underground filmmaker whose disturbing brand of noir vérité was responsible for the girl's death; as usual, Burke metes out vengeance with a steady hand. As usual, Vachss turns in a suitably dark, violent thriller with a strong narrative drive and an explosive conclusion. --Jane Adams
Book Description
After years on the run, Burke is desperate to return to his native New York, the only way he can reconnect with his outlaw “family.” But to survive in their part of the City, where reputation is everything, Burke must take major risks to reestablish his presence. So when a Mafia man contacts him about the murder-as-message of his sixteen-year-old daughter—the offspring of what he calls an “outside the tribe” affair that he must keep secret at all costs—Burke’s depleted bankroll persuades him to step out of the shadows and do something he hasn’t done in years . . . actually investigate a crime.
Burke needs cover to penetrate the teenage subculture of the Long Island town where the girl lived and died, so he puts together a crew of gifted role-players, including a pair of lesbian “power exchangers” who market their special brand of sex on the Internet. When Burke himself surfaces as a casting director, seeking tomorrow’s stars for a movie to be shot on location, the investigation quickly spins off into uncharted depths. What he discovers is a new kind of filmmaking, a new kind of violence, and a predator unlike any he’s ever known. When they meet head-on over a brutal work of cinéma vérité, only one of them will survive the final cut.
Download Description
After years on the run, Burke is desperate to return to his native New York, the only way he can reconnect with his outlaw "family." But to survive in their part of the City, where reputation is everything, Burke must take major risks to reestablish his presence. So when a Mafia man contacts him about the murder-as-message of his sixteen-year-old daughter -- the offspring of what he calls an "outside the tribe" affair that he must keep secret at all costs -- Burke's depleted bankroll persuades him to step out of the shadows and do something he hasn't done in years... actually investigate a crime.
Burke needs cover to penetrate the teenage subculture of the Long Island town where the girl lived and died, so he puts together a crew of gifted role-players, including a pair of lesbian "power exchangers" who market their special brand of sex on the Internet. When Burke himself surfaces as a casting director, seeking tomorrow's stars for a movie to be shot on location, the investigation quickly spins off into uncharted depths. What he discovers is a new kind of filmmaking, a new kind of violence, and a predator unlike any he's ever known. When they meet head-on over a brutal work of cinéma vérité, only one of them will survive the final cut.
Customer Reviews:
Back In The Big Apple!!.......2007-08-21
Oh, you have no idea how amazingly awesome it is to have Burke back in NYC. And as always, Vachss, does an amazing job of spreading out this despicable underworld and helping us navigate it.
Burke's back. He's got a new hideaway, and he's among his loved ones again. There is still the pain and betrayal that befalls everyone whose paths he crosses, just as there is also his sense of justice, and his determination to bring the worst offenders to their come-uppance.
Read this book!.......2004-04-11
This book is the greatest! The author's critique of movie worshippers is the best ever.
Better Than the Last, But still Flawed.......2004-01-23
Andrew Vachss lost the thread of his Burke books about five years ago. What he needs is a good editor again to tell him what's working and what isn't. I have to say, though, that he seemed to be getting back on track with this one, although there's about 80 pages of padding. I kept saying to myself, "Get to it, Vachhs, and stop babbling!" Finally I gave up and just couldn't finish. Still, I remain a fan of the man's work.
Try To Put It Down, I Dare You!.......2003-12-03
It is 4:30 in the morning.
Now that we have established that little fact, let me tell you a little bit about my reading habits. I have a library full of books. Heck, I work in a book store. I adore books. A nice little chunk of every day is spent reading something. Since my son was born almost a year ago, this reading mostly takes place at the foot of the stairs to my apartment while I draw on a pipe so the smoke won't offend anyone else in the house. I usually read in twenty to forty minute sessions, usually enough for a bowl or two of Vanilla Cavendish. After that I put the book down and go about my day (or night as it usually turns out). It is like my own little sanctuary, and that is where I leave it. There is a stack of books at the foot of the stairs I am currently working through. In the last year I have never brought a book back up with me to continue. There is always a good spot to put a book down, believe me. At least I thought so until I started Only Child today. I read while I smoked, then I came up to the living room and read while my wife watched TV, then I returned to the spot and smoked some more (at least with a pipe I am looking at lip and throat cancer rather than that lung stuff), followed by a stint in the rocking chair and finally finishing with a last smoke while the book raced to its conclusion. I am not a fast reader either. I tend to savor books. The closer this book got to the final pages, however, the faster I read. I read as I walked up and down the stairs. I read as I went to the kitchen for a soda. I just couldn't look away from this book. In my younger days, I might have read a book straight through, but age (and being an aging father) has caught up with me. Now it is an unknown experience. Until I started Only Child today.
