Subjects:  1. Age Groups    2. Child rearing    3. Family & Relationships    4. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    5. Family/Marriage    6. Life Stages - Adolescence    7. Life Stages - Teenagers    8. Mothers and daughters    9. Parenting - General    10. Parenting - Motherhood    11. Social Institutions    12. Teenage girls    13. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Reviews (12)

A question?
how now? a book written about the marginal, the "strung-out", decentered, in a stile one needs a very very expensive education to comprehend? on what side of the pasture are you on?
A landmark...
As you can already tell by the comments, there is a "clash of cultures" in the academy. It's between:
The Hindoo Empress Has No Sari
I expropriated this book from the Princeton History Department, where it was forlornly residing underneath a "Free To Anyone" sign. I got what I paid for. It's crap, and babble, and everything else that uniformly applies to anything written by a deconstructionist, structuralist, or similar academic mountebank. If you come across a copy, skim it for laughs. (Trust me: you won't have to get past the Introduction to find some uproariously awful sentences.) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Emigration & Immigration    4. Feminism and literature    5. Feminist criticism    6. History & Surveys - Modern    7. Philosophy, Modern    8. Postcolonialism    9. Social Science    10. Sociology    11. Women and literature    12. Anthropology    13. Cultural studies    14. Literary theory    15. Social Science / General   

Reviews (12)

Something to pass on!
I just Read Spragins amazing collection of letters and had to post this message about it.If you're looking for a meaningfull thought provoking gift this is it!This book will be cherished not just because it reveals the inner thoughts of some amazing people on our planet, but because it confirmations the inner voice in all of us that is often ignored.
A Lesson in Reflection
I found this book as I was looking for a gift for my daughter's college graduation. The concept seemed incredible to me so I grabbed it up and brought it home. Reading the letters inpired me to write my own letter. I wrote a letter to myself 23 years before, pregnant with my daughter. The process of reflection was intense for me. I cried as I remembered the fears I had--the uncertainty. My sister called as I was writing this letter and the two of us went even farther back than 23 years. We remembered each other as children--when we were unable to communicate our fears. Our conversation helped our relationship and helped me to finish my letter to myself. In the end, my letter to me became my gift to my daughter. Without this book, all this reflection would be lost.

Author of "Live in the Moment" wishes every HS Grad would receive this book!
I read about this book in the newspaper and ordered it right away, even though I already get it when it comes to "wishing we knew then what we know now".I wrote my book for the same reason - if only I'd had a book like "Live in the Moment" or "What I Know Now" to read as I entered into the adult world.Learning things that other people wish they'd known at a younger age only helps to reaffirm my belief that it's up to us to help open the eyes of the next generation. They've got the world by the tail, if only they would realize that and make the most of it!Brava Ellyn Spragins. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Conduct of life    3. Feminism & Feminist Theory    4. Letters    5. Miscellanea    6. Motivational & Inspirational    7. Personal Growth - General    8. Personal Growth - Success    9. Psychology    10. Psychology Of Women    11. Social Science    12. Sociology    13. Women    14. Women in public life    15. Women's Studies - General    16. Self-Help / Success   

Reviews (1)

College Textbook
While the text offers important thought provoking articles and essays on Race Gender and Social Issues, it is not Student friendly text. A text with such a wide array of information should offer a section of review at the end of each reading. By having a review "for students", it ensures an understanding of concepts and objectives. Furthermore, it offers students a place to review when studying for exams. I give the text a 5 star rating for the informative articles and essays but 1 star for none existing review material. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1980-    2. Government - National    3. Pluralism (Social sciences)    4. Social Science    5. Social conditions    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. United States    9. Women's Studies - General    10. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Editorial Review

Just had a baby?Lie down, rest your weary womb, and muster up a rousing cheer! (Shh! Don't wake the baby!)Now, from the author of Read more

Reviews (177)

Reassuring, not depressing
I read the negative reveiws of this book before I had my baby, and decided against buying it.Then, after my baby was born, I was frustrated with baby books that made me feel like the way I was feeling and the way I was doing things was all wrong, and I was hungry for anything that was written for new mothers (sadly, this was about it).I have to say, this book was the only thing that made me feel like I wasn't crazy, and that there wasn't anything wrong with me because I was having a hard time.I guess motherhood came easy for those people who wrote such scathing reveiws, but even though my baby is the best thing that ever happened to me, some days I can't stop crying and wondering how I will do this for the rest of my life.Yes, you will be sleep deprived, and your baby may cry for what seems like no reason, and it will break your heart and you will wonder if you are cut out for this whole motherhood thing.At least, that's how I feel, and thank God for this book so I know I'm not alone.

Total Garbage!
This book is pretty near worthless. I started reading it knowing that I was unlikely to agree with much of Vicki's "advice," but I thought it still might be funny. It wasn't. Also, lots of her advice is not only wrong it is *completely* wrong--as in, not only not backed up by evidence, but actually *contraindicated* by evidence. I could not even finish reading the book after I got to the complete drivel that was her "advice" on infant feeding--she presented the section as "common considerations when deciding to breastfeed" and then proceeded to describe the absolute worst-case-scenario for everything possibly related to breastfeeding (& several things that can't be blamed on breastfeeding at all!). It was a common considerations section, but would have been more aptly named, "reasons I think breastfeeding is awful and no one should do it" section.
very few mothers could relate to any ofthis!
This was the most useless book I have ever read on being a parent.The author goes on and on about how painful and excruciating breastfeeding is, and how all "girlfriends" can relate to this pain if they are breastfeeding.Huh??If she had read any books on breastfeeding at all or gotten some basic advice from a lactation consultant, she would realize that her baby was latched on incorrectly and would have corrected the problem.Also, she talks about girlfriends hiding from their husbands in the house so that they can breastfeed?What?!?!This book just infuriated me, it was so shallow and pointless, I feel like the author lives in a world all her own, inhabited by stepford wife-like "girlfriends" who struggle incessantly with mothering a new baby and have to hide everything from their dumb husbands who are completely incompetent.How insulting!!Don't waste your time or money on this garbage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Child Care/Parenting    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Health and hygiene    5. Life Stages - Infants & Toddlers/Infants    6. Mother and infant    7. Motherhood    8. Mothers    9. Parenting - General    10. Parenting - Motherhood    11. Psychology    12. Advice on parenting    13. Family & Relationships / Parenting   

Reviews (4)

great present for a woman with everything
I bought this for a friend and everyone at the party loved it - was passed around and got rave reviews - the friend was very pleased with her gift.

lazyreaders.com book selection for June 2006
If you have a daughter, wife, mother or niece who is graduating from anywhere, this is the perfect gift. The book of terrific photographs from Clay Blackmore of 58 women documents their aspirations as children before succeeding in other areas (e.g. former secretary of state Madeline Albright, the chess champion; Olympic gymnast Dominic Dawes, the Supreme Court Justice; etc.). I love books like this. To find this book and other cool short book club recommendations, go to [...].

Perfect for the Estraordinary Women in your life.
An exceptional gift book for the special women in your life. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography And Autobiography    3. Feminism & Feminist Theory    4. Miscellanea    5. Portraits    6. Portraiture    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Subjects & Themes - Portraits    10. Women    11. Women in public life    12. Women's Studies - General    13. Social Science / Women's Studies   

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Europe    3. Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Medieval    8. Middle Ages, 500-1500    9. Reference    10. Women    11. Women's Studies - General    12. Women's Studies - History    13. Reference / Encyclopedias   

Reviews (36)

Highly valuable book, even if you're not a self-help type
I was just out of college when my friend's mother gave me this book.My friend and I rolled our eyes - we were *definitely* not self-help-book readers.I still am not.But many times over the past ten years I have referenced this book in conversations with friends. I have found myself applying many of the tips that Ms. White provides. You don't have to be a hyper-ambitious, ladder-climbing corporate professional to get something out of this book. Among the tenets that have stood out to me over the years are:
Enjoyed, learned but read it all with a grain of salt!
I have never believed, or wanted to believe, in the feminist views of the world. I like to believe that if we focus on results, deliverables, and excellent performance and good merit, we will indeed get ahead - man or woman - in corporate america. Reading this book however did have certain advice in handling some situations that only arise for women in the workplace. Not every bit of advice or circumstance applies to all of us, but overall, this was a very good read, I took bits and pieces of advice from Kate and really did enjoy her stories and her candid sharing of the experience she had been through. I really do recommend it to everyone - not just women. It's good to be aware of our ingrained beliefs and learn to let go of them and face life with a much more open mind.