I am not going to go into plot elements and how wonderful and engaging and hard Mr. Vachss writing is or even how amazing the character of Burke is at he has evolved over the years and in the pages (and you should read the Burke novels in order as there is definite evolution and continuity). You probably know all that. I am simply going to tell you that in years of reading some really wonderful books, the experience of having found one so intriguing that I couldn't put it down until it was done is an experience I haven't had in a very long while.
It is 4:30 in the morning, and I couldn't be happier. Or more blown away.
"Classic" Burke.......2003-08-09
This is a return to the sort of Burke story that got me hooked on the series in the first place. It was great to have Burke reconnected with his New York "family". I'm always impressed with Mr. Vachss' abilities as a writer on every level, plot, dialouge, texture and (especially in this instance) a killer ending - he certainly doesn't disappoint here. If you are unfamiliar with the series, this would be a good place to jump in, if you are already a Vachss reader, you can be sure that a great series continues to thrive with this installment.
Book Description
The Only Girl in the Car
Bookworm and dreamer, Kathy was a young girl with a tender heart, an adventurer’s spirit, and a child’s terrible confusion about her proper place in the world. As the oldest daughter in a family of six children, she seemed trapped in her role as Big Sister and Mommy’s Helper. Then, one day, teetering on the brink of adolescence, hormones surging, she heard someone call her “cheesecake,” and suddenly saw her path.
“Cheesecake, jailbait, sex kitten”--the very words seemed to be “doors opening” to a splendid new self. But from the moment she decides to lose her virginity and reels in her prey, a “full-grown man,” fourteen-year-old Kathy is headed for trouble. One cold, raw March night some months later, parked in a car with four boys on the outskirts of her small suburban town, she finds it.
Though she could never have foreseen the outcome of that night, the “boys in the car could just as well have been Gypsies foretelling my future,” she writes. Girls who break the rules in small towns like the one she lived in are expected to pay a very high price for their transgressions--and she did.
And yet...this young girl, as scrappy a protagonist as any in our literature, manages to transform her fate. The story of how she came to be in that car, and how she stepped out of it forever altered, to be sure, yet not forever damaged, is the theme of this extraordinary coming-of-age tale.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Manages to make bad girls boring.......2007-09-03
I could not make it past page 50. The part I did read was Dobie telling childhood tales of neglect and being misunderstood, ostensibly to explain what happened later in her life. This should have been more exciting than it ended up being.
The main problem I had was that the narrative just wasn't compelling. At no point in this book did I care about what happened next. Perhaps Dobie was pulling her punches and keeping things clean for the youth. Young girls thinking of becoming the neighborhood bicycle could benefit from this memoir, but in my experience, those girls don't usually read.
So, the book is a waste on all fronts. Avoid this one.
Too Shallow.......2007-05-22
My daughter read this and found it wonderful, so I gave it a shot. It's a short book, one you can finish in 3-4 hours. That, I feel, represents part of the problem. This book lacks depth. The periods of her life are isolated from each other and she fails to make the connections between her family life, her wantoness, the group sex, and her afterlife.
I'm not sure Dobie understnad the impact of her choosing to engage in sex with those boys in the care had on her adult life. Instead, the ending leaves one with a voyeuristic hangover similiar to watching The Jerry Springer Show.
Kind of disappointed..........2007-04-13
First off, let me commend Kathy Dobie for such an honest, unflinching account of a girlhood gone sadly and strangely awry. Her story of being a 14 year old searching for maturity through inappropriate sexual encounters, culminating in reluctantly "agreeing" to a gang bang, is truly heartbreaking. Unfortunately though, the parts of the book that don't deal with her sexual misadventures and statutory rape(s) fall short of being interesting or particularly informative. And for that reason this memoir feels very disjointed.
With the exception of the tease at the beginning of the book, the first half of the book tediously deals with Kathy's rather ordinary and ununique upbringing in a Catholic household as one of six children. Aside from her deep and unfulfilled desire to be closer to her mother and the fact that she has an older brother who is troubled and prone to running away, there is nothing about her childhood that could prepare her or the reader for the way she so drastically veers off course. All she offers is that at fourteen she makes the decision to lose her virginity and then does so with basically the first man (yes, man) she meets. The only explanation she really offers for her sudden transformation into the town slut is that she really wanted everyone to know her name and for her reputation to precede her. And precede her, it did. It isn't until Kathy delves into her sex life at fourteen that she is at her best and able to really explore what happened and what she was feeling at the time. This gripping, thought-provoking section culminates in the gand bang. Then Kathy spends a good deal of time discussing the aftermath, which is mildly interesting but not very illuminating. She can't adequately explain her feelings about what happened and seems to be moving through the story and time in a daze, which may have been how it felt at the time to the author, but doesn't help the reader come to terms with how Kathy managed to move on from the tragedy that befell her. Then the narrative abruptly shifts to her life today, twenty years later, and we're supposed to believe she has moved past the assault; she's healed. Yet she acknowledges her inability to commit to a man; her need to always live with other people, almost like she hasn't moved on from adolescence. Ultimately, I was left feeling very sad for Kathy the 14 year old who was the victim of such a sad Greek tragedy of her own immature making, and sorrier for Kathy the 38 year old who still seems scarred by it.
I really wanted to like this book so much more; wanted Kathy to delve so much deeper; but ultimately, I felt let down by the lack of resolution as well as the hurried ending.
Unlike many books I've come across.......2007-03-26
I was very much impressed with this book. The first thing that struck me was the description of her early life and family. It depicts (beyond accurately) the smells, sounds, cameraderie, and love present in the house of a large family.
When she got into the meat of her story, I was astounded at how honest she was willing to be with the rest of the world. She offered no apology for how she acted, only an acknowledgement that she acted that way. She did not profess undying hatred for the boys who raped her, but a description of why she loved being around them and why she was so heartbroken afterward.
Somehow, Dobie managed to capture the world from the eyes of a 14/15 year old, but to tell her story through the woman who has come to terms with her past. Excellent, and highly recommended.
Couldn't Put It Down.......2006-12-30
I highly recommend this book. Not having found a really great read in a while, I was more than surprised to find one here in this simple, ordinary looking book. She writes so beautifully and honestly that you almost feel like you know her. All her emotions become your own. Even though I've never been through much of what she writes about in my own life, I felt a strange, strong connection to Dobie and her story of adolescence. I couldn't put this one down. Enjoy!
Book Description
Looking for some words of wisdom? for girls only is here to help with tips, advice, and tons of fun, clever quotes about friends, family, school, life, and love.
Carol Weston, advice columnist, novelist, and best-selling author of girltalk, adds her own spin to over five hundred carefully chosen quotations. You'll find insight and inspiration in the words of Socrates and Seinfeld, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Latifah, Mark Twain and Halle Berry -- and in proverbs and quotations from around the world and throughout history that are still perfect for here and now.
Download Description
"
Looking for some words of wisdom? for girls only is here to help with tips, advice, and tons of fun, clever quotes about friends, family, school, life, and love.
Carol Weston, advice columnist, novelist, and best-selling author of girltalk, adds her own spin to over five hundred carefully chosen quotations. You'll find insight and inspiration in the words of Socrates and Seinfeld, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Latifah, Mark Twain and Halle Berry -- and in proverbs and quotations from around the world and throughout history that are still perfect for here and now.
"
Customer Reviews:
For Every Girl.......2005-03-15
When it is good (and beautifully written) advice is something you can never get enough of, and For Girls Only is proof. Weston combines her own always-accurate, thoughtful, and humorous words of wisdom with those of famous writers, philosophers, entertainers, politicians, and more. The result is a book which page by page offers truly inspiring quotes and passages to comfort any girl, at any stage of life.
For Girls Only Review!.......2005-03-06
I just finished reading this awesome book a few days ago, and immmediately sent the author a thank you email for what a great job she did! Not only did she do a great job of incorportating quotes from men and women, old and young, past and present, and all religions, but I came away feeling inspired and ready to take on the world! A perfect book for any girl!
Better than therapy!!!.......2004-10-13
Whenever I need inspiration or encouragement or a peptalk or just some sensible advice, I open this book to any page, read for a few minutes, and feel lighter and better. GREAT FOR ANY AGE!!! GET A COPY! You'll be glad you did!!!