People Pleasing is not the way to go
This is the golden advice: people pleasing is distinct from delivering credible results. In the world of world it is being respected that wins the day. Being liked is a matter of fickleness and not based on results. Results that are measured are all that matters. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Assertiveness in women    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business Life - General    5. Businesswomen    6. Career development    7. Career/Job    8. Careers - General    9. Case studies    10. Success in business    11. Women & Business    12. Business & Economics / Careers    13. Management & management techniques    14. Women's studies   

Reviews (5)

Brilliant Collection of Essays
Donna Haraway will be remembered historically, if she's remembered at all, as the most misunderstood theorist of the twentieth century.Appealing to individuals used to simplistic rhetoric and discourse, due to her subject matters of feminism and science studies, Haraway uses langugae more apt to the deconstructions of Jacques Derrida.This connection is elided but important in understanding Haraway's project. Brilliancies.
Donna Haraway's work in this collection continues to amaze me.Her intense critical engagement with the history of science is resolutely brilliant: she takes common conceptions of the body, objectivity, power, and 'nature' and pulls the rug of patriarchal metaphysics out from under them.These essays are concerned withunravelling origins myths, pointing out the pitfalls of political innocence, deconstructing our conceptions of the natural and the artefactual--you know, the usual.Her project is immense, but the she hones her points in each essay very well with dazzlingly astute political analyses and characteristic poetic phrases.If you're interested in oppositional antiracist feminist consciousness, Haraway's yr philosopher.

Jaded and slanted
"Simians, Cyborgs, and Women" sounds as if it might be interesting to discuss the connections between the three conceps upon first glance.Feel free to read the opening portions of the book.They are representative of the majority of the book.If you are well-versed in fanatical feminist theories - and, more importantly, agree wholeheartedly with them - then you will enjoy the book immensely.On the other hand, if you are expecting a healthy discussion of the basis of, rationale for, and definitions of feminist theories, look elsewhere.The book is rife with shakey feminist theories which serve as premises to even still more outrageous conclusions, without any attempt to justify the premises themselves.As a result, it ends up a house of cards, without a strong foundation, puffed up far more than it ever should.I would have been more interested in seeing a well-structured analysis of the views underlying the arguments she makes.Alas, a search for such an analysis was in vain. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Behavior    2. Feminism & Feminist Theory    3. Feminist criticism    4. Human behavior    5. Life Sciences - Evolution    6. Primates    7. Sociobiology    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (10)

knowing about knowing
this is by far the best book on epistemology -- how people decide what knowledge is, and how they go about getting it -- that i have ever encountered.when i was in graduate school, i started studying epistemology by accident.i'd planned to research how people learned physics, but i ended up baffled by many of my students.how *did* those people think??this book clarified that for me, by extensively documenting a variety of ways in which people thought about knowledge, and presenting their classifications with excellent documentation and a wholesome level of respect.
A fascinating look at the psychology of the female mind.
Building on the work of previous psychologists interested in the study of the female mind, Mary Belenky and her colleagues have conducted interviews with a sample of 135 women enrolled in various teaching institutions (whether it be a university, community college, or some other institution such as a clinic to aid parents). The authors looked for patterns in the responses they received, and were able to draw together a concept of how women deal with knowledge.
Nothing here about Knowing
If this book represents the level of academic excellence women bring to social studies, the feminist movement has just been set back a generation.Basing their analysis [if it can be called that] on but 135 women, all of them from the United States, they come to the conclusion that wimmen have a special way of knowing.Knowing what?Oppressive parents, demanding management, demands for academic competence?Where do these four get the idea that these experiences are unique to women?Men in their various endeavours experience identical fears from identical sources.Parents have different values than your generation?Welcome to the club. Your boss demands that you accomplish tasks in an unreasonable amount of time?How much midnight oil have any of us burned to complete an irrational deadline?Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. General    3. Psychology    4. Self-actualization (Psychology)    5. Self-realization    6. Sociology    7. United States    8. Women    9. Women's Studies - General    10. Feminism   