Not Just Any Quote Book! THIS ONE IS AMAZING!.......2004-08-16
I confess, I like quote books. I even have my own blank book that I've filled with quotes over the years. Well, FOR GIRLS ONLY is like a gold mine!!! I'm not kidding, it has around 500 GREAT quotes that aren't the usual ones we've all already heard. I don't know where Carol Weston gets them, but she has great quotes from poets, singers, celebs, and some people that I thought I alone had discovered. It's just a great mix. I always liked her "Dear Carol" column in Girls Life, so I like having all her own advice under each quote. I mean, I grew up reading her novels and column, so I trust her. I read one page of FOR GIRLS ONLY every morning and I also go to it whenever I get mad or depressed or whatever. It gets me in a better mood because it gives me a new way to look at things. I gave this book to everyone who came to my last birthday party and it got us into some really good conversations. I recommend GIRLTALK too, but since I'm into quotes, I wanted to review this one. Get For Girls Only! You'll be glad you did!!!
TOTALLY INSPIRING!!!.......2004-08-06
I love how this book is full of excellent advice that I can read whenever I'm feeling confused or depressed. I am a big fan of Carol Weston's "Dear Carol" column in Girls' Life magazine (and also of her novels) so it's really cool to have her best advice in one book. She also quotes a ton of my favorite musicians, actors, and other writers. Basically, thanks to FOR GIRLS ONLY, even if I've already talked to my mom and best friend about a problem, I still have another place to go for good advice or just to get me motivated to get my work done or try to meet new people or whatever. FOR GIRLS ONLY is FOR YOU!!!
Book Description
In A Life God Rewards, Bruce Wilkinson showed exactly how God designed each day here to be eternally significant. Here Bruce, along with veteran youth author Mack Thomas, speaks specifically to girls ages eight to twelve, ready for their lives to make a difference forever.
Customer Reviews:
A Life God Rewards.......2007-01-17
I bought this for a young teenaged girl, and found it too stiff and preachy for her age, and then when I read it more, I decided it was just not interesting. It was a struggle to stick with it. I ended up not giving it to any of my granddaughters, even one who is 18.
A Worthwhile Read.......2003-01-20
A Life God Rewards, Girls Only is definitely a worthwhile read. It talked about what God wants for his people and what we have to do to get rewards in heaven. By the end of the book, i was almost completely convinced that what Bruce Wilkinson said was true. However, I gave it four stars because I wished that it would say something about how we know that God and heaven really exist. On the other hand it helped me understand what happens after you die better.
I think kids would enjoy this book best.
Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)
The brevity of Muriel Spark’s novels is equaled only by their brilliance. These four novels, each a miniature masterpiece, illustrate her development over four decades. Despite the seriousness of their themes, all four are fantastic comedies of manners, bristling with wit.
Spark’s most celebrated novel, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, tells the story of a charismatic schoolteacher’s catastrophic effect on her pupils. The Girls of Slender Means is a beautifully drawn portrait of young women living in a hostel in London in the giddy postwar days of 1945. The Driver’s Seat follows the final haunted hours of a woman descending into madness. And The Only Problem is a witty fable about suffering that brings the Book of Job to bear on contemporary terrorism.
All four novels give evidence of one of the most original and unmistakable voices in contemporary fiction. Characters are vividly etched in a few words; earth-shaking events are lightly touched on. Yet underneath the glittering surface there is an obsessive probing of metaphysical questions: the meaning of good and evil, the need for salvation, the search for significance.
Book Description
Innovative in style, its humour by turns punchy and tender, Jeanette Winterson’s first novel,
Oranges are Not the Only Fruit is a few days ride into the bizarre outposts of religious excess and human obsession. It’s a love story, too. Winterson’s adaptation of the novel was an internationally acclaimed television drama awarded a BAFTA for best drama and an RTS award in the same year; the Prix Italia; FIPA D’Argent at Cannes for best script; The Golden Gate in San Francisco and an ACE Award at the Los Angeles television festival.
Customer Reviews:
Coming Out.......2007-05-10
A girl faces the problem of coming out to her conservative family, along with their reactions to her less-than-traditional sexuality.
Great introduction to Winterson.......2007-03-16
This is not "Well of Loneliness" (Radcliffe Hall) and for that we can all be grateful.