Editorial Review

Essayist and cultural critic Barbara Ehrenreich has always specialized in turning received wisdom on its head with intelligence, clarity, and verve. With some 12 million women being pushed into the labor market by welfare reform, she decided to do some good old-fashioned journalism and find out just how they were going to survive on the wages of the unskilled--at $6 to $7 an hour, only half of what is considered a living wage. So she did what millions of Americans do, she looked for a job and a place to live, worked that job, and tried to make ends meet. Read more

Reviews (979)

Next week on The Simple Life, Barb joins Paris and Nicole for shift work at the local Wallyworld!
She Made It Even Harder To Get By
Ehrenreich is the kind of journalist I despise. One who thinks her insights are so important that it doesn't matter how much she inconveniences others to make her point.
Bring your own grain of salt.
This is not a bad book, but it's not a good one. Although I certainly gained some insight from reading this book, I was disappointed (and surprised) by Ms. Ehrenreich's (or the editor's?) lack of fact-checking/ attention to detail, and/or embellishment.
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Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. Labor    3. Labor & Industrial Relations - General    4. Minimum wage    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Poverty    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Social Theory    10. United States    11. Unskilled Occupations    12. Unskilled labor    13. Wages    14. Working poor    15. USA    16. Women's studies    17. Work & labour   

Reviews (1)

Foundational Work in Gender History
Joan Scott's "Gender and the Politics of History" is one of the landmark books in the field of gender history.What is gender history, you ask?To a large degree, that's a question this book is trying to answer.This book can be regarded as an explanation of *what* gender history is (as Scott defines it, at any rate), why it's important, and how it can be done.Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Gender Studies    4. General    5. History    6. Sex Roles (Sociological Aspects)    7. Sex role    8. Social Science    9. Sociology    10. Sociology Of Women    11. Women    12. Women's Studies - General    13. Women's Studies - History    14. Cultural studies    15. Historiography    16. History / Europe / General    17. Women's studies   

Reviews (23)

Also see the DVD with Jean Kilbourne
This book's ideas need to reach more people.It seems we're inundated with stories of child molesters, drug pushers, and other threats to us and our children; but the 200 billion dollars spent by the junk food makers, pharmaceutical pushers, military recruiters and others to colonize the hearts and minds of our kids is often overlooked.Sadly, many of those who are learning to look critically at the commercial media are often more privileged economically.Maybe we can find ways to reach out to other sectors of our society through letters to editors, calls to talk radio, writing on message boards and so forth.Also, there are additional resources that we can use to share perspectives to help protect people (kids and adults) from the psychological warfare of Big Business.I'd recommend DVDs like "Deadly Persuasion" from the Media Education Foundation, which is an expose of tobacco and alcohol advertising presented by Jean Kilbourne.There is also the award-winning film called "The Corporation" available from Amazon.Subscriptions to "Adbusters" and "New Moon" are also very helpful outreach tools.

An Absolute Must Read!!
Can't Buy My Love is an extraordinary book, insightful, critical, and without a doubt, an eye-opener.This book should be required reading by all Americans!Personally, it has played a pivotal role in my life.I would say I'm your average American citizen.I grew up in New York, immersed in the typical American culture.I watched plenty of television and movies and thus was exposed to an endless array of advertisements.As most people, I didn't think that my thoughts and actions were influenced by these advertisements.But after reading this book, I clearly saw how the messages and images of the media had a huge impact in my life.Until I read this book, I was sort of unconscious of this influence.I just went shopping as though it was a ritual and followed the mainstream culture.I went out drinking and pretended to have a good time while engaged in superficial conversations in loud smoky bars.Essentially, this book brought me to many realizations and my mentality started to shift for the better.I started to see things for what they are.Jean Kilbourne does an excellent job of analyzing numerous ads and clearly demonstrates the manipulation and false promises imbedded within these cleverly designed ads.Corporations spend millions of dollars on advertising and psychological research.As the targets of these ads, we as citizens need to be critical thinkers and media literate.In this day and age, we need to have an understanding of how the media industry works and in particular, the advertising industry, which constantly bombards us with messages on how we should live our lives and what is considered "normal."I highly, highly recommend this book.It's clear, concise, understandable, and will definitely have a positive impact in your life.I especially recommend this book to teenagers, who unfortunately have become the victims of massive amounts of advertisements.Profit-driven corporations have taken advantage of young impressionable minds and for that reason, I urge you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself and someone you care about!This one book was able to jump start a transformation in my life.I promise you won't regret reading it!