An Unwritten Story.......2006-08-08
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit courageously tackles a topic not addressed often enough in real literature; the struggle between one's family and self as sexuality develops contrary to "normal" expectations. Jeanette Winterson deftly paints the story of a young girl's travails as she comes out to her devoutly evangelical mother with humor and pathos. The characters are all too real, especially to anyone with a background in deeply Christian communities.
Winterson is an adept enough storyteller, however, her narration leaves something to be desired. The fairytales interspersed with the main storyline are interesting and add a magical, childlike touch to the story, but aren't fully integrated into the novel. As a result, they distract from the book rather than further developing it. This novel is a good first effort and a worthwhile read, but not quite a literary marvel.
"History is a string full of knots".......2006-07-25
In her debut novel, first published in 1985, Jeanette Winterson managed to achieve two important goals: one, to impress the reader with her autobiographical story, and two, to create her own style and voice, which she developed in her later works.
At the level of the narrative, the reader is completely taken in by the life of an orphan girl raised in England of the 1960's by the strictly religious mother to be a preacher and a missionary. The world outside the church community, which, despite the presence of pastors, has a strong matriarchal feeling, and the men seems somehow obscure and dispensable, is for little Jeanette absolutely incomprehensible.
As a child, she does not have a reason not to believe her mother... but growing up as an intelligent child with inquisitive mind, she begins to ask questions. First quietly, only in her mind, then more openly, when she encounters other reality (at school and in her town), and finally, confronted with her own sexuality which is unacceptable by (although, as it appears, not unknown to) her church, she decides to step out of her life as she knows it, go beyond her very limited experience and start afresh (very brave; I could not help thinking though that her being lesbian seemed to be an obstacle but in a way was helpful because it was the real push to struggle for her own identity; for a girl who would marry it would be probably less difficult to settle down quietly and stop asking questions, like it was for Melanie, Jeanette's first love in the novel). The oranges from the title become the symbol of the forced limitations...
The book is full of general thoughts, and although there is no great philosophy, the discoveries of adolescence are put into great words. Winterson's voice sometimes sound incredibly bitter and she paints the characters with certain cruelty. Although the book if full of funny anecdotes, it is a sad kind of humor, I hope this was a catharsis to write it. The author admits that we create our own history and memories are what we remember and shape ourselves, therefore far from objective report of the past...
Formally, the novel is divided into chapters bearing the titles of the initial books of the Old Testament. There are also many religious metaphors and similes throughout. Winterson uses simple, short sentences which gives the book the clarity. Interchanging with the main plot are short tales, which remind me of things I imagined and put on paper when I was a child... They are a great insight into the mind, fears and fantasies of a sensitive girl and look very real, although are obviously conceived at the same time as the whole novel (although it would be nice to think that Winterson incorporated her real childhood creations) as they run in parallel with the plot and are inseparable from it.
I think that for anyone who wants to become familiar with Winterson's prose, this is the best place to start.
Her beginnings...........2006-05-18
You can see the author finding her voice in this one. It's jumpy with moments of sparking fire that characterize her later works. She dips a toe into the magic realism and fairy tale, and seeing these tentative steps should give all writers faith that they should pursue their weirdest ideas, mediated by the story.
I recommend reading this not first but after you've seen her at her best, as in The Passion.
Books:
- Frommer's 500 Places to Take Your Kids Before They Grow Up (500 Places)
- Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children
- Guess How Much I Love You
- Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch (Henry and Mudge Ready-to-Read)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How Clean Is Your House?: Hundreds of Handy Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle
- How Clean Is Your House?: Hundreds of Handy Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle
- How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Rooms?
- How to Handle Difficult Parents: A Teacher's Survival Guide
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
- O Jerusalem
- Covered Call Writing Demystified: Double-Digit Returns on Stocks in a Slower Growth Market for the C
- Elemental Companion
- History: Fiction or Science
- Louis Comfort Tiffany and Laurelton Hall: An Artist's Country Estate
- Koba the Dread: Laughter and the Twenty Million
- Basic Payment Tables
- Disability, Work and Cash Benefits
- Pregnant Bears and Crawdad Eyes: Excursions and Encounters in Animal Worlds
For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men
For Men Only: A Straightforward Guide to the Inner Lives of Women
For Women Only Discussion Guide: A Companion to the Bestseller about the Inner Lives of Men
Every Young Woman's Battle: Guarding Your Mind, Heart, and Body in a Sex-Saturated World (The Every Man Series)
For Parents Only: Getting Inside the Head of Your Kid