A fantastic and important book
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Subjects:  1. Marketing - Research    2. Media Studies    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. Women consumers    6. Women in advertising    7. Women's Studies - General    8. Social Science / Women's Studies   

Reviews (8)

Review
I am enjoying this book, although I am reading it at a slow pace.The chapters are divided by sections of the poems and there are meditations in each chapter-which I find helpful.

Awful, Just Awful
I really wanted to like this book. I have been schooled in the wisdom of "original blessing" as a corrective for the concept of original sin, and well, I'm a woman. So I thought this book would be right up my alley. Reilly goes overboard, however, in rejecting _any_ attempts at self-discernment as negative. There is such a thing as self-assessment that is accepting, positive, and life-affirming, without necessarily approving of everything that we accept about ourselves.
Amazing!
This book is worth every penny it costs and more.She puts words to the feeling so many woman have: what is wrong with me or am I lovable?All I can say is buy it, read it, and you will find a whole new world of love and peace opened up to you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Affirmations    2. Personal Growth - Self-Esteem    3. Psychology    4. Religious life    5. Self-Help    6. Spiritual life    7. Women    8. Women's Studies - General    9. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness    10. Popular psychology    11. Women's studies   

Reviews (8)

Very informative and a great book to own
I absolutely loved this book. I initially picked it up because of the pictures in it (most of the other books I looked at just had sketches) and quickly found that I really enjoyed the format of it and the overall wealth of information.
Wish I Had Seen This Book 6 Months Ago!
What an excellent book.It is all-encompassing, and not only takes you through pregnancy in a non-biased way (giving you a broad perspective with a ob-gyn to a midwife) it gives you a look through and after child birth.The information is accurate, complete, helpful, and easy to digest.It puts all of the other pregnancy books to shame.I bought the old stand-by "What to Expect When You're Expecting" when I first found out I was pregnant and think it will work well for starting a fire in my fire pit now that I've found "I'm Pregnant!".

Pro-life readers beware.
I loved this book until I started reading the fine print.Anyone who is pro-life will not appreciate the references to termination.It is also seemingly bragged that few down syndrome babies are now born due to early diagnosis and abortion.I find this to be a sad fact rather than something to rejoice over.The book was fantastic except for those parts which took the joy completely from this book. Many pregnancy books discuss medical issues without having to suggest abortion.It ruined the book for me.I tossed it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Embryology    2. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Motherhood    6. Pregnancy    7. Pregnancy & Childbirth    8. Reproductive Medicine & Technology    9. Family & Relationships / Motherhood   

Reviews (30)

The Feminist War on Women.
One of the major reasons why radical feminism remains such a destructive influence on the lives of Americans is that it claims to speak for women when it really only represents a minute percentage of them. The feminista activist has proved quite adept at obscuring this fact by labeling their critics as "patriarchal, anti-woman" and "sexist." The irony lost on many is that no social movement in history has so thoroughly undermined the constituency they pretended to represent.
An enlightening read
I really enjoyed reading this book "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Women, Sex, and Feminism" by Carrie L. Lukas. This book taught me plenty of information. I was surprised to learn that cohabiting couples are more likely to divorce than remain happily married and that women who divorce typically regret it afterwards and often end up unhappier than when they were married. One would think that because of things like alimony checks and child custody that the opposite would be valid. I was also surprised to learn that it was a myth that one out of four women has either rape victims or victims of an attempted rape. There is also a great deal of information on domestic violence, fertility, liberation, abortion, daycare, and statistics that address health care issues. In short, I would say get this book (despite its low average customer review rating) if you are hoping to gain some enlightenment and learn about feminism from a point of view that is not based on PC myths.

Her eduation was a waste
Look, the fact is feminism is about CHOICE no more, no less. I have the highest respect for stay at home moms--it is the hardest darn job on Earth. But this woman is WAY off base to say that feminism sold us a lie. Feminism GAVE us a choice. It told us we did not HAVE to pretend to believe we were June Cleaver if that was not what was in our hearts and souls.
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Subjects:  1. Feminism    2. Feminism & Feminist Theory    3. Sex role    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. United States    7. Women    8. Women In The U.S.    9. Women's Studies - General    10. Political Science / General   

Reviews (7)

"REAL WOMAN" Defined